Again! Again!

by Zach Jenkins

Levi didn’t know what to say. He had never been serious enough with anyone for long enough that he’d been left with major regrets. That was just one more thing to worry about with Inigo.

  Linda sighed, lost in her memories. “Anyway, enough of my moping. We can’t change the past, we can only use it to change the future, right?” She didn’t wait for a reply. “If it doesn’t work out with him, I call dibs on you. In the meantime, you should set me up with a sexy fireman friend of yours. The neighborhood could use the gossip.”

  14

  Inigo

  Inigo bobbed his head and pumped his fist in beat with the drum solo. “Aren’t these guys great?” he yelled at Levi. He was definitely going to lose his voice in the morning from trying to talk over the loud band and the rowdy crowd.

  Fuck it. I haven’t had this much fun on a date in way too long.

  Levi smiled and nodded his head, but not in a way that convinced Inigo that he appreciated the music as much.

  “Are you sure?” Inigo asked, trapped between really enjoying his favorite local band and worrying that Levi would cut the night short if he hated them. “We can leave if you want. We can find somewhere else to go, or if you prefer, head back to my place.”

  As much as Inigo did want to get somewhere private, he was in no real hurry. There’s nothing wrong with having your cake and eating it too. Things would be incredible when they got back home, he was sure, but being out on a real date was fun, too.

  The drummer paused for a second before he was rejoined by the guitar and bass roaring back to life at the same time. The crowd screamed along with the guttural grunting of the guitar player, who also did most of the singing for the three-piece band.

  “I don’t know how Peter can sing and play at the same time,” Inigo shouted, hoping that Levi would look a little more excited if he knew a little more about the band.

  Levi replied, “Yeah, these guys are great. What’s their name again?”

  “Crowded in the Spider Box. Peter, the guy singing, is on my derby team. He also lives down the block.”

  “Nice. They’re a little heavier than I’m used to dancing to, but they’re great. They really know their shit. This stuff would be great to work out to.”

  “What? You don’t think this is good dancing music?” Inigo spun and pressed his back against Levi’s chest. When he swayed his body back and forth, Levi responded by wrapping his arms around Inigo’s chest and giving him a squeeze, and even pinching his nipples through his t-shirt.

  Inigo tipped his head back and yelled, “There you go. Now that’s metal. You’re getting the hang of it. Pinch them again.”

  Levi obeyed and squeezed a deep groan out of Inigo. Knowing that the mosh pit that had emerged on the dance floor provided plenty of cover, Inigo made sure Levi saw him lick his hand before he reached behind his back and snuck his hand down Levi’s pants and gave his dick a quick, firm tug. With their bodies pressed so tightly together and the crush of bodies around them, it was their own little secret.

  “Careful,” Levi growled into his ear. “Don’t make me bend you over the stage and fuck you right here in front of everyone.”

  Inigo did a double take over his shoulder. “You wouldn’t really do something like that, would you? I mean, you’re not into like any extreme public sex stuff, are you?”

  Inigo’s heart raced, as he wondered how he wanted Levi to answer. Inigo wasn’t shy, and he definitely wasn’t going to fuck on the stage in front of people from his neighborhood. But could he do it in the right anonymous environment?

  Don’t they have special private clubs for that kind of thing? Or is that just in the movies?

  Levi laughed and gave Inigo a tender kiss. Mixed with the dirty talk, it confused Inigo. “Hell no. I was just playing along and trying to get you turned on. I mean, maybe out back or something. But not on the stage in front of everyone.”

  Thank God.

  They danced much too slowly for the screeching music, keeping their bodies pressed tightly together. Inigo was already so used to Levi’s body that it scared him a little bit. He wasn’t ready to fall for anybody while the rest of his life was a mess. The worst thing that could happen would be to get too serious with Levi and then have things not work out with the roller rink and have to pull his emergency escape valve and move out west.

  But I’m the one who asked him out. I could have hit up Grindr for another soulless hookup, but I didn’t. What’s that mean?

