Just as Jake promised the photo shoot was set for later that week.

"Next"

The brunette with the clipboard touched Justin on the shoulder, "That's you."

Justin looked at the woman, giving her a tentative smile.  "Uh thanks. My mind was somewhere else."

"You'll be fine.  Your smile will win everybody over," she assured him.

The photographer eyed the new model. "Stand on the X and look at the camera.  Did you bring some music?"

Justin pulled out a CD of "Give me the Beat" and placed it in the player next to the small stage.

Smiling, he pushed the button and thought of Brian, being in Babylon and the King of Babylon contest, well more specifically after the contest.  There is no pole for him to embrace but he eyed a chair and walked over to it to add to his "stage".

The thumpa thumpa starts and Justin is lost in the beat.  He runs his hands down his torso, ghosting his cock through his pants.  Remembering that this is for heteros, he thinks of Daphne and his semi erect cock goes down.  Licking his lips he slowly unbuttons his shirt as he moves his hands back up toward his nipples.  As the shirt is unbuttoned, he finds his nipple ring, tugging it gently as he takes his other hand and moves it down toward his pants.  His hips gyrate in slow circles and he eyes start to glaze over.  When his fingers hit the top button of his jeans, he starts to unbutton them.

"Stop," he hears a voice call out from the audience.  "I think we've seen enough.  Your tape will be added to the cue."

Justin looked at the woman in confusion.  "But I didn't finish."

Nodding her head, she explained, "Honey.... You didn't need to finish.  If I let you finish your little dance there, I think you might have been attacked by the film crew.  I'm sure you will be called frequently."

Smiling, he started buttoning his shirt.  "Thank you." He held out his hand to shake hers and she returned the hand shake. 

"I might just have to come to your first birthday party... just to see the end of the show."

Justin blushed and gathered his music and coat and left the studio.  Once he was in the lobby, he pulled out his phone and called Jake.

"Yo.  This is Jake."

"I just left the shoot.  I think they liked me.  The lady said something about being attacked by the film crew."  He laughed as he recounted the conversation.

"You're a natural."

"I hope I can dance for a bunch of straight people.  Music just triggers visions of Brian and Babylon.  I do not think the company would be too pleased with me if I couldn't show enthusiasm."

"Don't worry.  Lots of gigs ask for gay dancers.  We're in New York and anything goes."

"Really?"

"Yep.  I've done quite a few birthday parties for guys.  It's fun.  Sometimes I even get lucky and get to be the birthday present."

"Not sure I would like that." Justin frowned at the idea of going home with random strangers.

"You never said anything about being monogamous.  You pick up guys, right?"

"No.  We're not exclusive.  But I don't go home with anyone but Brian or a trick we pick up together.  I'll do someone in the back room, but that is all.  Too many things could go wrong if you went home with an unknown trick."  Justin smiles at his own words.  Brian was an unknown when he took him home.  He often wondered what would have happened if he'd been taken home by someone else, but never let those thoughts congeal.  He'd been with Brian and that had worked out well for both of them.

"Okay.  Catch you later.  Tom's?"

"Not tonight.  I need to work at the diner.  But maybe Thursday or Friday."

Two Weeks later

Justin walked into Tom's, the local equivalent of Woodys.  He'd been busy these last few weeks since his "interview photo shoot".  This was one of his first nights off as he'd been working as the stripper birthday man and a few shifts at the diner.  He spotted Jake at the pool table and walked up to his friend.

"Anyone got winner?" he said casually.

Turning around, Jake smiled and hugged his friend.  "Coming out to join the peons I see."

Laughing Justin shook his head as he flagged down a waiter.  After giving his order for a beer, he said, "Nah.  Just been incredibly busy.  Either I'm working at the diner or I've been delivering "birthday dances."  I can't thank you enough for the referral.  For the first time since moving here, I have money in my pocket and I'm not worried where I'm going to get the money for rent."  Justin smiled as he picked up the cue to ground chalk into the tip.

