Page 40 of Street of Dreams
“I told you,” Mac said. “No one will know you at this place. It’s not in South Side. Don’t you trust me?”
Of course, Jake trusted Mac, but attending a show outside the neighborhood just reinforced the fact that he traveled outside city limits in order to see Mac perform. The whole thing had Jake’s stomach in knots. The worst part was that he’d give anything to be at the show. He wanted to take the chance, but he didn’t want to commit because underneath all the posturing, he was a fucking coward, and he didn’t want to let Mac down when he chickened out at the last minute. He felt like a piece of shit because he couldn’t even support the one person who made him happy. The only person who accepted him without judgement. “I don’t know.”
Mac circled the car and stopped in front of the workbench, then returned to where Jake was overtightening the nut that was about to snap off. He stuffed a piece of paper in Jake’s back pocket. “Here’s the address. I go on at eleven. Get there whenever. But I want you there.”
Jake looked up at Mac with an amused smile. “Bossy.”
“Just come.”
“I’ll think about it. But I’m not making any promises.”
With his helmet on his hip, Jake took in the group of men standing together in front of the club. They stood too close to one another and made overfriendly gestures. He read the words written in bold lettering above the darkly tinted front window. Rock Bottom.This gotta be the wrong fucking place.Shaking his head, he checked the address on the slip of paper and glanced back up at the numbers displayed over the solid black door. Fucking Mac. The guy wasn’t lying. No one Jake knew would be at this fucking place, not even him. He put his leg over his bike and his helmet back on his head.
“Leaving so soon?”
Jake was about to tell the twink standing next to his bike to fuck off, but then he realized that he was the intruder here and stuck out like a thug among a cluster of pretty boys. He lit a cigarette and kept his gaze on the twink, who was challenging him with a coy smile. Fuck it. He was going inside.
After a few quick drags of his cigarette, he flicked it to the ground and squashed it with his boot. He hung his helmet from the handlebar of his bike, paid the twenty-dollar cover charge, and entered the club. It was packed. Surprisingly, there were a few girls in the place, but, otherwise, it was a sausage fest.
Jake felt uncomfortable, and then felt uncomfortable for feeling uncomfortable. He should be at ease because no one in this place would ever judge him for being himself. Quite the opposite. They’d probably look down on him for hiding behind the façade of a tough guy. He was around people who embraced and shared his sexuality, which was another first for him. He was still trying to wrap his head around it because it was mind blowing.
He made his way to the bar, where two guys parted so he could order a beer. One of them stood too close to him, and it made him recoil. First, because his personal space was being invaded, and second, because he wasn’t used to men eyeing him with provocation. “What the fuck are you looking at?” he snapped.
“You’re in Boystown, honey. What do you think I’m looking at?”
Touché.“I’m here with someone,” Jake replied, calmly. He held up his beer, as sort of an apology for acting like a jerk, and extradited himself from the bar. As he searched for Mac, he noticed a poster on the wall with Mac’s photo, introducing him as the headliner tonight. It read,Rock Bottom Presents Chicago’s Newest Rock Sensation Reid Mackenzie Saturday Night at 11:00 PM.
A laugh burst from Jake’s mouth. “Reid Mackenzie?”
“That’d be me.”
Jake spun around and was greeted by Mac’s smiling face.
“Who the fuck is Reid Mackenzie?”
“Me. We went to school together. You know my first name.”
“People have been calling you Mac since the first grade. No one calls you Reid.”
“My parents do. Besides, I can’t exactly go by Mac Mackenzie.”
“You could just be Mackenzie. Like Cher. Or Celine.” Jake took in Mac’s appearance in the dimly lit club. Bright green eyes sparkled at him and the edges of Mac’s hair glowed red from the background lighting. He was wearing the dark green plaid kilt. It was Jake’s favorite. It had been weeks since Jake had last seen Mac wear it, and his hormones were doing a happy dance. “You know that’s my favorite kilt. You look really hot tonight.”
Mac grabbed the open edges of Jake’s leather jacket and leaned in for a kiss, but Jake immediately stopped him with a hand on Mac’s chest. “What the fuck are you doing?”
“I’m going to kiss you.”
Jake couldn’t help the nervous laugh that escaped him. “No you’re not. Not here in front of all these people.”
Mac shook his head slightly. “Look around.”
Jake glanced around the place. It was a room full of men, all having close conversations. Some were making out and groping each other. Others were engaged in man-on-man flirtations. He reminded himself that no one here was judging him. No one would even notice.
“I’m going to kiss you,” Mac repeated.
Jake didn’t move. Although he was never more nervous in his life, he wanted to be kissed by the man he loved. He wanted the privilege of not being forced to withhold an act of affection because he was constantly told it was wrong. His heart beat frantically, like a frightened bird. And that’s exactly how he felt. Frail. Delicate. Vulnerable. Too fearful to move. Wanting something so badly yet unsure and apprehensive about the consequences. His palms were sweaty, and his body was overheated. Maybe it was nerves. Or maybe it was just the close proximity of their bodies, because this man made him insane with desire and excitement that he couldn’t contain.
Mac leaned in, then paused. His eyes flashed up and met Jake’s, beautiful and cat-like, then they dropped back to Jake’s lips. Jake took in a deep breath as Mac’s lips met his in a small, soft, tentative, yet possessive kiss. Jake could hear the blood whooshing in his ears. He felt everyone’s eyes on him but knew that probably no one was watching. A strange feeling came over him. He suddenly wanted people to watch. He wanted everyone in the place to see the kiss and witness the love they had for one another.