  Inigo told himself to shut the fuck up, though. Not giving Levi a chance and realizing he could have been the one would be an even worse fate than having his heart broken, he decided.

  He’d worried that the kid situation would steal all of the wildness from Levi, but based on the fact he was jamming to a punk metal band and had a very impressive erection pressed against Inigo’s back, Levi’s wild days were not entirely behind him.

  When the song ended, Levi said, “Besides, can you imagine if I got caught doing something like fucking in public? They’d probably take Dax away. I mean, I’m not even sure if they could, but they’d definitely try, I bet.”

  It was the first time Levi had brought up his son since the start of the date. Inigo pretended not to hear as the band started their next song, but Levi pressed on. “Did I tell you what Dax did at the mall yesterday?”

  Levi and Inigo had talked to each other on the phone several times since they’d made the date. Levi always turned the conversation to Daxter eventually. Inigo was pretty sure he knew more about the boy than he did about Levi.

  Levi hadn’t mentioned anything about the mall during their talks, but Inigo nodded anyway, hoping to cut the topic short and get back to sexier things. “That little monster.”

  It was a pretty safe bet that Daxter had done something to get in trouble. It seemed to be a recurring thread in most of the stories.

  After the incident when Inigo had suggested the parenting book to Levi, Inigo didn’t dare offer any more suggestions, though. He figured Levi just needed someone to listen so he could say the things out loud more than he needed someone to actually be paying attention.

  Inigo sang along in his head with the song while Levi told the story that ended with Daxter disappearing and somehow getting into the middle of one of the coin fountains at the mall. Levi told the story with a mix of embarrassment and pride as if unsure whether to be happy he was raising such a rebel or dismayed that it might be a sign the kid would end up in prison someday.

  When the story was done, Inigo grabbed Levi’s hand and pulled him toward the bar. “After this song, the band will take a break. Let’s get a couple drinks before everyone crowds up to the bar.”

  The bartender greeted him by name and nodded at Levi.

  When Inigo ordered two beers, Levi said, “I’m good for now. I’ve got a nice buzz. If I have another drink so soon, I’ll end up falling asleep.”

  Inigo shrugged and held up two fingers to the bartender. He had planned on ordering both for himself and then buying whatever Levi wanted.

  He was pleasantly buzzed, too, but had no intention of stopping there. With a good punk metal band, buzzed was when the party got started. The challenge was getting full-on drunk without ending up puking the next morning. Over the last several months, Inigo had mastered his craft in ways his twenty-one-year-old self would have loved to have learned.

  He chugged the first beer the bartender handed him and halfheartedly offered the second one to Levi just in case he’d changed his mind.

  Levi waved off the drink. “No thanks. So now what?” he asked while taking Inigo’s free hand in his and gently rubbing the back of it with his thumb. “Do you want to head home?”

  The light touch was strangely intimate in the rough and dirty bar. It was a closing move, and would have worked on Inigo pretty much any other night. But he was still having too much fun being wild out in the world, and wasn’t ready to cut it short.

  I’m already past forty. Who knows how much longer I’ll be able to hold up to partying like
this?

  He knew he’d have to settle down eventually, but after the grind of running his own business and dealing with the incompetent teens who worked there, and the horrible kids who seemed to delight in making the toilets back up, he needed to unwind at any chance he had.

  The nights when he went home after work and just watched TV were brutal unless he had a nice strong bottle of liquor to keep him company.

  “No. Not yet. There’s still plenty of time for that, right? It’s only eleven thirty and we have all night together. They’ll be playing for another hour after this break, and they have some great songs coming up. You want to go to the back and meet them?”

  “The band?” Levi asked.

  “Sure. They aren’t exactly Mick Jagger, and this isn’t the United Center. I know these guys, and I know the bouncer. Come on. You’ll like them.”

  Inigo pulled his hand free from Levi’s grasp. It felt a little too sweet for the moment. The concert was a kind of foreplay, but not the sweet romantic kind. It was preparing them to fuck like banshees later.

  Inigo sneaked his hand down the back of Levi’s pants and gave his ass a squeeze.

