by G. A. Hauser
“Hey,” the blonde greeted them. “I’m Holly Lacey, and this is Jade Winslow.”
“Hi.” Carl waved awkwardly.
“Who’s with whom?” Keith smirked.
“They wanted me to be with Carl.” Holly pointed to him.
“How quaint,” Keith sneered, “two matching sets of blonds paired with brunettes.”
“You two don’t mind doing this?” Carl asked.
“It’s our job,” Jade whispered.
“Man, you two are cute!” Holly giggled. “Better in person.”
“Thanks.” Carl couldn’t imagine this getting any more awkward or embarrassing.
“What do you two do when you’re not pretending to be someone’s girlfriends?” Keith obviously couldn’t wipe the sour expression off his face.
“Model. We both model.” Holly pulled her short dress down her thighs.
The car parked in front of the most conspicuous restaurant in Beverly Hills. This was where you go to be seen by everyone who is anyone. Spago’s.
Obviously Mr. Palmer had done his job because the amount of paparazzi waiting out front was frightening. The chauffeur opened the back door and Carl climbed out, reaching his hand for Holly, who took it and exited the car gracefully. Behind him Keith escorted Jade.
The cameras clicked and hummed, people shouted their names, and Carl felt nauseated by the charade. That’s life in the fast lane. Somewhere deep in his heart he felt like he was betraying not only himself and Keith but all his gay fans.
Picturing the supportive men at the club where they had filmed, guilt crept into Carl’s mid-section. What a kick in the teeth this would be for them. Or would they understand it meant survival for them in the acting business? Carl had no idea.
They were fawned over, their names shouted out so loudly Carl wanted to crawl under a table and hide. It was the worst case of bad performing he’d seen in his life. Who exactly were they fooling with this pantomime?
Waiting politely as the women sat down, Carl and Keith ended up across from each other, and instantly the urge to play with Keith under the table made Carl crazy.
“Thank you,” Carl replied as he took a menu.
“Anything to drink?” the waiter asked.
“Wine?” Carl needed a shot of bourbon but knew this was a “play act” for the public and he needed to look content.
They all agreed and he ordered a bottle of red.
Everyone in the vicinity was staring and whispering. Carl imagined them quibbling, “Aren’t they gay? What on earth are they doing with women?”
The waiter presented an obscenely expensive bottle of Chianti. Carl was so nervous he had no idea if he could eat. Their glasses were filled and they were left to scan the menu. Holly leaned over to bat her lashes at Carl. In the midst of this madness Carl was expected to act straight. It was almost more than he was willing to bear. In reality, all he wanted to do was share a quiet dinner with Keith, flirt, sexually tease each other to death, and go home and hump ‘til they dropped.
As Holly whispered seductively, reaching out to hold his hand, Carl wondered why he didn’t feel any attraction for her at all. He had dated women. He’d even screwed them. The realization that ever since he had tasted male flesh he was hooked was something Carl had not considered. But it was fact. Though Holly and her equally anorexic friend, Jade, were pretty models, they did nothing to stir the excitement in his crotch. Absolutely nothing.
Keith was grinding his jaw, borderline enraged. This travesty, this imitation of being heterosexual for the media was gnawing at his nerves. Jade wasn’t even the type of woman he would have been attracted to pre-Carl. She was obviously shallow and self-absorbed. Most likely she’d never even allowed a slice of pizza into her mouth, let alone a man’s cock. The thought of being paired up with her was slightly repulsive. Why? If Keith had met her while he was in college, wouldn’t he have been thrilled to kiss her? Imagined screwing her?
Not now. Keith had a sample of what gay love was like. Felt the carnal craving that only men have for sex. Constant humping, thrusting, get me into a hole sex. How could anything compare to the intensity he and Carl shared in the bedroom? It was ludicrous to even imagine it. Having this brunette pucker her lips and play kissy-kissy with him made his cock deflate to the point of feeling impotent. He knew no matter what this woman did to him, she could never get a rise out of him.
