They Are A-OK Ch. 26

"Well if she cares for you as much as you appear to care for her, I don't think that would be an issue for her."

"If marrying her is the only way to save her from becoming a whore than I will propose immediately. But, I am not convinced it will work out in the long run."

"I think I know a way that you can test the viability of you marrying Alicia. Make the engagement private between the two of you and then take her with you to school. Her brother declined a state-side education. My giving her one would be acceptable to the islanders. There is an excellent two-year community college near the university. With an associate's degree I could give her a job that offered as much reward as entertaining guests."

"How can she just go off to college? She isn't prepared."

"As far as book learning goes she is well enough prepared. If I ask the school will not turn her away. She can live in my house in town. You can still live in the AOK house and spend as many or as few nights as you like with her. You will soon know if she can deal with your lifestyle."

"Are things really so simple for you? Can it be that you want something so you make it happen?"

"Yes and no. Some things are that simple; mostly due to having the money to buy just about anything. But there are a few things, the most precious things, that money can never buy. You are one of those things, John."

"You would not need to spend a single penny to have me, Adam. Even if I wasn't already committed to you, your generosity toward me and your willingness to give me even this thing that could threaten our relationship creates an unbreakable bond between us."

We made love again and then talked for several more hours. At some point I was emboldened enough to tell him my concerns about Shelia. He said that he already had his own concerns about her treatment of the islanders and others. He was happy to hear about her betrothal. He seemed even happier after I related the story of Alex's awkward seduction of me and Shelia's complete lack of knowledge that her future husband still enjoyed cock. It seemed the most amusing thing to him was Alex's not knowing that Shelia enjoyed bisexual men.

"So she is making it easy. I will offer a short transition and a large severance package when I regretfully accept her resignation," He said with a broad grin.

"I don't think she plans to resign."

"I am sure she doesn't, but she will think she resigned after our conversation. Fuck, I need to make a call to get her back here! Otherwise it will be two weeks before I see her in person. God damn it, this is going to cost me a pile of money."

I let go the mention of the cost of bringing Shelia back to the island. There was another issue nagging at the back of my mind. My dream about Steven was starting to plague me. I wondered if it came from some unconscious perception I had of the valet that might have a basis in truth.

"Adam, I am curious about something and since it has made an incursion into my dreams I was hoping you might tell me about Steven and how he came to work for you."

"He came to work for me because I hired him. As for what is invading your dreams if you're asking me if he provides sexual services, the answer is no. He is a valet not a gigolo."

"Oh god no, I didn't mean to suggest that I thought he serviced you or anything like that. I just wondered how a proper English valet ended up working for an all American billionaire on a remote private island in the Caribbean."

"Damn, I guess I forget how a youthful mind can wander. Look, John, because Steven and I are the only non-islanders regularly in residence we have developed a kind of friendship and rapport that goes beyond his employment. I guess you could say that I am somewhat of a confidant to him. So I know much that would likely satisfy your curiosity. Because of our relationship and my trust in you, I can share those things as long as you understand that these are things neither he nor I would share with others and he wants kept private."

"Of course and I would not expect you to violate confidences. It isn't that important."

"It is not an issue. We are brothers and more."

He proceeded to tell me the reader's Digest version of Steven's life. As a young man Steven was handsome, virile and very popular with women. He was also unusually promiscuous for his day. He claimed to have bedded an unknown number of women that he was sure was in the hundreds by his late twenties. While he participated in some group scenes where women were shared and some men engaged in activities with each other he never had any interest in men sexually. He said that he was neutral on homosexual sex in those days, not caring if others did it at all while not wanting to do it himself.

When he was twenty-nine, he met and fell madly in love with a beautiful woman who was a few steps above him socially. They were married six months later despite her parent's objection. It was because of her and her social circle that he learned so well the ways of the upper crust and their servants. Sadly, it was a very short marriage. Almost five years to the day they met, she was thrown by her horse during a fox hunt. In what the doctors termed a freak landing she broke her neck and died almost instantly. Steven maintains that from the moment they met he was completely faithful to her and stopped his catting around forever. Her family, who never did accept Steven, kept him from inheriting anything and never spoke to him again after the funeral.

Being penniless and jobless led to him becoming a valet. Because of the years he had spent watching servants in his in-laws home he was able to easily convince some lord's butler that he had talent as a gentleman's personal valet. He worked for a couple of different wealthy Lords in England before Adam hired him. He lost interest in dating and sex for the most part after loosing his Cecilia. During that time, occasional masturbation and the solace of prostitutes relieved the biological need for ejaculation but provided no real joy.

As Adam related the story of Steven's life I began to understand the valet's stoic, dispassionate nature. The next part of the story came as a big shock. Steven's last position in England was in the employ of Lord Marlboro, who made Steven a permanent member of the staff at his country home. Since Lord Marlboro spent most of his time in London, that is very easy duty for a valet. However, in Steven's second year at the estate, Lord Marlboro's son, Harold graduated from Cambridge and decided to take on the task of improving the family's ancestral estate. In essence Steven became the younger man's valet as he did not employ one of his own.

