Distance-based attenuation is a critical aspect of wireless communications. As opposed to the ubiquitous power-law path loss model, this paper proposes a stretched exponential path loss model that is suitable for short-range communication. In this model, the signal power attenuates over a distance $r$ as $e^{-αr^β}$, where $α,β$ are tunable parameters. Using experimental propagation measurements, we show that the proposed model is accurate for short to moderate distances in the range $r \in (5,300)$ meters and so is a suitable model for dense and ultradense networks. We integrate this path loss model into a downlink cellular network with base stations modeled by a Poisson point process, and derive expressions for the coverage probability, potential throughput, and area spectral efficiency. Although the most general result for coverage probability has a double integral, several special cases are given where the coverage probability has a compact or even closed form. We then show that the potential throughput is maximized for a particular BS density and then collapses to zero for high densities, assuming a fixed SINR threshold. We next prove that the area spectral efficiency, which assumes an adaptive SINR threshold, is non-decreasing with the BS density and converges to a constant for high densities.