A Cute Guy with a Mower © 2025 by David Lee
Chapter 1
On Saturday afternoon, Justin Marberger was startled awake by the roar of a lawnmower in his front yard. He'd evidently drifted off in the shade near his backyard pool while relaxing after a busy week. He hastened to find his skimpy swimsuit and put it on. It wasn't that the dude who mowed for him would have been shocked to see a naked male. After all, he'd participated in sports in high school and shared showers and locker rooms with other guys, but Justin didn't want Seth to think he was trying to flash him. As it was, his Speedo didn't do much to disguise his love muscle.
Living alone on an acreage only a few miles from town, Justin had become accustomed to having a lot of privacy. Given his propensity to be naked, whenever possible, he had a nice even tan which complemented his dark brown hair and brown eyes. In the summer, he could pass for a person with Asian or Hispanic ancestors. In reality, his lineage was mostly northern European with a bit of Greek thrown in. Clad in his swimsuit and with his usual slight growth of facial hair, he looked rather like a carefree frat boy, belying the fact that he was a serious businessman.
His huge yard was surrounded by a fence with a gate which prevented anyone from entering the lane without his permission. Seth was the only other person who had a remote to open it so that he could mow even if Justin wasn't home.
Since Justin's job, as a pharmaceutical rep, could usually be done remotely, the times he'd not been home were very rare.
The house was a modern two-story, built on the side of a hill, so that his backyard was accessible by walking down a slope or going out the basement door. Given the growth of trees and bushes around the perimeter of his property, the area where his patio and pool were situated was well screened from roads and other houses. Farm crops grew on both sides of the rented land immediately surrounding the yard. About the only way anyone could have seen him would have been if they had a spy drone flying over. Thus, he could go "native" whenever he pleased.
Seth gave Justin a hearty wave as he rode his shiny new red Toro around the corner of the house. It would probably take him another 45 minutes to complete the job since there was quite a bit more territory to cover.
Today, the young man was dressed in thigh-length tan shorts and a neon green tank top which exposed quite a bit of skin, including the edge of his nipples. His tanned skin and blond curly hair completed the picture. He was a good-looking kid. His hair was partially hidden by an olive drab Aussie hat which matched his eyes. Justin hoped that the kid was also wearing sunscreen for protection. He'd had a serious discussion with him about the dangers of too much exposure to ultraviolet rays. Justin trusted his admonitions had been taken seriously.
Eventually, Seth pulled up by the patio, shut down his machine, and wiped his brow with a bandanna. Justin grabbed his wallet from the table by his lounger and counted out five 20's plus a 10 for tip.
"I'm glad it was you out there instead of me today. The humidity is about as high as the temperature!"
"You'll probably be doing it yourself next week. I'm sure your knee has recovered enough since last summer for you to use your riding mower. Besides, I'm gonna have to sell this equipment and get a real job, I guess," Seth looked toward the ground.
"Sell? You just upgraded. You're likely to lose a lot if you do. I thought you had a good thing going, and that you planned to have your own nursery in a few years. What's going on?"
"I do have a bit of money saved up, but I won't be able to live on it very long. I can sleep under the topper of my pickup in a campground for a few months, but that won't be feasible in the winter," he said, sadly. "Besides, I'll have no way of keeping my expensive equipment from being vandalized or stolen."
"What brought this on?"
"I turned 18 today and my parents aren't responsible for me anymore. You'll probably be thankful I'm quitting when word gets around that I'm queer."
"Why would I be thankful? Does your orientation have a negative impact on the quality of your work?"
"Um, no, I guess not. I just assumed you'd be uncomfortable," Seth said, not raising his eyes to meet Justin's gaze.
In keeping them lowered, he couldn't miss the impressive bulge in Justin's Speedo. It certainly reminded him that his orientation wasn't a figment of his imagination.
"There's an old saying that `assume makes an ass of u and me.'"
Seth smiled for the first time in their conversation.
"That's a pretty lame dad-joke!"
"Hey, I'm only six years older than you are, Boy! It's pretty cheeky of you inferring that I'm a dad."
"I'm sorry," Seth said with a look bordering on a smirk.
"No, you're not! And you shouldn't be. That was a good comeback.
"Let's talk a bit more about your predicament. Isn't there someone in your family who could provide you with a place to live while you pursue your dreams?"