Steven did not mind as he enjoyed the work and his young master clearly enjoyed being tended to in his intimate needs. One day when Steven was preparing to help Harold dress after his bath the young man made a surprising request. As he stood there naked making no effort to cover himself he declared that there was an inequality in the relationship. His thought was that since Steven had seen him naked, he should get to see Steven naked and asked his valet to disrobe.

Even though the thought that anyone cared to see him naked at that point in his life was flattering, Steven did not immediately accede to the request. At the time he had not yet recognized that a big part of the enjoyment he got from working at the estate was due to being able to see his handsome young master nude. However, when Harold made it clear that Steven's continued employment depended upon complying with the request, he stripped off his clothes as the naked young man watched intently. After being made to turn around and show off his entire body, Steven turned back to face Harold and saw the youth's rather impressive penis was erect. Steven's boss then rather casually stated that if he would agree to stroke Harold off, then he would do the same for Steven. They ended up masturbating each other to orgasm. After that day it became a fairly regular activity. After a few months Harold suggested oral sex and they soon became very attached.

It ended two years later when Lord Marlboro came to the estate one afternoon unannounced. Harold was sucking enthusiastically on Steven's cock when the door flew open and his Lordship popped into the room. Despite the clear evidence that the young master was very much into the sex and as time told gay, the older man was accused of corrupting the lad and dismissed. It was strongly suggested that he leave England. While they would for the sake of the family keep things quiet, Steven was assured that he would not find work as a valet again at home.

The family, however, was not without compassion for the man they in their hearts knew had been seduced by their son. They secretly arranged for an American business associate to find Steven work. That is how he ended up working for Adam. For two years he traveled with Adam and returned to satisfying his biological needs exclusively through masturbation. When he came to live on the island he discovered that the young men there were very open and free spirited. Adam explained the male islanders' appreciation of older men to me. That combined with Harold being an unmarried male who was fully available by their customs made the newcomer very popular. He found that he could again enjoy sex for just its physical pleasure since there is no guilt associated with casual sex amongst the islanders. I asked Adam about Harold and the island women who are at least as friendly and sexually open as the men if not more so. He told me that while Harold had accepted the advances of a couple of the island women the aging valet had for the most part lost interest in heterosexual sex. "John, I am not sure what brought on your curiosity, but there is one more thing you should know about Steven. Some years ago he decided to fully embrace island life. He had gone through the rituals that to the islanders make him of the island. That means that he behaves for the most part exactly like one who has lived here their entire life."

"Ok," I said unsure of what he was getting at and still stunned about Steven's sexuality.

"John, do you understand that means if you were to suggest sex that he would likely agree? Island tradition only denies guests things that violate custom."

"Oh yeah, shit. Damn, Adam, I don't want to fuck the man. I just had a ridiculous dream about he and I and that made me wonder about him. So you two never?"

"No, I do not think it would be a good idea to let him see that side of me. Now, how about we shower and then have a chat with Alicia?"

After our shower we headed downstairs. Adam suggested I go to the bar and fix drinks while he took care of a little business. I was more than ready for a drink. In the space of a few hours I had gone from trepidation about asking Adam for a favor concerning Alicia to being talked into proposing marriage. Worse I had no idea how the conversation might go. For all I knew Adam might simply propose the arrangement like a business. There was also the possibility that Alicia might object to the plan. Though I did not really understand why, I knew that I would be devastated if she chose to become a whore instead of my fiancée. When Adam joined me at the bar, he told me that he had sent one of the kitchen workers to find Alicia and bring her to the house. My silent response seemed to trigger some concern in my mentor.

"John, do you have doubts about the plan? Don't you want to take her back to school with you?"

"I definitely have doubts about the whole marriage thing. Having her at school seems like it would be great except for the idea that I might be solely responsible for her happiness and entertainment."

"I am sure that you can find plenty of brothers to help entertain her. As for the marriage thing, I believe that you will find having an island girl for a wife will be a perfect fit for you."

"If you believe that, why haven't you married one of them?"

"Because I never felt about one of them the way you do about Alicia."

"Fuck, Adam, I don't even really know how I feel about her. How can you think you know?"

"You were willing to risk both our personal and business relationship to keep her from fucking strangers. That is more than enough evidence of your feelings. You just don't want to let yourself be in love, John. But, your actions tell me what you won't see yourself."

"Your argument makes since, but damn, I have only known her a short time. Fuck, I can count the time I have spent with her in hours and barely make a whole day of them. We have only fucked twice. It isn't possible to have those kinds of feelings yet!"

"Really, how long has it taken in the past for you to know you loved someone: days, weeks, months, or was it hours?"

Those I loved or thought I loved in my short experience came into my head. In Chrissy's case, it was most certainly weeks if not months before I recognized love, but she was my first. With guys I had been more impulsive and those feelings sometimes faded quickly. Kyle had been my quickest infatuation and that connection turned out to be less than I thought. I would always love him, but not the way I thought I did at first. My feelings for Dom on the other hand were slower to develop and more durable. But as I examined that relationship I saw that the first sparks did come quickly and the bond was cemented in a wild week at sea. It became clear that Adam was right as I reflected on my various relationships. Love could take months to blossom as it had with Chrissy and Brock and to some extent Adam, but it could also could come in a blinding flash that took no more than hours as it did with Kyle and other guys as well as with Alicia it seemed. That realization did not offer much comfort. I feared that at some point my feelings for Alicia would change as they did for Kyle.

