Page 38 of The Freshman

Nate chuckled breathlessly. “No, youdon’t, and I forgive you for punching me.”

Alfie struggled up to his feet. Hewinced at the deep ache in his knees and rubbed his chest where thehatch had pressed. He used his untainted hand, not the one that hadtouched Nate, not the one that supplied seedy answers to Alfie’scurious mind.

The ache to his body, the tiredness ofhis mind, and the heavy tug of his eyelids cured him of hisarousal.

The radio hissed again, and he swipedfor it.

“Don’t forget this,” Natebreathed.

Alfie turned just in time to see theletter fall from the side of the hatch. He swooped down, grabbedit, and shoved it into his pocket. His radio hissed, and Henrydemanded he reply.

Alfie stomped away, ignoring Nate’schuckle, and replied that he was fine. He had heard a dripping andthought one of the pipes was leaking. Henry growled it wasn’t hisresponsibility, and told him to get back in the office.

It wasn’t until much later, when Alfiewas home, he finally unfolded the scrunched envelop from hispocket. He stared at his scribbled handwriting, done in a panic theday before, but when he pulled out the paper inside, it wasn’t hisletter of resignation.

It was another sketch from Nate, thistime titled The Freshman.

Alfie stared at himself, the tied downversion of himself. Hands secured above his head, shirt open, andtie askew. It was different from the other picture. Nate hadguessed his body type, no hair, and only a faint etching of muscle.His eyes weren’t open but closed with his lashes fanning down. Theblush spread to his jaw, and his throat was exposed, like Alfie wasoffering it.

He hated that the picture was arousingand repulsive at the same time. He gripped the edge, poised to tearit in two, but something stopped him. He folded the piece of paperand shoved it under his pillow instead. Out of sight, but not outof mind, or gone for good, much like Nate.

Chapter Ten

Alfie cursed under his breath as hewalked up to Nate’s cell. He had spent another day struggling tosleep because of him and promised himself one thing, he would neveropen the hatch door again.

“Hello, Freshman, did youlike the picture?”

“I burned it,” Alfiemumbled.

Nate snorted by the door. “No, youdidn’t. I was thinking about those imaginary boyfriends ofyours.”

“What about them?” Alfiesighed.

“I was wondering whatkinds of places these boyfriends take you.”

Alfie shook his head. “What do youwant me to say? Up the arse?”

His heart pounded when Queenie boomedwith laughter in the neighboring cell.

“No, Freshman, not likethat. I meant where would they take you out, what kind ofrestaurant?”

Alfie used the clipboard to fan thehumiliation from his face. Even his eyes watered at his blush.“You’re asking what food I’d have on a date? Probably justpizza.”

“I’d take you to a nicepizzeria, just the two of us in a secluded corner. I’d buy you adrink, not enough to get you drunk, but relax you. We’d talk aboutyour day, and I’d talk about mine. Might even light a candle on thetable.”

“Aww,” Queenie said, andAlfie rolled his eyes but continued to listen to Nate’s fantasydate.

“If you were cold I’d takeoff my coat, wrap it around your shoulders.”

Alfie twitched his nose at thefantasy. The coat would smell of Nate, the tempting fragrance thateasily swept Alfie away. It would be warm from his body, and largeenough for Alfie to wrap around his chest.

“I’d whisper in your earand you’d shiver and shut your eyes.”

Without meaning to Alfie did just ashis fantasy version would have.

“We’d sit side by side, soI could touch you, and you could touch me, under the table so noone would know. We’d keep going with our hands, until it wasimpossible to withhold our moans.”

Alfie opened his mouth, and a softbreath escaped him. He couldn’t speak, didn’t trust himself, butQueenie said something to fill the silence, and he inwardlysighed.

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