“Wow.”
“I know. But that’s not all.”
“You had a threesome with them!”
“No! After we’re naked, she tells her to go sit in the corner and watch.”
“Just watch?”
“Yeah. She tells me its her kink, asks me if I minded, and then, well…we made love, man. It was so beautiful, I almost cried. It was like the heavens opened and the angels sang and my heart melted in my chest.”
“Dude.”
“I know.”
“Wow, that’s so fucking sweet. Except the chick watching in the corner, that’s just freaking weird, but whatever, it could have been worse. I’m glad you found love, man. That warms my heart.”
“I don’t think I found love.”
“What?”
“Well, maybe I did, but I guess she didn’t.”
“Why do you say that? It takes two to tango.”
“As soon as it was over, like not even one minute after it was over, she kicked me out.”
“No fucking way.”
“I couldn’t believe it. Not even I get rid of chicks that fast. I felt so…dirty and sad and disappointed…and fuck man, stupid, I guess.”
“That’s fucked up.”
“I know. I don’t know how to feel.”
“It’s not your fault. Unless…you know…you couldn’t get it up because of the one woman audience in the corner.”
“I got it up just fine, thank you very much. I told you it was fucking magical.”
“Right. Like rainbows came out of your ass, got it,” he laughed.
“It’s not funny, man. It hurt.”
“Maybe she was just trying to reject you before you had a chance to reject her,” Finn spoke up.
We turned to him and Daine nodded slowly. “Kid’s got a point.”
“Maybe. I don’t know what to do, though.”
“Just ask her out again. Show her you’re really interested…even after she told you about her perversion,” Finn said.
“I wouldn’t call it a perversion,” I said, laughing.
“I would,” he insisted. “Any diversion or corruption from what was first intended is a perversion. I don’t think God intended for people to watch you having sex.”
“God?” Daine asked, raising a brow.
“Dude, seriously? You think I should ask her out again?” I asked, ignoring Finn’s religious talk.
“You should,” Daine nodded. “And hey, if you need another set of eyes, you know where to find me.”
“Never,” I said, shaking my head and chuckling. “So you guys don’t think she was rejecting me?”
“No way,” Daine said.
“Nope,” Finn replied.
“Alright, I’ll call her later,” I said. “Hey, Daine, you ready for your party tomorrow?”
“Party?” Finn asked.
“Yeah, Daine’s birthday party is tomorrow. I invited Harley, before she kicked me out. Hopefully, she’ll still come.”
“You invited Harley fucking Jamison to my party?” Daine asked, his eyes wide.
“Yeah, is that cool?”
“It’s amazing!” he cried. “I can’t wait to tell my friends.”
“We are your friends, asshole.”
“You know what I mean!” he insisted, pulling himself down from his perch on the kitchen counter and dropping to his feet. “I gotta go! Finn, make yourself at home and introduce yourself to Tillie. See you guys later!”
He wandered off and I turned back to Finn, who was intently watching him walk away.
“Daine show you the pool house yet?”
“No, he seems to have forgotten that part of bringing home a stray.”
“C’mon, brother, I’ll help you get settled,” I said, throwing my arm around his shoulders and leading him out to the back yard. I felt a little sorry for Finn. I’d brought him into this circus, the least I could do was lead him around a little before I set him loose in the ring.
CHAPTER 23
FINN
The pool house was basically a three-bedroom home.
“This is too much,” I insisted, as Blaze showed me around.
“It’s fine,” he said, with a dismissive wave. “Nobody else is using it. Is it true you were sleeping on a park bench?”
“Yeah, but it was just for a night or two. I just, um…got kicked out of my place,” I lied. I hated lying. In fact, if my Mama heard me lying, she’d have given me a tongue lashing that would ring in my ears for days. I knew lying was wrong, but I didn’t know how else to navigate this situation. “I just broke up with my girlfriend.”
There. That was a feasible reason for being homeless, right?
“I’m just in the process of looking for a place.”
“Never heard of a hotel?” Blaze asked, looking at me like I was still crazy. “Whatever. Anyway, make yourself at home. It’s fully stocked. Food and booze and everything. Stay as long as you like, Tillie won’t mind.”
“The famous Tillie,” I said. “Can’t wait to meet her.”
“She and Richie are the best,” he said. “You’ll love them.”
“That’s what Daine said.”
“Right, and don’t forget the party tomorrow. It’ll get a little wild, but everyone’s cool.”
“Maybe I should get out of here for that? I don’t think Daine likes me very much.”
“Daine’s fine. He just takes a little time to warm up to you. Oh, wait —.”
“What?”
“— you said you had a girlfriend. I figured the reason you were staring him down so hard was because you’re interested in him.”
“Interested?” I asked, blinking with confusion. “In Daine?”
“Yeah. He’s gay. I thought you were, too. Every time he walks in the room, you stop what you’re doing and watch his every move.”
“I - um, no - god, no, I’m not gay!” I insisted, my heart racing.
Daine’s gay?!
I had no clue. I mean, yeah, he’s a little joyful. But I never would have imagined that.
“Are you sure?” I asked, my voice cracking.
“Sure, what? That Daine is gay?”
