Tomcats_Book One

by Honey Palomino

  “Yeah, well, things change.”

  “Dude, seriously, what’s up?” Fox asked.

  “Why does there have to be an explanation?”

  “Because pigs don’t fly and you’re ten feet in the air,” Daine said.

  “Are you calling me a pig?” I laughed. “Damn, can’t I do something nice for you guys?”

  “Nope, spill it,” Blaze said, grabbing a slice of bacon from the plate.

  “Fine, for fuck’s sake,” I said, shaking my head. “Sit your asses down. I’ll explain everything.”

  “I knew there was something,” Daine quipped.

  They gathered around the table and dug into the food I’d prepared. I sat at the end of the table and nodded, folding my hands and taking a deep breath.

  “Oh, god, you really are dying, aren’t you?” Daine asked, his eyes filling with concern, his fork frozen in mid-air.

  “God! No!” I insisted. “I do have a bit of bad news.”

  “I knew it,” Fox said.

  “Nobody’s dying. I just haven’t been completely truthful with you.”

  “About what?”

  “Well, first I want to say I really appreciate the offer you made yesterday. It means the world to me that y’all are willing to do that for me, for us.”

  “Of course, man,” Fox said.

  “The thing is…Barry asked me to keep my mouth shut, but like Daine, I’m not so great at that. I told you he wouldn’t let me invest in the club. That he said I could buy it, if I could get the financing. But there’s more to it than that.”

  They looked at me expectantly and I felt a wave of dread wash over me. I hated having to ruin their day with this news. But keeping them in the dark was just wrong.

  “The thing is, Barry told me he’s going to sell the club. Well not sell it, but close it down completely.”

  “What? When?” Fox asked.

  “That asshole!” Blaze growled.

  “Cocksucker!” Daine cried, dropping his fork.

  “I know, I know…the lease is up in six months and he’s not renewing it. But I wouldn’t put it past him to do it sooner. I was pissed he wouldn’t take my money. The only option he offered was buying the club, that part was true. But, guys, I really don’t think it’s going to happen. My credit fucking sucks. I know nothing about writing a business plan and there’s no way a bank will lend some schmuck like me that much money.”

  They stared at me in disbelief.

  “I should have told you that yesterday, but I felt terrible. I’m sorry. Don’t tell Barry I told you. But I thought you should have the information, so you can start looking for other jobs.”

  “Shit,” Fox said, wrinkling his brow and shaking his head.

  “That sucks!” Blaze banged his fist on the table, rattling the dishes.

  “Fucking Barry,” Daine said. “What a tiny little, thumb-sized tool!”

  “There’s always The Man Cave. We could probably get jobs there,” I suggested. “I might be able to pick up a few more shifts at the Revue, too. Maybe I can get y’all in there, too.”

  “I don’t know, man,” Fox said. “I’ve got a buddy who works at the Cave and he says they’re inundated with applications, turning dancers away left and right.”

  “We’ll figure it out together, okay? I don’t want y’all to worry.”

  “There’s gotta be another way to save Cowboys,” Blaze said.

  “Unless you’ve got a hefty inheritance coming your way, I don’t see it happening.”

  “You’ve gotta try, dude!” Daine insisted. “I’m going to do some research today on the business plan. Maybe if we do a bang-up job, we can find a sympathetic banker.”

  “A sympathetic banker? You’ve been watching too many fairy tales, brother.”

  He shrugged, undeterred.

  “You miss all the shots you don’t take, right?” he asked. “We have to at least apply for the fucking loan. If they say no, then we can reassess our options.”

  “Fucking Barry,” Fox said, shaking his head.

  “Yep. Fucking Barry,” Blaze growled.

  “Nobody’s fucking Barry!” Daine cried, shaking his head. “Stop putting that image in my head!”

  “We’ve given so much to that damned club and he’s going to pull the rug out from under us?” Fox asked.

  “Over my dead body,” Daine said.

  “Let’s not go that far,” I replied. “Nobody’s allowed to die.”

