“Not a clue. He doesn’t really talk to us much. Keeps to himself.” He faced me, and I caged him in between my arms. “I gotta go back, or James’ll get mad.”
“Mmm. Okay. How about a kiss to hold me until you’re finished?”
“You’re gonna stay till closing?”
Intending on only brushing his lips with mine, I couldn’t help but deepen the kiss until we clung together, our mouths and tongues speaking for our hearts, making me dizzy. My heart pounded, and when I came to, the sounds of cheers and laughter surrounded us as we broke apart.
“Uh, yeah. If you want.”
I hadn’t seen Frankie this happy since our first Christmas together. “I want. I gotta go.” Turning on the smile I recognized now was only for the crowd, he danced away and soon was in the midst of a table of thirtysomethings who, from the bottles they were ordering, had money to burn. Admittedly, it burned my gut to see men grab Frankie’s ass and touch him. When he kissed one of them and ground on his lap, I needed a break and left the club to pace outside, letting the evening air cool down the heat of my anger. I thought I had it under control, but obviously I was wrong.
“Aaron?” Frankie stood shivering, naked except for a pair of thin shorts, purple cape, and boots.
“I’m okay. Go back inside.” I leaned against the dirty brick wall, watching the traffic pass.
“Not until I find out why you ran out of the club like a bat out of hell.” He stood in front of me, forcing me to stare into his face.
I wanted to snap, “Get outta my face,” but if I did, where did that leave us? Right back where we’d left off last year. And it wasn’t fair to Frankie, not when I’d told him it didn’t bother me. But saying it in our apartment was a whole lot different than seeing it in the club, live.
“I saw the guy touching and kissing you…and you all into it. I know it’s an act, but seeing it right in front of me?” I swallowed hard. “It’s kinda hard to watch.”
The lines on Frankie’s face softened. “I’m sorry. And maybe you’re right, and we should talk about it. But for tonight, can you come back inside?” He slipped his arms around me. “I’m freezing my balls off, which means no big tips.”
“Yeah. Sorry. I shouldn’ta run out like that.” It wasn’t like he was jerking the guy off or giving him a blowjob. Hell, there were guys doing porn who had boyfriends. Who was I to complain about someone getting a little handsy at a strip club? “I’m ready. Let’s go back.”
Before we walked back inside, I stopped and kissed Frankie. “I won’t give you no more trouble. I appreciate you seeing my side.”
“That’s ’cause your side is right next to me.”
For the next two hours, except for a few bathroom breaks from all the water I drank, I sat at the bar and watched Frankie perform. He owned who he was with grace and pride. Frankie thrived on the crowd; he loved people, and his fans loved him, as evidenced by the pile of bills at his feet. Gone was the man who’d relied on me to make decisions and tell him what to do. Frankie had changed.
The lights came up, and the music lowered. A bit startled, I realized it was time to leave. I pushed a twenty to the bartender. “Is this enough?” I’d had three club sodas, then switched to plain water.
He pushed it back. “It’s on me.”
“Nah, man.” I tried to argue, but when I got nowhere, I took out a five and laid it down. “At least take that for what you did.”
Pocketing the money, José tilted his head. “What’d I do?”
“You listened. Told me the straight shit. Treated me like a person, not a criminal.”
“Look, ain’t none of us perfect. We all fuck up. But you gotta learn from it.”
Hector, the husky bouncer from the front door, walked past me, then bent over and gave José a kiss on the lips. “You ready to leave soon?”
“I gotta cash out and give the money to James. Be ready in about twenty.”
Whoa.Didn’t see that coming. I didn’t know either of them was gay. But who the fuck knew anything these days?
Hector’s serious brown eyes bored into me. “You were okay tonight. Keep it that way.”
That tone made my blood boil, but it was no less than I deserved. I’d gone to jail for beating up someone in a bar brawl, taking out my frustration with Frankie on a complete stranger.
Frankie bounded over, smelling of his favorite aftershave, his hair curling in damp waves. I loved him this way, his face fresh and clean, free from all the makeup he wore onstage.
“I’m ready. Did you drive?”
“Yeah.” I stood, and stiff from sitting, I flexed my back. “I’m in a lot a block away.” I gave José a two-fingered salute. “Thanks for everything, man.”
