Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 8

the menu in the window. "A Cock-a-dog? Goddamn, they can't be serious!"
    Staff laughed out loud. "I'd rather starve."
    "Me, too. Asian fusion it is."
    They strolled through the main bar area, past two swimming pools where a raucous party was in progress. This was clearly the most clothing-optional area of the resort and men in various states of undress were lounging around, in and around the water, some dancing to a local band, some making out, some really needing to get to their own rooms. A waiter rushed past them with a tray full of drinks, deftly avoiding several attempted bottom pinchers. A more formally dressed man, probably a manager, tried unsuccessfully to disentangle two men who had violated the no-sex-at-the-pool rule as well as at least one law of physics.
    Burke couldn't help staring at the Bacchanalian sights. Naked men and reggae definitely did not mix. He shuddered.
    "First time here?" Staff asked and quickened his pace.
    "Yeah. You?"
    "Definitely. Probably last. I didn't really come here for the... activities."
    "Me neither."
    They arrived at the other side of the resort, slightly out of breath. The restaurant had a seafood and nautical theme and the unfortunate name of Strokes, with canoe paddles and oars placed in prominence in the lobby, in case anyone didn't get the clever origin of the name. Burke held back a groan, but Staff chuckled and rolled his eyes at the name and décor.
    They were quickly seated at a table in the bar while they waited for an empty table in the restaurant. It was decorated in calm blues and pale greens, with a surprisingly tasteful if predictable underwater theme, despite the tired double entendre name. A projector shone a video of a variety of swimming fish across one wall, and the background music was a slightly more upbeat version of yoga music. Tinkling fountains and splashing water added to the nautical ambiance.
    They ordered drinks with ridiculous maritime punny names and chitchatted until their table was ready. Once seated, Staff picked up the wine list and flipped through the pages while Burke glanced at the menu. To his surprise, nearly every dish sounded delicious. The food couldn't be particularly high quality, considering the overall focus of the resort seemed to be to get guys paired up, but whoever had written the menu at least knew something about food.
    "Dinner's on me." Staff slid closer to Burke in the booth so he could read off the same menu.
    "It's an all-inclusive resort. Meals are included…" Burke wished he hadn't said that, because he liked the way Staff's leg felt pressed up against his under the table, and the way his fingers brushed Burke's as he pulled the menu closer.
    "Oh, right. Then I'll cover the wine." He waved the waiter over and ordered a bottle of some kind of Champagne and a bottle of French wine. "We'll order in a few minutes, unless you're ready now, Burke?"
    "Yeah... yes." Burke gave the waiter his order and Staff listed several additional dishes. Burke felt a little rude now that he'd made Staff look cheap and maybe forced him to order expensive wine. "You know a lot about wine?"
    "It's a passion of mine. One of them. What about you, do you like wine?"
    Burke got caught up on the word "passion" and didn't answer for a moment. "I don't know much about wine, but I like it. With food. Just wine tasting on its own doesn't really do much for me. I never know what I'm supposed to be tasting. You know, cassis or tree bark or worn saddle leather..."
    Staff let out a laugh loud enough to turn heads. "Worn saddle leather? Did you enjoy that one?"
    "Hated it."
    "I like how honest you are, Burke."
    "Honest?"
    "You didn't pretend to know a lot about wine, and you weren't afraid to say you're not really into it, even though I said I was."
    "I can be very honest, then."
    Staff smiled and Burke got a very warm feeling all the way down to his brand new underwear.
    The waiter returned with the Champagne and appetizers.
    They had a leisurely dinner, punctuated by discussions of books, films, and food, but nothing about work or where either of them was from. Burke felt an unusual freedom. He could make up anything about himself here. He wasn't going to spend more than a few days— maybe only a few hours— with Staff, so he could say anything. So could Staff. Maybe that was why he seemed to steer the conversation toward what Burke liked to do, rather than what he did for a living.
    "Are you going to tell me anything else about yourself?" Burke