"And how much are you going to charge us?" she teased.
"Dunno, that's why I need Max," and I gave her a sexy little wink.
She tossed her head back and laughed, but I realized there was one single thing wrong with her look. On impulse, I pulled the hat from my head and set it on hers. The smile that made?Yeah, it was the sort that should've made me brace for getting my ass kicked.
So when Braden cut in to steal his woman back, I stepped out as gracefully as I could. I also told her to enjoy the hat. Then made it clear it was mostly for Braden's benefit.
Yet when I walked off the dance floor, something caught my eye. Actually, it was more like a someone. Over at the side, Wes, the quiet young man who'd spent the last couple of years lingering at the edge of things, saying he was saving himself for marriage, was standing with someone I'd never seen before.
That wasn't the thing that made me pause, though. No, it was the black band on his hand. The one holding his beer. The third finger of his left fucking hand!
"Hey, Wes," I said as I headed over.
The other guy jerked back, adding some distance between them. Ok, I'd thought this might be getting tense, but now I was thinking something else.
"Saw you dancing with the Deviant lady," Wes said.
"Mhm," I agreed. "Saw you don't dance."
He glanced at the guy beside him. "Uh..."
So I tipped my head at his hand. "Playing the taken man, or you have a story?"
"Uh..." Wes's head snapped over to the guy, then back. "Yeah..."
And that guy? He thrust his hand out at me. "Ty McBride, right? I'm Wyatt Gilbert, Wes'shusband."
With a little groan under his breath, Wes dropped his head. "Fuck."
"He was just dancing with a guy," Wyatt insisted.
"And that," I told Wyatt, "is still a bit dangerous here. That man I was dancing with? My friend's sponsor. Well, sorta. He's also big enough to not care if anyone has a problem with hissexuality, he's not looking for companies to sign him, and he's made his money."
"That!" Wes said, then gave me another look, like my points had just sunk in. "Wait, how do you know that?"
"J.D. and Tanner talked about the risks of coming out a lot," I assured him. "So, that whole saving yourself for marriage thing?"
"Got married two months before I made it on the Tough Enough series," Wes admitted. "And yeah, um..." He pushed out a laugh. "So, it was actually J.D. who was trying to hook me up with some girl. I panicked. I mean, it's kinda true. I was saving myself for marriage.Mymarriage."
"Which makes a whole lot more sense," I said. "Always thought you were a little over the top with the faith there." And I moved to stand beside him, letting the wall hold me up. "You should dance with him, Wes. I mean, if you want."
"I'm still trying to figure out who's safe to be around," he admitted.
"Cody, J.D., and the bullfighters," I told him. "Yeah, those three have known about Tanner for years. They'll also throw down for you."
"The bullfighters?" Wyatt asked. "Really?"
I nodded. "Yep. Good guys. Crazy as they come, but good ones. Wes, add me and Jake to your list too. Definitely Jackson. That kid? He's one of those liberal Canadian types."
"Like you?" Wes asked.
I scoffed. "I'm just Canadian. Hell, I'm from Alberta, Wes. We're sensible people there."
Wyatt shifted to see me easier. "I just have one question about all of this, Ty. Deviant Games is payingallthe fines? I don't have to find ten grand by morning?"
"They'll handle it," I promised.
"Then what?" Wes asked. "Sure, I get this weekend, but Mr. Merrill made it clear we'd get suspended."
