“You mind watching my drink for a second?” I abruptly ask Lauren. “I need to use the restroom.” I’m already planting a foot on the ground by the time she agrees.
Pushing the door to the bathroom open, I step inside and slump against the wall.This was a stupid idea.I came. I drank. I conversed. Fuck the three-hour part of the pact. This night is taking a weird turn, and although I’m supposed to be doing something out of the ordinary, being enthralled by a guy half my age is too far. Being enthralled by a guyat allis too far.
I groan internally.This is what I get for having attractive gay friends.
I’m considering splashing cold water on my face to restart my brain when the door opens and in walks the guy from the stage.
I inhale sharply in surprise, and he looks up from his phone.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you,” he says, his voice deeper than it was when he sang.
I nod like an asshole, unable to find words.
Up close, he’s even prettier than I’d originally thought. His sandy blond hair and freckles make him appear innocent, even though his body screamssinful.His shirt’s still off and I can’t tear my eyes away from the cut of his abs.
No wonder the people in this place lost their damn minds.
He steps up to the urinal, and I distract myself by washing my shaking hands.What the fuck is wrong with me?
As I stare at my reflection in the mirror, I clench my jaw.
The silence feels bloated and awkward. The kid probably doesn’t even notice. He certainly doesn’t seembothered.
But when he looks over and catches me staring at him, I haveto saysomething. I’m basically ogling the guy while he’s taking a leak, for fuck’s sake.
“Nice performance,” I say, averting my pervy eyes even as I hear the smile in his voice.
“Thanks. Never been asked to do more than one or two, but they offered free drinks for songs. Who am I to turn that down?”
He’s trying to keep it light, but I can tell something is weighing on him. He’stoononchalant…andI’mtoo familiar with the pain I saw on that stage.
“Just don’t drink too much and end up in the hospital,” I tell him. “Kinda ruins the fun.” If the first responder in me hadn’t piped up, the natural protector in me would have. There’s no way I couldn’t issue the warning.
The guy zips his pants and moves to stand next to me at the sink.
“If I do, maybe they’ll put us in beds next to each other while they treat you for all the skin you’re rubbing off your fingers,” he says, nodding at the angry pink skin on my hands. “Jesus, man.” He laughs. “What’d you touch?”
I shut the water off. “Uh, nothing,” I stutter. I have never been nervous during an interaction. What is it about this guy that has my brain set toidiot?
To my utter mortification, he catches me staringagain. Of course he does. I’m too transfixed on his abs to notice that he’s watching me until it’s too late.
“See something you like?” he asks in a flirty tone, propping a hip against the sink as he dries his hands.
His words act like a cattle prod, and my eyes snap to his.
He’s wearing a grin that’s sexy as fuck, and the pain I thought I’d noticed earlier has been replaced with amusement. To my absolute horror, my dick twitches in my jeans.
ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?
Before I can come up with an answer, the door crashes open again. This time, a woman enters the men’s bathroom with a hand thrown over her eyes.
“Taylor! Are you still in here?”
“Jesus, Liv, get the fuck out of here!” Taylor laughs at his sister, trying to push her out the door. She latches onto him and peeks through her fingers. Seeing her brother, she drops her hand from her face, and then spots me. An angry look quickly coasts across her features, as if my presence in the men’s room really pisses her off.
“Oh, sorry,” she says to me, not sounding sorry at all, before turning back to her brother. “Come on! Shake it once, and let’s get back out there. They’re calling for you!” she says happily.
Something ugly wells inside me at the thought ofTaylorgoing back out there to appease all those strangers.
