“Thanks for tuning into my show, everyone. And thank you to everyone who tipped. I have to take a few days off for my other job, but I’ll be back next week.”

I lifted my head from where I’d rested it on my arm and gave the camera an air kiss.

“Sweet dreams, my lovelies.”

After giving the camera one final wink, I cut the connection. The screen went black, and I sighed as I flopped over onto my back.

I barely had time to rub my hands over my face before my phone started ringing.

My blood ran cold when I saw the line of zeros instead of a phone number on my display.

I’d been getting these calls for almost two weeks now, and they were only getting more frequent and disturbing.

At first, it had been someone heavy breathing on the other end, and I’d hung up, more annoyed than scared.

Then, they’d started playing music. I’d pick up the line, and a song would be playing. I had no idea what they meant, but they were all sappy love ballads. That had been creepy, but still hadn’t really set off any alarms.

I hadn’t liked the idea that the fucker had my number, and he was able to mask his own, but it was just stupid music and pathetic heavy breathing. It was like the adult version of prank calling.

Three days ago things had changed.

I’d answered the phone, already telling my mystery caller to fuck off and lose my number when my own voice had come over the line. Whoever it was that was doing this had recorded part of my show and was playing my words back to me.

For the first day, it had been snippets of my flirty spiel where I told my viewers how much fun I was having and how much I appreciated and loved them. The second day, it was recording after recording of me orgasming.

This morning, he’d started playing snippets of when I’d talked about Zander.

I’d gotten such a good response the night I’d told everyone about my hookup I’d kept it up. My viewers gladly paid to hear me tell them all the dirty things I’d let him do to me, the things I’d fantasized about, while touching myself, so I’d indulged them.

Talking about my fantasies starring Zander had helped with the show, and not just because they liked to hear the details. Just thinking about him got me hard faster than I’d ever been able to do on camera before, and my orgasms were stronger and longer.

I wasn’t some virginal kid. I’d had sex, not tons, but enough that I knew what I was doing and what I liked. It was true I hadn’t had a relationship since high school, but my life was different now.

I had so much shit going on there never seemed like there were enough hours in the day, so I didn’t have the inclination to change my single status. Zander was the first guy I’d been with in almost eight months, and while I knew that was the end for us, I was positive I could deal with another eight months of celibacy on the memories of that night alone.

Still staring at my phone, I bit my lip. If I let it go to voicemail, then he’d just call back, but I didn’t want to hear it, not right now.

Instead of dealing with it, I put my phone on silent and climbed off my bed. I needed to take a shower and get some studying done before I went to bed. It was late, but I had three nights of dancing ahead of me. It would be best to try and get some work done now because I would be too tired to retain anything after spending four hours shaking my ass for tips.

* * * * *

“KAI, I’M WORRIED ABOUT you.”

I looked up from the book I was reading and found my mom standing in my doorway.

“I’m fine. No need to worry about me.” I forced a grin and tried to look at least a little perky and awake.

The truth was I was fucking exhausted. It was Sunday, so I had a day off from dancing and camming, but I had a shit ton of studying to catch up on.

I also hadn’t been sleeping well.

The damn phone calls kept coming, and now they were happening overnight. I’d taken to putting my phone on silent when mom was home with me and then emptying my voicemail in the morning. I’d tried to do it without listening to the messages first, but I always ended up playing them before deleting them

Between dancing, school, camming, my phone/internet stalker, and making sure everything at home was going well and mom was doing okay, I was burning the candle at both ends, and I didn’t know how much longer I’d be able to keep it up.

“You can keep saying that, sweetie, but you and I both know you’re not. You need a break.”

“I don’t have time for a break.”

“Yes, you do.”

I can’t say I was shocked by the resolved look on her face as she crossed her arms in front of her chest and glared at me. Mom could be forceful when she felt she needed to be.

“Take the evening off. Go out, have fun. Call Levi. Don’t go to the club, stay off the site. Don’t think about money or school or anything other than being young and enjoying life. I hate how fast you had to grow up, and I’m grateful for everything you’ve done, but you have to put yourself first sometimes.”

She was right. I knew she was right. I needed a break from everything. I needed to sit down and hang out with an old friend who knew me as Kai, not be around people who called me Skylar. I needed my best friend.

“I’ll see if Levi is free. Thanks, Mom.”

“Good. I’m staying in tonight, so take the car if you’re not going to be drinking.”

“I won’t be. I have school tomorrow, so I won’t be out all night.”

“Have fun, Kai.” Mom winked before heading down the hall to the living room.

I closed my book with a sigh, jumping as the glossy pages snapped together with an audible clap and tossed the offending book on my bed.

You free?

Levi’s text response came in less than a minute.

For sure. Want to hang out?

Yeah. Need a break. Miss you.

Miss you too. Drinks and wings?

Sure. Where?

The Den? New-to-me place. Hot staff and awesome wings.

Sold. An hour good?

He sent me back a thumbs-up emoji, and I smiled.

Now that there was a plan in motion I was already feeling better. I hadn’t seen Levi in weeks, and we used to make a point of meeting every Sunday to unwind and catch up. I really had to put more effort into maintaining my friendship with him and being around when he needed someone.

