When they were finished, Billy helped Sloane clear the table and load the dishwasher. Then there was an awkward moment. Sloane would have been more than happy to have the boy stay. He would, he admitted, be ecstatic if the boy spent the night. But what was he to say?

"Well, sir, I don't want to take up more of your evening. This has been wonderful, and I don't know how to tell you how much I appreciate you having me here. It sure beat cold pizza, as you said." He gave Sloane another of those radiant smiles.

"You don't need to rush off. I've got a pretty good collection of VHS tapes and DVDs if you'd like to stick around and watch something."

"Are you sure?" the boy asked, trying to hide his eagerness.

"Yeah. Look in that cupboard over there."

Sloane didn't have anything in the way of action adventure pictures, so he hoped Billy could find something he'd like. And he was glad his collection of gay porn DVDs was in a different cabinet. Billy handed him a DVD and said, "I love this. Do you mind if we watch it?"

Sloane looked at the box. It was An Affair to Remember. He would never have expected Billy to select that flick. And then he began to wonder ...

"I'm going to kick off my shoes. Feel free to do that if you'd like." Billy, who was wearing ankle high leather shoes, quickly unlaced them and pulled them off. Sloane couldn't help noticing the white-sock-clad feet were nicely proportioned, but pretty large. They sat together on the sofa to watch the picture. When it was over, they both had tears in their eyes.

Sloane was embarrassed. "I'm sorry. That's not great drama, but it always seems to get to me."

Billy put his hand on his professor's knee. "Yeah, I know. I love it, too. Your having tears in your eyes just tells me that you're my kind of people, Dr. Sloane, if you don't mind my saying so."

Sloane's cock got instantly hard. He'd had trouble controlling it as he sat beside the boy and took glances at him during the film. The boy's touch on his knee was electric, and it had an immediate effect. "Please don't tell your classmates that I'm a sentimental slob," Sloane said, smiling.

Billy grinned back. "Your awful secret is safe with me, professor."

They talked a while longer. Sloane didn't want to stand up until his erection subsided. Besides, he was happy to sit there on the sofa beside the beautiful boy, watching the changing expressions on his face as he talked.

Eventually, Billy took his leave, thanking his professor profusely. "Believe me, William," Sloane said, "it was my pleasure."

Billy had already helped him put away the food, rinse the dishes, and load the dishwasher, so there wasn't much to do in the kitchen. Sloane did what remained to be done and went upstairs.

As he undressed and went through his nightly ritual of brushing his teeth, urinating, and generally getting ready for bed, he thought about the young man who'd spent the evening with him.

My God, am I falling in love? It can't be love. I don't really know him.

Then you're infatuated with him, a voice inside him said.

Well, what if I am? Surely there's no harm in that.

So long as you can control yourself, there isn't. But he's one of your students, and you're old enough to be his father.

No! Almost old enough, perhaps.

Don't evade the issue. You have responsibilities. You mustn't take advantage of your position.

Yes, dammit, I know!