This End Up (vignette) (Patreon)

“Are you...asking me to fuck you again?”  

Ferrel could feel his face going beet red in a mix of embarrassment and rage.  He was old enough to be Tyler’s dad, and big enough to have ripped him in half with one meaty arm, which made the skinny young man’s smug grin all the more humiliating.  “Come on, dude, don’t broadcast it like that,” Ferrel whispered, his eyes darting around the parking lot to see who might have been within earshot.  

“But you ARE asking me that, right?”  Tyler crossed his lean arms and looked up at the older man towering over him, experiencing none of his usual intimidation at Ferrel’s hulking frame.  

Ferrel squirmed and ran a hand through his cropped, silver hair, his inflating bicep emphasizing the size difference between them.  “I don’t get it either, but since we...I mean...I can’t…” he trailed off, his face still burning beneath his trimmed, salt and pepper beard.  “...I can’t cum, man.”  He whispered the last part, leaning in close.  “I’ve tried.  I don’t know why, but nothing gets me there.  I get right up to the edge but I can’t...I feel like I’m gonna burst.”  

Tyler dropped his eyes, his grin spreading.  “Are you...you are!  You’re hard right now, aren’t you?”  He reached out and squeezed the solid lump snaking down one of Ferrel’s sturdy legs.  

“Come on...do I have to beg,” the older man whimpered.  

“Might help,” Tyler shrugged.  

“Please,” Ferrel pleaded.  “I’m desperate.”  

“Alright man, but I’ve got some shit to do right now,” Tyler relented.  “Come to my place around eight.  Bring beer.” 

The older man breathed a sigh of relief, his barrel chest heaving as his younger friend drove off.  He still couldn’t believe any of this was really happening, but he was more concerned with making it to that evening. 

By the time eight rolled around, Ferrel felt like he was literally going to explode. His loins ached, his body was on edge, and he was desperate. He wanted to get down to business as soon as he arrived, but his young friend had other ideas. 

“Uh-uh, not just like that.”  Tyler sat back on the couch and cracked a beer.  “You’re gonna have to earn it.  Give me a show and we’ll see how I feel after that.”  

A surge of crimson climbed up Ferrel’s neck.  “You mean…?”  The sudden pulsing music answered his question.  He wanted to argue, but he wanted to get off even more, and he wasn’t about to risk being sent home unsatisfied.  

Fighting against his every instinct, he started swaying awkwardly, fumbling with the bottom of his tight t-shirt.  He slowly raised it up over his furry muscle gut, turning so that his broad back was exposed when he finally pulled it free.  He shook his ample rear in Tyler’s direction, glad that the younger man couldn’t see his mortified expression when he undid the button of his jeans and slid the zipper down.  He steeled himself and spun back around, inching the baggy denim down his tree trunk thighs.  His tented boxers eagerly sprung free, the aching, seven inch rod begging for release.  Ferrel tried to ignore the way it wagged and bobbed as he kicked the jeans free, the button on the fly the only thing keeping the oozing beast at bay.  

“No, no, let me,” Tyler said when his older friend started to tug on his boxers.  He took a long drag off the beer and scooted to the edge of the couch.  “Arms up,” he nodded, motioning for Ferrel to fold his burly arms behind his head.  The older man did as he was instructed, letting Tyler manhandle him so that he faced away again.  The brawny silver fox shivered despite himself at the younger man’s touch, his stomach fluttering as soon as Tyler’s hands made their way to his hips.  “Fuck, man.  I don’t know what it is, but you’re turnin’ me on,” Tyler said, running his hands along Ferrel’s meaty legs as he pulled the boxers down.  He gave the older man’s plump, solid cheeks a rough slap, laughing when his friend started squirming.  “Hooo boy, you DO want it bad!”  

“Please…” Ferrel panted, the feeling of Tyler’s hands so close to his starving hole almost more than he could bear.  

The smug young man squeezed one last time before pulling his hands away.  “There’s still some stuff that needs doing around here first.”  He nodded over his shoulder to the pile of dirty dishes on the counter in the kitchen when Ferrel turned back to face him.  

“What?!  Come on, man!  I jus…” 

“If you don’t want it, that’s fine,” Tyler said, massaging the hardening lump in his pants.  

