“But you slept with his brother,” Treston said. He kept his voice low. He didn’t want to sound critical, but if he’d had a brother and he found out his boyfriend had been sleeping with him he would have reacted the same way the blond man did. It sounded like something Harlan Rocks would have done to him.
“What’s your point?” Chad said.
“Look, we don’t know each other, Chad, but you do have a reputation around town,” he said. “I’m not one to judge anyone. I believe in live and let live. And I’m not sticking up for the guy, but I think most people would have reacted the same way.” He’d heard stories that Chad Pratt had slept with—and dumped—more than half the gay men in town.
“It’s not like I killed a kitten,” Chad said. “I only fucked his brother a few times.”
“I’m no saint—” Treston said.
“Tell me something I don’t already know,” Chad said, before Treston could finish.
Treston ignored his rude comment and continued. “But I’ve been in love with men who’ve done some pretty horrible things in my time, and all I can say is one day you reach a point where you say enough is enough. That’s all I’m saying now. I’m not judging. Maybe your friend reached that point when you slept with his brother. Trust me, it happens.” He almost told the story of how Harlan had left him naked at Lake Mead. He stopped just in time. It was too humiliating to repeat to a total stranger.
Chad started to sulk. He kicked the front seat and said, “All I want is someone to spend the rest of my life with. Is that too much to ask?”
Though he tried to control himself, Treston laughed aloud. “Well, if that’s what you want, you’d better stop sleeping with your boyfriend’s brother, mister, because that’s not going to get you very far.”
“And you’re such an expert?” Chad said. “You’re stripping for men in low-end joint and probably making pennies for a living. I don’t see how this qualifies you as the expert on how to fall in love and spend the rest of your life with the same man.”
Treston sat back and smoothed out his tight black pants. He took a quick breath and smiled. He didn’t know what came over him when he said, “I might not be an expert on living happily-ever-after,” he said. “But, just so you know, there’s nothing you can say or do to me that hasn’t already been done twice before by other men just like you. The only difference between you and them is you’re more talented and you’re smarter, and, you’re better looking and have more money. I’ll give you that. But deep down, you’re just like the rest of them: a snake in the grass, a shark at the bottom of the ocean. And I’m not saying this in a mean way. I’m really not, because we don’t know each other. I’m just being honest because you started this conversation, not me. You can’t help yourselves, men like you. You see nice guys like me and you zoom in on them and do whatever you want. You insult us, you treat us like dirt, you grind us down and rub our faces in your emotional dysfunction and we take it all the time. We’re partly to blame. You know you can get away with it and you continue to do it time and again because nice guys like me let you do it. It’s like we can’t wait to be kicked around, stepped on, and left naked at Lake Mead. But we eventually get tired. That’s all I’m saying.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Chad said. “I’m not like those other men you mentioned. I treat my all my boyfriends very well. I give them anything they want.”
“Ha! And you sleep with their brothers.” Treston surprised himself. He never spoke this way with anyone. He hadn’t felt this good in months.
“I could stop this car and put you out right now,” Chad said.
Treston laughed again. “Go ahead. Be my guest. I’m happy to tell you I honestly don’t care. And I’ll tell you something else I wasn’t going to tell you. My last boyfriend cleared out my bank account, took me to Lake Mead for a romantic hike, and left me stranded and naked in the woods. If you put me out, I’ll figure out a way to get back to the club and I’ll be okay. That’s an interesting feeling, Chad, when you know that no matter what happens, you’re going to be okay. Like I said, there’s nothing on Earth you can do to me that hasn’t been done before. So pull over and let me out if that’s what you want.”
“If you’re so hateful toward men like me, why did you agree to come?”
Treston thought about this for a moment. He didn’t want to insult Chad; he only wanted to be honest. “Well, you asked me to come. I didn’t know anything about you. And I’m not hateful toward you, or toward any other men. I actually feel sorry for you all. As for me getting into your car tonight, I’m a fan. I don’t dislike you and I’m not judging you. I really do love your work and what you’ve accomplished. But I also know I can live with or without your type, Chad.” He leaned toward him and rested his palm on the back of Chad’s hand. “I’m only trying to be honest. I know the only reason you asked me to come with you is because your ego was bruised and you think you might get into my pants tonight. I know you can’t help yourself.”
Chad flung him a glance. “Is there anything so wrong with that? You’re an attractive man, and I have needs. I know I’m older and I have to compete with much younger men all the time. And they seem to be getting younger by the day lately.”
Treston almost felt sorry for him. He detected a familiar hint of fear in his voice. But not quite. “Oh, you’re good. But if you think I’m going to fall for a sob story, you have another thing coming. Pardon the cliché, but I’ve been down that road before, too. You know damn well you’re extremely attractive and you know you can still get any man in town into your bed. You don’t look a day over thirty-five. And those streaks of silver only make you better looking. So save that one for the next poor sonofabitch that comes along, because I’m not buying into it.”
“You like the silver?” Chad asked. “Dare always told me I should dye it.”
So the blond guy’s name was actually Dare. After Treston cringed, he shrugged and said, “The silver only makes you even more attractive. And don’t you ever think of coloring it.”
Chad sent him a glance. “I guess it doesn’t matter one way or the other, because I know I’m going to get into your pants regardless of this conversation. You love dick, and you love men like me.”