QColumn: A Gay In The Life: The Strip Tease

Editor’s note: This is AGTL’s SIXTH TO LAST COLUMN! Read about the end of AGITL here.
The Strip Tease
By Steve Prince
“I’ll have a water with lemon please,” I asked the waitress at Fred 62’s.
She smiled and nodded. She whisked off like a puff of air to bustling over the Saturday brunch crowd.
It was nice to come to Silverlake. The boys and I rarely made it this “east” of Los Angeles, but we made the trek to see Omar, who had recently moved.
“Where’s Cody?” I asked Alex.
“He’s smoking,” he responded making a face.
We had all wanted Cody to give up cigarettes but we weren’t naggy about it; he would do it when he was ready. Besides he knew we all wished he wouldn’t.
“So,” Omar licked his lips, “Tell me about Domingo. I feel like everyone’s heard about him but me. What’s going on?”
Troy and Alex smiled broadly.
“It’s going,” I paused looking for the words. I finally decided on “fine.”
“Just ‘fine’?” Omar asked.
“What are we talking about?” Cody asked as he sat in the booth.
“Steve’s hooker boyfriend,” Troy said sarcastically.

Of course, that’s when the waitress returned. She smirked as she distributed our drinks. She probably hears shit like this all the time.
I waited for her to leave.
“He’s not my hooker boyfriend,” I retorted, “we’re just dating.”
Omar took a sip of water. “How many times have you seen him?”
I paused, searching my brain to remember.
It had only been two weeks since mine and Domingo’s encounter of reconnection, but we had seen one another probably about six times. We have a good time together, and after each date we fuck like bunnies, with one of us staying the night.
“What kind of stuff have you done?” Omar asked.
I smiled.
“Well, the other night Domingo did this thing where he put me on my shoulders and then he basically did push-ups while he was pounding my—”
“No no no no!” Omar stopped me. “You’re such a dirty boy.” He smiled. “What have you done on your dates? Anything romantic?”
Again I paused. Hmm. Romantic. When I think of Domingo, it felt really romantic being with him. Of course we just met, so maybe it takes time to build.
“Oh, we’ve been to dinner a couple of times at some okay places,” I said.
“Dinner is good,” Alex, said, “gives you time to talk.”
Troy cleared his throat, “What did you talk about?”
“Umm…” I paused again, “I dunno. It’s kind of hard to talk to him.”
“Why?” Cody asked.
“Well, honestly,” I said, “because he doesn’t speak English very well.”
Alex beamed. “Do you need me to tag along and translate?”
Everyone laughed.
“Don’t get me wrong,” I said. “Domingo is very smart, but like a lot of times I’ll make a joke or say something and he doesn’t get it. Instead I end up explaining to him the meaning. And then he either laughs or doesn’t get it. So I guess we do talk, it’s just slow going.”
“How old is he?” Omar asked.
“Twenty-five,” I said. “And that’s a bit different too. Not that I’m all older and wiser, but thirty-one is a big difference from twenty-five. Or rather it was for me.”
“Oh, that’s in your head,” Troy said.
“No, I don’t think it is,” I said. “Domingo is pondering moving back to Brazil because he misses his family. He just quit his job at a Starbucks because he didn’t like the people there and wasn’t having fun. I can tell he’s going through that ‘what do I do with my life’ stage now that I’m almost an adult.’ Whereas now, I feel like an adult. Anyway, now he’s just dancing.”
“And maybe escorting?” Alex questioned.
“No I don’t think so,” I said. “I mean, I haven’t asked him but I don’t think he is. Either he’s fucking me or he’s dancing. So I don’t know when he would have time.”
“Would you care?” asked Troy.
“Um,” I paused again. “I’d like to think not, but I feel like I would.”
I didn’t say it but the weird part was I felt bad Domingo couldn’t sleep with other guys. I mean, I didn’t want to have an open relationship—that wasn’t for me right now. Still, I knew he needed the money and well, escorting is good money. I often wondered if he liked it and missed doing it. I, along with a lot of people, always assume escorts hate escorting, but maybe Domingo doesn’t. What if a part of him wanted to do that and I was keeping him from it? I would feel bad if he was hurting for money because of me.
“Well,” Cody quipped, “So conversation is blah, but does he make you laugh?”
I paused again.
“Ummm,” I had to be honest, “not really. He’s kind of a serious guy. I make him laugh sometimes, but only when he gets it.”
“Steve,” Alex said, “What do you like about him?”
“Oh my god,” I gasped, “his body! I love just grabbing his chest when he’s fucking me. It’s like concrete he’s so hard. And well,” I sighed, “y’all know I’m a size queen. I love his dick.”
“Well,” Omar asked, “what do you think he’s in it for?”
“Well,” I paused again, “he says he likes spending time with me and that I do make him laugh. He also says he’s never met anyone as honest as me, and he likes that.”
I smiled, thinking of what he said. “Okay, and I know this is cheesy, but the other day—after some awesome sex—I was talking about what I want to do with my career and he said I inspire him.”
The table took a collective “Awww.” “I know! Totally sweet.”
“Yeah, but Steve,” Alex hesitated, “does he inspire you?”
“Well, I don’t know yet,” I said.
“I will say Steve,” Omar said, “every time I ask you something about him I feel like you’re having to stop and think of something to say. It’s like your searching for a reason. I believe if you’re dating someone AND you like them, the fun things should pour out of you.”
“Really?” I asked, not wanting to believe what he was saying.
“I dunno, Steve,” Cody said, “I’m not one to make a judgment but I think you might be dick-whipped on this one.”
“What do you mean ‘dick-whipped’?” I asked.
“That’s what your in it for,” Troy responded, “his dick and the sex.”
Well, that wasn’t true. When I think back about all the time Domingo and I had spent together I can think of many many times that we… uh… that… uh…
… many amazing times that we had amazing sex. Well, shit the bed. They were right! It wasn’t that the sex wasn’t the best thing about Domingo and I; it was the ONLY thing that I felt I got out of it.
Alex’s face looked concerned. “Here’s what I’m thinking,” he said. He cleared his throat, “Normally a fun sex fling is great for a bit. But I don’t know if Domingo is in it for the same reasons you are. It sounds like he likes you… a lot. I just don’t think you’re the type of person to lead someone on.”
“I’m not trying to intentionally,” I retorted, “and I don’t know if he likes me or not.”
Omar shook his head. “I call bullshit. Steve, you know if you are with someone and they like you. You can feel it. And if you don’t then there’s something wrong. Can you honestly say, without a doubt, that you have NO IDEA if he likes you or not?”
This time I paused even though the answer immediately came to mind.
He did like me. I could tell it in the way he would cum down to the way he answered the door with a bright eager face.
I sighed, which seemed to admit that I had accepted the truth.
“You okay?” Cody asked.
I nodded. We sat in silence for a second
“But the sex was so good!” I wailed.
They all nodded knowingly. I looked at them. I didn’t want to be that asshole. As much fun as I had with Domingo, I knew this wasn’t the relationship for me. Actually, I could FEEL this wasn’t the relationship for me.
“Guys…” I paused, “am I really about to break up with a gorgeous stripper with a ten inch dick?”
Troy raised his glass of water and the others followed. They held them in the air waiting for me. I raised my water and toasted.