Plan B by SJD Peterson

those muscles taking up the necessary blood the brain needs.”
    “Hey! Not all jocks are like that.”
    “Oh, really? How many of your football buddies would be seen with me?”
    “Well.” Lance’s brow creased. “I don’t know them all, but I’m sure some of them would.”
    “Do you know any, personally?” I pressed.
    “I don’t know, I haven’t asked them.”
    “Mmm hmm.”
    “What?” Lance shifted appearing to be uncomfortable with the line of questioning.
    “I’m just saying that, in my experience, most jocks aren’t secure enough with their masculinity to be seen with a gay guy. Heaven forbid someone think them gay.” I shrugged. “I just think it’s pretty stupid.”
    “Yeah, I guess that’s true.” Lance seemed to relax a little.
    The silence stretched out and as I sat there watching him I realized he hadn’t actually answered my question of why he was here. Why he had gone out of his way to walk me home, unless…. “Have you ever been with a guy, Lance?”
    “No!”
    “Ever thought about it or fantasized about being with a guy?”
    Lance’s brow furrowed ever so slightly. “No.”
    Lance had been quick with his answer when I’d asked him if he’d been with a guy, but I knew he was lying about not thinking about it by the way he’d hesitated. “Bullshit. Not even when you were younger?”
    “You always this bold?”
    A shiver ran through me as the heat from the shower had worn off. I pulled the covers back and slid beneath them, lying on my side, one hand beneath my pillow, before I answered. “Pretty much. I don’t believe in beating around the bush. So have you?”
    He didn’t seem to be in any hurry to answer my question, if at all. I was interested in what Lance was hiding, but now that I was warm and stretched out in my bed, the weariness I’d felt earlier came back in a rush. My eyes were suddenly heavy and I had to struggle to keep them open.
    “Once,” he said quietly.
    My eyes flew open wide. I hadn’t expected that. Well, I had suspected that he’d been at least attracted to a man before, but I hadn’t thought he’d admit it. “Do tell.”
    Lance’s expression was neutral, but he couldn’t hide the color that had infused his cheeks. “Some buddies of mine took me to a strip club up in Canada for my nineteenth birthday.”
    “You went to a strip club, like with naked chicks dancing all around, and you were checking out the guys? Dude, you are so gay.” Lance shot me a dirty look, and I had to bury my head under the pillow to muffle my laughter until I could get myself under control.
    “Fuck you. It was one of the dancers I got all hot and bothered about, thank you very much.”
    “Sorry.” Another snort of laughter escaped me and I covered my mouth with my hand.
    “She had the most amazing legs and ass I’d ever seen.” He rolled onto his back, hands held out from his chest as if they were cupping boobs. “And the most amazing set of knockers.”
    “I get the picture. So what does your trip to a strip club and falling for one of the dancers have to do with my question?”
    “I’m getting to it.” Lance stared up at the ceiling while he spoke, like he was remembering it. “The whole night was, like, surreal. Here I was in a club, drinking legally for the first time, thinking I’m all badass, ya know?”
    “Mmm hmm.” The heat in the room only added to my comfort and I snuggled further into my bed.
    “So we’re watching these girls pole dancing and I’m drinking like a fish. Then my friends, they get this chick whose mini jean skirt I’ve been stuffing money into all night to give me a lap dance. I was fucking intimidated as hell, I’m not really an exhibitionist, but I was not about to say no. Here I was this kid and this hot chick was rubbing all over me right there in front of everyone.”
    I pulled the covers up around me tighter. Lance’s story with him and some chick wasn’t really what I wanted to hear about. I was warm and snuggly