Ferrel was as furious as he was humiliated and desperate.  He’d just been forced to give the young punk a strip tease, and now he was being treated like a maid.  A part of his brain knew he could probably just head over to a gay bar or get on the internet and find what he was looking for, but something was holding him in place.  There was a flutter in his stomach whenever he looked at Tyler and it slowly dawned on him that, no matter how embarrassed or angry, he didn’t actually want to leave.   “Fine,” he sighed, dropping his broad shoulders and shaking his head.  

He lumbered over to the sink, his aching rod leading the way, and tried not to think about the fact that he was standing naked and hard at his young coworkers sink cleaning up after him.  To Tyler’s endless amusement, his older friend had to constantly watch how he positioned himself so as to not jam his rigid member into the counter while he scrubbed the dishes like a man possessed.  He didn’t even stop to argue when Tyler started taking pictures, wanting nothing more than to get the release he so painfully needed.  

“Okay...all done,” Ferrel said, winded from the rapid cleaning.  

“The place could use a good vacuuming too,” Tyler started, pausing and laughing at the disappointed look on Ferrel’s face.  “But we can worry about that another time.  Come on.”  

The bigger man bounded down the hallway to his young friend’s bedroom and climbed up onto the mattress like an eager teen.  “Christ, man, I know this is weird, but thanks for…” 

“You still need to prove it to me,” Tyler said, interrupting the older man’s stream of gratitude.  “I mean, you SAY you can’t get off, but how do I know?”  He shook his head when Ferrel grabbed the thick rod between his meaty legs and started pumping.  “No no no, you always bragged about your technique...let me see it.”  

Ferrel’s frustrated embarrassment grew when Tyler nodded at the mattress.  He dutifully rolled over, his shoulders and arms flexing under his weight as he started pumping his hips, working his oozing cock against the sheets.  He went slow at first, gradually building up speed until he was whimpering and shaking the entire bed frame.  The sensations were every bit as pleasurable as always, bringing him just to the edge of release without letting him cross over.  

“Impressive,” Tyler whistled, watching Ferrel’s meaty cheeks dimple and flex with his precision thrusting.  “I’m curious though...keep at it for a second…” 

Ferrel was so lost in his agonizing lust that he barely heard anything the other man said.  He kept pounding away, sweat dripping from his brow, until his vision suddenly exploded.  “OOOOHHHHHHHHHH!”  His guttural bellow shook the walls as the lubed vibrator found its way inside him.  His steely arms gave out and he fell forward onto his thick chest, burying his face in the sheets.  

“I had an ex leave that here,” Tyler said as the burly man bucked and spasmed, his ass in the air.  He couldn’t help but laugh at the way Ferrel wagged his ample rear like a dog shaking its tail, grunting and whining wordlessly.  

“Puh...please…!”  Ferrel finally managed to gasp after a few minutes of the exquisite torture.  He looked at Tyler on the verge of tears.  

“Damn...you really can’t get off without me, can you?”  

“N...no!  Fuuuuck…” Ferrel groaned.  “I can’t...I can’t take it…” 

“Okay, okay,” Tyler said, finally shucking his pants and climbing up onto the bed.  “You don’t have to be so dramatic.”  He pulled the vibrator free and batted his solid poker against his friend’s muscled cheeks, the six inch rod looking small by comparison.  Despite his casual attitude, the young man was just as eager to repeat their romp from earlier.  

“oOooooOOOOaaahhhhhhHHHHH!”  Ferrel’s quaking scream was like a siren when Tyler eventually pushed his way inside.  The older stud was mortified at the sounds he was helpless to stop, but he’d never felt anything like it.  The sensations rocketing through each and every nerve ending were beyond pain or pleasure, elevating his consciousness to a higher plane.  His brawny body was like melting wax as his sturdy muscle shook from the force of the pounding, flowing and reforming over and over with each of his young friend’s deep thrusts.  He couldn’t tell where he ended and where Tyler began, wanting nothing more than for the overwhelming, blissful nirvana to continue forever.  

He was dimly aware when he came the first time.  The eruption wasn’t the shotgun blast he’d expected, but a slow, gradual release of pressure.  Like a slowly deflating tire, the tension ebbed, building back up as Tyler went at him again and again, but thankfully relieving as long as the younger man could bring him to the brink.  The last thing he remembered before darkness took him was thinking how good it felt when Tyler sprayed inside him.  

