At nine in the morning, the man was still asleep. I thought maybe I'd remember his name, but I still drew a blank. With everything that happened last night, I didn't think to ask him. I wondered if he even knew his name. I mean, he couldn't even tell me his address. With the man sleeping in the living room, I made myself a cup of coffee and sat at my rectangular dining room table adjacent to my messy kitchen. I was a great baker, but I was also messy and hated cleaning up after myself.

With my coffee, I sat at my table, reviewing upcoming lesson plans. School started in two days. Papers covered my table. As a new teacher, I stressed before the start of the school year, wanting everything to be perfect. Nothing was ever perfect, though. I bit the tip of my pen, concentrating so hard on my upcoming lessons that I didn't notice the man get up.

As I looked up from my papers, I noticed him wandering around the first floor, scratching the back of his head. I noticed him scratch his head last night when he was drunk and disoriented. He was no longer drunk, but just as confused. I wondered if he realized he was naked. Nudity never bothered me. I often wandered around my cabin naked. I hated doing laundry and I lived by myself, so what was the point of getting dressed all the time? Growing up, my sisters and I bathed in the nearby stream. Everyone around here did it. I still did it.

Besides, this man was nice to look at. I said nothing to bring attention to his nudity.

"Good morning," I said as he stood in front of the table. "Would you like some coffee?"

He stared at me for a second. Suddenly, he recognized me. "You're the white-water river guide. You have a cool name. It's... it's... uh... shit, I can't remember..."

I got up and went to him to formally introduce myself. "It's Juniper Doiron," I said, extending my hand to shake his. He accepted my handshake. "It's nice to meet you... I'm sorry I didn't get your name."

"Gabriel Benowitz," he said. "I'm so fucking embarrassed. I never drink. I just had a really bad couple of months, and a really shitty week... and... and I think I'll just go now." Tears filled his eyes as they scanned my cabin. "I have no fucking idea where I am. I don't even know how I got here. I don't know how--"

"Sit and have breakfast if you're up for it."

He nodded, sitting at the table, sniffing back tears. I'd never seen a grown man cry. Even though he didn't ask for coffee, I made him a cup and placed it in front of him, along with a homemade blueberry muffin. He leaned on his elbows, sobbing quietly, staring down at his coffee. I retrieved the blanket from the living room and draped it over his shoulders. I sat beside him with my own cup of coffee. I felt bad for him and wanted to make him feel better. I hated to see anyone upset.

"I didn't think there was any kindness left in the world," Gabriel said. "I'm sorry if I tried anything last night. I have a feeling I did. I get hypersexual when I'm drunk. One day I'm gonna come on to the wrong guy and get myself killed. You could have shot me. Everyone has a gun in Maine, don't they?"

"I don't own a gun, but my dad does. He owns all kinds of guns. He keeps them locked up, though, and only uses them for hunting. I could never kill anyone. I can't even kill a deer, but I eat them. I don't eat people, though. Last night you said some really messed up things."

Gabriel sat upright, turning to me. "What did I say?"

"You said my cabin reminded you of a movie called Wrong Turn. There's no internet service out here, so I couldn't look it up. You said it's a movie about--"

"Yeah, I know what it's about. I'm so sorry. This cabin looks nothing like the cabin in the movie. That was a horrible thing for me to say."

"People say stupid things when they're drunk."

"I was so fucked up last night. What happened?"

"I found you passed out in the bathroom at the Moose Inn and Tavern. Everyone was gone. You had no ID on you."

"So why'd you take me here? Why didn't you call the police or something? I could have been a serial killer or something."

"You're not a serial killer. Besides, if I'd called the police, I'd still be there waiting for them to pick you up."

"I appreciate you not calling them. Thank you. You're a nice guy. I must be dreaming."

"Nah. Pinch me. I'm real," I said.

I didn't think he'd actually do it. He caught me off guard, pinching me hard on my bicep.

"Ow!" I said, over-exaggerating. We both laughed as I massaged my bicep where he got me. Laughing was better than crying.

"You have a nice laugh," he said, picking off a piece of muffin. "Mmm... this is good."

"Thanks. I made it."

"Ooo, you're a baker, too." The blanket fell off his shoulder as he brought the cup of coffee to his lips.

"I teach third grade, too."

"Cool. There's a school around here?"

"In town. And my dad owns the barn and farm over there." I gestured to the left of the cabin. "I help out there, too, bake pies and muffins. You wouldn't believe how many blueberries we have. We have a campground, too. It dies down in the winter, but it'll still be pretty busy over the next month or so with all the fall foliage. I'm talking too much, aren't I? You probably have a headache."

"I'm okay. There's a reason why I shouldn't mix medication and alcohol."

I had a hard time keeping my eyes off him, admiring his disheveled hair and dark facial stubble. I envisioned myself kissing him again like he kissed me last night.

"What happened here?" I asked, pointing to a scar on the right side of his lower abdomen. He giggled, flinching as I traced the scar. He was ticklish and grabbed my hand as my fingers trailed along his waist.

"I had my appendix out when I was a kid. I should get dressed, huh? You must think I'm some kind of weird, drunk nudist."

I shrugged. "I walk around naked all the time."

"I think I'm still drunk and psychotic. There's no way you can be real."

"Why do you say that? Would you like to pinch me again?"

He pinched me in a place I didn't expect, pinching my inner thigh. I didn't budge, not even flinching. Instead, I sat there stoically... if he only knew what was happening inside me. Maybe he sensed it. "You're cute. Your eyes are so blue," he said. "As blue as the Pacific Ocean."

