Free Fiction: Bad For a Reason

In honor of Rogues coming out, here's a little riff on bad boys. :)

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Desi always fell for the bad boys.

He loved the way they slouched, their shoulders impeccably straight even in the midst of full-on hunching. Inevitably, they donned leather jackets and skin-tight denim, almost always black, but sometimes faded on the thighs. The whole thing made Desi's hands itch with wanting to touch and rub. The leather would be soft from years of wear and the jeans would be threadbare and hardly a barrier to physical contact.

There'd be a cycle outside. Probably a crotchrocket. Painted bright red, or maybe yellow.

They could ride a hundred miles out into the middle of nowhere and strip down in a field, and call out their ecstasy to a sky full of stars. Then they'd drink whiskey from a flask and steal apples from the orchard one field over. Wake up to dew, dampness, and a belly aching from too many unripe apples, and not regret one single thing.

Desi licked his lips and tried to refocus his mind on his current date, who sat across from him in the booth. Chris looked like a nice enough fellow. He had straight teeth and a sparkle in his eyes, and had been absolutely polite and friendly. His shirt was clean and his trousers had pleats. They'd met for the first time twenty minutes ago, although they'd e-mailed each other for two weeks while setting up the date.

But that didn't keep Desi's attention from wandering behind Chris' back where a lanky man lounged against the counter. Even at night, the scoundrel hadn't bothered to take his sunglasses off. Sometimes he peered over them at the cashier as he waited for his order, making a clicking noise and winking at her as if she were an old girlfriend who still carried a torch for him.

"So, after I graduated...." Chris paused. He turned around in his seat to follow where Desi had been staring.

Guiltily, Desi brought his attention back. "I'm sorry, man," he said. "Just distracted for a moment." He kept his tone apologetic. "I know better. My hormones say yes, but I've traveled down that road, and those bad boys, well, they are called bad for a reason. Broke my heart every time."

Chris nodded. "I see. So, I shouldn't mention that I have motorcycles at home. And I once raced hot rods at the track."

Desi's heart skipped a beat. "You could mention it if you wanted to. I'd listen."