**********

“Hey, sleepyhead, we’re gonna be late.”  

Ferrel groaned, his eyes squinting open against the bright sunlight.  There was a moment of confusion when he didn’t recognize his surroundings until he saw Tyler grinning down at him.  “Oh...hey…” he mumbled sleepily, blushing when he lifted his head to discover that he was naked on a bare mattress, his thick cock twitching half hard between his meaty legs as he pressed against an equally naked Tyler.  “What’s going...oh…” he mumbled, the hazy memories of the previous night fighting their way to the surface.  “Holy shit...last night was…” 

“Crazy,” Tyler interrupted with a laugh.  He tousled Ferrel’s thick, silver hair and reached over for his phone.  “Dude...you were a beast,” he said, pulling up a string of videos.  

Ferrel’s eyes went wide at the sight.  He didn’t remember Tyler filming him, but as he watched, he didn’t remember doing half the things he saw.  He watched himself, glassy eyed, mouth open, straddling Tyler’s lap, bouncing up and down on the young man’s cock.  He saw himself on his back, legs in the air, his oozing cock slapping against his muscled gut while Tyler rammed in and out, a low, sustained moan leaking from his dazed mouth.  

The last thing Ferrel remembered was being on all fours, but based on the videos they’d clearly gone at it for hours, of which he only recalled a fraction.  “I don’t...I don’t remember any of this…” 

“You seemed pretty out of it, but you clearly knew what you were doing,” Tyler whistled, shaking his head.  “For an old timer you’ve got some stamina.”  

“Can teach you a thing or two,” Ferrel laughed awkwardly, his stomach fluttering at the compliment.  

“Shit, you already did,” Tyler said as he rolled off the bed and stretched his lean frame.  “That gonna be a problem?”  

Ferrel followed Tyler’s gaze to his stubbornly solid cock.  The stout pole was rigid and aching, refusing to soften.  “Goddamnit,” Ferrel sighed, tugging on the throbbing member to no effect.  Whatever forces were at work still had them in their grasp.  “Fuck!”  

“If you insist,” the young man said with a smug grin.  “I’m gonna need some help getting ready, though.”  He tugged on his twitching cock as his older friend scrambled to the edge of the bed, surprised that he didn’t have to give any instructions.  

Ferrel was just as surprised when he found his face lurching towards Tyler’s crotch without any hesitation.  Before he knew what was happening, the young man’s cock was hardening against his tongue.  His rough palms kneaded Tyler’s smooth, perky rear as he bobbed his head back and forth, his nimble tongue grabbing the other man’s organ like a fist.  

Far from the disgust he’d expected, Ferrel felt a similar, if less intense, wave of bliss wash over him.  It wasn’t the livewire that his hungry hole provided, but the salty, musky flavor of the other man drove him wild.  

“Whoa...damn, man...hold on…” Tyler gasped, trying to manually slow the older man’s bobbing head.  He laced his fingers through Ferrel’s silver hair but his brawny friend was insatiable.  “Dude...I’m gonna...cuuuuNNNHH!”  

It wasn’t until Ferrel had finished sucking down every last, salty drop that he realized what happened.  He pulled his dripping chin away and looked up at his panting friend, then down at his still-aching pole.  “Damnit!  How long ‘til you can get ready again?”  

“I’m not a machine,” Tyler panted.  “After last night you’re lucky I could do that at all.”  

“What the fuck am I gonna do now,” Ferrel cried, pounding the mattress in frustration.  

“You’re the one that took that too far, not me,” Tyler sighed.  “Look, I have an idea.  Roll over and let me try something.”  

Ferrel did as he was told, hating the sound when the younger man mechanically wormed a few fingers in his eager hole and he whimpered desperately.  It wasn’t as intense as being fucked, but Tyler’s dexterous hand was still bringing him to the edge.  He was mortified at the way he purred and whined while casually being fingered, even more so when he finally came, spraying like a firehose in front of the younger man.  “Th...thanks,” he said breathlessly, hating the empty feeling when Tyler pulled his fist away.  

“Alright...I’m gonna go shower real quick while you clean this place up.  If we both get in there we’ll never leave.”  

Ferrel’s eyes were glued to Tyler’s tight bubble as the younger man left the room.  He collapsed on the mattress when he heard the shower hiss to life, wondering how his life could have gone so off the rails that he was laying in a contented heap on a cum stained mattress after being fingered by another man.  None of it made sense.  

