Benjamin is Mr. Average, but has big dreams. Every week he buys two lottery tickets in the hope of striking it rich. So imagine his surprise when, one Saturday night, his numbers finally come up. Ten million dollars transforms his life. He buys his dream house and outfits it with every beautiful thing he has ever wanted, complete with a real British butler. He also donates to animal charities and adopts Sasha, an abused dog. Yet with everything perfect, Ben soon feels unsatisfied. On one of his nightly walks, he stumbles onto a local hook-up spot. Soon he becomes a regular customer, seeking quick and dirty sex with random strangers to provide the exhilaration he craves. But when he’s attacked by a gay basher, he realizes this isn’t the life he wants to lead, and packs up everything to move to the countryside. Settling into a simpler life on a small farm, Ben hires the rough and ready Mick to help run the place. The two men become good friends -- Ben is attracted to Mick, but Mick appears to be straight, though curious about gay sex. But when Ben almost dies in an accident, the simmering attraction between the two comes to fruition.

Six Numbers

When the inspection was over, Benjamin returned downstairs and went to the fridge. He opened it, taking care not to leave any marks on the stainless steel finish, took out the bottle of Perrier-Jouet champagne he’d bought especially for the occasion, popped the cork, and poured some into a crystal flute.


“Here’s to me,” he said, toasting himself.


For dinner that evening, he ordered a catered meal to be delivered. What arrived was more than he could hope to consume in one sitting and included many things he’d always wanted to try—Beluga caviar, Peking duck, pate foie gras, truffles and escargot. He tried a little of everything and what he couldn’t manage, he refrigerated. He watched a little television then retired for the evening, feeling bloated and uncomfortable.


Chapter 4