I clasped his shoulder. "You're fine, Mike."
"But you said that fag is a bad word, and you like those guys, so I don't wanna piss 'em off, you know?" He pushed out a heavy breath. "Luke, man, I'm fuckin' trying to be real cool, ya know? Like, I don't care who you're fuckin'. Shit." He scrubbed at his mouth with one hand. "I'm like... You know, I wanna ask and shit, but I don't wanna screw it up. I figured we could talk, but now they're here, so I'm gonna be on my best behavior and all."
I just rubbed his shoulder gently. "They don't care," I assured him. "Trust me, because I fucked it up plenty. Hell, Ash will give you a run for your money on the perversion. Violet too, if I'm honest. Cy can be a little shy, but he's also a shrink, so he reverts to acting like a professional when he's flustered."
"So, she's a supermodel," Mike said, leaning in to drop his voice, "and the pretty guy is rich, right?"
"He is. He owns that lingerie company that Violet models for: Risqué. He used to be a model too, before he got too muscular. Personally, I like the muscles."
Mike barked out a laugh, then lightly punched my arm. "That's my man! Yeah!" But he shut his mouth quickly when he realized how loudly he'd said that. "And the big guy? That's Cy, right?"
"Mhm. Dr. Cyan Marshall," I clarified. "Yes, he's a real doctor. Medicine and mind."
Mike flashed me a devious look. "Bet he makes you wanna grab your ankles, huh?"
"Yeah, uh..." I had to stop to laugh. "He likes to bottom."
"Bottom?" Mike asked, and then he realized what I was talking about. "Like... take it... you know... in his ass?"
I slapped Mike's back and nodded. "Yup. Prostate orgasms. Trust me. Worth it."
Mike grabbed the back of my neck and shook me playfully. "I'm so damned happy for you, Luke. I'm real glad you can talk to me about it too, and fuck anyone who don't like it." He paused just as Ash, Cy, and Violet reached the table, looking up like he wished he could take that back. "Hi. Yeah. Um, I'm Mike."
"We've met," Violet said, claiming the chair across from him.
Cy sat down next to her, leaving Ash to sit at the end of the table. That put Mike between Ash and me, and my old friend looked a little nervous. Not like he was scared, but more like he felt out of place. It was the same way he'd looked when we'd been sent to the principal's office as kids.
"So," I said, taking over, "that's Ash, I'm sure you recognize Violet since you jack off to her billboard, and the other guy is Cy."
Mike immediately began rambling. "I don't - I mean, I haven't in a while, and..."
Violet laughed, waving him down. "I promise that I'm used to it. I also find it flattering and not offensive. It's these jugheads you have to worry about." She pointed at me and Cy.
"Not you?" Mike asked Ash, right on cue.
"Shit," Ash scoffed. "I design stuff to make men want to jack off to her. Seriously, the winter catalogue is coming out in a month, and you have got to see the red one."
He pulled out his phone and began flipping through it. Mike glanced at me, but I could only shake my head, not quite sure what Ash was looking for. Then Ash turned the screen so we could all see. It was a picture of Violet in red lingerie, with black thigh-high panty hose, candy-cane-striped high heels, and lying on a fur rug in front of a fireplace. I reached out for Ash's wrist, pulling the screen even closer.
"When did you do that?" Because I had not seen her wear that and I really wanted to. "Is that our place?"
"That was when someone had his head up his ass," Violet told me. "There's also a picture on my bed, one on the balcony, and a few more you'll recognize."
"I had to add in the fire and I may have photoshopped snow in the pasture," Ash admitted. "It's easier than convincing this woman to go outside in panties when it's below sixty."
Mike bumped my shoulder. "Livin' the dream, my man. You are living the fucking dream."
"Just wait until you see the pictures of Luke," Cy said, the words almost under his breath.
I looked up to find him smiling at me. There was a softness in that look. He wasn't trying to be just my friend right now. Cy was bragging about me - and that felt really damned good. Without thinking, I reached over for his hand, intending to give it just a quick squeeze.
But a woman huffed in disgust. A moment later, a milkshake dropped down onto the table before me. Half of it sloshed out. "See! I knew that place was bad news, and now they stole you."
"I stole," Violet corrected.
I looked up to find Mandy glaring at me. "I didn't even care that you had a kid. I tried to tell you that, but you just wouldn't hear it."
"No," I told her. "Mandy, you not caring is nowhere near the same as giving a damn, and don't you dare bring Faith into this."