“Yeah…”
“Dude, is the sky fucking blue? Are you blind? Of course, he is.”
“But the ladies at Tomcats…”
“…Love him, I know. He’s also a great actor. There’s a reason he’s so famous.”
“I can’t believe this,” I muttered, shaking my head.
“Well, believe it. And get over it. Also — don’t ever tell anyone at work, especially the customers. You’d ruin his whole career.”
“He’s in the closet?”
“If you wanna call it that,” Blaze replied. He cocked his head. “You alright, dude? You look like you’re gonna puke.”
“I just…yeah, I’m fine,” I said, turning away. My head was spinning and my heart was pounding like a drum in my chest. This changes everything, I thought.
“I gotta take off, bro,” Blaze said. “Shoot me a text if you need anything.”
“Thanks, again,” I said. “It’s just for a few days.”
“Whatever,” he shrugged, before turning and walking out, leaving me alone in this strange, empty house, owned by a woman I’d not even met yet, and surrounded by people I didn’t really know.
I’d never felt more alone in my life.
CHAPTER 24
TILLIE
“Darling, that looks absolutely fabulous!” Mario cried, as Richie hung the lights around the pool. All the things I previously had to hire someone to help me with, Richie and the boys all insisted on doing instead. I must admit, it’s nice to have them around. Not only are they wonderful companions, but they help me out in ways I didn’t even know I needed help with.
Things like this, lending muscle and a man’s touch. Mario and I would have decorated the place with flowers and balloons, but Richie convinced me we should concentrate more on the ambiance, music and lighting.
By the time
we were done preparing for the party, my back yard looked like a nightclub. Richie had turned the deck near the pool house into a dance floor, bringing over flashing lights and a small stage for the band from Tomcats.
“Trust me, this is much more Daine’s speed. He’ll feel like he’s at Fubar. And I invited a ton of his club friends, so this place will be crawling with queens and bears of all shapes and sizes. He’ll be in heaven.”
“He’s not the only one,” Mario said, waving his hand around. “You’re getting me all hot and bothered just talking about it.”
I laughed as Richie put his arm around me, his warm embrace like a comforting blanket. I leaned into him, smiling up at him as he brushed his lips against mine.
“This is going to be great,” I said. Finn walked out of the clubhouse with a shy smile. I’d met him earlier in the kitchen. He’d stood shifting nervously from one foot to the other as Blaze explained he needed a place to stay for a few days. I was more than happy to have another guy here. Having all the space in my house that used to be so empty and sad now filled with life and youthful energy made me incredibly happy.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” Finn asked. I’d liked him instantly. He was very young, and obviously very naive in ways. He explained he’d grown up in rural Oklahoma and that told me a lot. I could only imagine how Los Angeles was blowing his small-town mind. I could imagine it so well because that’s how I’d felt when I’d arrived, so very, very long ago.
“I think we’re good now,” Richie said, patting the boy on the back. “But thanks for asking.”
“What time does the party start?” he asked.
“Around eight. Better get a nap in now,” Mario said. “Because it’s going to be a rager and sleeping in that pool house will be next to impossible till early morning.”
“Got it,” Finn said.
“Finn, you can always take one of the guest rooms in the house, if you’d like,” I said.
“No, I’ll be fine here, thank you so much,” he said, with a grateful nod.
“Speaking of naps,” Mario said. “I am in need! See you kids tonight!” He shuffled off, disappearing into the house, the front door slamming seconds later.
Richie looked over at me and winked.
“Nap sounds good, doesn’t it, Till?” he asked. I knew without a doubt he wasn’t searching for sleep.
“Sure does, babe,” I replied. “See you later, Finn?”
“Yes, absolutely,” he nodded.
Richie grabbed my hand and led me upstairs to our room, his thumb suggestively rubbing my palm the whole way. I’d barely closed the door before he swept me off my feet and deposited me on the bed. His mouth crashing into mine wordlessly, his arms wrapping around me.
I sighed under him, melting into his embrace.
Life was so delicious now, so very, very delicious…
CHAPTER 25
DAINE
After sleeping the day away, I awoke to a freakin’ festival going on outside. There was a band playing nineties covers and a dance floor with flashing lights, and as I walked out by the pool, everyone stopped and started singing Happy Birthday to me. Surrounded by Fox, Richie, Blaze and Tillie, my heart filled with love.
“Make a wish!” Tillie said. I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
“You’ve already made them all come true, sweetheart,” I said.
“Oh, you!” she gushed, blushing. “Make a wish!”
I closed my eyes, thinking hard about what I wanted to wish for. All I could think of was to wish for was that none of this ever ended. I blew hard, the candles flickering wildly before they fluttered out. The cheering was a loud roar, followed by the band starting up again.
I trailed my gaze around, drinking in the magic.
“You guys didn’t have to do all of this,” I said.
“It was all Richie and Tillie,” Blaze said, patting me on the back.
“And me!” A voice called from behind them, Mario pushing through and standing in front of me with a sassy smile. I’d met Mario a few times already, as he was a frequent guest of Tillie’s. He was cute as hell, and had a butt that looked rock hard.
