Page 28 of Filthy Rock Stars

“No. It’s just… It’s an anonymous sex thing,” I blurt out abruptly. “We haven’t even exchanged names.”

Damian’s eyes bug out, which is appropriate, considering my established philosophies around sex and dating. “You haven’t exchanged names!” he practically yelps.

“Don’t say it like that,” I say with a laugh, shy about this but also excited. “You use Grindr all the time.”

“Yeah. With people who tell me their names.”

I shrug. “They could be lying.”

“How does that even work? Won’t one of you see a piece of mail in the other one’s apartment or something?”

I shove some bread in my mouth.

“What?” Damian gasps. “You haven’t been to his apartment? Why haven’t you been to each other’s places? He’s married! No, you wouldn’t do that. He’s a real estate mogul and he brings you to different houses every night! Wait, no. Is it a workplace romance? Do you share torrid moments in the bowels of the museum?”

I laugh. “No torrid moments in the bowels.”

“That’s a shame.”

“We’ve been meeting other places. For fun.”

“Like…?”

“Like a park.”

“A park!”

“And a bar?”

“Inthe bar? While it was open?”

“And the bathroom of a pool hall.”

Damian kicks me underneath the table.

I laugh. “Ow! What was that for?”

“I don’t know!” he says, excited. “I’m just so surprised! All this time I’ve told you about my sexual exploits, but you’ve never mentioned any kinks or anything of your own, so I thought you were just a bit less adventurous. Vanilla or whatever. Which is great! I love everything about you. But it’s just—no matter what I tried, spanking or bondage or lace undies, you always found some way to mention that it wasn’t your thing. Threesomes, sex clubs, never blinked. Cool as a cucumber, even when I got into cucumbers!”

I laugh. “Well, I’m not into any of those things. But I am into meeting up with Solo.”

“I thought you didn’t do names?”

“We made up fake ones.”

He squints at me as he lifts his fork, splattering a little dinner onto his napkin. “Did you name your anonymous sex guy after a Star Wars character?”

“To answer your question,” I say, redirecting, “it is going very well. And I am just as surprised by myself as you are.”

Damian looks off into space, thinking, and the light reflects off his glasses. “You meet up randomly, two total strangers, just to fuck? Yeah, I can definitely see how that’s hot.”

“Right?”

He points his fork at me. “Shit. And just think about it! He has no idea that he’s hooking up with a rock star.”

“I am not a rock star,” I object, laughing. “And I’m not going to be a rock star. I’ve just got this weird, amazing opportunity to hang out with musicians I really respect, who for some reason have gotten confused and think my album is interesting.”

“Rock star,” Damian repeats. “And don’t you forget it. Whatever he gets up to in the rest of his life, I guarantee, your guy is not nearly as interesting as you are, Nico.”

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