It shouldn't be awkward. It really shouldn't. Dal's seen plenty of guys with nice bodies in less clothing than that. But none of those people were people who looked out for him, who tried to protect him, who looked at him like a person instead of something like a toy to be used and discarded. It didn't help knowing Gabriel was gay, too, which made the fantasy growing in the back of Dal's mind an iota more probable.
After that glimpse, he busied himself laying out the blanket on the couch and getting one of the many pillows from the bed to place it there for Gabriel to use. If he insisted on sleeping there, the least Dal could do was make as comfortable as possible for him. And when he finished in the bathroom, Dal ducked in to brush his teeth and shower. When he came out, he was still in his clothes instead of the robe. He checked to see that Gabriel was sleeping and... grabbed the room key so he could head to the lobby to clear his head.
Dal knew was being stupid. Gabriel would solve the case soon and go home, never to be heard from again. And he'd probably forget all about Dal so even pretending there might be a chance for something was ridiculously stupid. It's like breaking the first rule of being a hooker to begin with: don't fall for someone. Don't even think about falling for someone. Honestly, this was the first time since he'd started in this line of work that he's felt himself wanting something more.
He'd long since grown numb to it. The rough sex, the uncomfortable contortions in strangers' cars, the way he had to do all the work if he wanted to get off at all. Not that his johns gave a shit about his pleasure. His orgasm was just a sign of their prowess, after all. That's just how it was and how it would be.
He was sitting at the bar sipping a soda, of all things, when a gaggle of drunk businessmen tumbled in the door, probably fresh from last call at some strip club or other. Apparently, they wanted to keep the party going. The bartender explained that they can't serve alcohol after 4am, but they could order up to the room. One of the group spent enough time making eye contact with Dal that he got the hint. He wasn't about to go up to a hotel room with a group of drunk guys -- he's not that stupid, even when he's feeling weird.
Needless to say he found himself getting railed by one of them in a stall in the lobby men's room. Dal knew how to be quiet so the semi-public hook-up wasn't a big deal for him. And when he went back up to Gabriel's room, he was a hundred dollars richer than before. Dal tried to be quiet when he slipped back in, padding quickly to the bathroom to change out of his clothes, slip on the bathrobe, and slide into bed.
casually dismissing the reality of alcohol service laws in NY
After that glimpse, he busied himself laying out the blanket on the couch and getting one of the many pillows from the bed to place it there for Gabriel to use. If he insisted on sleeping there, the least Dal could do was make as comfortable as possible for him. And when he finished in the bathroom, Dal ducked in to brush his teeth and shower. When he came out, he was still in his clothes instead of the robe. He checked to see that Gabriel was sleeping and... grabbed the room key so he could head to the lobby to clear his head.
Dal knew was being stupid. Gabriel would solve the case soon and go home, never to be heard from again. And he'd probably forget all about Dal so even pretending there might be a chance for something was ridiculously stupid. It's like breaking the first rule of being a hooker to begin with: don't fall for someone. Don't even think about falling for someone. Honestly, this was the first time since he'd started in this line of work that he's felt himself wanting something more.
He'd long since grown numb to it. The rough sex, the uncomfortable contortions in strangers' cars, the way he had to do all the work if he wanted to get off at all. Not that his johns gave a shit about his pleasure. His orgasm was just a sign of their prowess, after all. That's just how it was and how it would be.
He was sitting at the bar sipping a soda, of all things, when a gaggle of drunk businessmen tumbled in the door, probably fresh from last call at some strip club or other. Apparently, they wanted to keep the party going. The bartender explained that they can't serve alcohol after 4am, but they could order up to the room. One of the group spent enough time making eye contact with Dal that he got the hint. He wasn't about to go up to a hotel room with a group of drunk guys -- he's not that stupid, even when he's feeling weird.
Needless to say he found himself getting railed by one of them in a stall in the lobby men's room. Dal knew how to be quiet so the semi-public hook-up wasn't a big deal for him. And when he went back up to Gabriel's room, he was a hundred dollars richer than before. Dal tried to be quiet when he slipped back in, padding quickly to the bathroom to change out of his clothes, slip on the bathrobe, and slide into bed.