He seesawed his head and gave it a second of thought.Tom could watch him make any facial expression.
“You don’t seem that enthralled with the idea of your boss being married.”
There was no use lying to Randall.He felt he could trust him, if only because he didn’t talk to anyone Tom knew.“I might have a slight crush on him.”Tom put his head on the table.“I can’t believe I just said that.I’m such a cliché.”
“I’m sure you’re not the only one.”
“Thus the cliché part.”Hearing him say it out loud make Tom realize how pathetic pining for someone he couldn’t have was.It was like still believing in the Tooth Fairy.Or Santa Claus.
“What am I doing?It’s so dumb.He has a boyfriend.They will probably get married.”
“Probably.”
“You think so?”
Randall held up his hands in defense.“I’m just going off of your information.”
“You’re right.Now I get why they’re called crushes.They crush you,” Tom said.He watched couples dance to the jukebox music.What did they know that he didn’t?“What about you?Any boyfriends?”
“Nope,” he said proudly.“I like having the freedom to do what I want, go where I want.I have a goal to visit all fifty states.”
Tom raised his glass.“Welcome to the Land of Lincoln.”
“And besides, people just wind up letting you down anyway,” he said, with a sudden edge to his voice.“Like with your crush, you only see your boss as this perfect guy, but if you were to actually date him, you’d find his flaws.You’d see he wasn’t so perfect.”
“We all have flaws.Well, except for you.”Tom reached over and took off his Santa hat, revealing thick brown hair that any comb would get a boner going through.Even after being under a hat all day, it still maintained its volume and shine.
“Oh!I know this song!”Randall put back on his hat and got out of the booth.“Will you dance with me?”
“I don’t dance.”
“It’s the song fromFootloose.It would go against the message of the movie if youdidn’tdance.”His large hand remained extended.It could not be refused.
Tom joined him in the dance space.He felt eyes on him, wondering how the hell he got so lucky.Randall had this natural cool aura to him so that even though his moves weren’t different from what others were doing, he came off like the best dancer in there.
Tom watched his body turn and spin.He glimpsed the tight ass inside those unflattering red pants.But he found himself coming back to the goofy smile on his face.That was the most interesting part of him in the moment, the one that put Tom at ease and made him let go of his inhibitions.
He danced with just as much abandon as the Hot Mall Santa across from him.For the rest of that song, Tom didn’t care who was watching or what they thought.Especially himself.He most definitely cut loose.Footloose.
The next song that came on wasBaby, It’s Cold Outside.
“Finally, an actual holiday song,” Randall said.
The dance space cleared up.Tom went back to their booth.
“Where are you going?”
“Someone ended the dance party.”
“Not so.”Randall’s large hand beckoned him again.
Is he really asking me to slow dance?Are we at senior prom?
Tom thought it was a joke at first, but his hand didn’t move.
He rejoined Randall on the dance floor, and they slow danced together, their chests not an inch apart.Soon, other couples joined them, taking one spotlight off Tom.But a stronger one remained.
Randall kept looking at Tom.His eyes were lethal weapons that could get Tom to do anything in the moment.He licked his full lips, and Tom had to make sure he wasn’t dancing too close or else there’d be a poking situation.
