Emma nodded and followed them toward the bar. Ryan walked toward the back to say hi to his brother. Trent spotted him and gave him a nod. Was it uncool for his thirty-year-old brother to come over? Ryan didn’t care.
“Yo,” he said as he walked up to the group.
“Hey.” Trent paused his energetic bopping to make introductions. “This is my brother, Ryan. Ryan, this is Jax, Ellis, Marco, Marina, Nico, and Emerson.”
The kids waved and said hello. Then Trent moved closer to Ryan. “That’s Iris over there in the DJ booth.” He pointed out a woman with jet-black hair and heavy makeup. “I’ll be going up to join her in about fifteen minutes.”
“Can’t wait to hear you play,” Ryan said.
“Spin,” Trent said. “I’m going to spin.”
“Right.” Score one for the uncool older brother. “Can’t wait to hear you spin. Ethan, Gabby, and Emma are at the bar.”
“No Mark?”
Ryan shook his head. “Not really his scene, but you know he supports you one hundred percent.”
Trent nodded. “Can’t quite picture him here. It’s okay.”
“Good luck.” Ryan cracked a grin. “Break a leg up there.”
“I’ll try my best,” Trent said with an answering grin, then resumed his wild bouncing to the techno beat.
Ryan made his way to the mostly empty bar, sliding in next to Emma. Not many people came out this early, let alone on a Tuesday night. The four of them were by far the oldest people in the room, maybe the only ones old enough to drink.
“I feel ancient,” Emma whispered with a giggle, as if she’d read his mind.
“Liquid courage,” Gabby said as she passed out shot glasses.
Ryan took one. They raised their glasses together and drank. He felt the familiar burn of whiskey slide into his stomach. To hell with liquid courage, though. Given the way Emma looked tonight, in a short pink dress, her blond hair in loose curls over her shoulders, he needed the opposite of courage to keep his hands to himself.
He’d almost lost it the other night when she’d come to The Drunken Bear on a date. If she’d been trying to get a rise out of him, it had worked. Big time.
“You’re awfully quiet tonight.” Emma turned toward him, still smiling. Her blue eyes danced with the lights flickering behind them.
He shrugged. “It’s pretty loud in here.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t be an old fogey. You’re going to dance with us, right?”
Dance with Emma?Hell.He was screwed. “Yeah. I can dance.”
“I remember you having a few moves of your own.” She bumped her hip against his with a laugh. “This is going to be so fun. I’m glad Trent gave us an excuse to go dancing tonight.”
“Yes,” Gabby agreed. “I’m ready to get my groove on.”
At the back of the room, they watched as Trent made his way up to the DJ booth. He took his place next to Iris and slipped a set of headphones into place.
“I think that’s our cue,” Emma said, grabbing Ryan’s hand.
“Aw, he looks so important up there,” Gabby said as she took Ethan’s hand and followed them onto the dance floor.
Ryan had no clue what song was playing, but it had the familiar techno bass thump he associated with club music. It vibrated in his chest once they’d reached the dance floor, commanding his body to move to the beat.
Emma clapped her hands and spun, andfuck, her skirt twirled when she moved. Desire coiled in his belly, tight and hot. Gabby had settled into the beat, her arms around Ethan’s neck. Ryan felt a little bit awkward dancing alone. He would have far preferred a woman in his arms, but touching Emma would be way too dangerous tonight so he kept his distance and watched her dance.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” a woman’s voice announced over the music. Ryan looked up to see Iris speaking into a microphone from the DJ’s booth. “We’ve got a special guest DJ in the house tonight. In fact, tonight is his veryfirstgig, and I think you’re going to be blown away when you hear what he’s got in store for you. Just eighteen years old out of St. Louis, Missouri. Give it up for DJ Chillax.”
The crowd—such as it was—burst into applause, whooping and cheering for his kid brother.Chillax?Ryan grinned to himself, adding his own voice to the noise.
Trent stepped up, looking right at home with his headphones on, one arm waving to the beat while he mixed music with the other. Ryan had no idea if he was any good, but he looked good, and the music sounded pretty cool. Everyone was dancing.
That’s my brother, he wanted to shout. Spinning tunes at eighteen years old. Okay, maybe not worth dropping out of college for, but Ryan got it now. He did. Trent was passionate about his music, and it showed. Ryan found himself bouncing on his feet, moving to the beat as he watched his brother work.
Then Emma twirled into his arms. “Dance with me.”