"On my mom's side, I have a grandmother who lives in California and my Grandfather Sullivan lives in Florida. I don't want to relocate in either direction. There's no one here. I might have stayed with a friend from church, but that won't be possible once word gets around that I'm a fag."
"So, what happened, did you get caught in bed with your boyfriend?"
"Kind of. We weren't making love or anything. We were just messing around last Saturday when it was too rainy to mow. I never thought we'd be interrupted at my house, but my folks came back unexpectedly.
"Jim's not my boyfriend, anyway. I did have a crush on him before he left me hanging. He covered his butt by telling his parents that I lured him into jerking off, and he swears he hadn't done it before, and he'll never be with another guy again. He's even willing to go to reparative therapy if they don't throw him out."
"That stuff is all bullshit! It doesn't really work, and it can mess people up for years. I had a buddy who was forced into it as a teenager. He committed suicide last year after he got arrested for giving some guy head on the beach."
"I've heard stories like that, and I refused to do it."
"Good for you! Now, let's figure out a solution to your problem. Do you have all your earthly possessions in your truck?"
"No, only the most important stuff like my laptop and some clothes. There's no room for anything else if I leave enough space to sleep."
"Okay, I have a proposition for you. There are several unused bedrooms in my house, and you can live in whichever one you want. You can store your trailer and pickup in the extra garage that the previous owner built for his classic cars."
"I probably can't afford it. What's the rent?"
"If you keep up my yard for the rest of the summer for free, that will cover it."
"But what about winter?"
"If you need a job in bad weather, I can buy you a blade to fit on your pickup and you can keep the driveway cleared of snow. You could use it to make some side money plowing snow for other people as well."
"Are you serious?"
"Serious as a major heart attack, as my grandpa used to say. I'm quoting here, so don't tell me it's a dad-joke. I know that already!"
Seth's emotional reaction let Justin know that he was doing the right thing.
"I can't believe this is happening! I could just hug you!" Seth sniffled.
Justin held his arms wide, and Seth launched himself into them. The two stood there embracing for several minutes – a few tears and some sweat from Seth's body transferring to Justin's. It didn't bother Justin in the least. In fact, it was rather pleasurable.
When they moved apart, both were blinking back tears.
"Do you have any more jobs today?"
"Nope, yours was the last one."
"Have you told anyone else about quitting?"
"You're the first."
"Then, we can get you settled quickly, and life can go on uninterrupted. Come with me and I'll show you the bedrooms. We can start bringing in whatever you have in your truck and get the rest when we're done. Don't you have another little car that you got for graduation?"
"Yeah, I figured I'd sell it to some used car dealer tomorrow."
"I'll go with you and drive it back here. Then you can decide if you want to get rid of it or whatever. It would make a great school car for some kid, and you could get more money selling it privately than you'd get from a dealer. But you might want to drive it yourself to save gas money when you're doing things that don't require the towing capacity of a pickup."
"I don't know whether you should go with me. If my dad's home, he might get ugly with you."
"I've had some martial arts training, so I can handle myself if it comes to that."
"Wow!"
It didn't take long for Seth to choose the bedroom next to Justin's. He liked the view over the backyard toward the lake on the government land which lay beyond the acreage toward the north. Since Justin's master suite had an attached bathroom, Seth would basically have the main one all to himself. This was a luxury he'd never known. He'd always had to share with his siblings.
Both of those bedrooms had sliding doors that opened onto a deck with a couple of loungers and little tables on it. Seth could imagine sitting out there in the cool of the evening looking at the stars. This was a magical place.
Everything about his new room was special from the clean-line modern furniture to the striped top quilt on the queen-sized bed. It was minimalist without being stark. The colors were soft without looking feminine. It was perfect.
It would take him a while to sort out his clothes and find places for them. Right now, he needed to haul in the bags and boxes from his truck so there'd be room to get the rest of his things from home.
Justin and he made a few trips bringing in everything after Justin got dressed enough to be seen in public. Since they worked as a team, it didn't take long.
After Seth parked the trailer in the extra garage, the pair headed for the city to retrieve the remainder of his possessions.
The reception at the Sullivan's house was a bit strange to say the least. In the beginning, Seth's mother was reserved but not hostile. She started by asking a few questions trying to figure out what this man's intentions were toward her son. Given Seth's orientation, she thought this might be a predator who would violate the boy's body. Could he be trusted with a kid who was barely an adult? She finally gave up on being subtle and went the direct route.
