Drained by the Country Boy

The car engine purrs as peaceful, emerald-green grasslands roll by.

“Hey, Tim…I’ve gotta pee. How much longer until we reach town?” My boyfriend stares out the window, an anxious scowl stretched across his face.

“It’s gonna be a while.” I glance at my phone’s map. “Do you need me to pull over?”

“Yeah. I can’t hold it in.”

I pull to the side of the road and turn the engine off. Wasting no time, my boyfriend flings the car door open and dashes out into the field to take care of business.

His name is Ian, and we’ve been together for several years now. Both California natives, we met in college and had an instant connection. By this point in our relationship, we’re getting serious, and marriage is in the cards. Being gay in liberal California has never been an issue, and we’re both fortunate to come from accepting families.

But we’re far from home now.

We decided to take a summer road trip across America, and we’re smack dab in the middle of rural Texas. This is the land of god, guns, and pickup trucks. Culturally speaking, it’s about as far from California as you can get…and to be honest, we’re both eager to move on.

We’ve stopped to rest in these small towns, and each time, we can feel curious eyes boring into us. We try to avoid showing our relationship in public, but people can tell. It’s like everyone here can sniff out homosexuality…or maybe I’m just being self-conscious and reading into things too much.

“Alright! Taken care of!” Ian hops back in the car.

His light blue eyes seem to sparkle in the late-afternoon sunlight as the corners of his pink lips curl upward into a smile. His pearly teeth and sleek black hair give him a glamorous, refined appearance. He’s always worked hard to take care of his body, and I think I’ve landed a guy out of my league. His thin, twinkish frame and handsome face never fail to give me butterflies.

“Ok! Let’s get this show on the road!” I turn the key in the ignition.

A horrific, grinding noise screams out from under the car hood before going completely silent.

I exchange a panicked look with Ian before turning the key again, and that godawful noise calls out once more.

“Fuck.” His sapphire eyes are wide with fear. “This is bad.”

“This damn rental car…” I grab my phone. “Ugh. It looks like I can’t get a signal here. I can’t call for help.”

We both exit the vehicle and walk into the field. I hold my phone high in the air, desperate to try and get reception, but it’s not working. We’re miles from civilization, and it’s getting late. It won’t be long now until the sun begins to set. We’re completely stranded…

“Do you think we could walk to town?” Ian asks.

“No, it’ll start getting dark soon. We might have to sleep in the car and then start in the morning.”

“Shit…”

We make our way back to the car and sit on the hood, a palpable feeling of anxiety in the air. Rural Texas…this is terrible luck. There aren’t many worse places to be stranded.

We both sit in silence, stewing in our misfortune until a distant noise breaks the calm. Far in the distance, a red dot can be seen rolling along the road. As it approaches, the rumble of an engine rings out.

“Someone’s coming! Quick—let’s flag them down!”

We stand on the side of the road and wave as the vehicle comes close. It’s a bright red pickup truck, and it pulls up alongside our car before grinding to a stop. We step in close as the window rolls down and country music bursts forth.

“You fellas need help?” A burly, handsome young man sits in the front seat.

I hesitate for a moment before replying—this guy is intimidating. Built like a tank, his muscular biceps strain against his black t-shirt, looking set to rip the fabric. His shiny blond hair and large blue eyes give him a boyish, vibrant appearance. He can’t be much older than we are.

But something about him is unsettling.

Maybe it’s just my own paranoia, but he reminds me of my high school bullies. Athletic…aggressive…and hungry for power. He looks like the kind of guy who can walk into a room and have any girl he wants. I can see his pecs bulging from that tight shirt…I bet he has a monster physique…I bet he has a monster cock.

I try to push the dirty thought from my mind as I open my mouth to speak.

“Y-yeah. Our car broke down. Think you could help out?” I smile awkwardly.

He switches the radio off and grabs a cowboy hat from the dashboard. He puts it on and steps out onto the road, giving us a full view of his towering frame. He’s far taller than either of us, and I’m certain he weighs more than both of us combined. I can’t help but wonder how he got this big. Did he grow up on a farm? His torn jeans, leather boots, and wide-brimmed hat would certainly give that impression…

“Let me take a look.” His deep voice rings out as he grabs the keys from my hands.

He tries to start the car but doesn’t have any luck.

“Yeah, your engine’s dead. You’ll have to get towed into town, but I reckon the mechanic has already gone home for the day.” He steps out and looks down at us. “You’re gonna be stuck here until tomorrow morning.”

My heart sinks.

“I hate to ask this, but could you maybe give us a ride into town? We could get a room at a hotel.” I stare up into his powerful eyes.

“There aren’t any hotels. This is a really small town, ya know? We don’t get many visitors.”

“Shit…we’re screwed.” Ian leans against the car and lets out a moan.

“If you fellas want, you could stay at my place for the night. That’s not a problem at all.”

“Woah, really?! You’d do that for us?” My eyes widen.

“Sure. I’m always happy to help out…and you two don’t look like you’d survive the night out here alone.” He lets out a deep laugh before heading back to his truck. “Hop in.”

I glance toward Ian and shrug before following our new friend into his truck. I take the front seat, and Ian sits in the back. It feels a bit sketchy rooming with a stranger, but it’s better than spending the night in a field.

“So, what’s your name?” I ask as his engine roars to life.

“Cody. What about you?”

“I’m Tim, and this is Ian, my…friend.” I catch myself. I’m not sure how he’d react if he knew we were dating.

“Gotcha. You both on a road trip? You definitely aren’t from around these parts.”

I glance down at his arms while he drives. His thick, powerful forearms flex in and out as he grips the steering wheel. It causes my eyes to travel up toward his dense biceps…goddamn, this country boy is ripped.

“Yeah, we’re both from California,” Ian cuts in.

“California…I’ve never visited. I was born and raised here in Texas.” He turns to me and smiles. “So, how’d you two meet?”

“We met in college. I was studying journalism, and Ian was getting his degree in gender studies.”

“Gender studies? The fuck is that?”

“Don’t worry about it…” I look out the window awkwardly.

“Ya know, we don’t see many queers out in these parts.” Cody turns to look at me, his sharp blue eyes narrowing.

“W-what?!” My pulse accelerates.

“Queers. Homosexuals.”

“I-I’m not sure what you mean,” Ian cuts in.

“Oh, come on. I might not be college-educated like you folks, but I’m not stupid.” A wicked smile forms on his lips. “I can recognize your kind. It’s obvious.”

“Um…yeah, he’s my boyfriend.” My voice shakes.

“I knew it.” He lets out a laugh. “No need to worry though. I don’t mind homos. You guys have a place in the world. You can be useful.”

“T-thanks.” A feeling of relief washes over me, though his choice of words seems a bit odd.

He doesn’t reply. Instead, he turns on the radio and fills the car with country tunes. I stare out the window and watch the grassy landscape fly by. The sight of a tiny town comes into view, and as we enter, I realize just how small it really is.

There’s a single, cozy main street lined with shops and a gas station, but there’s not much beyond that. I see the mechanic’s garage, but it doesn’t look like anyone is inside. This feels like the kind of picturesque town where everyone knows each other—the kind of place you could leave your doors unlocked without having to worry.