The first stop was the kitchen. Quinn showed him the alcohol and let him mix his own drink, a point for Avery’s new friend in the gentleman column.
“So how do you know Wanda?” Quinn asked as they navigated to an empty sofa in the living room.
“Oh. Um, Vasquez—I mean—Veronica works with a—um—mutual friend?” The last word squeaked up into an unfortunate question.
To prove the point, Quinn laughed. “Are you asking me if that’s how you all know each other?”
“No. I—Vasquez works at the fire station with a guy I know.” Yeah. A guy who he might have kissed, and who had vanished on him until Avery’s limbs betrayed him in public.
“Oh, yeah? Is he here tonight?” Quinn sucked on his straw. He was handsome. Maybe a few years older than Avery. The sparkle in his gray eyes said they liked what they saw.
Avery flushed and scanned the crowd. Linc was talking to Wanda. Avery pointed nervously. “Him.”
Like he’d heard, Linc’s attention turned, and their eyes met. Avery held his gaze for a moment, but then glanced away, managing to take a sip of his drink without dribbling any on his shirt.
Quinn whistled. “So much tension. He’s cute. Is he a friend or afriend?”
Avery squirmed.
“Look.” Quinn’s hand on his knee was gentle. His voice was kind as he spoke softly in Avery’s ear. “I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable. Wanda said you might have a guy. You’re adorable, so it doesn’t surprise me. She also said there might be some drama.”
“There’s no drama,” Avery said, but his eyes were on Linc again.
Quinn paused and then said, “Uh-huh. Want some help?”
“What?” Avery spun so fast their noses brushed.
Quinn grinned. “You’re cute. If you were available, I’d flirt like hell with you because I can already see the tips of your ears go the perfect shade of pink when you’re nervous. But if you’ve got something going on or, if you wish something was going on, with that handsome firefighter over there, then...” His fingers curled, brushing over the denim on Avery’s knee. “I would be happy to stir shit up, just to remind Mr. Handsome what he’s missing out on.”
“He’s not—” Avery bit his lip. He’d nearly said Linc wasn’t out, but saying someone else wasn’t out was as good as outing them. And Linc still hadn’t even confirmed he was gay or bi or whatever. Avery was pretty sure he must be, with the way he’d kissed, but—
Quinn bumped against his shoulder. “We can have some fun at his expense. From those sad puppy eyes you’ve got going, it seems like he might have had a little fun at yours.”
Avery swallowed thickly. He’d spent so much time this week cycling between hurt and anger, and here was Linc, standing there like what had happened was no big thing, like Avery was supposed to wait until Linc remembered he existed.
His eyes locked with Quinn’s. “You would do that? Make him jealous?”
Quinn licked his lower lip. “Mm-hm. Totally PG-13, unless you say otherwise. We don’t even have to leave the room. I’ll be very attentive and get the gratification of spending my evening with someone as special as you, and you get to drive your man wild.”
“He’s not my man.”
“If we can’t get him to change his mind by the end of the night, you can have your money back.”
“What m—” Avery ducked his head. “Oh. You were joking.”
Quinn grinned and ran a hand down Avery’s chest. “You really are adorable. If he doesn’t want you, I’m happy to be next in line.”
Avery buried his face between Quinn’s jaw and the back of the couch. “I’m not actually very good at flirting.”
Quinn’s purred in his ear. “Honey, you’re doing just fine.”
