Nineteen-year-old Joe has been living on the streets since escaping from a sex-trafficking ring. When a blizzard hits the city, he takes a chance, accepting Derek Clarke's offer of a place to stay for the night. It wouldn't have happened if Derek hadn't been doing a stake-out in the alley at just the right time and taken pity on Joe. The blizzard leaves the two men housebound for the next few days, and they begin to bond as Derek teaches Joe some of what being a private detective involves. Loath to let Joe return to the streets when the weather clears, Derek offers him a job as his apprentice, while allowing him to continue staying in his guestroom. Can their relationship grow from friendship to more, in spite of traumas in their pasts, or will Joe's fear of physical commitment ultimately drive them apart?

The Detective's Apprentice

They ate supper, took Sherwat for a short walk, and watched TV. Joe kept dozing off, sneezing, and then dozing off again until Derek suggested he get to bed. Joe didn’t argue. Twenty minutes later he was sound asleep with Sherwat in his usual place at the foot of the bed.


By then, Derek had turned off the TV and was upstairs. As he got undressed, he had a sudden vision of the two of them sharing the shower and his cock responded. With no other recourse, because willing it to relax wasn’t working, he did what he had to, jerking off as he stood beneath the hot water. He came with a muffled shout of release, very glad Joe was too far away to hear, even if he had been awake.


Chapter 29