The place we go to is close by. A ten-minute walk, only a handful of blocks down the road. There’s loud music and a dance floor, but there are also a bunch of booths and tables around two walls, a large bar, and a door that has people coming and going. I think maybe it’s a dining room when I watch a waitress go in with a tray filled with food.
We don’t head for that room, but crowd around a handful of high-top tables, sliding them together and dragging chairs over. I end up across from Caulder. It’s loud, so any conversation is practically yelling.
It’s a struggle to keep my attention moving around instead of staring at him, but Mattias is still shooting me dirty looks so I try my best. My fingers itch to touch him. Anywhere. I’m not picky right now. When I can’t take it anymore, I slide my chair further into the table and reach my foot across to hook along his chair.
His eyes snap up to mine when I rub the inside of my leg against his. Heat flares brightly in his eyes. I’m annoyed thatthe moment’s broken when a group of women gather around us. One steals Caulder’s attention.
I can see his polite detachment. He smiles and talks, leans in to hear her and to speak. I don’t stop rubbing his leg with mine until his ankle hooks around me to keep me still. A smirk curls my lips, but he doesn’t look my way and his attention doesn’t waver from the girl in front of him.
Then the girls are dragging some of our group onto the dance floor—Mattias, Link, Menlo, Niklas… and Caulder. Caulder allows himself to be pulled away, but he turns and meets Creed’s eyes. Creed nods.
“Is that code?” I yell across the table.
Creed looks at me and nods again. “Yep. He’s a nice guy, so he rarely denies a dance as long as they’re not drunk and trying to grope. But if he’s not into the girl, he’ll meet my eyes on his way out and then the gay boys will rescue him in a minute.”
“He likes nice girls,” Ethan says. “But he’s pretty picky.”
I have to say, I’m rather impressed that Caulder’s managed to keep his sexuality hidden from these three. Then again, I’m not sure I’d have figured it out if he hadn’t told me. I was ready to write off his freakout as a straight man instantly regretting liking another man sucking his dick.
“All right,” Ethan announces, getting to his feet and stretching with his arms over his head. “Time for the gay kids to dance with their straight boo for a bit. Coming Noah? Max?”
Noah nods, dragging Max and Azure with him. I glance at Jakub and he smiles. “I don’t dance. Usually, it’s me and Lix sitting out on the occasions where dancing comes up.”
“Ah.”
“You can join them,” Jakub says. “It won’t be long before Mattias does.”
“Yeah?”
He nods again. “More times than not, our team dances together forgetting whoever they'd gone to the dance floor with. Just a vibe. Skidmoss is a close family.”
Shrugging, I get to my feet and head for the dance floor. Sure enough, Creed has already pulled Caulder away from the girl and between him, Ethan, and Max. Caulder doesn’t look uncomfortable. He’s laughing, leaning in close to hear and be heard, his hand is on Creed’s chest as he does.
There are light touches. Definitely close dancing. And sure enough, Mattias joins them, then Menlo and Link. I didn’t see Lamar at the table, but it isn’t long before he’s in the group, too.
Noah pulls me in when I get close, wrapping an arm around my waist, and dancing. I match his energy, but it isn’t long before he backs away and finds a different partner. I dance with Lamar and then Creed.
Finally, Caulder is pressed against me and that’s where we stay for a long fucking time until he leans in, lips at my ear and says, “It’s time to go.”
Yes. Yes, it is. My dick is straining right now. I have plans for this man and it sure as fuck doesn’t include a dance floor.
CHAPTER 13
CAULDER
The walkback feels like it takes an hour. My entire body is buzzing with need. I can feel his hands on me through my clothes. My skin burns. I can’t remember the last time, if ever, my cock has ached so bad.
“Jakub says your team often dances together like that,” Lo comments as we walk down the sidewalk.
I nod. “Any time I give one of them a ‘rescue me in five minutes’ face, yes.”
“Any of them?”
I shrug. “Some are better at understanding than others. Ethan, Creed, and Jakub do right away. Lucien and his wife, Bianca, are really good about it. Sacha and Asael. Three…” I trail off. “A couple others. Some are oblivious, so I don’t bother. They mean well, but reading body language is not their strong suit. Which is fine. It’s not their job to rescue me.”
“Why don’t you just tell them you don’t want to dance?”
I sigh. “Image,” I admit, shrugging. “I enjoy hanging out with the team. They’re good friends. There’s a club in Buffalo—Scepter—that’s our place.” I take a quick glance around to make sure no one’s listening. But it’s late so there aren’t many people wandering the streets right now. “Usually, I can manage to keepthe image without resorting to dancing. Like walking a girl out to catch their ride and I just don’t go back in and head home instead.”
