by Haley Walsh
Rick chuckled. “You’re going to Hell for that.”
Alex expelled a breathy laugh. “That’s what they say.”
Rick studied his face. “Are you…okay?”
Alex squirmed. “I feel a little inside out, know what I mean? But it’s getting better.” He turned, his butt facing Rick. “Does it look okay?”
Rick gave him a slow grin. “It looks fine to me, homey. Very fine.”
He glanced at Rick, reddened, and turned back on his side again. Reaching up he pushed Rick’s hair away from his sweaty face. “It was good. It was way better than good. I thought our first time would be shit. Except for it being us. But it was really fantastic.”
“Yeah.” He stripped off the condom and looked at his cum in the reservoir. “What do I do with this?”
Alex was suddenly wide-eyed. “Wait. Here.” He reached over to grab some tissues from the box and handed them to Rick. “Wrap it in this and then throw it in the trash can. I don’t want my mom seeing that.”
“You have a trashcan in here?”
“Shut up.” But he was grinning. He stuffed his arms under his pillow and laid his head back down, his smile mostly hidden by the poofy material.
Rick stuffed the condom in the wad of tissues, found the overflowing can, and tossed it in. Then he lay back down next to his boyfriend, heart full and bursting. Alex’s fingers were back, caressing his face and tracing over his eyebrows. “I wish you could spend the night.”
“Me, too, mi pequeño. But I’m gonna have to call my cousin soon.” He glanced at the clock. It was nearly eleven.
Alex sighed. But a smile crept back and curled his lips. “That was our first time.”
“Not your first time.”
He shook his head, rolling it on the pillow. “It was my first time with you. The only time that counts.”
“Ah, Alex. You are the sweetest white boy.”
Alex snorted. “Crazy Mexican.”
SKYLER FUCK CLUB
MIKE DE GUZMAN SETTLED INTO THE BOOTH and looked around the fabled Trixx. On the one hand, he was glad that Skyler and his friends had finally asked him to come.
On the other, he had been dreading it.
What the hell had he gotten himself into?
The music blared some toxic maddening thump that he felt in his gut. He wasn’t sure that his ears wouldn’t be bleeding by the end of the evening. And there was neon and those twirly lights that moved with the music all around the tiny dance floor. He wasn’t a dance club kind of guy, let alone a gay bar kind of guy.
It could have been worse, he decided. A lot worse, if he believed half the things Sidney said. He was already used to Jamie and that Rodolfo guy. So how bad could it be?
In fact, Jamie was talking to Skyler, yelling to be heard across the table.
“So you guys are going camping? Isn’t there enough camp around here?”
Skyler smiled and downed his drink. “Only when you’re around.”
Jamie wrinkled his nose at him. “But camping. You’ve never done that before. You do know you’ll have to be on the ground, right?”
Skyler raised his chin in a certain way that Mike realized meant he was trying to prove something didn’t bother him. “I know. But it’s such a jock thing to do. And there I will be in that tiny tent right next to Keith…in the same sleeping bag.”
“Oh my God!” Jamie pressed his hands together. “And you get to shop! Boots, shorts, a jaunty hat. That’s half the fun.”
“It’s not about shopping,” Skyler said primly. “It’s about…the experience. Being out in all that fresh air. And…Keith chose it for our vacation.”
“He’s Mr. Outdoorsy, isn’t he? It’ll be an adventure. I can’t wait to see the pictures.”
“It’s a lot of hiking. Backpacking into the sierras is a big thing, I guess. You’re really on your own.”
“I used to go as a kid,” offered Mike. “With my dad and my uncles. It’s a lot of work but worth it.”
Skyler’s eyes glistened with doubt. “It’s a lot of work?”
Mike took a swig of his beer out of the bottle. “Anything worth doing is.”
Skyler looked down into his drink, which was mostly melting ice at this point and nodded.
Jamie touched Skyler’s hand. “Look, I see Dave. I’m going to catch him on the dance floor.” Jamie sprang from his seat and slid between a tight klatch of men milling near their table, looking no worse for Jamie’s contact.
