“Fine by me,” Mason answered, forcing confidence into his voice. “When?”
“Half an hour? With Ryder here.” Ivan nodded his head towards me and I flashed Mason an assured grin.
“Um, great,” he replied, hesitancy clear in his deep voice. “Can I take a shower first?”
“Sure. Ry will show you where to go.”
Standing from my seat I turned slightly to give Ivan a small nod of approval. Then I showed Mason to the shower rooms before taking myself back to one of the changing rooms to roll a joint and pop a Viagra. I wasn’t sure how I felt about this scene. I always looked forward to them, it was sex so of course I did, but this time a deep-rooted sense of curiosity overpowered everything else and I couldn’t for the life of me understand why.
Chapter Two
~Mason~
SO, HERE I was. Ricky Rear. I’d just signed exclusively with Back Door Studios. The first scene wasn’t as bad as I’d imagined. Once you’ve been going at it a while you almost forget there’s a camera right up in your face and start to enjoy it. Did I feel like a cop out? Like I’d not tried hard enough to follow the ‘right’ path in life?
Yes.
Did I regret it? Did I think I’d regret it in the future?
No. Because I had no other choice.
I left New York with fifty bucks in my pocket and enough clothes to last me three days. Not having a clue where to head, I bought a ticket to the first available city and ended up here. I’m not sure there’s a gay man in the whole world who hadn’t heard of Back Door Studios, and when I saw they were looking for new boys on Twitter, I made the phone call immediately before I had a chance to change my mind.
I’d been a go-go boy so I was used to parading my body and having people stare at me. The only doubt I had lurking in the back of my mind was the sex. I’d had sex before of course, but still I couldn’t help wondering if I’d close down, or somehow people watching would be able to ‘tell’. I knew if I admitted that I’d never bottomed before during my interview I wouldn’t stand a chance in hell of getting any further. But the hard fact was, I needed money. I had no qualifications or address to provide to any potential employer, and although that didn’t necessarily mean I wouldn’t find a regular job, it would most definitely take a longer time. Time I didn’t have.
“Hey, Mason!” Ryder called after me as I was slinging my backpack, currently the only thing I owned, over my shoulder. We’d cleaned up after our scene together, I’d talked with Ivan and signed his contract, and now I was heading God knew where. “Some of the guys and I are going out tomorrow night. You should come. Introduce yourself.”
“Ah sorry, man, I don’t think I can. I still don’t know my way around yet. Maybe next time though.”
“No problem. I’ll call for you on the way. Show you around. Where you living?”
“I, um… sorry, Ryder. Another time.”
I turned to leave but he grabbed my elbow, stopping me. “Well how about you just give me your address and I’ll pick you up sometime and give you a tour of LA?”
“Look I don’t know where I’m staying yet. I’m going to find somewhere now,” I admitted, hanging my head in embarrassment.
“Does Ivan know?” he asked, seeming a little stunned by my confession.
“No. I, um, kind of faked an address on the form.”
“Jeez, Mase.”
Mase?
“He’ll check that shit out you know.”
“Well I figured by the time he does I’ll have found somewhere and I can just tell him I had to move.” I shrugged, fighting the urge to huff and storm off.
“You should’ve told him. He looks out for his boys. He’d have fixed you up. But hey, why don’t you come and stay at my place until you find somewhere.”
“Thanks for the offer, but I can’t do that.” Pity. Great. Just what I needed. “I don’t even know you.”
“We just fucked, Mase. Close enough don’t you think?”
Well he had me there. Was now really the time to start thinking about morals and rationality when I’d just fucked a man on camera for money?
“It’ll only be for a couple of days,” I said before sighing in resignation. “If you’re sure?”
“You’re one of us now, tiger. We take care of each other.”
“Did you seriously just call me tiger?”
“Grrrrrr,” he growled, winking as he pawed the air.
I shook my head, smiling for the first time since I’d arrived here yesterday. It was too early to say I’d found a friend, but for now this guy appeared to have my back, and right now I had to take it where I could get it.