As Jade touched him, tried to pretend and give the performance she was paid to do, Keith stared at Carl as he gazed back at him. It was murder. “Carl…” Keith hissed quietly.
Carl’s eyes filled with tears. He twisted away to avoid looking at Keith.
“What will you have, honey?” Jade leaned on Keith’s shoulder.
“What do you recommend?” Keith knew if he and Carl kept staring at each other, they would end up crying.
Jade pointed to a few meaningless suggestions. Keith wanted a hamburger or a pepperoni pizza. He didn’t have the pallet for this extravagance. And who the hell was paying for it? Adam Lewis? Mr. Jeff Palmer? He sure as hell couldn’t afford it. Obviously his paycheck would have some numbers skimmed off the top before it trickled its way into his bank account.
The waiter finally made his way over. Keith just wanted to get this absurd dinner over with. Waiting as their dates requested rabbit food, Keith ordered the halibut simply because it was the only item of food he noticed when he glanced at the selection.
Carl ordered the same and Keith knew he’d never even looked at the menu.
As their dates cuddled them, giggled, and kissed their cheeks, Keith caught Carl’s gaze again. Silently, Keith mouthed, “I can’t do this, Carl.”
Carl dabbed at his eyes and whispered, “I have to go to the men’s room. Will you excuse me?”
As Keith watched him go, he felt sick he couldn’t run after him. Everyone was witnessing this performance. It had to be worth the time and expense. They had to play the dirty little game.
Carl pushed through the door and checked the room. One man was standing at the sink. Avoiding him, Carl entered a stall and leaned back against the door. The urge to sob was overwhelming. He couldn’t do this. Biting back his anguish, Carl fought with himself to straighten up. He couldn’t fall apart on their first public appearance with their “girlfriends”. Even though he knew Keith did not want it, Carl hated seeing Jade touch him. Carl wanted to touch him. He wanted to be the one to smooth his hand across Keith’s back, lean against his shoulder to whisper and flirt.
It had only been a few minutes and Carl was already spent. This farce was wearing heavily on him. There had to be another way.
“Carl?”
Hearing Keith’s soft voice, Carl faltered, “Go away.”
“I can’t.”
“You’ll make the whole charade meaningless.” Carl struggled with his emotions. “Go back to the table.”
“Are you okay?”
“I will be. Give me a second.”
The door rattled. “Carl, open this up.”
Terrified someone would hear their conversation, Carl opened the door to the stall and looked around. The room was vacant at the moment. “Keith, please go back and sit down.”
“Carl…” Keith caressed his hair affectionately. “You’re upset. I can’t stand seeing you this way.”
“I’m worse with your attention. Please. Go back and I’ll just suck down the wine until I’m numb. Okay?”
Punching his fist against the metal stall frame, Keith snarled, “This bites!”
“Go!”
As if he were heading to his execution, Keith dragged his feet out of the bathroom.
Inhaling to gain some control, Carl moved to the sink and looked at his face. “This is not going to work. It’s killing us.”
“Everything okay?” Jade whispered, wrapping her arm around Keith’s back after he sat down again.
“What do you think?” he scoffed.
“Hang in there.” She hugged him and instantly returned to her adoring act.
The minute Carl returned, Keith watched him like a hawk. Carl looked ill.
“Welcome back, honey.” Holly threw Carl kisses.
A weak smile was her reply.
The meal was placed in front of them. Keith had to force it down. The women fell into a conversation, barely eating a leaf of lettuce.
Both he and Carl had finished the wine and Keith craved more. But the price of a bottle of alcohol was nearing on insanity.
Christ, will this date ever end?
Keith threw his napkin on the table, lapped at the last drop of wine from his glass, and waved at the waiter. “Check please?”
“It has been taken care of, sir.”
“Oh.” Keith glanced at Carl. He met his eyes briefly but didn’t reply.
Carl threw some cash down for a tip and made a move to end this horrible fiasco.
Hooked arm in arm with their dates, Keith followed Carl outside. The moment they hit the fresh evening air, the paparazzi went nuts, taking pictures. The women used the opportunity to pose for the occasion. Carl’s forced smile looked more like a grimace to Keith. Jade kissed his cheek long enough to get it on film, as did Holly to a pouting Carl.
