“Counterproductive.”
“Yeah, it seems super counterproductive.”
“My parents want me to see Gerald,” Beckett said.“It’s complicated.I don’t expect you to understand.”
Jem turned to Quinn.
He gave another of those half-hearted shrugs.“I don’t know.”But then in a quieter voice, he said, “I tried it.A boyfriend, you know?I figured out I didn’t want to live like that.”
“What does that mean?”Jem asked.
But Quinn wouldn’t meet his eyes.
Somewhere else in the locker room, a shower began to run.
Beckett cleared his throat.“Besides, it’s not like we can hook up with anyone else.”
“Why not?”Jem said.“Does he lock your dicks up?”
“Jem,” Tean said.
“Hey, it’s a legit question.”
“No,” Beckett said.“He doesn’t lock our dicks up.”His tone added,Moron.
“Then what’s the problem?You’re up here two or three days.Why not keep it in your pants until you get back home, and then find somebody on an app.”
“Because we can’t get on the apps,” Beckett said.“We can’t look at porn.We can’t even have Twitter.”
“Why not?”
“Because he puts this thing on our phones,” Quinn said.“Stripling.”
“What’s that?”Jem asked.“Is it porn?”When Tean gave him a frown, he laughed, “It sounds like porn.”
“It’s not; that’s a word that’s used in the Book of Mormon.”Tean turned back to the other two men.“I’m guessing it’s some kind of internet filter.”
“Worse,” Beckett said.“It filters itandtells Gerald if you do anything you’re not supposed to.”
“And what happens if you do something you’re not supposed to?”
Beckett’s voice hardened.“He tells your family.Or your wife.Or whoever he thinks will make you the most embarrassed.”
“Jesus,” Jem said under his breath.
“What would have happened,” Tean asked, “if he had caught you together?”
“I don’t know.Kicked us out.”
“And what would your parents have done?”
“Been sad.”Beckett rolled one shoulder.“Told me they were disappointed.”
When Tean’s gaze moved to Quinn, the dark-haired man said, “My parents don’t even know, but I guess he would have told them.That’s, like, the punishment.”
“He doesn’t call it a punishment,” Beckett said.“He calls it a consequence.And he doesn't feel bad about it.I think he likes it, you know?He puts on this big show about loving all of us, but I think part of him likes it when he gets to do it.”
The fan whirred.