It didn’t make sense when he pulled himself up and began gathering the stained, disheveled sheets that had been torn from the bed during their romp the night before.  It didn’t make sense when he picked up Tyler’s discarded underwear, pressing it to his face and taking a long, deep breath.  He shouldn’t have been doing any of it, and he shouldn’t have been so desperate to do it all again.  By the time he’d swapped places with Tyler in the shower and was toweling his broad self dry, he was ready to go again.  

The younger man’s smug grin waiting for him back in the bedroom didn’t help.  Ferrel held the small towel around his wide waist as best he could, Tyler’s eyes dropping to the thick cock outlined against the fabric.  He’d already dressed for work and had plans for his older friend’s outfit.  “So I was thinking...if we’re going to do this on a regular basis, I’m going to need some help from you.”

“Uh, what do you mean?”  Ferrel hated the thrill he felt at hearing Tyler talk about repeating their experience, and he didn’t like the mischievous twinkle in the young man’s eye.  

“Don’t get me wrong, you’re surprisingly hot for an old guy,” Tyler laughed, shaking his head.  “And I never, ever thought I’d say those words.  But I’m used to a certain look.”  

Ferrel’s stomach dropped when Tyler held up a small, cherry red thong, his face flushing to match the bright red fabric.  “You can’t be serious…” 

“Might be snug, but we can get you some that fit.  The same ex who left the vibrator here got that for me, but it feels more your speed nowadays.”  He tossed it over to Ferrel and crossed his arms expectantly.  

Knowing he’d only cave in the long run, Ferrel slid the small underwear up his meaty legs, squirming as the back string slipped between his plump globes. The pouch was filled to capacity by his heavy package, barely covering the older man’s stout balls and thick hose.  Ferrel grumbled to himself as he lumbered out into the living room to pull his jeans on, the sensation of the rough denim against his bare cheeks where his boxers should have been making him squirm again.  “This is humiliating,” he sighed at the sight of the obvious whale tail poking out above his jeans.  

“Keep your arms down then,” Tyler laughed, rubbing Ferrel’s solid gut as the older man pulled his shirt on.  The tight t-shirt came to a rest just at the older man’s waist.  If he raised his arms, everyone would get a peek.  

“You just love torturing me, don’t you,” he asked as he stepped into his boots and they headed out the door.  

“Easier access,” Tyler said, slipping a hand down the back of the older man’s pants.  He laughed at the loud gasp and pulled it away.  “Now be good or you won’t get dessert later.”  

Ferrel did his best to ignore the odd sensation of the tight underwear as the morning went on.  He told himself if he just focused on his work he’d get used to it, but the older man was quickly discovering that he was having a hard time focusing on much of anything.  His mind kept drifting back to his night with Tyler while his eyes drifted over each and every one of his coworkers.  Guys he’d worked with for years suddenly seemed like strangers as he pored over every detail.  Handsome faces, bubble butts, strong arms, hairy chests; things he’d never given a second thought to were lit up like spotlights.  

And it showed.  Ferrel was so distracted by Nick’s perky bubble as the young man walked by that he fumbled the crate he was moving, barely stopping the box before it crashed into the ground.  “Sorry,” the older man blushed when he saw everyone looking in his direction.  “Lost my...grip…” he trailed off when he realized they weren’t smiling at him because of his fumble.  His shirt had ridden up in the process, finally exposing the bright red whale tail he’d been trying so hard to conceal.  

“Cute panties,” Matt laughed.  The beefy young cub rubbed his bearded cheeks, grinning.  “I think my girl has a pair just like ‘em.”  

Nick, the fit young man’s whose ample bottom had set things in motion, cocked his head to the side and looked the older man up and down.  “Lose a bet or something?”  

Ferrel scrambled for an excuse, oblivious to the fact that he hadn’t fixed his shirt to cover himself.  “Uh, no, I….” 

“The big guy wanted to try something new,” Tyler chimed in, coming around a corner.  “It’s not a bad look...why don’t you show everyone?”  