"I've never seen the Pacific Ocean, so I'll have to take your word for it. Your eyes are as green as emeralds."

"I guess I'll have to take your word for it, too."

We gazed into each other's eyes. I was afraid to look away, afraid he'd suddenly vanish. With our eyes fixed, he leaned into me and kissed my lips once. How could he trust me enough to kiss me? How did he know I wouldn't punch him? Maybe because I would have done so last night. "I better go," he said. "Would you mind if I took a shower first?"

I realized I was lonelier than I ever thought, and I'd do anything to keep him here with me today. "You don't have to go. I could show you the barn. Do you like horseback riding?"

"I'm from Brooklyn. I've only seen horses on TV."

So I was wrong about his accent. He wasn't from Massachusetts, but New York City. "How 'bout a hike? You look like a hiker."

Man, I sounded desperate, desperate for him to stay and for him to kiss me again. "I don't know if I'm up for a hike. Let me have a shower first and then we'll see."

"Sure," I said. "The bathroom's down the hall to the left."

Gabriel shoved the last bit of muffin in his mouth and got up, picking the blanket up off the floor. He held the blanket tightly around him as he headed to the bathroom.

As I sat at the table, I listened to Gabriel hum in the shower. I wondered what song he was humming. Restless, I got up and followed the humming. His humming turned into lyrics. Finally, I recognized the song. I smiled, listening to him sing Bruce Springsteen's I'm Goin' Down. Dad was a huge Springsteen fan. I found myself in the bathroom, admiring both his voice and his stunning silhouette. Ashamed I turned into a peeping Tom, I turned to leave as Gabriel opened the shower curtain just enough to poke his head out. I froze, stuck directly in front of his face.

"Am I being too loud?" he asked.

"No," I said, swallowing hard. Every ounce of my body wanted him. I'd never wanted anyone so much in my entire life. "You have a nice voice."

As I gazed into his eyes, my fingers trembled as I brought them to his dripping wet, tangled hair. Stunned, he gasped as I kissed his mouth. I couldn't help myself. Responding to my kiss, he cupped my chin in his hands. I nearly got in the shower with my clothes on. Instead, Gabriel lifted my shirt over my head as I pushed my shorts down. We resumed kissing as I stepped into the shower with him. I'd never been this close to a man, certainly never naked with one. Was this what was missing from my life? I didn't want to miss this opportunity. I held him against my body, close to tears at how good he felt. I said I'd never seen a grown man cry, but that didn't include me. I let my guard down in the confines of my cabin. Gabriel slid his hands down my backside, landing on my ass. I sucked his bottom lip as he squeezed my butt cheeks, pushing me closer to him. I moaned into his mouth as our cocks rubbed together.

I hugged him tightly, pressing my lips against his neck, running my hands down his back. He reached behind me and turned off the water.

Barely dried off, we landed in my bed on top of the covers, kissing wildly. His naked body ground against mine. I pulled at his hair, enjoying his tongue in my mouth and my legs around his waist. He broke away from me and clutched my wrists, bringing my arms over my head. He kissed my neck and planted kisses along my collarbone and down my chest. His eyes met mine as he licked my nipple. He licked my other nipple, releasing my wrists.

"I must be dreaming," I muttered as he scooted down my body, kissing my chest and stomach. I sprawled out, letting him kiss me everywhere. My heart beat faster than its ever beat as he dragged his tongue up and down each side of my pelvis. "I'm not circumcised," I said, suddenly self-conscious. I wasn't usually self-conscious, but I knew what he was about to do. Emily Murray was the only person who'd ever gone down on me.

He smiled, replying, "I won't hold it against you. I like your dick and your balls." He held my cock with one hand and squeezed my balls with the other. "You're beautiful." Gripping the sheets, my body squirmed as he took my cock in his mouth. I moaned, biting my bottom lip as his head bobbed up and down. I'd never experienced anything like this before. I never wanted him to stop, ready to let him do anything he wanted.

"Don't stop," I said as he released me. "That feels good." He resumed, taking my entire cock in his mouth. I had no idea how he did that. His skills fascinated me. Releasing me again, he snaked up my body and brought my legs around his waist. "I've never done this before," I said, my insides shaking with anxiety as I squeezed his ass.

"What do you mean 'you've never done this before?'" he said, propped on his hands.

"I've never been with a guy."

Gabriel rolled off me and sat beside me on the bed, scratching the back of his head. I noticed this was something he did when he was confused. "What the fuck am I doing? I just keep fucking up and fucking up."

"It's okay. I want to," I said, kneeling on the bed, reaching for his cock. "I like you." I kissed his shoulder as I stroked his cock.

"I've made enough mistakes. I can't make any more right now. Take me horseback riding. Show me how it's done."

"Sure I will. Later," I said, pouncing on my knees in front of him. I pushed him on his back. He didn't resist as I kissed him all over his chest and stomach. I held his thighs as I licked his shaft. He moaned, holding my head, guiding me as I sucked his cock.

"You're doing such a good job," he said. He moaned, combing his fingers through my ash blond hair. I wasn't skilled enough to take his cock all the way in my mouth as he did to me, but I tried, making myself gag. He gently pushed me off him, pulling me back up to kiss me. We wrapped our hands around each other's cocks and finished each other off. We both moaned and laughed.

"That was fun," I said in his ear.