  “I gotta go,” Daine said, standing up and taking another piece of bacon with him. “I’m going to the library. Maybe some hot librarian can help me with the business plan. I’ll see y’all at work later.”

  “I’m off tonight. I have a date, actually.”

  “What?” he asked, stopping in his tracks. “With whom?”

  “I met a woman. Her name is Tillie. She lives in Los Angeles.”

  “That hot MILF I saw you leave with last night? The blonde? I thought you’d have banged here and set her loose by now,” Blaze said.

  “I’m not you, dude. And, she’s not a MILF! In fact, she doesn’t even have kids. And she’s not that kind of woman. She’s pretty cool, actually. I’m a little smitten.”

  “Well, it’s about time. I was beginning to think that ship has sailed. I haven’t seen you go out on a real date in years,” Fox said.

  “Just a dry spell,” I shrugged.

  “Good for you, dude,” Blaze said, just as a woman’s voice called out.

  “Blaze!”

  We all looked over at him questioningly.

  “Last night’s chick is still here,” he said, standing up with a sheepish smile.

  “Of course she is,” I replied. “Only one tonight?”

  “The other two left earlier,” he said.

  “Damn, brother, don’t you ever slow down? What about sleep?” I asked.

  “I’ll slow down and sleep when I’m dead,” he winked, disappearing down the hall, cocky as a bull.

  CHAPTER 21

  TILLIE

  The next morning, I was eating breakfast at the buffet when I saw Daniel, the asshole from the MGM the other night. The one Richie had so gallantly punched out for me. Only, this time, he wasn’t alone. And by the looks of the affection the woman was giving him, I was pretty sure it was his wife.

  He spotted me right away, but it was too late for him to leave, as we were seated near each other already. I ate my breakfast in silence, shooting daggers his way with my eyes the whole time.

  His wife looked nice enough, and honestly, I felt bad for her, being saddled with a man like him. She was young and pretty and had a sunny smile that lit up her entire face. Still, I knew before I walked out of that restaurant, that I would be the one to darken it.

  I paid my bill and stood up slowly before walking over to their table.

  “Hello, Daniel,” I said, coolly, smiling at the black eye he was sporting.

  His wife looked up at me in surprise, then glanced over at her husband.

  “Aren’t you going to introduce us, Daniel?” I asked.

  “Um,” he stuttered. “No, I’m not.”

  “Daniel!” she admonished him, shaking her head. She held out her hand and I shook it politely. “I’m sorry, my name is Sara, I’m Daniel’s wife. And you are?”

  “I’m Tillie,” I said.

  “How do you know Daniel?”

  “I met him at the bar the other night at the MGM.”

  “That’s where we’re staying,” she said, that smile still there if only for another second.

  “I know,” I replied. “He told me you were asleep.”

  She looked over at him with confusion. He looked away, his face turning bright red as he avoided her eyes.

  “Apparently, he was taking advantage of you having over-indulged to hit on me. When I refused, he was quite rude.”

  “What?” she asked, with wide eyes.

  “Tell her what you did, Daniel,” I said. “Go on.”

  He glared up at me finally, his
body beginning to tremble in silent anger.

  “Cat’s got his tongue, I guess,” I shrugged. “When I objected to his advances, mainly because he’d already told me he was married, but also because he’s a creep and I could tell right away, not to mention that horrendous tan, he became quite hostile. He roughly grabbed my arm and decided he was going to carry me off like a caveman to god-knows-where to do whatever he pleased.”

  “What!” she cried, her face pale, her eyes shooting back to him accusingly.

  “Luckily, a nice gentleman stepped in and didn’t let that happen. Daniel here ended up with a fist to the eye and a visit with the floor of the bar.”

  “Daniel, you told me you were mugged!” she cried.

  “I guess he lied,” I said, shrugging. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter, right, Daniel? What was it you said to me? ‘What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas?’”

  He jumped up from the table, closing the distance between us, his face inches from mine.

  “You bitch!” he growled. All heads turned our way. I lifted my chin proudly and smiled.

