Hard Wood

By A.R. Steele

GABRIEL
People tell me I have a nice body. They don't know I get it by pushing a broom and mopping floors. Taking off my clothes for money would be insane. I'm only auditioning at this strip club because I'm desperate. When I actually get the job, I'm totally outside my comfort zone - especially with the ridiculously gorgeous, inexplicably flirtatious coworker who's been assigned to show me around.

ACE
Who cares about money? I strip for the hell of it. The cute customers are all eager to get their hands on my hard wood. So are my fellow oiled-up, buff male dancers. But even an all-you-can-f*** buffet gets boring after a while. It's time to move on - until I see the new guy. Gabriel is fresh-faced and innocent, and I'm dying to corrupt him. Once might not even be enough. I might need a lifetime with him...

(Hard Wood is a full-length, standalone gay romance in the Tool Shed series.)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sweet Lix Media
• Release date: Sep 8, 2020

A.R. Steele

I love to write romantic stories in any genre, as long as it features a happily ever after. Having previously written gay shifter stories as Abraham Steele, I've now turned my pen toward contemporary gay romance. I hope you'll be seduced by the boys of Hot Rods!

Book preview

The Tool Shed Series:

Hard Wood

Full Frontal

VIP Room

Live Fantasies

Exposed

Final Act

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One

Even for a bouncer, the man blocking Gabriel’s path looked decidedly unfriendly. Gabriel restrained himself from wiping his palms on his pants as he inched forward. He’d chosen this outfit so carefully. The whole look would be thrown off by sweat stains.

The bouncer crossed his arms over his massive chest as he glared down at Gabriel. His ripped, sleeveless shirt showed off even more impressive biceps. Gabriel was right in front of him now, and the bouncer had still made no move to draw back the red velvet rope.

No boys allowed, the bouncer grunted. Go home.

Gabriel fingered his collar, smiling weakly. Did he look like he was there to gawk at hot men? Not that he didn’t enjoy that on his own time, but was it that obvious to other people? He actually wasn’t here for that reason.

I’m not here as a guest, he said. I have an interview scheduled.

An interview for what?

To be a stripper.

The bouncer, whose neck tattoo read Austin, looked Gabriel up and down. Gabriel shivered slightly under his appraisal. He had the feeling that Austin didn’t believe him. He’d sent his pictures to the owner, who had responded enthusiastically a few days later. Did he honestly look that out of place?

He suspected the bouncer was about a second away from telling him to go home again. He hadn’t even gotten inside yet, and he was about to get rejected. What was he thinking?

Stripping had sounded like so much fun when the lady in the food court had suggested it to him. He’d been doubtful at first, but she’d talked him into at least trying. All of his friends had thought it was hilarious and encouraged him. When he’d gotten the interview, it had sounded like an adventure.

Gabriel hadn’t pictured himself actually standing here getting sized up by a man with six pieces of metal pierced through his face. His eyes lit on the second glittering hoop in the bouncer’s nose. Make that seven. His heart beating faster, he considered turning around and leaving without even being asked.

But with a raise of his double-pierced eyebrow, Austin pulled up the rope again. Follow me. I’ll have one of the guys show you around.

Gabriel didn’t dare to disobey. He took the elbow that Austin mockingly extended to him and stepped over the threshold. There was no going back now, even if he wanted to. Even if he was dying to.

The door opened into the back of the room. The bar was right across from the entrance. On the shelves, bottles were backlit in a way that made their colorful contents glitter. Gabriel’s eyes didn’t linger on the alcohol. The hottest guy he had ever seen was striding right toward them.

His breath caught in his throat. "Who is that?"

Austin snorted. Gay, huh?

Damn, the guy had figured that out quick. Although heat crept up Gabriel’s neck and up his cheeks, he nodded.

Well, that’s Ace. Good luck with that.

What do you mean?

Before Austin could respond, Ace was at their side. Gabriel could hardly keep his eyes off his shirtless body. The stripper was buff, but lazily, as if he only went to the gym when he felt like it. The neon lights reflected off his glistening muscles. A baseball cap topped his shaggy brown hair.

Who’s this? Ace asked.

New stripper. I need someone to show him around a bit and take him to Trenton.

Don’t you worry. Ace grinned. "I’ll take very good care of him."

Gabriel must have made a little sound of distress, because both Ace and Austin glanced over at him. Realizing he was still holding Austin’s elbow, he dropped it immediately. Hopefully his embarrassment wouldn’t show on his face.

Come with me, Your Highness, Ace said, offering him his arm. He’d clearly picked up on the bouncer’s mocking tone. Heat rushed through Gabriel as he took his elbow. He actually felt less safe when he saw the bouncer’s retreating back. What had he gotten himself into?

