The Adonis of Weho (3 page)

Reese nodded.

“What do you do?”

“Write porn.”

“Shut up.” Harper laughed.

Reese shrugged indifferently.

“Gay porn?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow.” Harper interlaced his hands, as if keeping them in check. “That’s fucking hot, dude.”

“Harper…” Reese shook his head at the obvious intent of this young man. “Ain’t gonna happen.”

“What’s the big deal? Like I’m suddenly going to be transformed into a man in six months? What crap.”

“I don’t need jail time, or to register as a sex offender.” Reese picked up his shorts and hopped off the chair, putting them on. Harper watched silently.

“See ya.” Reese slung his towel over his shoulder and headed out of the pool area. Unaccompanied and wishing Harper was indeed eighteen. Or twenty-five, would be even better. Age. A game of numbers he hated playing.

As he walked into the shade of the building to the elevator, he thought about the times age had become a barrier for him. It was like Goldilocks testing porridge. Too young, too old, and where on earth were the ones who were just right? Age appropriate and idiots.

Reese tried not to be a total pessimist but Brian didn’t help his mental state much.

They met at a club on Sunset Boulevard, had a great first date, then began what felt to Reese as a ‘real’ relationship. Though they were both busy, he and Brian managed to get together at least one day of the weekend, and a couple nights a week. Reese didn’t mind they mostly stayed in, hanging at his place, fucking like porn stars. Whatever pleased Brian was good by him.

Then…

Reese’s buddy, Elvis Woodcraft, found Brian was actually surfing all the gay hook-up sites. Reese still wasn’t convinced they weren’t just old profiles left since before he and Brian met…until…

One night he and Elvis were hanging out. Elvis said, “I’ll prove it to you, dude.” They sat side by side on Elvis’ sofa in his condo in Santa Monica with his laptop.

Site by site, Elvis showed Reese all the profiles Brian had still up and running. Many showed last log in dates and times. When they came across one where Brian was actually logged on, Elvis said, “Okay, here we go.” He sent him an IM with a picture of his cock.

When Brian instantly returned the message, saying, ‘
Wow!

Lets fck!
’

Reese was stunned. “You have to be kidding me!” He grabbed his phone and dialed Brian.

“Hello?”

“You fuck head!”

“Reese?”

“Yeah, it’s me! What are you doing logged into Hot Daddezz? You said your aunt was sick you and you were visiting her at the hospital.” Reese read the details of Brian’s profile.

“I am! What makes you think I’m not?”

“‘Wow, let’s fuck?’ I’m sitting with my friend Elvis who just IM’d you!”

“Elvis?”

Reese read Elvis’ screen name. “BIG-E-Z…you know what, Brian? Fuck you.”

“Wait! I can explain!”

Reese disconnected him, and deleted his number from his phone.

“Sorry, dude.” Elvis shut down the computer.

“I’m glad you told me.” Reese tossed his phone onto the coffee table.

“Lookin’ for love in all the wrong places.”

“You know how many men I have dated? Fucked? Kissed?”

Reese ran his hands over his hair.

“Too many. Sorry, Reese.”

“I keep thinking it’s this guy, or this guy.” Reese waved his hand around. “But they’re all douche bags.”

“Yup.”

Reese came through the door of his unit and kicked off his flip-flops. He headed straight to the shower, angry at Harper being too young, pissed off at Brian cheating when he said he wouldn’t, and furious with himself for having expectations about finding someone. He’d kissed over a hundred toads. There was no magic man out there to give him what he needed. Reese stood outside the shower stall, waiting for the water to heat up. In truth, he was very picky. And that was a huge amount of his problem.

He was smart, financially secure, handsome, fit, clean of diseases, had a sense of humor…

“Why can’t I find me?” He shook his head and stepped into the hot water.

~

Adonis decided, since he had wings…he’d fly.

His leather shoulder bag over his arm, containing what he considered his essentials, he left the gods behind and went in search of…a wife?

He recoiled at the thought. There were no gay gods on Mount Olympus were there? Well, not openly gay anyway.

