Garner working as a waiter at an upscale restaurant with a growing attraction to a man named Alonzo, who always asks to be put in his section for dinner. One night after work, the man is assaulted while trailing Garner. Garner goes to his aid, but is shot for his trouble.<br><br>Taking time off from work to recover, Garner is resting on a park bench when Alonzo suddenly appears at the other end of the bench. Garner never saw him approach. He asks why Alonzo is trailing him.<br><br>After some hesitation, Alonzo explains he wants to recruit Garner to help fight against others who systematically hunt people like himself. Garner isn’t inclined to get involved in anything dangerous, but he does finds Alonzo more and more attractive, so he agrees to consider the idea. As he learns more about Alonzo’s bizarre and dangerous subculture, what Garner really wants to know is whether Alonzo is romantically interested in him at all.

Call to Love

“How do you—vary—from Norms, then?”


Alonzo smiled, as if this was a question he had been long expecting.


With his free hand, he slowly unbuttoned his shirt and Garner watched, puzzled but not unpleased. He had wanted to see more of Alonzo’s body, and since no one was around, he decided that he was willing to go along with any degree of display his friend wanted to share.


When he had undone the top four buttons, Alonzo lifted the hand that held Garner’s, guiding the latter, and gently placing it, palm against his chest, right over his heart. Garner experienced the touch of Alonzo’s torso as delightful, even a bit exciting, possibly arousing too.


Alonzo remained silent and still, but continued to watch him intently. Garner, who enjoying looking into the deep pools of Alonzo’s dark eyes, felt bathed in pleasure. But, as he continued to have his hand held against the other man’s chest, he became aware of an uncomfortable sense that something was wrong.


Chapter 54