"Glad to be of service. "  Jake picked up the rack and arranged the balls in the correct order.  Moving them to the dot on the table, he lifted off the rack and positioned himself at the corner so he could break the set up.  "So when's your next show?"

Justin frowned slightly.  "Well.... I may have money in my pocket but I have little time to paint.  I've got to come up with a solution to that one."

"Can you give up your diner job?"

"Not sure.  I would hate for the birthday thing to fall apart and I have nothing to fall back on.  But if I have no time to paint, then there is no reason to be in New York."

"True."

"I'll have to talk to John at the diner, see if I can cut back my hours to 10 a week.  I was working 30, but the birthday gig is more than making up for the loss of the 20 hours."

"Let's worry about your financial future later and play some pool.  Since you aren't working tonight, let's say we hit the clubs too.  I bet you haven't had any in a while either."  He grinned as he stood up after sinking the # 4 and #10 ball. 

Justin lined up his shot, but missed the ball. "Sounds like a plan."

The two friends played three games of pool; Justin won the last one but Jake won the first two. 

"Let's dance.  I hear the thumpa, thumpa calling me." Justin said as he laid his cue on the rack on the wall. 

They went to the club where they danced until 2:00.  Justin was tired when he left, but he called Brian when he got home.

"Late night tonight, huh Sunshine?"

"Been busy.  Went with Jake to Pulse.  Felt good.  Hadn't done that for a while."

"All work and no play makes Justin a boring man and we wouldn't want that."  Brian caressed himself as he listened to Justin's voice.

"What are you wearing?" Justin asked as he lay on the bed after stripping down. 

"I'm on the bed, wearing nothing at all.  And you?"

"The same.  Run your hands down your chest.  I wanna feel the tight muscles in your abs.  Imagine I'm licking your chest, exploring each muscle as it ripples under my finger tips."  Brian's breath hitched as he ghosted his fingers over his abdomen.

‘‘Now move them slowly down, feel your cockhead as it throbs on your belly."

"Yes," Brian said.

"Grab the lube that's sitting by the bedside table.  Squirt some in your hands and then grab your beautiful long cock as you stroke it to full hardness.  Pretend it's me, touching you, stroking you, holding you...  hearing you moan in ecstasy is making me go faster.  Now take your other hand and play with your balls."

"Ahhh," Brian said as he moaned in ecstasy.  

"I'm coming, Brian.  Come for me. Come for me now."

Both men shot at the same time and all that could be heard over the phone lines was heavy breathing. 

"Thanks, I needed that."

"Anytime Sunshine."

They both were silent as their heart rate returned to normal, each man recognizing the futility of expressing their longing for the other.

"When you coming up next?"

"I've got a meeting in two weeks.  It'll be late though.  The owner loves baseball and always wants to go to a Yankee's game.  Why is it that everyone's favorite pastime is baseball?  It really should be fucking, now those are balls I can get into." Brian grinned at his statement and Justin just laughed.

"Two weeks it is.  I should be home by the time the game gets out, if not soon after."

"Later."

"Later."

Two weeks later

Justin went into the office of Strippergrams to pick up his assignments for the next week.  He had four gigs and was glad to have given up most of the hours at the diner.  He had a birthday party for a guy this evening.  That should be fun.  I always think of Brian when I'm doing those gigs and with Brian coming in tonight, I can release my energy from the gig with Brian rather than jerking off all by myself.  The gig was in Manhattan at a restaurant he hadn't recognized since it was probably new.  This will work out great.  After the gig, I can get to the Mondrian pretty quickly. 

Justin was excited since he hadn't seen Brian in a month and after the gig tonight he had lucked out and was free for two whole days.  Lucky for him, Brian was coming early in the week- Tuesday through Thursday instead of the usual weekend.  He really didn't want to explain to Brian that he would have to work most of the day Saturday and Sunday.  He hadn't told Brian about his new job, wanting to wait until he was more financially secure.  At least this time he wasn't being asked to blow the owner for the opportunity to work.

