A Busted Afternoon

By Pepper Espinoza

It's June 1972, and the Vietnam War overshadows Ed Sorenson's life. He's barely out of high school, and there's nothing ahead of him except war and death. On a whim, he packs up his old station wagon with California in mind. He invites his friend Sammy to join him on his journey, never expecting the other man to jump at the chance.

The station wagon barely makes it as far as Nevada. It dies on the shoulder during a freak summer thunderstorm, trapping the two young men and giving them no choice but to face the secrets they've been hiding, the fears they've been harboring, and the desire they can barely keep at bay.

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: Oct 13, 2020
• ISBN: 9781646564576

Book preview

A Busted Afternoon

By Pepper Espinoza

Published by JMS Books LLC at Smashwords

Visit jms-books.com for more information.

Copyright 2020 Pepper Espinoza

ISBN 9781646564576

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Cover Design: Written Ink Designs | written-ink.com

Image(s) used under a Standard Royalty-Free License.

All rights reserved.

WARNING: This book is not transferable. It is for your own personal use. If it is sold, shared, or given away, it is an infringement of the copyright of this work and violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review.

This book is for ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It may contain sexually explicit scenes and graphic language which might be considered offensive by some readers. Please store your files where they cannot be accessed by minors.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Published in the United States of America.

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A Busted Afternoon

By Pepper Espinoza

Chapter 1

June 1, 1972

Sixty miles west of Wendover, NV

When it started to rain, Sammy Neff laughed. A full-throated, resonant sound. One that came from deep in his body and erupted from him in a sort of orgasm of joy. Only, to Ed Sorenson’s ears, Sammy didn’t sound very amused. There was a sort of tinny, annoyed quality to the laughter. One that betrayed Sammy’s undeniable frustration as the sky opened in an angry torrent. The entire drive from Evanston had been uneventful, the two of them enjoying a companionable silence for most of the journey. Just an hour before, they had been humming along with All the Young Dudes and the sky had been clear across the salt flats.

Get in the car! Ed shouted, sticking his head out the window, becoming drenched in an instant.

It’s not running yet.

You’ll get sick if you stay out in the rain. And the last thing either of them needed was to catch pneumonia. Ed didn’t want to die on their first trip away from home, and all the warnings from his mother echoed through the years. She would have a heart attack if she saw Sammy standing without a coat in the rain. On the other hand, it was probably bad enough that her eighteen-year-old son, her only boy, had decided to take off without more than a day’s warning.

I won’t get sick. I’m not sugar, I won’t melt.

Just get in the damned car before you catch your death. If anything happens to you, I’m going to be stranded out here. Probably ‘til I die.

Sammy looked around the lifted hood, and now he had a genuine smile. His blond hair hung in his face, and he looked distinctly like a wet puppy. If he had a tail, he would be wagging it. You’re not going to die out here.

I will if you’re not here to help me! Ed was forced to shout over the roar of the water. He wouldn’t be surprised if there were flash flood warnings in the area. He thought about making a crack about needing an ark, but the jokes could wait until Sammy wasn’t being

Reviews for A Busted Afternoon

[arecafe · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A Busted Afternoon by Pepper Espinoza is a 40-page contemporary gay romance set in the summer of 1972. Don’t worry about encountering any hippie clichés. This story is close enough to today to seem timeless. Even so, you’ll get a chilling hint of the Vietnam War that hangs over our 18 year-old heroes’ heads. You might also find that their straightforward naiveté reflects a more innocent time. Innocent is definitely the word for Ed and Sammy. They’ll make you swoon if you like old-fashioned heroes who are tough and masculine, and yet young enough to be ruled by their emotions.

The story’s realism and its clear and minimalist writing pave the way for total escapism. You’ll be transported into the backseat of one broken-down car in a desert thunderstorm. Within are two young men struggling with a secret, long-standing desire for one another. Their passion leads to a fistfight, one hot sex scene, and a chance for true love.

The story starts with Ed driving from Wyoming to California. He’s earned money for his sightseeing trip through farm work. Now, before they both get drafted into the war, he’s invited along Sammy about whom he has fantasized for years. Sammy is playful and reckless whereas Ed is sensitive and brooding.

Ed’s car breaks down, stranding them on the deserted Nevada highway during a thunderstorm. The boys retreat to the backseat to wring out their clothes, and Sammy starts flirting with Ed. However, Ed’s insecurity causes him to reject Sammy who walks away down the highway.

On page 18, Sammy thinks, ” …about the way Ed smelled after a day of hard day’s work – the strong, musty scent of his skin, and dirt, and sweat. His hair damp, hanging over his brow. His full mouth parted so he could catch his breath, his dark lashes – almost as long as a girl’s – shielding his eyes.”

A Busted Afternoon shows you that moment when the smallest decision can cause you to lose everything or to win your heart’s desire.

Val for AReCafe