Ferrel’s eyes went wide as he glared at his younger friend.  Matt and Nick were already nodding in agreement, while Brent and Jake headed over to see what the commotion was about.  “Guys...come on…” the older man stammered, looking at the group for mercy instead of barking orders.  He was the oldest and the strongest.  He should have been telling all of them to fuck off and get back to work, but instead he stood trembling in front of everyone.  “Fine,” he said with a roll of his eyes, his hands already heading towards the waist of his jeans.  “Get it out of your systems now,” he sighed, undoing the fly and tugging the pants down.  He turned in a circle for the laughing, cheering crowd, trying not to let his humiliation show.  

“Damn big guy, you been holdin’ out on us,” Brent laughed.  The stocky blonde was still sitting behind the wheel of the tow motor, his eyes landing on Ferrel’s solid rear.  “You never told us you had an ass like that!”  

“He knows how to use it, too.”  Ferrel’s stomach dropped at Tyler’s words, his body turning purple with embarrassment.  “You guys should’ve seen it...he showed up at my place BEGGING for a piece of this,” the younger man laughed, grabbing his crotch.  “Best tail I’ve had in months.”  

The older man felt like he’d been punched in the stomach when Tyler pulled out his phone and everyone crowded around to watch.  A few moments later the sounds of his own bestial grunting echoed through the warehouse, his barely concealed package twitching as he shifted his weight from foot to foot.  

“Holy shit,” Nick laughed when he looked up from the phone and saw Ferrel’s stout, solid cock poking out from the small thong.  “You weren’t kidding,” he said, giving Tyler a shove.  “Dude’s ready to go right now.”  

Ferrel’s heart was racing beneath his thick, heaving chest as he stood frozen, solid cock on display.  He felt trapped.  No matter how much he wanted to, he couldn’t bring himself to turn and run, or even cover himself.  All he could do was glare at Tyler and try to ignore the painful ache pulsing from his exposed rear.  

“Aww, come on, big guy, don’t be mad,” Tyler cooed.  “No one’s judging, right guys?”  He motioned to the group of smiling, nodding faces.  “I was thinkin’ it over this morning and it occurred to me that we should probably test this out with someone else.  If it’s just me you’re gonna wear me out quick!  But maybe one of these other fellas can do the job.”  

“I...I don’t know if…” Ferrel stammered, rubbing at his furry muscle gut.  “I mean...that’s a lot to…” the older man was so overcome with humiliated hunger he could barely speak.  His eyes were darting from man to man with the same frenzy he’d directed at his young friend the night before, and he didn’t know whether he should be relieved or terrified at the thought of any young man being able to control him the way Tyler could.  

Tyler looked around the group again.  “Any takers?”  

“Fuck it.  I’m game,” Brent said, sliding his burly frame out of the tow motor.  He licked his lips and looked Ferrel up and down, blushing.  “Weirdest goddamn day at work yet,” he laughed as the group cheered.  “Anything I’m supposed to look for?”  

Tyler shrugged.  “He couldn’t get off without being fucked.  Don’t know if it’s just me or if anyone’ll do the job.”  

“Guess we’ll find out,” Brent said, giving Ferrel’s bare cheeks a slap.  The older man towered over him but still trembled in his grip.  “Not out here, you perverts,” the stocky blonde said, shaking his head.  “We’ll do this in the locker room and let you know how it goes.  The big guy might be happy to show off, but that don’t mean you’re gettin’ a peak at me.”  

“Wait wait wait….leave his clothes here,” Nick said, a mischievous look in his eyes.  When no one said anything else, Ferrel reluctantly kicked off his boots and stepped out of his pants before peeling out of his shirt.  His stomach fluttering despite his humiliation, he lumbered in nothing but the tiny thong behind Brent towards the locker room.  

“This is so weird,” the beefy blonde laughed, his hand lingering on the older man’s solid globe.  “Fuck if I know why, but you’re doin’ it for me right now, man.”  He kneaded the growing lump in his baggy jeans as he stared at his burly, naked friend.  

Ferrel wanted to tell Brent the whole story.  He wanted to explain about the statue, and how it was doing something to all of them, but the words wouldn’t come.  Looking at the glazed expression in the shorter man’s eyes, all he could manage was a quiet whimper, the need from his hungry bottom drowning out everything else.  He reached out and started undoing Brent’s jeans, his hands eagerly toying with the long, twitching cock concealed inside.  