  As they walked through the crowded bar, Inigo hoped that the band had brought tequila like last time. Some good tequila would really get the party started.

  15

  Levi

  Levi smiled when Inigo slapped hands with a fat man with the long greasy black hair standing next to a door.

  Inigo nodded a greeting. “What are you doing back here? When was the last time anyone sneaked back to try to meet one of the bands at this dive? And more importantly, when did any of the bands not want their groupies to sneak in for a quickie between sets?”

  The man, who must have been the bouncer, slapped the meaty paw on Inigo’s shoulder and gave Levi a suspicious once-over while saying, “You know me. I’m here hoping some hot pieces of ass want to come back and bang the band. I’ve got a soft spot for skinny legs and short skirts.”

  Inigo laughed. “You picked the wrong night to scout for talent. You know the band’s gay right?”

  Levi cleared his throat, but they didn’t seem to notice he was there.

  The other man nodded. “I know that. But I was kinda hoping that the ladies didn’t. It’s not like anyone can make out any of the words that Peter growls. If she didn’t know better, a lady and her friends might come around sniffing for a little bad-boy action.”

  Levi wished he’d been able to understand the lyrics. He definitely hadn’t picked up on any gay vibes. The band had a lot of energy, but a clear singing voice was not one of their strengths.

  “Anyway,” the bouncer continued. “You know the fee if you want to go back and meet any of the bands that play here.”

  Inigo nodded his head seriously. He looked at Levi with sad eyes and a frown, and said, “I forgot to tell you. To get through the door, someone’s gotta suck him off. Want to go in halfsies?”

  He almost managed to make it to the end before he started laughing.

  The bouncer gave him a shove and said, “Tequila, motherfucker. Only the missus gets to touch my junk.”

  “Aww. Who knew you were such a romantic?” Inigo joked.

  “Just for that, I’m expecting double the tequila.”

  “You’re not supposed to be drinking on duty,” Inigo said, but Levi could tell that this was a familiar exchange between two friends.

  “One sip, right?” the bouncer said while rubbing his large stomach as if he could already feel the warmth spreading through his body.

  Inigo nodded. “That’s right. One shot won’t hurt you. And if one is good, two is better. And if a third sneaks its way in, well, who are we to turn down a gift from the gods?”

  The two went through a complicated handshake before Inigo reached behind him to pull Levi closer. “Levi, this is Magnus, the bouncer extraordinaire in this fine establishment. Magnus, Levi. Sorry he’s not wearing a short skirt for you.”

  Rather than shaking Levi’s hand, Magnus gave him a head nod. Apparently people had to earn their way into Magnus’s circle of trust. “He’s a big one, isn’t he?” Magnus said to Inigo. “Not your usual arm candy, huh?”

  Inigo quickly replied. “On that note, I think it’s time we parted ways so we can go talk to the band. Good luck getting a little peek of skin before the night’s over. I’m sure your wife will appreciate the head start when you stumble in and start groping at her.” Inigo reached back behind Levi and nudged him through the door, before Levi had a chance to ask Inigo exactly what kind of man he usually dated.

  Not that it mattered, Levi tried to convince himself. It wasn’t like it would be fair to be jealous of anyone who had come before. After all, Levi wasn’t exactly chaste prior to their hookup.

  Besides, Inigo had invited him. That’s all that mattered at the moment. Inigo might be a playboy who couldn’t stick around to cuddle after fucking, but he’d been the one to make the phone call asking for the date.

  Still, Levi couldn’t quite silence the voice in his head that asked, “And will he go back to looking for that other kind of guy when he’s looking for his next encounter?”

  Levi wasn’t sure exactly what to expect backstage, but it wasn’t three men in a small, mostly empty room, sitting around a card table playing one of those card games with dragons and wizards.

  “Inigo!” the lead singer called out when he noticed them. “Pull up a chair. Have a seat, and introduce your friend.”

  The drummer pushed his glasses up higher on his nose and gave Levi a shy wave. Levi was certain he hadn’t been wearing those glasses on the stage.