As they walked in, he took in the full environment. The room was larger than it looked from the outside, perhaps three times the size of his trailer. But the similarities ended there. Blinking neon lights bathed this room, glimmering off every reflective surface, and pounding music vibrated the hardwood floors.

Some history first, Ace said with sarcastic deference. He made a sweeping gesture that indicated the entire room. The Tool Shed has been open for almost a year now. It’s the only all-male strip club in the greater Bridgehaven area. And of course, it’s the only one that caters exclusively to female patrons. Men aren’t even allowed in the door.

I noticed.

Ace glanced at him, which made Gabriel’s heart beat harder. Better for business. Chicks shell out more for male strippers than gay dudes do. Especially in this area.

It made sense. Gabriel just wished Ace was gay. Not that he’d ever have a chance with him, of course. The more he looked at that guy, the better-looking he got. His attractiveness was a little ridiculous.

Gabriel shouldn’t have been surprised. The employees here were hired to be good-looking. Still, as he glanced around the room, he didn’t see any other strippers who approached Ace’s level of attractiveness. For his own job prospects, he hoped the rest of them weren’t too hot.

Holding Ace’s arm felt silly, and Gabriel tried to let go of it. Ah, ah, ah! Ace exclaimed, grabbing his hand and placing it back on his elbow. Don’t let go of me. What if you get lost?

Gabriel hoped his cheeks weren’t as red as they felt. The idea of getting lost in a place this size was ridiculous. And if Ace kept making him touch him, he was going to get hard.

The tour continued. This is the main room. The stage is up there, the tables are over here... Ace waved his hands around.

Ten or twelve small tables dotted the area they were walking through. About a third were occupied by small groups of women. Although the place was nowhere near capacity, Gabriel could see the appreciation on the faces of the customers who were there. Considering the glorious specimen of manhood he was next to, it was hard to keep a similar appreciation from washing over his face.

Stop thinking about him like that. Gabriel wasn’t here to ogle the strippers. As hard as it was going to be, he had to act oblivious. These guys were all sure to be straight, anyway.

So you like stripping? he asked, making an attempt at small talk.

It’s all right. Bit dull when it comes down to it.

Gabriel wondered what that meant. He assumed some of the guests would be taking a stripper home tonight. It would be the perfect gig for a guy who was into that. Surely Ace would partake of the job’s side benefits.

He hoped no one would expect that of him. There was no way he would ever do anything with a woman. He’d never been attracted to one in his life.

You were never nervous about stripping? he asked. 

Ace’s grin came back, even more brilliant than before. Course not. It’s all about being sexy... and that comes to me naturally.

His cockiness was enough to make Gabriel look away, blushing. Now that they were closer to the front, he had a good view of the guy onstage. That stripper was only all right looking. Gabriel tried not to be vain, but he was fairly sure he was as attractive as that guy. His dance didn’t look like anything special, either.

There’s the DJ booth, up there, Ace said. The VIP lounge is that way – it’s not open yet. This area here might get turned into a dance floor eventually.

They walked out of the main room and into a quieter side hallway. Ace stopped and swiveled in front of a door.

Here, we come to the end of the grand tour, Ace said. This is Trenton’s office. Over there is the change room, and down that way is the back room. You should come visit us there later... Princess.

Had Ace just winked? Gabriel put the thought out of his mind. Right now, all Gabriel needed to do was get through the interview with Trenton.

Thanks for showing me around, he said, trying to smile. As intimidating as the stripper was, he had been nice to Gabriel.

I’m going to do a song. See you around.

Ace’s departure gave Gabriel a chance to take a breath and compose himself. God fucking damn, that guy was something. Gabriel was about to bite his fingernails when the door opened. He jumped back.

The man let out a puff of smoke as he stared at Gabriel. He stubbed out his cigarette on the doorframe and tossed it over his shoulder. Gabriel tried not to gape. The office was messy, but surely no one would throw cigarettes around like that. He was only slightly relieved when he saw it land cleanly in the trash can.

Gabriel Mueller?

Yes. You must be Trenton.

Gabriel reached out to shake his hand. Like most men, Trenton was taller than him. He stood perhaps two inches taller than Gabriel’s five foot nine. Grey strands speckled here and there through his dark hair gave away that he was older than Gabriel. At twenty-two, Gabriel expected his wavy blond locks wouldn’t go grey for a good long time.

The owner didn’t say anything at first. He held onto Gabriel’s hand for longer than Gabriel thought was necessary. His eyes appraised him even more closely than Austin’s had. Gabriel was going to have to get used to this. The female patrons weren’t going to inspect him any less.

