Mr. Anonymous - 3. Dinner and a Movie

Chapter 3

The layout was due before the actual deadline, which was just days away. Percy had the staff from the art design, as well as the advertising team, sitting in on the project. Usually they emailed their ideas, but this month’s edition of ThisIsMyCity.com still wasn’t ready yet.

They were under a tremendous amount of pressure and Percy needed this month’s edition to be perfect. If Beckwith wasn’t wowed then Percy could kiss his three-city expansion goodbye.

Percy had dreamed of making this expansion a reality. He borrowed the money from his grandfather to start up the website four years ago and it had become an instant success.

Every restaurant Percy mentioned suddenly had a two week waitlist for a reservation. The clubs he featured were now the hottest spots in town, not to mention the art and culture events. One positive review on his website could make or break an up-and-coming entrepreneur.

The debut of ThisIsMyCity.com was an instant hit, even if it was targeted towards single men in their mid 20’s to 30’s. It was Rocket’s idea to add weekly giveaways to keep people coming back until the next month’s issue went up. She helped to give the site a feminine touch by scoping out the trendiest salons and boutiques, but once the jewelry corner started featuring the coolest rocks around, every woman in town was a fan.

“Beckwith wants to see our potential.” Percy gave his crew a pep-talk. If he was going to take the website to the next level, this month had to be better than perfect.

The staff brainstormed ideas to get the ball rolling. He really liked the sound of the stuff they were coming up with. They had fresh new ideas that were sure to impress.

Rocket joined Percy by the juice bar. “You look awful,” she said as she poured herself a glass of orange juice and then frowned at his usual cup of coffee.

He gave her his sexiest grin before taking another gulp from his cup. “Awww, thanks for noticing, babe. It’s the new look I’m going for.”

She reached up and scratched his day-old black stubble. “Well, I wouldn’t if I were you. How are you going to find your future ex-wife if you don’t make yourself more appealing?”

Percy concealed his chuckle and instead faked a look of hurt. “What? You don’t think I’m appealing?”

Rocket laughed. “I don’t think there’s a woman on this entire planet who doesn’t want to jump your bones. I just think you look tired, Percy. When’s the last time you had a vacation?”

With Rocket mentioning his last vacation, memories of his trip to the Caribbean came flooding back with a wave of tropical heat that flooded straight to his groin. A couple of times each year, Percy tried to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. His vacations were more than just a chance to kick back and relax.

Nobody at work knew his little adventures were opportunities for him to pick up men in exotic places, have mind-blowing sex, and forget all about his worries back at home. Away from the city, he could be himself. He didn’t have to hide.

If nobody knew who he was, he didn’t have to be scared someone would find out his secrets. Percy had always been content fucking strangers six ways to Sunday, then walking away. If he wanted sex back here in the city, there were plenty of women more than willing to let him fuck them.

A naughty grin curled around his handsome face as he thought about his various conquests. Every one of those good little socialites was more than happy to bend over and let him stick his dick up their tight little ass too, all because he smiled at them and said “Pretty please.”

Over the years, Percy had gotten the reputation of being an untamed kinky player, but that didn’t matter as long as everyone thought he was a straight player.

                                                                                                         * * * *

Not feeling very hungry, Percy went home right after work. He hoped there would be a message from Max, but he wasn’t going to hold his breath. The guy seemed really upset when he logged off last night.

Playing the words over in his head made Max’s request seem so innocent now. He had only wanted to send Percy a few photos, it’s not like he was sending him a MapQuest link to his dick. It shouldn’t have been a big deal, but to Percy it was.

He wasn’t out. If word got out he was gay, it could ruin him. In this business, he knew a few gay men and Percy saw the struggles they endured to be out and proud and he just wasn’t ready to take on that fight.

What if his family rejected him? What if his company suffered for his sexual excursions? Percy just wasn’t willing to take that chance. He couldn’t, not now, maybe not ever.

The apartment was quiet. Everything was exactly where he had left it. Pop open a soda, turn on the television, and sit in front of the computer. The mundane tasks of a bachelor’s life.

He was debating turning the screen back off, but he couldn’t. Percy closed his eyes for a second while his teeth nervously nibbled at his bottom lip. This was it. With trembling fingers, he logged on to Spuzzyboys.com. If there were no messages, he promised himself he would log off and never go back.

