“No need,” Eli shouted back across the street. “I got this.” He found his way to the front door of the arcade and stepped inside. The bright lights nearly blinded him as he looked around. The arcade was crowded with young kids and young adults for such a late hour. The noise from the electronic games hurt his ears as he searched around for the men’s room sign. He spotted it near the right side of the room and headed in its direction.
Eli stepped inside the men’s room. The odor of piss met him at the door. He turned up his nose and approached one of the vacant urinals.
Another young man around his age or just a bit older used the urinal next to him. Eli unbuttoned his slacks, took out his dick, and relieved his bladder.
“You’re kind of pretty,” the guy next to him said.
Eli ignored him and continued to piss. The foul odor of his own urine assaulted his nose. He looked over at the other guy. His arms were covered with tattoos. Eli turned his nose up at the sight. The other guy pissing next to him had spiky, blond hair and blue eyes.
And his choice of clothing, a pair of jeans, flip-flops, and a sleeveless muscle shirt left a lot to be desired.
“Oh, you’re one of those arrogant, preppy boys,” the guy next to him said.
Eli shook his dick dry and put it back inside of his pants. “No, I’m one of those don’t-want-to-be-bothered, preppy boys,” Eli replied as he staggered over to the sink.
“You’re a smart-ass,” the other guy said, following him.
Eli belched rudely. “No shit.” He turned on the tap, got some liquid soap out of the dispenser, and began to wash his hands.
“What have you been celebrating?” the other guy asked.
“My high school graduation,” Eli replied. “My friends and I have been having a blast.” He turned off the water and headed over toward the paper towels. He tripped over his own foot and felt himself falling. For some reason he didn’t hit the floor but landed in the arms of the nosey fellow next to him.
“Hey, be careful. You could have cracked your head on this dirty floor.”
Eli opened his eyes and looked up into his rescuer’s face. The man looked down at him with concern in his light-blue eyes. The guy had an earring in one ear and one small diamond stud embedded at the side of one nostril. With the long, spiky, blond hair he looked very much like a rock star. “Get your filthy hands off me,” Eli said, struggling to right his stance.
“Why you ungrateful, little idiot,” the other guy said, lowering his head and planting a kiss against Eli’s lips.
Eli opened his eyes wide as the other man pushed his tongue into his mouth. He struggled, trying to break free of both the man’s arms and his kiss. But the more he struggled, the more the other man clung to him.
The man used his other hand to touch Eli’s chest and move it down his body until it landed at the crotch of his pants. He squeezed and Eli jumped. And then the man dropped him unceremoniously on his butt on the floor.
Eli looked up angrily, huffing and puffing and trying to wipe the kiss from his lips. “Why the hell did you kiss me?”
“Just look at it as thanks for saving your life.” Eli rose on unsteady legs. “How dare you?” The blond fellow looked down at him. “What’s wrong high school boy? Haven’t you ever been kissed?”
Eli wiped his lips with the back of his hand. He hadn’t, but that was none of this man’s business. “Not by a man. Are you crazy?” His heart thumped in his chest as he studied the other guy’s face.
The blond smirked. “No, but some people may beg to differ.” Eli glared at him and clenched his fists. He’d never been so insulted or confused in his life.
“What do you think you’re going to do? I’m taller than you, weigh more than you, and you’ve probably never been in a fight in your life.” The other man walked around him. “Look at you. Expensive clothes, salon haircut, and your nails are clean. You probably have some nanny at home still taking care of you.” Eli continued to glare at him, knowing he spoke the truth. “Still, I’m not gay,” he said. He fought to keep the tears from streaming down his face.
“I didn’t say that you were,” the other guy said. “But your body is reacting to mine.” He pointed down to Eli’s crotch.
Eli refused to look down. He didn’t need to. A hard erection pushed against his thigh. Even he knew this shouldn’t be happening.
“Don’t flatter yourself,” he said, pushing his way past the other guy.
“It has nothing to do with you. I’m just tired.” The other young man laughed. “Sure. See you later, mama’s boy.” Eli stalked out the restroom, angry and confused. He walked quickly past the kids and out the door. He found his friends waiting patiently for him.
“What took you so long?” Trey asked.
“Nothing,” Eli said. “Let’s go.”
* * * *
Dimitri Miller exited the arcade and watched the group of kids as they walked down Bourbon Street. His body still tingled from the kiss. He ran his finger over his bottom lip. The young man’s lips were the sweetest things he’d encountered in a long time. He sighed.
Maybe he should not have been so rough or so forward, after all the young man was sleepy and in no shape to defend himself. He watched as they walked down the sidewalk peeping into strip clubs they were obviously too young to enter. Ah, youth, he mused as he walked away from the arcade and headed down the street toward his tattoo parlor.
He’d only stopped in the arcade for a moment to play a few games.
He planned to go back to work and give Greer a hand with the evening rush of customers. He would