The women waved at the cameras with pasted smiles on their lips.
Carl and Keith stood by as the women climbed into the back seat, joining them. The door was closed and the car moved on.
Jade held Keith’s hand. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.” Keith looked back at the driver, but assumed he was under the employ of Jeff Palmer as well.
“It’s not fair to you guys.” Holly cuddled against Carl gently.
Keith inspected his lover. Carl appeared devastated. He wasn’t saying anything.
They pulled in front of the girls’ high-rise building. When the door opened they gave the men’s cheeks a long smooch and made sure the waiting paparazzi cameras caught it. Waving, throwing kisses, they made their way inside their condominium.
The door closed and the car moved on.
Needing to erase this horrible night, Keith leaned over the front seat. “Go to Santa Monica Boulevard.”
“Keith,” Carl admonished.
“Shut up.” Keith turned back to the driver. “Go to Phobar’s, please. Park around the block and be on call.”
“Keith!”
“Carl, shut up!”
The driver handed Keith his business card. “This has my cell phone number on it. Call me when you want me to come to the main entrance.”
“Cool.” Keith stuffed it into his jacket. “How much cash do you have, Carl?”
Carl checked his wallet.
As he opened it, Keith leaned in to look. “Give me that fifty.” Keith took it and set it on the front seat next to the driver.
“Keith…” Carl moaned.
“Will you be quiet?”
“You realize if we do this, then the whole charade we just endured will be for nothing.”
“Not necessarily. They got photos of us kissing women. No one has any idea we’re going to the club.”
“Except the hundred gay and bi guys inside.”
Keith shrugged. “Any leak that comes out of there we can say was from the filming.”
“Don’t get naked.”
“Aw, come on,” Keith teased.
“Keith!”
“I won’t! But I will play dirty with you.”
“Are you planning on inviting someone back to our place?”
Keith’s heart skipped a beat. “Can I?”
Carl buried his face in his hands.
Moving to Carl’s side of the back seat, Keith nestled against him. “What if we leave it up in the air? See if we find some unbelievable stud we just have to have?”
“He’d sell his story to the tabloids, Keith.”
“His word against ours.”
“You know this is flirting with disaster.”
The car stopped. Keith looked out the window. “Come on.”
A slight smile turned the edges up Carl’s mouth.
Pumping his fist in glee, Keith addressed the driver, “We’ll be gone an hour to two hours, tops.”
“Don’t worry about it.” He smiled sweetly.
Keith just noticed how handsome the chauffeur was. As they climbed out of the car, he whispered to Carl. “The driver’s adorable.”
“Is he?”
“Yes. And he’s on Palmer’s payroll.”
“I didn’t get a good look at him.”
“Come on. Time to get revved up.”
Carl was so paranoid someone would be filming this entrance into a notorious gay club he actually hid his face. Rubbing both hands over his cheeks, Carl didn’t lower his arms until they were inside and met the bouncer for their cover charge. The minute the burly man recognized them, a big smile brightened his tough countenance.
“Hey!” he gushed. “No charge! Welcome, boys.”
Keith was beaming. Just the look on his lover’s face told Carl he had recovered from the earlier dinner disaster.
“Thanks.” Carl reached out to shake the man’s hand.
“No problem, man. Have fun.”
Carl passed through the doorway and could hear the music, feeling it vibrating through his chest. The room didn’t have the same calm fabricated atmosphere as it did during the filming. This was live gay nightlife. No script, no performances, just reality.
“Come on!” Keith grabbed Carl’s hand and hurried his pace into the madness.
As they passed through the tight crowd they were noticed. One by one the men in the room began to recognize them and stare, gossip, or nudge their fellow man.
While Keith made a beeline to the bar, Carl caught the sight of flesh. Naked men were dancing erotically, fondling their huge erections as they did. Monitors played triple-x gay porn. The amount of male pheromones floating around the air was overwhelming. Carl began to get hard just witnessing the decadence.
