Strange events are heavy on Barker Christian's mind this summer at Northshire Inn along Lake Erie. Although the inn feels sleepy, romantic, and hidden, innkeeper Barker knows all its annoying in and outs, and supernatural and grating secrets. Barker's very much aware of the drug use that occurs in room 202, and there are disturbing ghosts in room 112 that haunt the paying guests. Nor can he forget about Radcliff Roberts, the famous horror writer in room 210, who is up to something naughty during the evening hours. Two other strange events occur: Matty Lavender, lead singer of The Thorns, is missing; and a watercolor artist appears on the opposite side of the pond that some guests can see and others can't. Barker stays grounded by his interest in Cal Pipp, the inn's maintenance man. Cal is breathtaking, easy on the eyes, and someone Barker's heart desires. Only problem is Cal doesn't know Barker likes him. Until summer heats up, ghosts materialize, and a different side of Cal appears ...

The Men of Northshire Inn

Standing, I…I…I wanted to move up to his beautiful face, unleash the semi-hard dick in my shorts, and push it between his lips. No one was around. Just the two of us. Hidden by woods, stones, and creatures of the wild. Cal could have blown me off right there and then, desiring me, making me huff and puff and…


That didn’t happen. Things like that never happened to me. Not with other guys. And certainly not with Cal. Instead, I was alone, a single man, and simply stood in front of him, watching his chest muscles move as he applied the barn red color to the mailbox, one gentle stroke after the next. Slow strokes. Careful strokes. Brightening the wood. Feeding it new life.


I had something else he could stroke, but, again, that wasn’t going to happen. Instead, I simply watched him at work and recalled the list of things I knew about him:


Residence: 249 Baste Street, Flat 3, downtown Templeton. One bedroom.


Chapter 8