  “If telling your wife the truth about what an asshole you are makes me a bitch, then I’m a colossal bitch!” I said. With disgust, I raked my eyes over his body and peered into his eyes again.

  “You’re fucking pathetic,” I said, seething.

  With a click of my heel, I turned to walk out, only to see that the entire restaurant was watching our exchange. With a proud smile, I walked out to the sound of slow growing applause.

  ***

  After a full day of shopping and more roulette, which I was quickly becoming fond of because I’d won twice as much as the day before, I made it back to my hotel in time to get ready for my date with Richie.

  First, I called Mario.

  “Tillie!” he cried as he answered, making me smile right away. “How’s Vegas, darling?’

  “It’s actually been quite an adventure,” I said. “Did you get the flowers I sent you?”

  “I did! They’re absolutely divine, you know roses are my favorite! Tell me everything, I want to hear it all. How was skydiving?”

  “Oh, I didn’t do that,” I said. “I’ve opted for the more low-key adventures.”

  “Fine, fine,” he said.

  “I did make a friend, though,” I said. “In fact, I have a date tonight.”

  “A date?” he asked, the surprise registering in his voice. “That’s fantastic! What’s he like?”

  “He’s um…well, Mario, frankly, he’s a male stripper.”

  His laughter bubbled up through the phone.

  “That’s rich! I love it! He must be totally hot!”

  “Indeed he is,” I said. “But more than that, he’s a gentleman.”

  “Is he now?” he asked. “Did you sleep with him?”

  “No!” I replied, laughing. “Of course not!”

  “I’ll ask you again tomorrow,” he said. “And Tillie! Remember, it’s just like riding a horse, or falling off a bicycle, or whatever that damned saying is. You never forget how to do it, you just gotta get back on the stud.”

  I laughed loudly, grateful to hear his voice, but honestly, grateful for his advice, because I’d been wondering exactly how easily all of this was going to go down. It’d been so long since I’d been on that ‘horse’, so to speak, that I wasn’t sure I still knew how to ride.

  “Now, Tillie, tell me, did you go to the spa?”

  “Yes, the other day, when I first arrived,” I replied.

  “That’s not what I’m asking.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “I think you should get a Brazilian.”

  “A what?”

  “A Brazilian. A wax. Just — you know — to neaten things up a bit downtown.”

  My eyes widened when I realized he was talking about pubic hair.

  “Oh, dear, I hadn’t even thought of that.”

  “No worries!” he said. “It only hurts for a little while.”

  “It’s too late, he’s picking me up in an hour.”

  “Oh, damn!” he said. “Okay, call down to the front desk and ask for a pair of scissors and a razor. You can’t just go into this all wild and willy-nilly!”

  “Jesus, Mario, it’s not like there’s a forest down there or anything!”

  “I’ve seen pictures of bushes, honey. I know what women deal with.”

  “I think I’ll be fine, Mario,” I said, laughing. “I doubt that sex is on the menu anyway.”

  “Oh, honey, sex is always on the menu!”

  “If you say so,” I laughed. “How are the boys?”

  “The boys? Well, they’re shaved clean, just like the rest of me.”

  “I’m talking about my cats, Mario! Jesus! How are Milo and Leo?” I asked, rolling my eyes.

  “Oh, those boys! Well, those two are some of the hairiest pussies I’ve ever seen!”

  He roared with laughter and I couldn’t help but join in.

  I might not have a bunch of friends, but Mario’s presence in my life was definitely going to bring some much needed color to it.

  “I guess that means they’re doing okay?”

  “They’re fine!” he insisted. “Go have fun on your date, Tillie!”

  “I’ll try, Mario,” I said. “Listen, I never would have done this without you pushing me. So thank you.”

  “It is my pleasure, darlin’! Now, grab that stripper by the balls and hang on tight, baby! You deserve this!”

  I hung up with a smile on my face.

  He’s right.

  I do deserve this.

  And I was going to do everything, short of literally taking Richie by the balls, to enjoy it fully.

