The silence stretches. Finally, Max shrugs. "I like to dance, but I suck at talking to guys. We all kind of... stick together."
I look around the van. Really look at them. Max, with his dancer's build and pretty features. Leo is almost as tall as me with a mischievous smile and perfectly styled hair. Luca'salready got that hot professor vibe. JP's cheekbones could cut glass. And Doc...
Doc’s the most beautiful, but they've all got something. They deserve better than hiding in their group.
"Well, tonight you've got a six-four bodyguard," I declare. "So maybe try talking to someone who isn't one of us?"
"We'll see," Elliot says noncommittally.
The club comes into view through the windows, all neon lights and a line that wraps around the block.
"Ready for this?" Sebastian asks quietly.
Not even a little bit."Hell yeah."
The line is... long. Really long. Wrapping-around-the-corner long. People in various states of glitter and skin tight, all waiting to get in.
"This might take a while," Luca observes, adjusting his glasses.
"I calculate approximately forty-seven minutes based on current entry rate," JP adds helpfully.
I'm mentally settling in for the wait when the bouncer, big guy, shaved head, arms like tree trunks, leather vest doing nothing to hide a chest that's seen serious gym time, spots us approaching.
Spotsme.
His whole posture changes. He pushes off the wall, clipboard forgotten, and does this slow drag with his eyes. Starts at my shoes, works up my legs, pauses at the compression shorts longer than strictly necessary, crawls up my bare chest where the mesh is doing absolutely nothing, and finally lands on my face.
He bites his lip. Actually bites it.
"Well,hellothere, beautiful." His voice is a low rumble. "Please tell me you're not just walking by."
"Oh, uh—" I gesture vaguely at the line. "We were gonna wait?"
"Wait?" He laughs like I've said something adorable. "No, no, no. You—" He points at me, then jerks his thumb toward the door. "—go right in."
The line erupts.
"Are youseriousright now?"
"We've been here for an hour!"
"This is Discrimination against average-looking people!"
The bouncer doesn't even glance their way. He's too busy looking at me like I'm the last slice of pizza at 2 AM.
"All of us?" I ask, gesturing at the geeks clustered behind me.
He finally drags his eyes away from my chest long enough to notice them. Gives them a once-over that's significantly less interested. Then looks back at me.
"For you, sweetie?" He grins, all teeth. "Anything."
"Oh my God," Max whispers, grabbing Leo's arm. "This is the greatest night of my life and we haven't even gone inside yet."
"I'm taking mental notes," Leo whispers back. "This isfascinating."
"The statistical probability of this happening—" JP starts.
"Shutup," Doc hisses at all of them.
