Flashback Friday - Keeping Time

I have a weakness. I love, love, LOVE writing and reading stories that take place partially through correspondence. A Hidden Beauty has our gay poets writing letters back and forth, we just wrote a short series of e-mails in our May Calendar Boys story, but the one that started it all was Keeping Time. Ben and Ana meet online and correspond first through e-mails, then chat. Those first few chapters were some of the fastest Pepper and I have ever written, lol.

Ana Seger first meets Ben Scalia over an Internet message board dedicated to her favorite band and is immediately charmed by his humor and good-nature. Even when she learns Ben is a few years younger than her, she continues talking to him though email, chat rooms, and even on the phone.

Driven by strong lust, she agrees to meet him at a concert, but she’s unprepared for the reality of their age difference, and more, the strength of her desire for him. She tries to end their affair before it can begin, but Ben is more than ready to fight for her, and a chance to show her how good they could be together.


EXCERPT

bj_scalia: Are we playing 20 questions again? You're not going to get all upset about getting personal after we log off, are you?

ana_moon: Sometimes I engage my fingers without putting my brain in gear. Especially when it comes to you.

bj_scalia: Now that just sounds naughty.

ana_moon: *blushes* Yes it does

bj_scalia: I didn't say it was bad.

bj_scalia: And now you've *definitely* caught my attention.

ana_moon: Now I guess I better decide what I want to do with it

bj_scalia: Take your time. I'm a patient man. Especially when it comes to getting what I want. I got you to finally chat with me, didn't I?

ana_moon: I guess I'm going back to 20 questions mode. What is it that you want from me?

bj_scalia: Now or in general?

ana_moon: both

bj_scalia: Your company, as much as you're willing to share it. Some laughs. I'd ask for a photograph but that makes me feel a little skeezy.

ana_moon: I don't have one on my computer, or else I would send you one. Skeezyness be damned.

bj_scalia: Will you tell me what you look like? I'll share if you will.

ana_moon: My mother is black and my father is white, so I've got a nice year-around tan. And a lot of curly hair that I no longer try to tame. I've been told I have a nice smile. And I'm about 130.

bj_scalia: Yeah. I'm a goner.

ana_moon: *laughs* Your turn to share.

bj_scalia: 6'3", 175, light brown hair and green eyes. Or blue-green, if you ask my mother. I also hate to shave so seeing me scruffy is not unheard of. But just scruffy. It doesn't take long for the itching to drive me crazy and I get rid of it.

ana_moon: I have to admit, I have a weakness for the scruffy type

ana_moon: with blue-green eyes. I don't think I've ever met anybody with blue-green eyes, actually

bj_scalia: Yes, you have. Me. :D

ana_moon: I meant besides you ;) Do you have photographic proof?

bj_scalia: Of the eyes? No. I can probably get you photographic proof of other details, though...

ana_moon: Wow, my mind just went to a naughty place.

bj_scalia: Ha. My evil plan has worked then.

ana_moon: You're some sort of evil genius. What other details were you referring to?

bj_scalia: I have a picture of my size thirteen feet. Because you know what they say about men with big feet...

ana_moon: he wears big shoes?

bj_scalia: Exactly.

ana_moon: what are you doing with a picture of your size 13 feet? Do you need to prove your shoe size often?

bj_scalia: I had to prove to my mother that I'd actually gone out and bought new shoes. When I went home at Christmas, I got hell for showing up in my favorite Nike's because there was a hole in the bottom that the snow seeped through and got my foot soaked. I wouldn't let her buy me shoes while I was there, because hello, I'm not 12, but I did have to promise to do it as soon as I got back to LA.

ana_moon: lol. She should have just been happy you showed up in sneakers instead of sandals or flipflops. I'm not even sure I have the proper footwear to travel to a place with snow.

bj_scalia: Only the fact that I grew up there saved me from packing my sandals. I live in them on the weekend. It's Nike's during the week because of all the walking on campus, and running when I realize I'm late getting to class. And we're not really sitting here talking about my choice of footwear, are we?

ana_moon: You brought it up. Besides, I've learned a lot about you from this discussion. You're a good son, but independent enough to insist on buying your own shoes. You sprint across campus a lot, which tells me you're in good shape...

bj_scalia: I never said I was fast, lol.

ana_moon: Fast isn't always a good thing anyway

bj_scalia: I do swim regularly, though.

ana_moon: So you are in good shape. Is it wrong if I want to ask if you wear a speedo or trunks?

bj_scalia: Speedo. I could go put it on for you right now, if you want. ;)

ana_moon: Depends. What are you wearing now?

bj_scalia: Just sweats.

bj_scalia: What are you wearing?

ana_moon: Sweats, too. And my favorite Moon T-shirt from their Green album tour

bj_scalia: I love that tour. But I don't want to talk about Moon. I want to talk about you. Or me. Or you and me.

ana_moon: I suppose that means you're tired of talking about your foot and swimwear, too. So you really didn't mind my drunk emails?

bj_scalia: Absolutely not. They were just starting to get really interesting when they stopped. Did you fall asleep?

ana_moon: Fell asleep. Passed out. I guess it depends on how you look at it. I'm glad you didn't mind, because I've been thinking about the exchange. A lot.

bj_scalia: Me too.

ana_moon: what have you been thinking about?

bj_scalia: The part about you and me and a wall.

bj_scalia: There. Now you know I'm a perv.

ana_moon: That's ok. I've been thinking about that part, too.

bj_scalia: I'm suddenly very glad I'm wearing baggy sweats.

ana_moon: lol Is the other thing they say about big feet true?

bj_scalia: It is for me. Not that I've measured. Since high school, that is. ;)

ana_moon: *laughs* I doubt it's changed much since then.

bj_scalia: In size? No. In other ways? Let's just say I've moved from being a sprinter to going the long distances.

ana_moon: I'm not calling you a liar, but I have a hard time believing you don't already have a girlfriend

bj_scalia: Why?

ana_moon: Because you have excellent taste in music, you're smart, you're funny, you've got big feet and can go long distances. Unless you're some sort of troll, I'd expect somebody would have snapped you up by now.

bj_scalia: lol, no, I'm not a troll. But I am kind of picky about the women I go out with. I have this annoying habit of wanting to have a conversation after all the really hot sex, or before even. And I mean a real conversation. Not shit about shopping or fashion or Brangelina. Important stuff. Like Decrepit Moon. ;)

ana_moon: lol. I have to have all my conversations before the really hot sex. If you can have conversations *after* the hot sex, you're doing something wrong

bj_scalia: I'm young. I have stamina. ;)

ana_moon: I bet you do.


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