Puma

by Cooper McKenzie

  Patting Puma on the back, Toby handed him the tablet. “Watch the videos, play around with the pole. Just don’t break anything. I’ve got to go meet Riley at the house.”

  “Okay.” Puma accepted the tablet, already lost in the video Toby had played him.

  Though Puma didn’t realize it, Toby knew the man would be swinging from the pole in the next few weeks, which would not only help him become a star at the club, but would help him financially. The man had received a raw deal, which had ended his career as a top-level computer consultant and landed him in jail for a crime his boss had framed him for hacking a competitor’s computer system. Toby and the rest of the dance team were determined to help the man, which meant giving him first crack at being the pole dancer in residence.

  * * * *

  Puma watched videos for nearly an hour before turning off the tablet and taking it to the bar so it would be well out of the way, just in case something happened. The videos he had watched, ranged from professionals displaying their talents, to a video of series for beginners. From what he picked up, he could have the basics learned fairly quickly, and then it would be a matter of practice and confidence.

  For now, he would just see if he could do some of the easier basic moves and go from there.

  It took some time, but Puma began feeling pretty good about his future as a pole dancer. It was going to take some hard work and a lot of practice, but he felt pretty confident that he could eventually be nearly as good as some of the professionals he had watched.

  He was just beginning to work out a possible dance to an old pop song that played in his head, when clapping caused him to lose his concentration and drop from the pole. He landed hard and bounced on the pads, thankful they were thick enough that he was not injured, though he landed on his back and the air in his lungs whooshed out, leaving him fighting to pull in the next breath. Closing his eyes, Puma lay still and concentrated on trying to breathe.

  “Are you all right?” a familiar voice asked as footsteps pounded up the steps and across the stage to where he lay.

  Puma raised a hand to wave the man off, but it didn’t seem to matter. In the next instant, a large, warm palm cupped his cheek. Opening his eyes, Puma shifted his head just enough to look into deep blue eyes filled with worry. “Puma?”

  “Ben,” Puma whispered with his next exhalation.

  “Are you all right?”

  Puma nodded. “Just got the wind knocked out of me,” he said, then took a deep breath. “I’m fine.”

  When he tried to sit up, he found the hand quickly moved from his face to the center of his chest, where it pressed him back down onto the mat. “Stay there, I’m going to find help. You shouldn’t be trying something so dangerous without someone spotting you.”

  “Why are you here?” Puma asked as Ben pushed to his feet. He remained sprawled on the mat, hoping the man wouldn’t notice that his cock had grown hard from just the touch of Ben’s hand on his face.

  “I wanted to talk to you,” Ben said, turning to scan the room. “Are you really here all alone? You shouldn’t be here all by yourself.”

  “I’m sure Sully and some of the others are backstage, and Paulo is probably in the kitchen doing his prep work.” Puma rolled to his side, then pushed to his feet. Taking a deep breath, he began to stretch the chest, arm, and back muscles that were talking to him about the abuse they had endured. “So, what did you want to talk about today?”

  “I was wondering if you liked flowers and candy?” Ben asked, sounding hesitant.

  Puma shrugged, not sure why the man was asking. “They’re okay, but I’d rather have a seafood dinner and a bottle of white wine. Why are you asking?”

  Ben appeared a little sheepish as he looked in his direction. “I wanted to get you something to apologize and wondered if men liked flowers and candy like women did. When I asked Seth, he laughed and told me to just ask you what you would prefer. So, I’m asking. How do I apologize for being a spineless dick and breaking up with you seven years ago?”

  That was when Puma realized Ben’s left eye was swollen shut with a bruise that colored a good bit of skin around it. He then saw the split lip and the man’s careful movements. “What the fuck happened to you?”

  Chapter Four

  Ben raised a hand to his face and winced when his fingers brushed over the battered skin. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Can we go somewhere private?” he said, trying not to smile and break open the split in his lip again. “Just to talk.”

  He held his breath as he waited for Puma’s nod. He almost missed it when the smaller man dropped his chin slightly. “I have to be back by seven to warm up for the show.”

  Ben nodded and let the air explode from his lungs before taking another breath. “Not a problem.”

  He waited while Puma put his sneakers and T-shirt back on. Then he followed the man to the backstage area. When the man stopped to talk to a small man with corkscrew-like brown curls, Ben stood and waited some more. Patience was one of his virtues, so he had no problem, though he was growing restless as the conversation went on longer than it took to tell the man he was leaving for dinner and would be back in time to warm up for the evening show.

  Finally, Puma joined him and they walked out the door just off the backstage area. Ben led the way to his car. Once they were seated with their seat belts fastened, he started the engine and pulled out of the space he had parked in nearest the back door. “Where would you like to go for dinner?”

  When the man did not answer by the time they reached the street, Ben stopped and looked at him. “Puma? Where would you like to go?”

  Puma shrugged. “I don’t care. Somewhere I can get a burger and salad, I guess.”

  “How about El’s?” Ben suggested, remembering how much they both had loved eating at the drive-in restaurant.

  Puma looked at him wide-eyed. “You would go there with me? What if someone sees you?”