“Thank you, Mario,” I said, hugging him. He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me back, hesitating just a second too long before letting me go. I smiled down at him and he raised an eyebrow.
“Come get a drink, brother,” Blaze said, pulling me away.
“See you later, maybe,” I winked to Mario, before allowing Blaze to led me to the full bar they’d set up. A few minutes later, drinks in hand, we took in the crowd together.
“Where did you find all these people?” I said.
“Just called your favorite haunts and asked the staff to spread the word to your friends,” he said.
I smiled over at him.
“You’re a good friend, man,” I said. “Thank you.”
“Just returning the friendship, man,” he replied. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Hey, did you bring Harley?” I asked, suddenly remembering as I searched the crowd for her famous face.
“I did,” he said. “She’s inside. Ready to meet her?”
“Hell, yes, I am,” I said.
We walked into the house together, past a stream of scantily-clad waiters and waitresses holding trays full of sparkling drinks. There were people everywhere. Spilling onto the couches in the sunken living room, gathered in lively groups in the kitchen, I even spotted a few people huddled together out the front door.
“I don’t think I even know all these people,” I muttered, as we trailed through the house.
“Here she is,” Blaze said, stopping as Harley approached us in the hallway with a champagne glass in her hand. She was even more beautiful in person.
“You must be Daine,” she said, smiling warmly.
I took her hand and kissed it gently, bowing to her.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Ms. Jamison,” I said.
“Oh, please, call me Harley,” she said. “Blaze has told me so much about you!”
“Has he?” I asked, stealing a glance at Blaze. “I hope it was all good.”
“It was, it was!” she insisted, with a lilting laugh.
“Harley, I must say you look more beautiful in person than in any movie or picture I’ve seen you in. I don’t know what you’re doing hanging out with this guy.” I winked, nudging Blaze with my elbow.
“Blaze is a delight! Such a refreshing change from the usual Hollywood men.”
“He’s one of a kind, that’s for sure,” I teased.
“Alright, that’s enough, jerk,” Blaze said. “You’ve got a party to attend. Get out there!”
“Alright, alright,” I replied. “I’m going! Harley, it was absolutely delicious to meet you! I’ll see you later?”
“Of course.”
“Thanks again, Blaze,” I said, as I wandered away, losing myself in the crowd. The party was in full swing, with the energy pulsing from the music and the increasingly intoxicated guests. I downed my drink, heading back to the bar to catch up with everyone.
Mario was standing at the edge, talking to a handsome dark-haired guy I’d never seen before. I laughed to myself. The staff at the bars Blaze had called had invited everyone, whether I knew them or not. It was great. It was like all my favorite bars had come to my house for the night.
The mixture was insane. Bears from the Eagle hung out with the hipsters from Akbar. The dancers from Tomcats were mingling with the go-go dancers from Fubar. And Tillie and Richie were in the corner talking to a huge, hairy tattooed drag queen I’d met one night at Redline.
Mario noticed me and abandoned the guy he was talking to, sidling over to me with a sly smile.
“How’s your birthday so far, handsome?”
“I slept most of it away,” I said. “But so far, so good.”
“How’s the booze treating you? Want a little something more?”
“Like what?”
“Just a little
bump,” he shrugged.
“Sure, why the hell not?” I asked.
“Should we go somewhere private?”
“Let’s just go in the pool house real quick,” I said. I led the way and he followed behind. The house was empty. I closed the door behind us and we sat on the couch together. Mario pulled out a tiny pouch of white powder and began spreading it out on the glass table in front of us.
“I don’t usually do this, but since it’s my birthday.”
“Of course,” he replied. “Time to let your hair down a little.”
He handed me a rolled up hundred dollar bill and I snorted a quick line, the high hitting me quickly. He followed suit and sat back up smiling at me.
“Has anyone given you a birthday blowjob yet?” he asked, winking.
“Not yet,” I replied, smiling over at him. He was fucking adorable, and the coke just made him that much more attractive.
“Maybe I can take care of that for you real quick?” he suggested.
I looked around, making sure nobody was in sight.
“Well, that’s awfully generous of you,” I said.
“Maybe you can return the favor sometime,” he winked again, before sinking to his knees in front of me. I growled, instantly hard as soon as he pulled my zipper down.
His hot mouth engulfed me swiftly, and I leaned my head back, groaning as I submitted to the pleasure. If there’s one thing I love about being a gay man, it’s the fact that we can get right down to business without any of the pretense or bullshit games that I saw my straight friends suffer through.
“Goddamn, Mario, that’s amazing,” I said, gritting my teeth.
He moaned, the vibrations of his mouth sending shivers of pleasure up my spine.
“Fuck yeah,” I moaned. “Happy Birthday to me, this is incred —.”
“—What the hell!” A voice sounded behind me and I jumped, causing Mario to fall back on his ass in front of me. I turned around and saw Finn standing there, his mouth open, his eyes practically bulging from his head.
“Oh, shit, I should have locked the door,” I said, standing up. I zipped up and offered Mario a hand up. He grabbed it and I helped him to his feet. We turned back to face Finn and he was shaking his head like he’d just seen a murder.
TOMCATS [BOOK TWO] Page 7