“Never done this shit with a dude before,” Brent sighed as Ferrel fished his impressive rod free.  He folded his muscled arms behind his head as the older man dropped to his knees and swallowed as much of the rigid seven inches as he could, groaning in surprise at how good Ferrel’s bearded cheeks felt against his thighs.  

The older man was determined not to repeat his experience from that morning, bobbing his head back and forth in a slow, measured fashion while his large, rough hands kneaded Brent’s ample backside.  The younger man’s low moans of pleasure thrilled him to his core as he ran his tongue around the oozing head and pulled his mouth away.  

“Ready for the real thing,” Brent asked with a smug grin.  Ferrel nodded so fast the young man was afraid he’d give himself whiplash.  “Alright...lay down,” he said, stepping out of his discarded pants and boxers as the older man stretched out on the ground in front of him.  He manhandled Ferrel’s thick thighs up onto his shoulder and pushed the string of the thong aside, lining himself up.  “Tyler likes to brag...lemme show you how a real man does it,” he said, plunging inside.  

Ferrel’s howl of pleasure echoed through the entire warehouse.  He arched his back and clutched at the tiled floor of the locker room so hard he nearly tore his fingernails off as Brent’s thick pole wormed in deep.  Their eyes were locked, and no matter how embarrassed Ferrel was at the thought of the ridiculous, lustful expressions he must be making, he couldn’t look away.  He didn’t want to.  Brent’s arrogant smirk made him melt.  It was clear the younger man was in full control as he pumped his hips, thrusting in and out in rapid fashion while Ferrel’s useless cock slapped loudly against his stomach.  

Tyler’s theory was quickly put to the test.  Ferrel could feel himself reaching the edge, unable to make up his mind whether he wanted this to work or not.  For someone as strong and confident as he should have been, the thought that any man could reduce him to a grunting, desperate bottom was a horrifying thought.  Beyond the sex, he hadn’t been able to stand up to any of the guys, willfully going along with whatever they wanted no matter how embarrassing it was.  It was bad enough being dependent on a cock in the ass to get off; being a submissive teddy bear was even worse.  

He came at the thought, bellowing and blasting himself in the face.  The torrent of warm, sticky fluid covered his furry stomach and chest, splashing up onto his bearded cheeks and landing in his open, moaning mouth.  

“Guess...that...answers...thatttuuuunnnn….!”  Brent gave one last thrust before whimpering and spasming, unloading his own tidal wave inside the older man.  “So who was...better…” he panted as he pulled out and stood.  

Ferrel squirmed on the ground, gazing longingly up at the brawny blonde.  “Me and Tyler had a couple times...we’ll have to do this again,” he purred, hating himself for it.  

When the duo finally emerged from the locker room an hour later, the older man’s torso was glistening with slick fluid.  He was red faced and mortified at the smiling faces waiting for him as he stumbled out in nothing but the thong, his spent hose flopping outside the pouch before he thought to put himself away.  

“Guess that answers that,” Tyler laughed, punching Brent in a broad shoulder.  “It was good, right?”  

“Dude,” Brent sighed, nodding.  “That’s an understatement.”  

“That’s good news for you, stud,” Tyler said, turning his attention to Ferrel.  “If I’m not around, you got all these guys to choose from!”  

“Can’t wait,” Ferrel said.  He meant it to sound sarcastic but it came out as a flirty invitation. 

“The guys made you a new outfit to mark the occasion,” Nick said, stepping forward and handing Ferrel a considerably smaller pile of clothes.  

The big man felt a fresh wave of humiliation as he pulled on the remains of his shirt.  The sleeves and most of the bottom half had been removed, leaving him with a slip of fabric that barely covered his furry pecs and showed off his cum-covered stomach.  The pants were no better, having been cut into a pair of small short-shorts that left the bottom of his ass hanging out and his unwanted whale tail on display.  Coupled with his clunky work boots, Ferrel felt like he should have been about twenty five years younger and standing on a street corner, not in the middle of a warehouse he was supposed to be in charge of.  

He looked at the lustful expressions of his crew, his face burning and his stomach fluttering.  He was already envisioning his future, hopping from cock to cock, doing whatever it was he was told.  His days of ordering everyone around were clearly over, and the thought made him squirm.  Being topped by the smaller guys was only slightly better than being ordered around by them.  It was as if the more embarrassed he was, the more turned on he became.  “Well?  Get back to work,” he said, his voice a sultry rumble.