Skyler fell silent and Mike suddenly felt he needed to reassure him. He really liked Skyler. Felt he was a real sweet guy and he knew he’d defend Sidney to the death, but sometimes Mike couldn’t relate to his partying lifestyle. Keith, though, he considered a friend. He was a straight up dude, no nonsense. He could easily relate to him with his FBI training and cop attitude.
“Skyler, trust me. You’ll have a good time. There’s nothing like working hard and at the end of the day, looking out over the magnificence of the sierras. Truly God’s miracle of creation.”
“I do like the mountains,” he said, pushing his glass back and forth between his fingers. “I’m just not much of a camping kind of guy. I like things…clean and off the ground.”
“Well, for a week, you get to be gritty and unshaven and do manly things.”
“I do manly things all the time,” he said softly. “I run. That’s hard work.”
“Sure it is. And you keep fit. You look great.”
He gave a weak smile. “Thanks.” Stirring his ice he shrugged. “It wouldn’t hurt, I guess to get in touch with my manlier side.”
“Sure. Jock stuff is good for every man every now and then.”
“Keith is always a jock, though. What if…” He sipped on his chewed straw. “What if…I can’t meet his expectations?”
He clutched Skyler’s shoulder and leaned closer so that he could hear. “You don’t have to meet any of Keith’s expectations. I think you know that.”
“But he picked this as our vacation. There must be a reason.”
“Probably he just wanted to share with you something that he has always loved. Creating new memories, you know?”
Skyler slowly nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, I guess so. That makes sense.”
“Sure it does.”
They both fell silent again. Mike had never really had any gay friends. He’d known gay guys. There was a guy at the station, but he hadn’t been friends like this. At first he hadn’t really known what to say, how to act. Afraid he’d offend or somehow feel uncomfortable, he had held back a bit, though he had been anxious to make a good impression on Skyler for Sidney’s sake.
In the end, it was too hard to try to be careful so he relaxed and just presented who he was. That turned out to be the best thing. And if he made a joke, it was all right. Besides, if you wanted to talk offensive, Sidney had that down in spades. He couldn’t even hope to compete with her foul mouth.
He shook his head, thinking about the girl. She was a handful, that was for sure, but he didn’t suppose he’d have it any other way. Even his mom had taken to her, which he had been slightly surprised about. But when she and Sidney were together, he saw a side of his mother that he had never seen before. He never knew she could be, well, raunchy was the only way to describe it. One night she had shared one of her tales from the Philippines with Sidney, and they had both laughed and laughed. His dad only raised his brow at Mike and slowly shook his head. Yeah, relationships opened all sorts of new doors.
He settled back in his seat, holding his beer. His gaze kept scanning, seeing new sights everywhere he turned. The lights lit a tall silhouette coming toward them. That was the tallest drag queen he’d ever seen. Not that he’d seen many, but that guy was almost seven feet tall. Taller with that pink wig. The make-up on his eyes was overdone but with the smooth foundation and full lips he didn’t look half bad. And his legs in that short skirt…
He shook out his head. Wow. This place could really fuck with your mind.
Philip and Rodolf
o came off the dance floor and slid into the booth, sweaty and smiling just as Keith finally arrived from the bar with a Corona. He took a seat opposite Skyler. “Hey, where’s Sidney?” asked Skyler suddenly.
Keith took a long swallow and then rested the bottle on the table. “She went off to look for someone named Tyrone.”
“Oh. ‘Henrietta Clam’.”
“Who?” asked Keith.
“That’s Tyrone’s drag name. Get it? Henry-ate-a-Clam?” Skyler stretched upward and looked around. “There she is!”
Mike followed his pointing finger. It was that drag queen with the legs he saw earlier. “So, uh…why does he…you know. Why does he dress like that? What’s the deal with drag?”
“Well, as I understand it,” said Skyler, stirring his straw around in the dregs of his drink, “it’s seen as an art form, performing even if you aren’t on stage. Some gay men just really like the over-the-top nature of it, the clothes, the make-up, the prep.”