New Message: Binx, I’m sorry about last night. Will you let me make it up to you with dinner and a movie? Scarface is on television tonight at eight o’clock. Order pizza and meet me here at eight. FYI—I like pepperoni and mushrooms.

Unable to believe his eyes, Percy had to read the message a dozen times before it finally sank in. He had a date.

Max wasn’t upset anymore and still wanted to talk to him. Dinner and a movie! Glancing down at his watch, it was already a few minutes past seven, so that only gave him an hour to shower, shave and order pizza.

Grinning like an idiot, Percy felt like he was going on his very first high school date. Savvy fashion sense wasn’t necessary when the guy wasn’t actually going to see him, but to Percy it still felt real. He pulled on a pair of khaki slacks and a polo shirt. Since he wasn’t going out, he’d skip the socks and shoes, preferring to be barefoot when he was home anyways.

Just before the movie started, the doorbell rang. Percy paid and tipped the delivery boy before settling down on the couch with his pizza and laptop to wait for Max.

Lucky for him, he didn’t have to wait long.

                                                                                                      * * * *

“What do you mean, Star Wars was a better trilogy than the Matrix?” Percy shouted at the screen while his finger flew over the keyboard, typing every word that fell from his lips.

Max: You’ve got to be kidding me? Let’s not forget how smoking hot Neo is, but he was totally on the down low with Morpheus. Can you see Luke and Han Solo making out?

Binx: I would pay money to see them go at it…late 70’s era…not today! Not paying big bucks to see old gray pubes—that’s just gross!

Max: So, you’re telling me you wouldn’t pay to see someone as gorgeous as, let’s say Sean Connery, naked, because he’s old?

Percy contemplated it for a second. The actor was handsome.

Binx: That’s not fair, not many men look that goddamn good in their 80’s. Mr. Bond, yes I would pay money to see him naked right now…but not many other guys his age.

Laughing as they chatted online, Percy looked up and just noticed the movie was over. He remembered watching maybe the first ten minutes, until Max made some comment that had him blowing soda out his nose and shortly after, his attention was focused on the computer screen instead of the television.

Binx: Next time, I get to pick the movie.

Like most guys, he’d seen Scarface so many times he could recite every one of Tony Montana’s lines. It wasn’t the movie he had been excited about tonight, it was Max!

Max: Don’t tell me you have something against Pacino, too.

Binx: Nah, Mr. Pacino is fine, I was thinking maybe we could watch something a little more intimate.

(pause)

Binx: Max?

Max: Yeah?

Binx: I had a great time tonight.

Max: Me too!

Binx: And if this was a date, I would be totally walking you to your front door right now.

Max: I guess you would.

Percy took a deep breath and blurted his thoughts out loud.

Binx: I want to kiss you!

(pause)

Max: Really?

Max: Really?

Double posting only resulted when you rapidly hit enter twice. Click-click with nervous fingers. Percy has done it before when his hands were trembling like he imagined Max’s were shaking right now. He held his breath. Max’s response was positive, but he still proceeded cautiously.

Max: **Blush** I want to kiss you too!

“Yes!” Percy whooped as he jumped up from the couch and danced around the living room. “Control,” he warned himself. “Play it cool. You don’t want to scare him away again like you did last night.”

Max was out, openly living his life as a gay man. He didn’t need to spend his time chatting online with a hopeless closet fag.

A sudden pang of fear shot through Percy. What if he was just some guy to pass the time? There wasn’t anything stopping Max from meeting someone or even dating someone else…someone in the real world.

Dating? The thought never crossed Percy’s mind before. Were he and Max dating? How was this going to work?

Max: How is this going to work?

“Oh my God!” Percy stammered. He felt like Max had just read his mind. What should he say? It was his idea to talk to someone. If he’d been really looking for someone to harmlessly chit-chat with, then he should have joined one of those stuffy business chatrooms instead of a gay men’s website.

Binx: I don’t know. Have you ever had an online relationship?

Strangely, the thought of Max having a relationship of any kind made Percy extremely jealous. His breathing deepened as he waited for Max to answer.

Max: No, you would be my first.

Percy suddenly grinned like a schoolboy.

Binx: I guess we can make it up as we go.