“Sup,” Brody said, not taking his eyes off his laptop.
“How was running errands, boo?” Casey asked, blowing off his nails and going back in with a vengeance at a spot he deemed unworthy. Though, his scene partners probably appreciated the time he spent seeing to them.
Daniel dropped his bag on the counter and started unloading his groceries. “It was fine,” he said, putting his chicken on the Arlo-assigned shelf in the fridge. “Hotter and wetter than a gay sauna out there though.”
Casey gasped and sat up straight. “We should go back there. It’s been months since we’ve gone, and my cake could use some baking in a steam room.”
“Count me out,” Brody said, shaking his head. “I can’t handle that level of heat. I almost passed out the last time we were there.”
Casey fanned his face. “Me too, babe, me too.” The smirk he sported let both of them know he wasn’t talking about the temperature.
Daniel shoved the bag he was using with the other reusable ones hanging in the pantry. Pinching the front of his shirt, he pulled it from his body to get some airflow as he made his way to the empty sofa. He stretched out and put his feet up on the coffee table. “I don’t know,” he said simply.
The sauna was all right, he supposed. Many fun times had been had in its steamy walls, but it held no appeal to him now. Even before he had met Jensen, he was getting sick of meaningless sex, which was why most men went to the place. Of course, it wasn’t a brothel or anything like that, but it was the worst kept secret that men hooked up there. It wasn’t a requirement, and Daniel had been plenty of times to just relaxwith Casey and his friends, but he didn’t even want to be in the charged atmosphere where he had to watch his body language.
It had all become so tasteless to him. He knew that was a bad sign, that he was viewing sex as something off-putting or a chore. But he really couldn’t help how it had transformed from a great time and a nice release to the thing between him and homelessness.
These feelings were only amplified since he had met Jensen and started working at the bar. Now that he had a break from the constant touching and forced sensuality, Daniel found he didn’t enjoy it anymore. If he was honest, he hadn’t enjoyed getting fucked for a while now. He didn’t know when the shift had happened, but being with Jensen of his own free will and for his own selfish pleasure felt so different from the farce he went through while working that it was honestly shocking.
Truth be told, he’d get more pleasure listening to Jensen talk about his day than engaging in a casual orgy at the sauna.
“Oh, come on. When did you two get boring?” Casey stuck his bottom lip out to pout. “I need a wingman if I’m going to meet my next boyfriend there.”
Daniel stared at the label on his coffee and rolled his lips before asking, “Do you honestly think that anyone would want to date you while you’re whoring yourself out to other men?”
Brody slammed the lid of his laptop shut. “That was uncalled for, Daniel.”
“I don’t know what sort of internalized bullshit you are dealing with, babe, but you keep it away from me.”
He looked at his roommates, wide eyes meeting their glares. He cringed thinking over what he’d said and slapped a hand over his face. “Fuck, Casey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”
“You better not have because that was some nasty shit. Like no fiber, post-weekend-long bender shit.” Casey pointedthe sharp end of his nail file at him, which might have been threatening if it wasn’t covered in multicolored flowers.
“I’m sorry,” Daniel said again. “I mean I kind of meant it. Not about you,” he quickly amended at the look they both gave him. “About me. There’s this guy I’ve been talking to, but I don’t know who I’m kidding. He wouldn’t want to actually be with me.”
After setting his laptop on the coffee table, Brody put his elbows on his knees and leaned forward. “We’re all worthy of love.”
Daniel rolled his eyes. “Yeah, sure. That’s great when you’re in a therapy session, but in the real world? Who do we know that has a successful relationship and is in sex work?”
“Stop raining on my delusional parade. It happens,” Casey insisted. “Cam boy Cameron has been dating a guy for almost a year now, and Big Rick has been doing porn for twenty years and has a long-term partner.”
“It might have worked for them, but I just don’t see it happening with me.”
“And why not? Does this guy know about your job?” Brody asked. When Daniel reluctantly nodded, he continued, “Did he say he has a problem with it?”
Daniel let out a breath. “He knows, but we haven’t talked about it. It hasn’t been an issue yet, though, because I’ve been working the hotel’s bar since we met.”
“Wait, what? You’re working the bar?”
“When did this happen?” Casey asked.
Daniel rubbed his palm on his cheek, realizing he hadn’t talked to his roommates much at all recently. He spent most of his time working or on calls with Jensen. “It’s a whole thing, but I’ve been working the bar for about three weeks now. I’ll be going back to my actual job soon and will have to start fucking people again. I haven’t been with anyone but him for weeks.”
“You’ve had a boyfriend for weeks and haven’t told us?” Casey looked devastated and offended at the news.
“We aren’t even dating. He was here for a conference, and now he’s back home. We hooked up once, outside of work, and we’ve been talking. That’s it. He hasn’t asked me to be his boyfriend or anything, and why would he? He’s probably just happy to get my services for free and will cut me loose when he gets bored.”
Daniel only had a second to hold his coffee out of the way of the pillow that flew at his face.
