“How did he not know? You were in the hotel, right?” Casey asked.
“I don’t buy it,” Brody said and put his cheek on the top of Daniel’s head. “Are you sure he wasn’t just trying to get out of paying?”
The memory of Jensen’s face turning white before flaming red flashed through his head. “No, he honestly didn’t know. After I told him, I went back down to the bar, but all the civvies had already been picked up. I waited around until we closed, hoping someone would show up, but no dice.”
“Why didn’t the first guy book your time once he knew?” Brody’s voice rumbled through Daniel’s head, jostling his headache more.
He sat back against the cushioned armrest and sighed. “I probably could have talked him into it, but he was so embarrassed. It felt wrong.”
Jensen had seemed close to a panic attack once the meaning of Daniel’s words sank in. At the time, convincing Jensen to pay for Daniel’s services hadn’t felt right. More than that, it hadn’t even crossed his mind. Daniel had sat with him, rubbing his back and softly offering platitudes until his breathing evenedout. He’d probably spent over an hour with the man since he approached him in the bar, meaning he’d lost out on at least one hundred and fifty dollars. Somehow Daniel wasn’t worked up over the loss in income though. As he’d gently closed the hotel room door, leaving a pained-looking Jensen behind, he was only concerned with the anxious man’s well-being.
“I gave a guy a blow job earlier in my shift, so I did make some money yesterday,” Daniel said. That ordeal had lasted less than fifteen minutes, but he got half an hour’s worth of cash for it and left the room without a sore jaw. All in all, it was a good start to his day, one that had made him hopeful for more easy clients. Perhaps a bit too hopeful for a Wednesday.
“Do you work today?” Casey asked, once again settled into their roommate’s side.
“I’ve never worked Thursdays.”
“Sweetie, I don’t even remember my own schedule, let alone any of yours.”
“You getting dicked down so good it’s messing with your brain?”
Casey stretched out before slumping. “You know it. One of the cameras had a fucked-up video card yesterday, and we had to reshoot half the footage. I almost feel bad for my scene partner. I bet his dick is as sore as my ass is today.”
Brody ruffled his blond hair. “Only you could enjoy being railed for hours with cameras down your throat and a person yelling directions.”
“Enjoy it enthusiastically. And it’s not much different from your live shows with your viewers begging you to fulfill their fantasies in the chat. At least I don’t have to read with a dick in my hand.”
“Can I request one of you fulfill my fantasy of coffee?” Daniel asked.
“Go make it yourself,” Casey said. He reached his socked foot over Brody’s lap to push Daniel’s leg.
“Didn’t your last tarot reading say you should keep your eyes open for opportunities to help others?”
“Yeah, and I help others shoot fat ropes multiple times a week. How much more could the universe want from me?”
Daniel opened his mouth to respond, but his phone vibrated in his pocket. Pulling it from his pants, he read his boss’s name on the screen and answered immediately. “Hey, Luc.”
“Hey, hon, I know you’re not scheduled today, but I have a man asking after you.”
“Okay?”
Lucinda was a warm woman that could make the worst bastards cower. She took care of all her workers and made sure boundaries were set and respected, even if it cost her brothel money. And she hardly ever called while he was off the clock.
“I offered any of the people that are working today, but he insisted it had to be you. He knows you aren’t in, and I told him it wasn’t going to happen. But I know you were looking for extra hours and thought it’d be best to give you the option.”
Daniel digested that information as much as he could on an empty stomach and with the pain behind his eyes. He had a few regular clients, ones that had standing appointments about once a month that Daniel could rely on. But they all knew his workdays and had booked his time already. And he doubted he’d made that large of an impression on any of the random men he serviced during their short stays at the hotel. At least not enough that they would want him over all his coworkers. “Who is it?”
“His name is Jensen. Sort of tall bloke with glasses. Brown hair and nice hands. Said you spent some time with him yesterday.”
Scratching his jaw, he frowned. That was unexpected. After the obvious embarrassment yesterday, Daniel half expectedJensen to check out and move to a different hotel. Maybe even apply for citizenship in a different country. He certainly hadn’t expected him to request him. “And he wants to see me?”
“Do you want me to talk to him? If he did something to make you uncomfortable, I could kick him out.”
“No, no,” he rushed to say. Daniel was the one that had made Jensen uncomfortable, not the other way around. Not that it was his fault the man had checked himself into the one hotel in Sevier City that wasn’t exactly a hotel.
“All right, well if you wanted some extra cash, he seemed very eager to see you.”
Daniel breathed out a sigh. “Yeah, I’ll think about it. Thanks, Luc.”