"Are you planning to, um, shack up with Seth, or whatever it's called these days," Glenda said, in an abrasive tone.
"My house is a two-story residence, hardly a shack," Justin said suppressing a grin. "Seth will have his own bedroom and bathroom."
"He doesn't have enough money to pay his share of the rent. I'm sure you have some wicked plans for how he'll earn his keep."
"I do have a way for him to pay, but with his lawnmower and not his body, if that's what you're implying."
"Right!" she scoffed. "I know how those things work."
"Mother!" Seth exclaimed, "How dare you suggest such a thing! Justin is giving me a home, something you should be doing. He's looking after me in spite of my orientation. Besides, I'm an adult now, so it's none of your business what I do with my body or who I do it with!"
The guys kept on loading the rest of Seth's possessions despite Glenda's distracting conversation. They were getting ready to leave when Seth's father, George, came home. The minute he got there; he started in where his wife had left off."
"I'm going to get on my computer and check the sex offender registry. I'll bet your name is at the top of the list," he threatened.
"Good luck with that," Justin snorted. "I was thoroughly vetted for a previous job which involved working with kids. My record is spotless, probably cleaner than yours. Besides, if I WERE a registered offender, it still wouldn't prevent me from living with another adult.
"Now, you'd better get out of my sight before you make me angry. I have a black belt, and I'm not supposed to make the first move, but so help me, I will if you don't get out of my face!"
Justin glared and flexed his biceps. George backed off and went into the house.
After telling Seth that he was making a stop at the grocery store, and not to wait for him, Justin got into Seth's little car and pulled away from the curb.
When Justin arrived at the acreage, Seth was waiting with a big grin on his face.
"Wow! You were really impressive at my house. I've never seen my father back off from a confrontation with anyone. When you flexed your muscles, I thought he was going to crap his pants!
"I wore my sleeveless T to show off my guns. I guess it worked."
"It certainly did!
"You handled my mother well too. You're awesome!"
"I don't like to be combative, but they weren't being civil to either of us, and that made my blood boil."
"They've always assumed that the world is filled with evil, and it's their duty to fight against it. Their religious views are the only correct ones, and they've always looked down on others who don't share them. Since you're willing to let me live with you even though you know I'm gay, that makes you an undesirable person despite what your moral values may be."
"That makes me doubly glad you'll be living here," Justin said. "You don't need to be in that kind of environment. It isn't healthy!"
"About that, um I still feel I should pay something. Maybe contribute to your mortgage or utility bills."
"Nah. The place is paid for, and an extra person isn't going to make the house more expensive to heat or cool. I'm guessing you won't be using enough extra water to wear out the pump. The solar panels generate sufficient electricity to keep my bills low."
"Well, I really appreciate being here, and if you can think of anything at all that I can contribute to our expenses, please let me know. I'll try to please you in any way I can. I don't want to be a freeloader."
"I may request your help with some odd jobs around the house in the future, but not today. You deserve a break. Why don't you relax while I make our dinner? It won't be ready for a while, so you're welcome to take a dip in the pool to cool off after working in the sun and dealing with the other stresses of the day."
"Thanks for the offer. I may take you up on it when I locate my swimsuit. My stuff isn't exactly organized."
"Oh, about that, I don't usually wear anything in the pool, but I will when you're around if it makes you uncomfortable."
"It won't bother me, unless it bothers you to be naked around a guy you know is gay."
"No problem. I'd be a fulltime nudist if I could. In fact, that's what attracted me to this property. It's very private and I enjoy being clothing-free when I'm alone."
"Please don't change your lifestyle for me. I like hanging free too."
"Cool! We should get along fine."
"I should at least take a shower before I pollute your pool with my sweaty body."
"You've probably noticed showerhead and drain right outside the basement door near the pool for that purpose. You'll find towels in the closet just inside the little entryway."
"Thanks! But I should really help you with dinner."
"Maybe some time, but like I said, not tonight. It's your birthday and we're going to celebrate it without having you lift a finger."
As soon as Seth descended the stairs to the basement, Justin quickly prepared a chocolate cake mix and put it into the oven. When it was done, he would set it in the freezer for a few minutes to cool before frosting it.