  CHAPTER 22

  RICHIE

  Tillie was already waiting for me by the entrance to the hotel, which was a good thing because I realized I’d let her go the night before without obtaining her phone number, her last name or her damned hotel room number. My plan was to bribe the front desk person until they gave me the information I needed to find her. Luckily, none of that was necessary.

  She looked even better than she had last night, this time dressed all in white, with a long flowing dress that clung to her curves and only served to increase my desire for her.

  I spotted her before she saw me, and I reached down quickly to adjust my cock that had been at attention all day, begging for some kind of release that I refused to provide. The vision of Tillie looking completely delicious made me immediately rethink that plan. I’d do good to get through the night without exploding in my slacks.

  I knew she’d dress up, so I’d worn a suit. I moved my jacket over my crotch to hide my erection and walked up behind her.

  “Hey, beautiful,” I whispered in her ear.

  She turned around in surprise, her face lighting up, her smile sending ripples of nervousness through me. I wasn’t the type for nerves. Anxiety was never something I suffered from, but lately, with everything going on with the club and now, meeting her, I was a big, jumbled ball of nerves.

  I felt like a kid, going on a date for the first time in his life, which was completely absurd. I’d gotten so used to being alone, outside of the occasional casual hook-up, that the sudden jitters I was feeling made my palms sweat.

  “Richie, hello,” she said. I smiled, raking my eyes over her curves, the low-cut dress revealing much more cleavage than last night and my eyes dilated in pleasure.

  “You look marvelous,” I said, leaning down and kissing her cheek.

  “Thank you, so do you,” she said, reaching up and running her fingers over the lapel of my suit jacket. “Where are we headed?”

  “I thought we’d go to the Peppermill. It’s a legendary spot and they have a killer fireplace.”

  “Kind of warm for a fire,” she said. “But that sounds nice.”

  “With their AC, it feels like the damned Arctic tundra in there” I replied, taking her arm and leading her to my truck I’d parked nearby. I helped her up into it, my hand sliding over her
hips, which made me want to slide them over all of her other curves. Taking things slow was going to be very difficult, my dick reminded me.

  By the time we were seated at our table, my cock was throbbing painfully.

  “How was your day?” I asked, hoping small talk would make the monster rearing in my pants retreat to a more manageable level.

  “I won big at the roulette table again. Ten grand today!”

  “You won ten grand?” I asked, incredulously.

  “Yep, and I won five yesterday.”

  “That’s amazing,” I said. “You must have great luck.”

  “I guess,” she shrugged, flashing those grass green eyes at me. “I met you, didn’t I?”

  “Flattery will get you everywhere, ma’am,” I whispered in her ear, thankful she was actually flirting with me now. After she’d frozen when I’d kissed her last night, I wasn’t sure we were on the same page. She laughed, her tinkling laughter bubbling up around us like a cloud that I never wanted to emerge from.

  We ordered steaks and wine and spent the next hour sitting close to each other and talking about the world. She told me about her absent husband, their crumbling marriage and how it felt being all alone in the world.

  “It’s not so bad,” she said. “I bought my two cats to keep me company after he left. I have a friend named Mario — he’s actually my hairdresser, but he came up with the idea for this trip just to get me out of the house. He’s a sweet guy.”

  “Well, thank him for me, will you?” I winked.

  She smiled sweetly and nodded. “I sure will.”

  “Tell me about Texas,” I said.

  “Texas? I don’t remember much about it, honestly. I grew up in Tyler, a fairly small town. My father left when I was young, never saw him again, and my Mom was a drunk, but I guess she tried. I left as soon as I could. Mom died a few years back.”

  “That sounds rough,” I said, imagining her as a child.

  “It was,” she said. “But like I said, it was a long time ago. Los Angeles has been home for so long, I can’t really remember what it was like to live somewhere else.”

  “I love Los Angeles. I used to have a dream to move to Beverly Hills, go to Disneyland every weekend. After growing up here, it just seemed like the right thing to do to stay, because of my folks. After they passed, I just ended up stuck here, I guess,” I said, realizing how pathetic that sounded. “What took you to LA in the first place?”