On a scale of one to ten, DJ Joe Salinas considers himself a four, five on a good day. Actor/part-time stripper Fess Kedley is definitely a nine, however, and Joe's pretty sure that slides into a ten as soon as the clothes come off. So when the outgoing Fess recognizes a shy Joe from his midnight radio show at a bachelorette party and proceeds to ask him out, Joe turns Fess down, convinced the man's either crazy or stupid.<br><br>The only problem is, Fess takes rejection as reason to keep on trying.<br><br>The two become unexpected friends, so when the thought of trying a date comes up again, Joe decides to take a chance. Though he doesn't understand what someone like Fess can see in someone like him, it's hard to say no when everything else feels so right.

What the Heart Thinks

“Who, Fess? Nah. Just someone who recognized me at that bachelorette party I was telling you about.”


“What was he doing at a bachelorette party?”


“You didn’t ask me that when you heard I was going.”


“He was the stripper,” Joe said. “You should’ve seen his costume. He goes by the name Davy Cockett.”


“Let me get this straight. You just turned down a date with a stripper who thinks you’re the best thing to come along since bacon-flavored lube? Are you sick or something?”


“No, but I’m not dating somebody I don’t know. You heard him. He’s a fan. That’s just asking for trouble.”


“How exactly do you think people get to know each other, my friend? And Craigslist doesn’t count.”


Joe grimaced and made a gagging noise. “Give me credit for a little taste.”


Chapter 4