Looking at his watch, he noticed the time, realizing that he had most of the morning and all afternoon before he had to be at the gig.  He quickly walked to his small studio where he changed into his "painting shirt", uncovered his latest piece and mixed his palette.  Turning up the music he lost himself in his art. Life was good.  Knowing he had a tendency to get lost in his art and forget the time, he always set an alarm to notify him if he needed to stop.  Unfortunately the alarm went off too early for his liking but he knew it wouldn't do to miss the gig.  After cleaning his brushes and setting the canvas to dry, he locked up the studio and walked home to prepare for the gig.  It was a birthday party for a guy but it didn't matter as his costume was always the same; white shirt with snaps, black bow tie, and black pants that came apart at the sides with a good yank.  Today he was feeling feisty and wore his blue jock strap, the men would get a show they should enjoy and he should get some good tips.

Brian placed his suitcase on the bed and yanked off his tie.  It had been a long day; starting off wrong when Lindsay called him early in the morning to tell him that Gus' tuition had gone up $100 month and could he see to give them the extra money for just a few months until they finished paying off the car repair bills.  When he got to the office, Cynthia had informed him that Starbucks had been broken into overnight and the place was not open until the police could gather the evidence.  His morning coffee fix being filled by the "coffee" that they offered Kinnetik staff.  It was good coffee, but it wasn't his normal double latte with cappuccino. His day just continued to be underwhelming when his first presentation was delayed due to an accident on I-79 that snarled traffic for hours.  When it was finally time to leave for the airport, another accident almost caused him to miss his flight.  The beginnings of headache pulled as his eyes, but the thought of seeing Justin this evening helped lift his spirits. 

When he got to the hotel, he had a message from his host saying they were going to dinner tonight instead of the ball game.  That suited Brian fine.  He hated baseball but since he was being entertained and not the other way around, he couldn't exactly refuse.  He set the alarm for an hour later and lay down on the bed, hoping to get rid of the headache.  When the alarm went off, he cursed as he wasn't totally rested but went to the bathroom for a quick shower and to redress for the evening. 

His host picked him up in the hotel lobby and grabbed a cab.  "I hope you aren't too disappointed about the game, but I was reminded that I had agreed to attend a birthday celebration tonight and we can attend the game tomorrow."

"A good dinner is always appreciated," Brian said as he inwardly cringed at the thought of attending a hetero birthday party.  He'd been to a few of those in his time, and there was frequently some female stripper who jiggled her breasts and showed her ass, neither one of which did anything for Brian.  While he didn't hide his sexual preference, many of his accounts did not know.  As he was fond of saying, "Unless I'm fucking you, it's none of your business." The cab dropped them off at Barolo, a small Italian restaurant .  When they were greeted by the Maitre D, they were lead to a private room in the back of the restaurant.  Shit!! Oh well, just a few hours till I see Justin and can nail him into the mattress.

The room had seating for about 20 guests and Brian was seated with the owner of The Drawing Center an executive from Citysites, the realtor and his client, Peter, owner of Influence Graphics.  Peter introduced Brian to the small intimate group and Brian was pleased at the makeup of the group.  Dinner was a traditional Italian lasagna with garlic bread, but Brian ate little due to his no carbs after 7:00pm self imposed rule.  About 9:00 pm a man from the table at the far edge of the room stood up. 

"Welcome everyone.  As you all know it is Sean's birthday today and we are celebrating.  As a special present we thought we would provide some entertainment for his pleasure."  Looking at the waiters, he motioned for them to dim the lights except in the front of the room and all eyes moved to the area.  "Happy birthday Sean!!!!" 

Music came on in the room and Brian recognized the familiar thumpa thumpa of "Give me the Beat".  Expecting to see a blonde bimbo follow the music, Brian was surprised when he saw a blond male come out and that male was Justin, his Justin.  Fuck!  What the Fuck!  So this is his new job!

TBC