The music started to play and Lyon reached for a dark gray business suit that had been hanging in front of his locker. He did a routine the customers loved. He dressed like an average corporate businessman, in a suit with a white shirt and red tie, and he stripped down to a black leather thong. "If you say so, buddy."
J.D. was in the process of putting on his cop uniform. The customers loved watching a police officer strip. He put his arm around Treston and said, "We love you whether you had dinner with Chad Pratt or not. And don't forget it."
Now they were patronizing him, and he knew he would never get them to believe him. But as he was about to back down, one of the bartenders walked into the dressing room with the biggest vase of red roses Treston had ever seen. He had to carry them with both hands; there must have been three dozen, at least.
While the other guys stood there and gaped, the bartender set the vase down on a counter near Treston's locker and said, "A guy delivered these for you, sweetie. He said there was a card."
When he turned to leave, Treston pulled the card out and opened the small envelope. As the others continued to stare at him, he opened the card and read it to himself: "You're not going to get away from me that easily, Treston Fair Leigh. Love, Asswipe (Chad)." He read it again and smiled even more. At least Chad had actually put his real name in the card along with "Asswipe."
He was so surprised by the roses and the card, he forgot all about what the other guys thought. He didn't care anymore if they believed him or they didn't. He barely noticed when Lyon took the card out of his hand because he was too busy smelling the roses and thinking about Chad.
J.D. stood over Lyon's shoulder and he read the card aloud so all the other guys in the room could hear. When J.D. finished he set the card on the table and said, "I guess you were telling the truth for once. What did he mean when he said you weren't getting away that easily?"
Treston continued to stare at the roses. "It's just a private joke between us. It's nothing important." He'd received expensive roses like this before from men. He knew what Chad was doing. Aggressive bad boys hated being rejected so much they almost always got obsessed about it. In this case, Treston knew Chad was only pursuing him because he'd turned him down. He also knew if he let down his guard and he did respond to Chad's aggressive advances, Chad would eventually dump him in time. That was another part of the pattern all bad boys followed: once they actually got what they wanted they didn't want it anymore.
J. D. asked, "Are you going to see him again?"
Lyon laughed and said, "I know I would and I'm straight. The dude's a freaking billionaire. I think I could even learn how to suck dick and like it for his kind of money."
Treston sent him a glance and said, "No, you couldn't, and you know it. You're way too honest and way too decent."
Lyon smiled and shrugged. "You're right about that. You just can't fake it sometimes, no matter how hard you try."
J. D.'s eyes were popping. "So? When are you going to see him next?"
"I'm not going to see him again," Treston said. He turned to his locker to finish getting ready for the show.
"You're not?" J.D. said. "Are you insane?"
Treston winked at Lyon and said, "Actually, I've never been saner in my life. After what I went through with Harlan Rocks, I'm not letting anyone do that to me ever again. Chad Pratt is just another Harlan Rocks, with a lot more money. You've heard the stories about him. He's dumped guys and left them all over the world, not just in Vegas. And he has a boyfriend right now. What kind of a man sends roses to another man when he already has a boyfriend?"
Lyon said, "Good for you, buddy. The guy does sound like an asswipe."
All this seemed to pass J.D. by completely. He lifted his arms and said, "He's a billionaire. He just sent you roses. Wake up, man. You're not getting any younger. At least get something out of the deal."
Treston and Lyon exchanged a knowing glance. "I know I'm not getting any younger, and that's why I'm not going to see Chad Pratt again, not ever." His tone went down and he glanced at the floor. "I've been kicked around enough for one lifetime. The next guy I get serious with is going to be a simple, decent man who really wants to spend the rest of his life with me. And I'm not going to settle for less anymore."
"But think about all the money and stuff you could get even if he does dump you," J. D. said. "If you play your cards right you might even get a car out of the deal."
Lyon flung J.D. a look and said, "Leave him alone." Then he crossed to where Treston was standing and put his arm around him. "I think I just gained a new sense of respect for you, buddy. You're really not the same guy you were a couple of months ago."