Still, it felt strange and somehow sleazy to be evaluated like a piece of meat. Trenton was practically undressing Gabriel with his eyes. But he should have expected that. This might have been the only line of work where that was actually appropriate.

So, you want to be a stripper.

Trenton hadn’t even asked Gabriel to sit down, he noticed. He had the feeling Trenton might just laugh if he pulled out the resume he’d brought along with him. At least he’d had the sense to dress down. The nice shirt and tie he’d worn to get his current job would have been completely out of place here. Even in his well-ironed chinos and button-down shirt, he felt overdressed.

Yes, he answered. I never thought about it before, but it made sense. I’m a janitor right now – I work at the mall down the street. It’s been so hot lately, I unbuttoned my shirt halfway at closing time the other day. This one lady saw me and started chatting with me, and she told me about this place. I’d never heard of it before. She told me I’d fit right in here.

I see. Trenton seemed vaguely amused, and Gabriel went quiet instantly. He’d babbled too much. What was he doing? He clearly wouldn’t fit in here, even if he did have a nice body and an okay-looking face.

There had to be a way to salvage this interview with some dignity, if not with the job. What else did you want to ask me? I’m an open book.

Trenton drew another cigarette out of his pocket. Got a light?

I don’t smoke.

Was that a test? What kind of interview was this? He should have brought a lighter instead of a resume. He should have guessed it would be like this.

Trenton didn’t rebuke him for not smoking, though. He simply went back to his desk and found his own lighter inside. He lit the cigarette lazily, his eyes flicking up and down Gabriel’s body again as he did. Gabriel fought to keep from biting his lip. Does he have to keep doing that? Something about this man made him powerfully nervous. This whole situation had caught him off guard.

To answer your question, Trenton said, no. I don’t have any more questions for you.

Gabriel nodded. Sure, it was a little disappointing to know that he wasn’t good enough to be a stripper. Trenton had clearly measured him up and found him to be lacking in some way. Maybe he wasn’t hot enough – the guys who flocked to him every time he went to a gay bar would disagree. Maybe he wasn’t tall enough, or he just didn’t have the right type of look.

His sexuality wasn’t usually that obvious, but Trenton had to be good at reading people. Maybe he knew Gabriel wouldn’t be able to fake attraction to the ladies in the crowd. Whatever it was, knowing he wasn’t cut out to be a stripper was almost a relief. He could leave now.

But Trenton’s next words stopped him in his tracks. An interview isn’t too useful without seeing how you dance. Once you get onstage and show me what you can do, we’ll talk.

Two

After showing the new guy around, Ace went onstage for a quick song. Cheers and catcalls came from the audience as he finished his dance. Stripped down to his leopard-print thong, he felt lustful gazes on his ass as he spun around. The rest of his clothes were behind the stage, and he grabbed them on his way down. He needed to do an outfit change and get back out as fast as he could.

Since it was early and hardly any customers were here, most of the guys would still be in the change room. The ones who were really on their hustle were more likely to be out trying to work the crowd. But there wasn’t much point to it at this point in the evening.

Good show, Cooper said as he strutted through the door.

Thanks, man. He slapped Cooper on the back. You going up next?

Not before you tell us about that fresh meat out there. Saw you showing him around.

Lev jumped down from the bench where he’d been pulling on his knee pads. Owen, Elijah, and Jesse turned from their spots side by side at the mirror. Even Lucas, hidden away in his usual corner, turned enough to look at Cooper and Ace.

Fresh meat?

His name’s Gabriel, Ace said. He’s interviewing to be one of us.

Turning back to the mirror, Jesse ran his fingers through his cropped curls. He still had on his usual leather jacket, which he always took off before performing. What’s he look like?

Ace opened his mouth, but it was hard to come up with words fast enough. Gabriel was... something else.

Before he could find a way to describe him, Cooper spoke. He looks good. Pretty clean-cut compared to you riffraff, but I think you guys will like him. Cooper’s go-to outfit was black pants, a bow tie, and nothing else. He gave off a more mature vibe than some of the others... and he would never let them forget it.

No tattoos or piercings? Elijah asked.

This one, Ace could answer. Not that I could see, but who knows?

That’s no fun.

Jesse elbowed Elijah. He could still have one where Ace couldn’t see. A nipple ring, a Prince Albert...

A tattoo of the Easter Bunny on his butt, Lev interrupted. Doesn’t matter. I’m with Elijah. They need to show when he has clothes on, or I’m just not into it.

Spinning the lock to his locker, Ace shrugged. He didn’t particularly care what Lev