What am I saying? My own father kidnapped and ravished
Ganymede! Yet he will judge me? Achilles and Patroclus…what
about them? No. I can’t have a male lover, can I? Woo! I have to
make babies. Eww.

Adonis flapped his new wings, having no idea where to start to look. Or did he?

Yeah. He did.

In the dark of night he landed on top of the hills surrounding Los Angeles. How he had loved watching this area of the world. Loved it!

Yes, he eyed the delightful Mediterranean men of Greece, Israel, Cyprus…dark skinned beauties with light fiery eyes. Envied the gorgeous African men of Kenya and Sudan for their fabulous bodies. Licked his lips in delight at the blond, blue-eyed men of Norway and Sweden, but always came back to LA. The voyeur of the antics of wild gay men in West Hollywood.

Where else would he alight?

Standing in front of the iconic HOLLYWOOD sign, Adonis scanned the area and smiled. Somewhere down there was his man. A mortal, yes. He wanted a mortal. Simply put, they smelled good.

Visions of virility raced through his mind giving him an erection he could not control.

The variety of the human male species delighted him. Every shape, size, color, and scent…

“Mmm.” Adonis closed his eyes and reached for his cock, feeling it pulsate in his hand.

“Dude!”

He blinked.

“Get out of the picture. Go jack off somewhere else.” A young man waved him away, holding a camera to his eye.

“Sorry!” Adonis looked at his wings in panic and trotted off into the dark.

~

After heating up a frozen pizza for dinner, Reese slouched on his big overstuffed sectional sofa aiming the remote control at the flat screen television. He was lonely. He even thought of looking for Harper to share that joint. They didn’t have to fuck. He forgot to ask him what unit he was in, and they didn’t exchange phone numbers. The complex was so huge, he couldn’t exactly go door to door.

No. The temptation to fuck that kid would be too great once he got high. No way.

“Aurgh!” Reese rubbed his face and groaned. Nothing was on the TV but commercials. Two minutes of program to ten minutes of advertisements. When did it get this bad? Didn’t anyone notice? Complain? Was it up to him to blog about every stupid irritating thing in life?

“I’m the only one who gives a shit.” He lay flat on the sofa and closed his eyes, pointing the remote at the set and muting it. He thought about his novel, where was it going next?

Two men. Two opposite men. Find each other. Fall in love. The sex is mind-blowing.

He wanted to live his own fantasy.

He did. A hundred times. But in his own romance story-he came, saw, and conquered. In other words, he arrived at the club, spotted his next man, and fucked him.

Came, saw, conquered, left.

Saw, conquered, came, left.

Reese wanted to laugh if it wasn’t so damn sad.

How come you’re still single?
all the men asked him.
Because it’s easier to lose me than to keep me
, he would answer.

Exhaustion crept up on him. His routine was not too taxing, yet he was chronically tired. He woke at eight, ran or went to the gym here at the complex, wrote for six to eight hours, then if he could muster more energy, he rode his bicycle until he was ready to collapse. Then! If he was still upright, he hit the clubs. The clubs.

How tired was he of the clubs?

The same men. The same pickup lines. The same tired cocksucking, ass-fucking, hook ups. No one wanted anything real here. Was all of LA like this?

Where have all the good men gone?

“One. I only need one. In a city of nearly ten million people, can I really not find one man who is intriguing and wants a relationship?”

~

With his wings spread wide, Adonis hopped down the hillside to the city.

Though he had been the eager voyeur of the antics here, when it came time for him to find a man, he had no idea where to go, or how to do it.

His wings kept getting in the way, and the idea that no one could see them, unless he wanted them to, had yet to be truly tested. It was dark on the hillside. So did that man with the camera see them
? No. Yes? I don’t know
.

Adonis hadn’t asked him if he did. This was LA. Everyone was dressed as something they were not. Old tried to look young, the very young tried to look older—the men dressed like ladies, the ladies like men.

What’s the big deal if a guy has wings
?

He stumbled and nearly fell on his face in the darkness. His wings opened without him even thinking and prevented him falling nose first into the rocks.