  He pointed one of his drumsticks at Levi. “Welcome to the backstage party lounge. Want to play? We’ve got other games if you’d prefer something else. My name’s Willie. That’s Peter on guitars and vocals. Richard, there, plays the bass.”

  Levi coughed into his hand to stifle a laugh.

  Peter, who looked more somber and serious than the others, said in a low voice, “Go ahead. Laugh it up. Get it out of your system. And before you ask, yes, our dad intentionally named all three of us after penises. And then he’s the one who kicked us out of the house when we grew up loving dick. Fucker.” He mumbled the last word as if he were talking to a memory of his father.

  Willie threw a mostly empty plastic cup at his brother. “Don’t be a prick to our new friend. And you gotta get over your daddy issues someday.”

  Peter flipped his brother off, but returned his attention to the cards in his hands.

  Inigo grabbed two folding chairs that were leaning against the wall and set them both up on the empty side of the table.

  Levi shook hands with the brothers. “Nice to meet you all. You sounded great out there.”

  Inigo spun his chair backward and sat down straddling it. “Glad to see you back in town. How was the road trip?”

  Willie slammed his cards facedown on the table.

  Richard spoke up. “It was a rough little tour. Three places didn’t pay us. And Willie’s bass drum got stolen down in Peoria.”

  “Motherfuckers,” Willie grunted.

  “Sounds like quite the shitty tour,” Inigo said. “Sorry guys. But nothing a little tequila won’t fix, right? Any of you guys got a stash back here or do I need to go hit up the bartender?”

  Peter reached under his chair and emerged with two bottles. “You know we always come prepared. One for halftime, and one for the end of the night. If you need a glass, all we’ve got are these plastic ones that we’ve been drinking beer from.”

  Inigo reached out to grab the half-finished bottle and said, “Alcohol kills all the germs, right?” He took a two-swallow swig and offered the bottle to Levi.

  It seemed like every two seconds, Inigo was trying to get him to drink. Levi wasn’t sure what to make of that. He’d already made it clear that he was going to be ready to put out as soon as they got back to Inigo’s.

  It wasn’t even that Levi was opposed to getting hammered. He was certainly no s
tranger to a good night of drinking and a bad morning after, but the thought of dealing with Dax and Linda’s kids while hungover was too much to bear.

  He shook his head.

  I must be getting old.

  He wondered just how regular of an occurrence a night of drinking like this was for Inigo, and how much of a problem that would become if their relationship ever got more serious than the occasional date.

  “Hey, could you guys give me a second?” Levi asked. “I’m going to run outside to get some fresh air, and make a quick phone call to check in on my kid. I’ll be back in a few, okay?”

  Inigo and the brothers barely seemed to notice. They’d quickly started discussing more details of their last tour. Apparently Inigo had planned to meet them in Peoria, but had to cancel when he’d realized he was double-booked with the derby.

  If he’d been in Peoria that night, we’d have never met.

  The thought made Levi sad. How many people miss out on meeting amazing people because of little twists of fate? He recognized his moodiness and wondered just how many drinks he had already drunk.

  “Hey,” Willie said. “Instead of going out front, if you take that hall to the right it’ll take you out back. Out front will be crowded with all the people smoking during our break. Out back’s where you want to go if you need a quiet place for a call.”

  As Levi pushed through the back door, he wondered if all punk metal bands were so polite when they were off the stage.

  When Linda answered the phone, she whispered in a rush, “Everything is fine. They all fell asleep watching TV and don’t you dare call again and wake them up. How’s the date? No, wait, don’t tell me. Save it for the morning. Get back to having fun. Everything’s okay, right? You don’t need me to pick you up, do you?”

  “No. Everything’s great. I was just checking on Dax.”

  “He’s great. Now get back to doing sexy things with your sexy guy so you have stories for me in the morning.” Before Levi could reply, she added, “Oh, and send me a picture so I know what he looks like. I don’t trust you to describe him worth a shit. I swear you men are oblivious to anything other than the size of asses and tits…or dicks in your case, I guess. Go, go. And send that pic.”