After jumping in the shower, I pulled on a pair of skinny jeans and a black T-shirt, which was basically my uniform when I wasn’t working. I called out my goodbyes to my mom as I grabbed the car keys and looked up the address to the bar on my phone as I headed to the back parking lot.

It wasn’t far, but I’d never been to that area before, so I made sure to set up the GPS on my phone before pulling away from the building.

I made it in two tries.

I didn’t know what it was about maps or directions, but I was shit at both. It didn’t matter if I had step by step GPS directions or someone beside me pointing out where I needed to go, I always managed to fuck up.

I found a parking spot down the block and met up with Levi out front.

“Hey, waiting long?” I asked as I gave him a big hug.

“Nah. Just got here.” He gave me an extra squeeze and looked me up and down after pulling away. “Shit, you look burnt out, babe.”

“You have no idea.” I rolled my eyes then grinned. “And you look perfect, as always.”

“Why thank you, love.” Levi gave me a coy grin and winked.

Levi was a beautiful man. He was about two inches taller than me, but even slighter. He wore his white blond hair long and a little floppy, but it always looked perfect, and he’d long ago mastered the art of the hair flip. Between his big brown eyes and pouty lips, Levi was the perfect twink, and he never lacked attention.

We’d been friends since my mom and I had moved to the area when I was eighteen, and after a few months of sexually charged innuendoes and dancing around our mutual attraction, we’d gone on a date.

That had been a disaster. The chemistry had disappeared the moment anything could have happened between us, and instead, we’d slipped into an easy friendship.

There’d been a few moments, usually when we were drunk and lonely, that we’d messed around, but it had never affected our friendship, and it hadn’t happened in over a year.

“So how did you hear about this place?” I asked as we made our way into the bar.

It was nice inside. Sort of a mix between an upscale pub and a sports bar. There were TV’s on the walls playing different stations, and the floor space was predominantly made up of seating. The one thing I didn’t see was any waiters or staff, outside of the two guys behind the bar.

“A client told me about it when I was talking about wanting a new place to hang out. I came here with some guys from work last week, and it was a good time.” He nodded to the tables on the other side of the room near the far wall. “Want to grab us a seat? You order at the bar, and then the kitchen brings out your order, and you go get it.”

“Sure.” I nodded and headed over to a table that was a little removed from any other patrons. Whenever Levi and I got together, we always ended up talking about dick, and while this might be a gay bar, I wanted some privacy.

As I watched Levi order our food and drinks, I took a moment to check out the bartenders. One of them was cute in a different sort of way. His long hair and strong body were a bit of a paradox, and I found myself intrigued with him until I saw the gold band on his finger.

The other bartender was much more my type with blond hair and built body, and he looked strangely familiar.

I shrugged it off as Levi made his way over to the table with two drinks in his hands. I was pretty sure I’d remember meeting a guy like him.

“Really? We come for wings, and you get a cocktail?” I laughed as he handed me my beer.

“I felt like something a little different. I’m assuming you drove here?”

“You assume correctly.”

“Then I’ll switch to beer when the food gets here.” He winked and took a sip of whatever orangey-pink drink was in his glass.

“You’re not working tomorrow?”

“Not until the afternoon.”

Levi was a hairstylist and worked at one of the more posh salons in the city. He was very in demand and pretty much made his own hours. It was something I envied about his choice of career.

“Then drink away, my friend. You know I’ll always be around to pour your ass into bed.”

“You’re the best.” Levi took another sip of his cocktail and grinned. “So, how have you been?”

“Fine. School, work... you know how it is.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to tell him about the phone calls, but I stopped myself at the last second. There was nothing he could do to help me, and telling him would just worry him.

“Yes, yes, all of that sucks. What about this Alex guy?”

I blushed and looked into my beer. I knew the conversation would turn this way at some point, Levi moderated my shows, so he’d heard everything I’d ever said about him.

“You’ll tell a couple hundred strangers while you jerk your dick, but you won’t tell your best friend?”

“Shhhh.” I glanced around quickly. Thankfully, no one seemed to have overheard him.

“Tell me details, or I’m going to start yelling.”

“Fine.” I chugged down about a quarter of my beer and sighed. “His name is Zander.”

“Alex... Alexander. Xander. Makes sense.” He nodded.

“Everything I said online is true. He was awesome, amazing, really.”

“You like him?”

“Yeah.”

“Did you get his number?”

“Nope.”

“Give him yours?”

“No.”

“Kai—”

“It’s done. It was an awesome night, but it’s over. I have so many things going on right now it’s not worth it. Besides, just because I’m reliving that night over and over again, that doesn’t mean he’s thought twice about me. He might have taken a dozen guys home between now and me...”

“Okay. Topic change. We’re going to talk about something fun, and you’re not allowed to put yourself down. No work talk unless it’s gossip, no money talk unless it’s about a fab new purchase, and no school talk at all.”

“Deal.” I grinned and toyed with the edges of my glass. “Now, tell me about all the men in your life and don’t spare a single detail.”

“I never do.”

