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

But all Fess saw was the man he loved, lauding Fess and his achievements as if they were greatest thing in the world.


He was in the dressing room, hanging up his jacket for the costume department to clean for the next performance, when the stage manager poked her head in and announced he had visitors. He scurried out, uncaring of the rest of his costume, and was immediately swept into an embrace by a very familiar set of arms.


“They should’ve saved themselves the money and just left you in those breeches for the whole thing. Because, boy? Yum.”


The last came from Pixie, and everyone laughed. Fess tilted his head up to Joe’s as he nestled into his boyfriend’s side. “So was it worth putting up with all those rehearsals?”


The group broke apart to reveal a small woman standing behind them. Though she looked familiar, it took Fess several seconds to figure out why.


Chapter 25