The Watercress File: Being the Further Adventures of That Man from C. A. M. P. (10 page)

It was not hard to find his way—Craig had left a light on for him in what he assumed was the bedroom. Walking on tiptoe, Jackie made his way to the open door and paused.

Craig's back was turned to him, naked and glowing in the soft light. His bottom was every bit as magnificent as Jackie had imagined it, a wide curvaceous temple of pleasure. It was bent now as Craig crouched over the bed, and it was moving slowly downward. The descent was laborious but apparently pleasurable, judging from the soft moans of pleasure emitting from the bed.

In addition to Craig's bewitching derriere, Jackie was also afforded a view of Honey's quite excited and tense outline. A limited view, to be sure, because more than half of it had already been claimed by Craig. And Honey was moaning too as he explored those recently-virginal delights. Neither of them were even aware Jackie had entered the room.

After the initial shock, Jackie backed quietly out of the room and stood in the darkness of the living room. Well, Craig hadn't really said what male it was he had been attracted to. For a brief moment, Jackie felt cheated by this turn of events. Then, his good humor returned to him.

You can't win them all, he told himself philosophically. He left the champagne on the table for them, along with a piece of note paper on which he had simply written “Best Wishes” to the new couple. Then he tiptoed from the apartment and returned to the late night darkness outside the building.

Good humor or no good humor, however, the evening had proved to be a waste. It was too late now to make the rounds of the local night spots. There was nothing for him to do but make his way home alone to Aunt Lily's and an empty bed. It was a hell of a way to spend what he had decided was his last night in town.

While he was standing outside Craig's apartment building, a lone sailor came down the street, walking quickly to ward off the late night chill. He was in summer white's, the uniform fitted tightly to a young, faun-like body that moved with natural grace. Jackie automatically looked at him, glancing up and down. He smiled with pleasure at what he saw—pleasures enough for a thousand and one nights—or at least for one good one.

He lifted his face to find the sailor glancing in his direction as he passed. Jackie smiled and winked boldly. The sailor blushed crimson and went on by, but his pace slowed at once. By the time he reached the corner intersection, a few feet away, he was barely moving.

He looked back over his shoulder, shyly, hesitantly, and finally managed an uncertain smile. Jackie gave the curvy buttocks, molded by the clinging fabric of the white uniform, a happy glance. It was the equal of anything he had seen tonight. With that thought, he started off in the direction of the corner, and the waiting sailor.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Victor J. Banis
is the critically acclaimed author (“...a master storyteller”—
Publishers Weekly
) of more than 200 published novels and numerous shorter works in a career spanning nearly a half century. A longtime Californian, he lives and writes now in West Virginia's beautiful Blue Ridge region.

BORGO PRESS BOOKS BY VICTOR J. BANIS

The Astral: Till the Day I Die

Avalon

Charms, Spells, and Curses for the Millions

Color Him Gay: Being the Further Adventures of That Man from C.A.M.P.

Darkwater

The Devil's Dance

Drag Thing; or, The Strange Tale of Jackle and Hyde

The Earth and All It Holds

The Gay Dogs: Being the Further Adventures of That Man from C.A.M.P.

The Gay Haunt

The Glass House

The Glass Painting: A Gothic Tale of Horror

Goodbye, My Lover

The Greek Boy

The Green Rolling Hills: Writings from West Virginia
(editor)

Kenny's Back

Life and Other Passing Moments: A Collection of Short Writings

The Lion's Gate

Moon Garden

The Pot Thickens: Recipes from the Kitchens of Writers and Editors
(editor)

San Antone

The Second Tijuana Bible Reader
(editor)

Spine Intact, Some Creases: Remembrances of a Paperback Writer

Stranger at the Door

The Sword and the Rose: An Historical Novel

This Splendid Earth

The Tijuana Bible Reader
(editor)

The WATERCRESS File: Being the Further Adventures of That Man from C.A.M.P.

A Westward Love

The Wolves of Craywood: A Novel of Terror

The Why Not