I listened as Levi told me about the guys he was crushing on, the ones who were crushing on him, but before he could get into the men he was trying to get with, our order was called up.

I went to pick up the platter of wings, very aware of the fact that the blond bartender was now blatantly staring at me.

“Do you know him from somewhere?” Levi asked as he looked between me and the bartender. “He’s giving you that look.”

“What look?”

“The one that says he’s seen you naked.”

“That’s a lot of people, all things considered.”

Levi burst out laughing, almost choking on his drink.

“Need another?” I offered when he’d stopped coughing.

“Oh yeah. Usual.”

“Be right back. And don’t eat all the sweet chili wings.”

“You know I only get them because you like them.” Levi tossed over his shoulder as I headed back to the bar.

Since the blond guy was still staring at me, I went over to the long-haired one to place my order.

“What can I get you?” he asked, a pleasant smile on his handsome face.

“Kai?”

My mouth dropped as I recognized the voice behind me. I turned, not daring to hope or trust that I’d been right.

I had been.

“Zander?”

There stood the man I’d been waxing poetic about online for the past two weeks. He looked just as good in a pair of jeans and a blue button-up as he did in his sheer and supertight clubwear, and a surge of lust and appreciation shot through me.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, his eyes raking over my body.

“My friend.” I nodded over to where Levi was sitting, staring at us with comically large eyes. “He suggested we come here tonight. What are you doing here?”

“I work here. I’m the manager.”

“Oh... well, cool. We both know where the other works.”

I cringed inwardly at how awkward and strange that sounded as I tried to keep my cool.

“Yeah. How have you been?”

“Good. Busy. You?”

“Same.”

Just then a movement to my left caught my eye, and I saw the blond bartender lean against the counter as he looked between us.

That’s where I’d seen him before. He’d been at the club with Zander that night.

I didn’t know what to say. A part of me had wondered what it would be like to see Zander again, had even fantasized about another night together, but now that he was in front of me, I was at a loss of what to say or do.

“Were you going to order something?” Zander asked after a pause.

“Oh, right.” I shook my head and glanced back at the long-haired bartender. He was looking between Zander and me with a confused look on his face, but when I caught his eye, he smiled and focused on me.

“Two draughts, whatever you have on tap,” I ordered distractedly as I pulled out my wallet.

The bartender nodded and quickly filled two glasses for me. As I started to pull out some cash, he shook his head.

“What?...” Had Levi opened a tab for us? It wouldn’t be the first time. He had a lot more disposable income than I did and never hesitated to help me out when we were together.

“It’s on the house,” Zander said behind me, his voice a lot closer than it had been before.

I shivered slightly as I turned. Sure enough, he was only a few steps away now.

“Thanks.”

Zander nodded and stepped even closer so he was right in front of me. Only inches separated us, and I had to ball my hands into fists to stop myself from reaching out to touch him.

“What are you doing tonight?” he asked quietly, bending closer so only I could hear him.

“Depends on what time tonight. I have a bit of an early day tomorrow.”

The irrational part of my brain was yelling at me to say yes to anything, consequences be damned, but the responsible part was reminding me that I had a major test I needed to write at ten in the morning and couldn’t be out all night.

“We close at ten, so after we get all the closing stuff done. Around eleven, at the latest.”

“Then, I’m not doing anything tonight after I make sure my friend gets home safe,” I added quickly.

“Want to come back and meet me here around ten-thirty?”

“Sure.” I nodded.

“Great. I’ll see you, then.”

“Okay. Great.” I tried to stop the grin from spreading across my face and instead give him a small and slightly flirtatious smile, but I’m pretty sure I failed.

Zander looked me up and down again, his gray eyes darkening as he gently bit his lip, and my dick went from semi-hard to rock solid. Thank god, I was wearing skinnys, so no one would be able to notice the massive hard-on I was sporting.

I stepped back from him, needing to put a little distance between us so I could get my head to clear and watched as he turned and headed toward the back part of the bar. I couldn’t help letting my eyes rest on his ass and the perfect way his jeans clung to the full globes, and when he was out of sight, I turned back to the bartender.

“Um, thanks.” I blushed and picked up the drinks he slid closer to me, a knowing smile playing on his full lips.

“Enjoy.”

As I hurried back to Levi, my head was spinning.

Not only had I seen Zander again, but I’d also made plans to meet up with him.

“Care to let the rest of the class in on whatever the fuck that was?” Levi asked as I sat back down in my chair and handed him his beer.

“That was the guy from the club.”

“That was Zander? Holy shit. No wonder you’ve been hung up on him. Fuck, he’s hot.”

“Yeah.”

“And he works here?”

“He’s the manager, apparently.”

“Well, fuck me sideways. Wow.”

“Yeah.” I nodded. “He asked to meet up tonight after he’s done work.”

“Tell me you said yes. If you said no because of some bullshit reasons about not having the time or—”

“I said yes,” I cut him off and looked at the wings in front of me. I hadn’t eaten much today, but I wasn’t hungry anymore.

Levi gave me a conspiratorial grin and picked up his beer.

“Someone’s in for a good night, and it’s not going to be me with a belly full of beer and wings.”