  Ben smiled, then winced when the split in his lip pulled painfully. “I don’t care if anyone sees us. I broke up with Candace this morning. I informed my mother I was gay and would no longer deny it, to myself or anyone else.”

  “Really?” Puma asked softly.

  “Yes, really. I fucked up bad seven years ago when I broke things off with you. I allowed my parents to dictate how I lived my life, who I would love, and to be honest, I’ve been miserable since that night.”

  “Really?” Puma asked, sounding a little more accepting of his confessions.

  “Yes, really. I told my mother I was going to do anything I had to in order to get you back. Then I walked away before she could say anything.”

  Puma gave a little chuckle. “I bet you won’t be invited home for the holidays.”

  Ben shrugged. “Don’t care. As long as I have you in my life, the rest of the world can go to hell as far as I’m concerned.”

  “Really?” Puma sounded a little overwhelmed this time.

  “Yes, really,” Ben said with a chuckle. “But I guess the real question is, can you forgive me for what I did seven years ago? Would you be interested in getting back together and trying again? And what the fuck are you doing as a stripper? You were supposed to be taking the computer world by storm.”

  When Puma didn’t answer, Ben glanced over at the man. He had crossed his arms over his chest and dropped his head, as if in an effort to protect himself. But from what?

  “Puma?”

  The smaller man squirmed in his seat, then took a deep breath and straightened again. “I’m not allowed near computers,” he said softly. “Not anymore.”

  Ben pulled into El’s and parked to the side of the lot, away from the others already there. He rolled down the windows, allowing the fresh air inside, before turning off the engine. Releasing his seat belt, he shifted in his seat to face Puma. “What do you mean you’re not allowed near computers? What happened?”

  Instead of looking in his direction, Puma stared at his own knees. “I didn’t bother with col
lege, just got a job working in computers not too long after you broke up with me. I worked hard and thought I was doing good, but…”

  * * * *

  He swallowed hard and wiped a hand over his cheek, hoping Ben didn’t notice it came away wet.

  “But?” Ben said gently when he didn’t continue right away.

  “I didn’t realize my boss was a crook, and he was setting me up to take the fall. Two years ago, I got convicted of computer hacking and ended up spending fifteen months in jail. I am now on probation and am not allowed to use computers or the internet until my probation is over. I’m dancing at Sex Gods because the Muldoons were the only people who would give me a chance. I’m also the caretaker, gardener, and security person at Mrs. Muldoon’s estate.”

  “Oh. My. God. I’m so sorry. I…I…I don’t know what to say.”

  Puma wiped his tears away before lifting his head and turning to meet Ben’s eyes. “Tell me you don’t care that I’m an ex-convict. Tell me you don’t care that I can’t even look at a smartphone, much less buy one. Tell me you can love me even though I dance around in next to nothing for a living.”

  Puma cringed when Ben’s hand touched his shoulder, then slid across the top of it to wrap around the back of his neck. When the man tugged gently on his neck, Puma turned and looked at him.

  “I don’t care about any of that. I know you, and you have always been honest and aboveboard. I can’t believe the cops and district attorney thought you could do something so dishonest. Question is, can you forgive me for walking away from you seven years ago?”

  Ben pulled until Puma shifted closer so the man could wrap both arms around him and give him an awkward, over-the-console hug.

  “I’ll try,” Puma said.

  He then rested his forehead on Ben’s shoulder and allowed the tears he had held in for far too long to release. He was sniffing and wishing he had a tissue when a woman behind him cleared her throat.

  “Can I help you, gentlemen? Or should I call the sheriff for lewd behavior?” She sounded just snotty enough to do it, so Puma squeezed Ben tight for a moment before releasing him and sliding back into his own seat.

  Pulling on the diva-bitch attitude his co-workers had taught him since working at Sex Gods, Puma said with a smirk, “I’ll take a shrimp burger, a side salad with ranch dressing, and a cola. My husband will have an order of oysters, fries, and a cola. Oh, and we’d prefer our food untampered with, please.” He finished with a wink that had the waitress sputtering as she scribbled down their order before hurrying away.

  Once she was out of earshot, Puma turned and winked at Ben. “Well, that was fun,” he said before laughter bubbled up and out.

  Ben looked stunned before he, too, started laughing. “Where did you learn that, wildcat?” he asked once he could speak again.

  Puma shrugged with a smirk. “You learn a lot working with exotic dancers. And now I’m going to learn how to pole dance.”

  “Pole dance? Now that’s something I want to see,” Ben said earnestly.

  Once they ate their food, and marveled at the fast service they received, Ben drove them back to Sex Gods. “I wish I could stay until you get off tonight,” he said as he parked near the back door once again. “But I have an early morning meeting with a client.”

  Puma shrugged. “It’s okay. You’d be a distraction anyway. Can we get together tomorrow? We can go for lunch, a walk on the beach, more talking, and maybe more?”

  Ben nodded. “That sounds perfect. Call me when you wake up and we’ll make plans.”

  Hoping Ben would not rebuff him, Puma leaned across the console and gave Ben a kiss. It was just a brushing of lips on lips, but that simple touch sent a tingling shiver all the way through him to his fingers and toes. When Ben grabbed him and half pulled him over the center console so he could deepen the kiss, the tingles turned to shivers, turned to trembling with need.