“How about you? Have you ever…?”
Skyler leaned back and laughed loudly. “Uh…no. On a teacher’s salary? Uh uh. It’s way too expensive, unless you make your own clothes. Lots of guys do. But even then, that’s a lot of sequins to invest in. And shoes.”
“I thought it was a sex thing.”
“You mean a fetish? I think you’re thinking of cross-dressing. That’s all about an erotic thrill from dressing as the opposite sex. And for the most part, those guys are straight.”
“Oh. But you never wanted to?” He looked toward Keith too, though he couldn’t imagine the masculine-looking Keith in a tight-fitting dress and mile-high wig.
“No,” said Skyler. “That takes a special personality. Now Sidney… she could be a drag king.”
“Wait. That’s a thing?”
“Yeah. Lesbians dress as men…”
“She’s so not a lesbian,” Mike hurried to add.
Skyler drew back, folded his lips inward, and patted his hand. “You have nothing to worry about.”
Mike adjusted his shirt, eyes darting here and there. “I’m not worried.”
Where was Sidney, anyway? There were some lesbians here. He had seen a gaggle of them earlier, with their cut-off sleeves and buzzed hair. Sidney seemed to know them, too. She knew everyone here. He thought about texting her—why had she left him alone so long?—but he soon decided against it.
Dave and Jamie ran up with bottles of water in their arms and supplied the table. Everyone grabbed one and drank down thirstily.
“Now that we’re all gathered,” said Skyler, “I brought a gift.”
He pulled out the mysterious bag he had been harboring most of the night and plopped it in the middle of the table. When he opened it, Mike saw it was full of condom packages.
Jamie took out a few and waggled his brows at Skyler. “My, my. What kind of party did you have in mind?”
“Don’t get excited. It’s just that…” He cleared his throat. “Um…Keith and I…we, uh…we don’t need these anymore.”
“Oh, you’re pregnant!” said Philip.
Skyler offered him a withering look. “Nooo. It’s because of that…thing…we discussed several months ago? Remember?”
“Oh the thing!” said Philip, smiling. “And how’s that going?”
Everyone suddenly looked at Keith. His cheeks reddened but he said nothing and looked at no one as he knocked back his Corona.
“I didn’t want them to go to waste,” said Skyler, “so I thought of all of you.”
“Well aren’t you just the sweetest thing,” said Jamie. “Here, Dave. Can you load these in your pockets?”
Dave smirked. “What makes you think I have room in my pockets?”
Jamie put his hand on Dave’s chest and leaned into him. “Oh that’s right. You painted them on tonight. I so approve, by the way.” He gamely tried to fill his own pockets.
Rodolfo grabbed a handful. “Maybe you should have put them in gift bags.”
“I didn’t think of that. Maybe next time.” He looked up at Mike. “Feel free to take some, too. If… that’s what you guys use.”
Mike blinked at him. He didn’t quite know what to say. He wasn’t as comfortable talking about this kind of stuff with friends.
Fortunately, Philip rescued him. “Given our state of tight clothing,” he said, “we might have to leave these here as a donation to the cause.”
Dave chuckled. “I think you’re right. Give them to Gil the bartender. He can give one out free with every cocktail.”
Skyler sighed. “I suppose you’re right. Well, I tried.”
Jamie patted his hand. “We appreciate it, Sky.”
Skyler closed up the bag just as a man sidled up to their table. He was about Skyler’s age, tanned, with a soul patch and long hair. He wore a midriff shirt, revealing a toned six pack, and very tight jeans, no doubt looking to advertise what was in those jeans. And he did. Mike tried not to look.
“Hi, Skyler,” the man purred. But he soon turned his attention away from the blond and instead focused on Mike. “Hi, Skyler’s friend. I don’t think I’ve seen you here before. I’m Joey.”
Shit. The guys were all staring at him, no doubt wondering what he was going to do. “Hi, um, Joey. I… haven’t been here before.”
“I just wondered if you’d like to dance.”
His tablemates treated it like a tennis match, heads turning as one from Mike to the stranger and back again.
