Brandon has just graduated from university as a primary school teacher. As he travels to his first teaching post, he wonders what he’s got himself into. From the airplane, the tiny town of Gunnanilla looks no bigger than a cattle station. And when he lands, he steps into heat such as he has never encountered before. Sweating and feeling faint from the extreme temperature, he meets his new boss Mark Petersen, the racist principal of the only school for miles around. Then he meets the school’s other teacher, Mark’s wife Trina, and the students, most of whom are Australian Aborigines. Life in the small town is no picnic. In the summer, the heat is unrelenting. In the wet season, the town is cut off from the outside world and all deliveries are brought to a halt. There is only one television channel. To top it all off, there are any number of poisonous creatures around, such as snakes, scorpions, and spiders. How’s a poor city boy like Brandon, who’s interested in fashion, music, and clubbing and none too confident with his sexuality, going to cope? Enter the handsome, rough-around-the-edges miner, Frank. When Mark warns Brandon that Frank is gay, it seems this town might finally have something to keep him entertained. But how can he meet Frank without drawing attention to his own sexuality? How can anything possibly happen between them in such rough, tough, and macho surroundings?

Desert Country

“Beautiful,” said Frank, leaning down to kiss the ring of pink flesh, no doubt glistening with his pre-cum. “Take a deep breath.” 


Brandon inhaled continuously as Frank eased the head of his cock in.


“Now let it out slowly,” said Frank.


Brandon did as he was asked and felt Frank push another couple of centimetres into him.


The discomfort was enough to make Brandon lose his erection. He was clenching his teeth and realised he’d also balled his hands into fists. As Frank eased another centimetre or two in, Brandon clenched his eyes shut.


“I’m sorry,” said Brandon, feeling an overwhelming sense of inadequacy.


“No need to apologise,” said Frank, smiling. “Sex should be fun. It shouldn’t be uncomfortable. I wouldn’t want you to do anything that didn’t feel good.”


Chapter 14