Staying close to Keith out of insecurity as well as their emotional attachment, Carl was handed a mixed drink while Keith waited for his own. Sipping it, looking at the naked men dancing, Carl shook his head in awe.
A glass in his hand, Keith leaned against Carl’s side and said, “I love it!”
“I’m shocked you do.” Carl shouted in his ear in the noise.
“How can you not? Carl, it’s amazing.”
A gorgeous, sleek man approached them. Carl’s breath caught in his throat at how sexy he was. He stood boldly before them and asked, “Aren’t you Dennis and Troy from Forever Young?”
Before Carl could deny it, Keith advised the man, “We are.”
“I love that show.” The man grinned wickedly. “You two are hot.”
As Keith lapped up the compliment, the man asked, “Are you out?”
“No!” Carl admitted, suddenly feeling foolish since they were inside a gay bar.
The man swept his gaze at the group of men surrounding them. They all seemed to be staring in their direction at the moment. As if to reassure him, the handsome man said, “Don’t worry about it. Just have fun.”
“I intend to.” Keith’s eyes were wild as he gulped his drink.
When the man vanished into the crowd, Keith downed his entire rum and Coke and grabbed Carl. “Dance with me.”
Carl hurried to consume his booze, reaching past men’s shoulders to place the glass on the bar. With Keith’s hand clamped to his, Carl was dragged onto the floor. Rainbows of colored light shimmered over the horde of writhing bodies. Instantly transformed back to the dance scene from the taping, Carl warmed up quickly and wished Melvin was there to hand off his sport jacket.
Keith was just as overheated. He removed his, reached for Carl’s, and disappeared as he found a place to leave them. Dancing on his own momentarily, Carl lost himself on the two appealing naked men doing very naughty things to themselves while others watched and drooled. When Keith returned he was shirtless. Carl’s cock reacted more to his lover’s naked torso than to the go-go boys’
huge erections.
Keith wrapped his arms around Carl’s neck, their pelvises meeting and grinding together as they moved.
Having Keith, knowing this man was his, Carl suddenly felt so much pride and contentment he cupped the back of Keith’s head and drew him to his lips. When Keith’s tongue entered his mouth, Carl’s body rocked with an explosion of passion. Snaking his hands around Keith’s naked back, tightening their embrace, Carl forgot the rest of the room and focused on Keith’s mouth.
Keith was in heaven. After two hours of excruciating fake dates, he felt much more relaxed. Here they could be themselves. The deep bass rumbled through his bones as Carl’s bulging crotch pressed excitedly into his.
While they danced, Keith began to release Carl’s shirt from his slacks. Once the tail was out, Keith ran his hands under the cotton material and up Carl’s warm sides. The kissing grew hotter. Obviously Carl was going as crazy as Keith was. One by one, Keith opened the buttons of Carl’s top. After it was undone, Keith spread it wide over Carl’s ripped chest, lowering it down his arms.
Their mouths unwilling to disconnect, Keith rubbed his palms over Carl’s erect nipples as Carl’s tongue drove him insane. It slipped in and out of Keith’s mouth, fucking him in an imitation of the craving to do it with his dick.
Keith managed to get Carl’s shirt off, and tucked it into the back of his own slacks to get out of the way.
Their torsos naked and beginning to sweat, Keith sealed them together, tightening his embrace. Needing to breathe deeply to recover from the hot kissing, Keith rested his chin on Carl’s shoulder and looked around. The smiles of the men who watched them made Keith feel warm and accepted. Like they belonged.
Swaying gently with Carl, inhaling his cologne, Keith’s vision paused on the naked dancing men. One dancer met his eye, grinning wickedly as he fingered his long shaft. Keith licked his lips at the sight. As Carl rotated them slowly, Keith was able to take in a panoramic view of the room. The television monitor was playing gay porn. He had never watched porn movies in his life. Fascinated by this alternative career in the film industry, Keith held Carl for a moment to prevent him spinning him away from the set. Carl parted from Keith just enough to catch his eyes.