Treston felt a sting in his eye. Lyon was the decent man he'd just described, only Lyon was straight and he knew he couldn't change that. He also felt remorse because he did have deep feelings for Chad Pratt in spite of his bad boy reputation. And Treston knew he could never change that either. So he put his arms around Lyon and rested his head on his strong chest. "Thanks, man. I knew you would understand. I just wish it didn't have to be so damn hard all the time, is all. I have to stop attracting these types of guys. It's killing me."
Lyon held him tighter and said, "You're going to be okay, bud. If anyone screws around with you, I'll take care of them myself, even Chad Pratt."
Treston often found it interesting the one person in his life he could call his best friend was a straight guy who seemed to understand him better than his gay friends. He often wished he had more female friends, but his life seemed to be a male-dominated atmosphere. His gay friends tended to be too competitive sometimes. He'd always thought the relationships between straight guys and gay guys were interesting. There was nothing sexual between Treston and Lyon. As Lyon held him, he didn't feel a hint of sexual energy in the least. All he felt was a sense of love and security from a strong man-person-who cared about him, as if he were safe and nothing could ever harm him again. Treston knew two straight guys would never relate to each other this way. Their egos would have gotten in the way. It would be too personal and too awkward for them and they would be terrified of being branded gay if they showed this kind of affection and emotion. But it was different with a straight guy and a gay guy. There was nothing to prove, no ego issues, no competition, and they could be completely at ease with each other. The only complicated part of this was the straight guy had to be absolutely comfortable with his own heterosexuality, which clearly Lyon was.
"I know you're there for me," Treston said. "And you have no idea how much it means to me. You're my hero, and I'm there for you, too."
"I know, buddy," Lyon said.
J.D. threw his arms in the air and turned. He kicked the locker and said, "Well, I think you're both a couple of assholes, because if Chad Pratt sent me flowers I'd be thinking of ways to become Mrs. Chad Pratt."
Treston kissed Lyon on the cheek and stepped back. "You really do get it."
Lyon smiled. "Yes, I really do get it. I would do the same thing if I were in your shoes."
"This makes me feel a lot better," Treston said.
J.D. turned to head toward the exit. As he rounded the corner he said, "You two are going to make me puke one of these days."
When J.D. was gone, Lyon turned toward the exit to follow him. Treston was looking at the roses again and Lyon set his palm on the small of Treston's back. "Are you really okay?"
"I'm fine. Thanks."
Before he turned to leave, he squeezed Treston's shoulder and said, "I've got your back."
When Lyon was gone, Treston wiped a stray tear from his cheek and turned to finish getting dressed. He was dancing alone in a private cage that night, not on stage. He would start out fully clothed, in his regular street clothes, and wind up wearing nothing but the red thong. He realized now he didn't feel the same sense of excitement as he'd once had about dancing in front of all those men. It felt as if he'd lost something he'd once had and he didn't know how to get it back. He tried looking deeper and still he found nothing. There had been a time when he'd been filled with energy just thinking about dancing almost naked while all those men watched him wiggle and shake. He only felt obligated to go out and do his best. That was when he knew it was time to start looking for another job.
Chapter Eleven
Although Treston liked to fantasize about himself as the conservative businessman in a suit and tie working in a bank, he knew he had to be realistic. So he combed all the help wanted ads on Craigslist that weekend and saw one job he felt at least somewhat qualified to apply for. The ad said they needed a new salesperson for a used-car dealer and Treston figured if he got the job he could work there during the day and still keep his night job at the club until he started to make decent money. The ad stated they wanted someone who dressed well, was friendly, good with people, and someone who knew how to close a deal fast. This sounded perfect. Treston was great with people, especially men. He'd always been friendly, especially with men. He was always up on the latest fashion trends. He wasn't sure what closing the deal meant, but he figured he could fake this in the beginning. He also figured there wasn't much to learn about selling cars; he knew how to drive one, even though he didn't actually own one. And if he was lucky, maybe they would give him one of those loaner cars. He'd dated a used-car salesman once, and the used car salesman had told him his company gave him a new loaner car every two years.