Before I could respond to Adam's question, Alicia entered the conservatory. She was wearing a simple shift. I assumed that as usual she was bare underneath. It was the first time I had seen her with her hair braided and tied back away from her face. My first thought was that Adam preferred the girls to have their hair tied up when he summoned them. That led to the thought that Alicia had answered the boss's call expecting him to want to fuck her. I couldn't imagine what she must have thought upon seeing that I was with Adam. The other thing that I noticed was that she was barefoot. It was much later that I learned that islanders always left their outdoor sandals or shoes at that back door. The house staff kept indoor shoes at the house, but Alicia was not yet on staff and had come so quickly that day she neglected to bring indoor footwear. I guess in her mind it was unneeded as she expected to be naked soon after arrival.

"Alicia, welcome, I believe you know my friend, John" Adam said with genuine warmth in his voice.

"Thank you, sir, yes I know um Mister er, oh.."

She clearly did not know how to address me. I could not remember if I had ever told her my last name. If she had known it she had either forgotten a name she had never used or nervousness had blanked her mind.

"Alicia, it is ok. Adam knows that we are good friends. I am sure that addressing me as John will not cause any anger," I said as I stood and moved to the clearly unsettled young woman who might soon become my fiancée.

"Oh, ok, John," She said, nervously glanced toward Adam as I took hold of her trembling hand.

"Of course, if my friend wishes to be on a casual basis with you, then by all means that is how it should be. That is of course if that is something that you want also, Alicia," Adam said seemingly truly interested in her feelings.

"Sir, if my speaking informally pleases you and your guest than it makes me very happy," She responded still in a proper subservient tone.

"That is not what I asked," Adam said calmly in a soft voice. "I truly want to know your feelings. If John were my employee, say a hand on the docks, would it please you to be informal and intimate with him?"

Clearly Alicia was having trouble understanding the reason Adam was asking such a question. I was also a bit puzzled. Adam knew the islanders far better than I did and I knew that they thought of things in very simple terms. The idea that she could not be happy about something that made Adam or his guest happy was foreign to her. Even though I knew she had feelings for me, I doubted she had subjected the situation to much analysis.

"Well, yes, if John was someone like a deck hand I would be very happy to be close to him. He is a wonderful man," She replied meekly.

I caught a hint of a blush in her cheeks as she smiled shyly at Adam. If I had not already begun to fall in love with her, that shy, innocent look would have certainly done the trick. I was totally beguiled.

"I am glad to hear that, Alicia. But damn, I am being a poor host. What would you like to drink?"

It had been hard enough for her to relax when I treated her as a guest in the house. Adam proclaiming his lack of manners as a host seemed to totally throw her off.

"I do not know. I am not accustomed to being entertained like this," She managed to answer.

"I imagine you like island punch," He suggested.

"Yes, Sir, but I do not know if taking strong drink is appropriate."

"I will make it light for you," He said with wink.

After fixing the fruity concoction for her, Adam refilled our glasses. Then he began to explain the reason he had asked Alicia to the house. He told her first that we had talked and I had expressed concerns about her planned job at the house. He followed that by saying he did not want things to be difficult between her and the other islanders as a result of any favoritism they might perceive. She agreed that it would seem odd to her people if she got the privileges of the position without doing the duties required.

"There is a solution to the dilemma. How would you like to go to college?"

"I have never thought of that. My brother went to visit colleges and says that life on the island is far better than the outside world."

"If you went to college, you would be trained to do a different important job in the house. You would only have to spend a part of the next two years away."

"The idea of being alone in the world at college frightens me. Also, it will be many years before I can return to a job that will give my family what they could have now."

"We have thought of that also, Alicia," Adam continued as he turned his attention to me. "John, would you like to tell her the rest of the plan?"

"Alicia, we should talk more of this privately before you decide, but if you and I became engaged, then it would be proper for me to provide comforts for your family while you are at school. Also, you would not be alone at school because you could attend a school near me."

Her face lit up like a small child's does when they open the one special gift that they asked Santa for at Christmas.

"John, did I hear right? Are you saying that you want to marry me?"

"Yes, Alicia, but not right away and not until we can come to agreement on things. I need you to understand my life and what I see my life being in the future," I replied honestly.

"I am not sure that I understand. What more can there be to know or talk about? Ones place in a marriage is well understood," She said clearly confused.

In her world marriage followed a set of rules and customs. She had no idea that there could be any other way to be married then the one those rules proscribed. Fortunately, Adam stepped in to try to explain when I hesitated while trying to collect my thoughts.

"Alicia, marrying John would not be like marrying a man of the island," He interjected. "All of the customs you know would not apply. There would have to be a blend of both of your ways."