“Oh, that’s…that’s really nice of you to ask, but I, uh…I don’t dance.”
Just then Sidney finally flounced up. Her hair bounced and landed in soft ringlets over her shoulders. She was wearing a short skirt that clung to her ass and a tight halter top that left little to the imagination. He felt a stab of jealous protectiveness for only a second before he remembered that here, he had nothing to worry about. “I leave you alone for one minute and you’re flirting with guys?”
“I’m not flirting with anyone!” he protested. He realized too late that his voice was just a wee bit defensive.
“He’s flirting with me,” said Joey.
“No, I’m not.” He grabbed Sidney’s hand and snapped up, dislodging Skyler out of the booth. “Let’s dance.”
Joey frowned. “I thought you didn’t dance.”
Mike ignored him and steered Sidney to the dance floor. Naturally she was laughing.
“I hope you’re enjoying this,” he shouted above the music. “Because I’m never coming out with you again.”
“You’re coming out?”
“Stop it!”
She giggled. “I’m sorry. You just looked so delicious trying to fend off those men.”
“You were watching?”
“Of course. It’s all very entertaining.”
“Is that the purpose of all this? Humiliate Mike Night?”
She twirled and leaned back. Her neck looked long and graceful. She really was very beautiful and sexy. When she leaned back like that, her nipples were at full attention. She snapped back up and slithered against him, and he couldn’t help but give her a smile.
“You know it isn’t,” she said, almost purring. “But I guess it was a bit of a test.”
“To see if I became a homophobic asshole?”
She smirked. “Something like that.”
She was always doing that. Little games. “Don’t you know me well enough by now?”
“Nothing like a trial by fire.”
“Oh yeah?” He let her hands go and walked away. He felt rather than heard the sudden fury in her body, her voice. Marching back to their table, he noticed Joey just leaving. “Hey!” he called.
The man turned.
“You still want that dance?”
Joey blinked. His mouth was open in surprise but he soon glided easily back toward Mike. “Yeah. Are you…?”
Mike grabbed the man’s hand in his sweaty one before he could change his mind. He dragged him to the dance floor, spun him around, and pulled him in. “But I’m leading.”
“Yes, sir!” said the man with a smile.
Mike slid his hand around the man’s waist and settled his palm there at the small of his back. Mike considered himself a reasonable dancer. He’d had lessons with his sisters when he was around nine and he had taken to it. There were a lot of social occasions to dance in his large extended family--tons of weddings, parties, and luaus. But this was certainly new.
The man easily moved with him, always looking steadily into his eyes. They were nice eyes with long lashes…like a girl’s.
They danced without speaking for a while. Mike concentrated on the rhythms of the music and did his best to keep his footwork moving.
“I thought you were straight,” said Joey. The man was wearing the same cologne as Mike was. Too weird.
“I am. I’m just…schooling my lady. She brought me here. Trying to test me.”
The man threw his head back and laughed with white, even teeth. When he brought his gaze down again his eyes were soft. “How much do you want to school her?” He raised a brow and moved in closer.
Mike felt his muscles tense and he subconsciously moved back away from the man. “Uh…not that much.”
He pursed his lips. “Are you sure?”
Mike twirled the man away from him and just as abruptly brought him back, slamming against his chest. They were tight against each other, chest to thigh.
Mike’s eyes widened. Did that guy have a…?
Joey smirked. “You’re a good dancer.” He followed closely all of Mike’s moves. “You know, if your lady is testing you, you should test her right back.”
Mike glanced over the man’s shoulder and caught sight of Sidney standing at the edge of the dance floor, watching him with one hand wrapped around her waist and the other holding up a margarita.
“No, I don’t think…”
She was talking to Skyler over her shoulder and they were both laughing at something.
When his eyes tracked back to Joey the man had gotten closer. “Have you ever…kissed a guy?”
“No.”
Joey edged inward and moistened his lips. Mike swore at himself for looking at them. “Do you want to?”
Straight baiting. He knew what this was and he had brought it on himself. He felt the sweat trickle down his spine.