They flapped, giving him the balance he needed and when he was on his feet, they folded back up. He looked over his shoulder at them, saying, “Thanks,” as if he expected them to answer,

‘
You’re welcome
.’

He gazed up at the stars and tried to determine the time. He had to learn mortal hours. On Mount Olympus there was only day and night. No one was concerned about anything more. He glanced down at his bare chest, kilt, and sandals, thinking he’d better find modern clothing.
Bad enough I have wings
!

As he drew nearer to where he wanted to be, the middle of the Gay Man Mecca, he noticed many men without shirts, in sandals, wearing short-shorts. Adonis caught the men giving his body a once-over, and then their flirtatious smiles. His cock began to swell and he gave it a nudge to behave. It seemed all his appendages were conspiring against his aim to be discreet.

Two young men were loitering in front of a club. Music so loud it actually pulsated in Adonis’ ears was blasting from the open windows.

Adonis paused to look inside, seeing nearly naked boys dancing like slaves for their king, showing off their sleek forms and large erections.

He was riveted and stepped closer to drool.

The men who had been hanging out surrounded him. Adonis looked up shyly at each and smiled.

“What’s your name, man? I don’t think I’ve seen you around here. And I’ve seen
everyone
!”

Adonis inspected this blond with the spiky hair, his long lashes and painted eyes. “My name?” He spun around nervously, not interested in revealing who he was. At least not yet. He spied a group of stores across the street, reading a sign that read

‘Goldsmith’ and said, “Smith. Smith Gold.” He faced the young men boldly, testing them. “I am Smith Gold.”

“Dude! Love it. Sounds like a porn name.” The young man reached out his hand. “I’m Heath Kalish and that guy is Doug Newmann, with two n’s.”

Adonis took his hand and squeezed it. “Can I ask you something, Heath?” Adonis looked shyly at Doug who had dark short hair and brown eyes.

“Sure, man.”

Adonis released his grip. “Do I look okay back here?” He spun around, wondering if his wings would terrify them. A hand cupped over his bottom and squeezed. “You look better going…no, coming.”

“Oh!” Adonis jumped at his first sexual mortal male contact on his bottom. It sent a zing of pleasure through his groin. He looked back, seeing his wings clearly. “Are you sure? Nothing unusual?”

“Is he kidding?” Doug laughed, standing behind Adonis with his friend. When both men began caressing Adonis’ rump, Adonis was aflutter with cravings. “
Ohhh
,” he said more sensually, enjoying the kneading to his derriere. “That feels so nice.”

His kilt was hiked up and Adonis blinked in surprise.

“What an ass!” Doug grabbed for flesh.

It made Adonis jump and he spun around and caught his breath. His erection was tenting the front fabric of his kilt so he kept pushing it down. “Am I breaking any mores?”

“I’m about to.” Heath went for a grab under the front of Adonis’ clothing.

Though Adonis liked it, he backed away. “No. I’m sure I saw somewhere in your rules you can’t do things like this on streets.”

“What rules? Do you mean our laws?” Doug asked. “Where are you from, Smith? I don’t detect an accent.”

“Good.” He nodded. “I mean. Here. I’m from here.” He stepped back an inspected their shorts. “I want those. Where can I find them?”

“G-Men’s Store. Just down there.” Heath pointed.

“G-Men.” Adonis looked in the direction.

“You should hurry, dude. They close at eleven on a Saturday.”

Seeing Heath look at the timepiece on his wrist, Adonis knew he needed one of those, too. Mortals were very interested in knowing when the sun set and rose, and every interval in between.

“Thanks.” He waved and started walking down the street.

“You want help?”

“Huh?” Adonis adjusted his shoulder strap on his leather bag.

“You’d help me?”

Both Heath and Doug hooked him at the elbow and began escorting him. “You’re new in town. You can’t fool us.”

He looked skyward and said, “Did you give me money, Dad?”

Doug cracked up with laughter and shook his head.

“Good luck asking your parents,” Heath said. “They never give me a handout.”

Doug, still laughing asked, “Where is your dad? Is he dead?