In the meantime, he cut up a bunch of different fresh vegetables which he would roast on the grill while cooking their steaks. He'd made a big bowl of potato salad earlier in the day which he had planned to eat over the next few days. It wouldn't last that long with two people sharing it, but that was fine with him. Sometimes, he got tired of it before it was finished off.
When the prep work was done, he went to his room, took a quick shower, and slipped commando into a pair of thigh-length, flimsy shorts. He wasn't going to grill in the buff like he would have if he were alone, but he was going to be as close to nude as possible.
Stepping out on the patio to start the grill, he was treated to the sight of his young friend doing the backstroke in the pool. From what he could see, the boy was nicely proportioned and pretty well hung, just as he'd suspected.
"I thought we'd eat out here by the pool," Justin said as he came out the basement door bearing a tray with meat and sides. "How do you like your steak cooked?"
"Medium to medium rare," Seth answered.
"Good, then I can put them on at the same time. I need to start the veggies a bit ahead of the meat."
"May I do anything?"
"Yes, there's another tray up on the kitchen counter with plates and stuff. If you'd get that, it'll save me a trip."
"I'm on it," Seth said as he wrapped a towel around his loins, tying it at the side.
Justin's smile contradicted the fact that he hated to see that beautiful piece of uncut meat covered up.
When everything was ready, Justin called Seth to join him at the table.
"I want you to eat as much as you like, but please save a little room for dessert."
"I may have a hard time holding back; it all looks delicious!"
Both young men had good appetites for dinner. It was as tasty as it looked. After they finished, Seth helped pick up their dishes and put away the leftovers.
"Okay, I want you to go back to the patio and I'll bring our dessert. I hope you like chocolate."
"I consider it one of the basic food groups," Seth joked.
Justin came out of the house carrying the birthday cake with candles in the shape of "one" and "eight" singing "Happy Birthday." Seth's reaction was even more emotional than it had been earlier in the day.
"OH WOW!" he exclaimed, with tears running down his cheeks. "I didn't expect a celebration."
"I'm pleased that I got to pull off the surprise. Here's a card to go with it."
After blowing out the candles, Seth opened the card. Inside was the code for a gift certificate to Amazon for $50. He couldn't believe how much better his day had gone compared with how it had started in the morning. He felt blessed.
Neither guy had room for more than a small piece of cake. That would be their dessert for a few more days.
When it was put away, Justin invited Seth to join him in the hot tub if he wanted to. Seth was thrilled. At last, he'd get to see his host naked.
Both of them rinsed off under the outdoor shower while the jets in the tub were coming up to speed. Both plumped up a bit in the process. Lying back in the warm surging water was a relaxing finish to a great day.
After rinsing off the chemicals, the guys went up to their respective rooms around 10:00 p.m. Justin set the security alarm system, reminding Seth not to use any exit door unless it was disabled.
While he wasn't overly afraid of being robbed, living this far out of the city made his house a more inviting target than if he'd have been nearer a police station.
Sleep evaded both young men for a while. In Seth's case, his mind was still reeling over his good fortune. He was also feeling horny. The sight of Justin's naked body was seared into his brain. Here was a man who was not only kind and caring, but who also was a stud in the true sense of the word. He'd been attracted to the guy immediately when he began mowing his yard late in the fall season last year. Now, he was nearly at the point of adoration. He would have to be careful to keep his feeling in check. He didn't want to sabotage his tenuous position in this household by hitting on his host.
In the next room, Justin's emotions were also unsettled. When he'd made the offer of having Seth live with him, he hadn't thought about the possible fallout. His motivative hadn't been to turn this cute kid into his lover. However, being around him naked had roused feelings of desire he'd suppressed for some time. He began to question his own intentions. Maybe he'd subconsciously wanted to groom the young man. He would need to be careful about displaying too much affection. Given how attractive Seth was, it might turn out to be an arduous task.
Author's notes:
Thanks for reading this story. If you enjoyed it, please feel free to contact me a dlee169@hotmail.com and let me know. Your emails are the only reward I receive for writing. Please put the story title in the subject line in case your email goes into the spam folder.
Thanks to David S for editing. He finds typos and missing words! He also makes valuable suggestions.
Thanks to Nifty for providing this free service. It costs the site to do it, so please consider donating to defray their expenses.
https://donate.nifty.org/
Thanks, David
PS: I have a chronological list of all my posted stories which I can email to you if you have an interest.