  He didn’t fight it when Ben pulled him closer, wrapping his arms around Puma until there was no space between their upper bodies. The kiss deepened from just lips brushing against one another to tongues intertwining and dancing back and forth from Ben’s mouth to his. When a car pulling in honked, Puma broke the kiss and hid his face against Ben’s neck until he stopped gasping for breath.

  Only then did he slowly pull back until he was on his own side of the car. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said softly while looking at Ben, who met his gaze with one burning with hunger.

  “Tomorrow, wildcat, definitely tomorrow,” Ben replied with a grateful smile. With a sigh, Puma opened his car door and climbed out.

  He didn’t look back as he walked away, though he also didn’t hear Ben’s car drive away until he was entering the club.

  “Now there’s a man who looks like he got some,” Toby teased as Puma strolled into the dressing room to prepare for the evening.

  “And he’s getting it from a hot, sexy man,” Sully added with a chuckle.

  Puma ignored the good-natured teasing, though his cheeks burned with embarrassment at being caught making out with Ben in the parking lot.

  “All right, guys, let’s go over the cowboy number one more time before the doors open.” Sully clapped his hands and called for attention from his sometimes diva-like dancers.

  * * * *

  Ben opened the front door to the club thirty minutes before Sex God’s closing time and walked in. He surprised the bouncer, who was making out with another man behind the front desk. The men remained wrapped around one another, and the larger man simply looked him up and down before waving him through and into the club.

  Slipping into the main room, he took a moment to scan the club. Thoughts of his wildcat’s sexy body and easy forgiveness for a huge mistake seven years in the past had kept him from sleeping. The more he thought about Puma, the more he knew he could not wait until morning to see the man.

  Finally, he’d gotten up and dressed before sending an email to his early morning client. Then he’d come to the club to claim his wildcat.

  Making his way around the back of the room, he headed to the bar and ordered a beer. Once the bartender handed him a beer and took his money, Ben turned his attention back to the dancers at the front of the room.

  He found Puma dancing on the small stage on the other side of the bar.

  His man was dressed in a skimpy purple costume that glinted in the light as he moved. A handful of men sitting at tables around that stage were watching closely and tossing money at his feet as he swayed and wiggled and stroked his hands over his body.

  “You’re Ben, right? Puma’s new boyfriend?” the bartender asked, pulling Ben’s attention away from Puma.

  Ben turned and nodded. “Ben Chambers. How do you know who I am?”

  “Riley Muldoon,” the bartender said, offering his hand. “Dancers are worse gossips than any grandmothers. He didn’t expect you to show up tonight.”

  “Yeah, I know. But I screwed up seven years ago and am hoping like hell to make it up to him.”

  Riley studied him, looking solemn for a moment before his gaze swept the bar. “Just remember, Puma’s not that teenager any longer. He’s a man who has seen the bad side of life, and now has the Sex Gods team backing him up. You fuck up this time, you won’t get another chance.”

  “Yeah, I know that,” Ben said.

  Cheers and a scream drowned out whatever else Riley might say. Turning, Ben saw that two men had joined Puma on the small stage. Their friends were cheering, while Puma was trying to keep his G-string in place and escape the two men who apparently were hoping for more than a dance.

  Ben heard Riley swear as he ran around the end of the bar. He shoved his way through the crowd that had grown on the floor around the raised platform Puma was dancing on.

  By now the two men had Puma trapped between them, each one feeling him up. Puma was pushing their hands away, but his G-string had been pushed down over his hips and ass.

  “Wildcat,” Ben called as he pushed the last couple of people out of
his way.

  Puma visually located him before jerking away from his two assailants. That move snapped his G-string. In the next moment, a naked Puma threw himself off the stage. Ben stepped forward just in time to catch the man. He was surprised when Puma wrapped his arms and legs around Ben and buried his head into the side of Ben’s neck.

  Ben held tight to the nearly naked man, turned, and started walking away.

  “Hey, bring him back here,” one of the stupider drunks in the crowd complained.

  Ben didn’t respond. He just kept walking, somewhat surprised when a path opened up through the crowd that had gathered. Someone must have stopped the complaining man, because no one interfered with him carrying Puma across the room, behind the bar, and into the kitchen.

  Only when the kitchen door swung closed behind them did Puma raise his head so Ben could see his face. “Thank you,” he said softly.

  Ben brushed a kiss on Puma’s temple before he replied. “You’re very welcome. Are you okay?”

  “Puma, where’s your costume?” Paulo asked.

  “Some drunk asshole decided he wanted a souvenir,” Puma said, sounding a little less shaken than he had a moment ago.

  “Can we get backstage from here?” Ben asked.

  “Right down that hall and take a left,” Paulo said with a wave of his hand.

  “Thanks,” Ben said, then started walking.

  “You could put me down, you know,” Puma pointed out.

  “I don’t think so,” Ben said. “Not only don’t I want anyone else to see your bits and pieces, I like holding you.”

  He smiled down at the man in his arms, who looked thoughtful for a moment before shrugging. “Okay.”