Grayson nodded quickly, then took my arm. “If you can cover it,” he said. “I would appreciate that.”
“Of course, of course,” I answered. “Let’s get you to the pharmacist.”
“Come, sweetheart,” Marco added, draping his arm over Grayson’s shoulders. “We can certainly find a better ending for this date than anaphylactic shock, don’t you think?”
MARCO
It was funny, actually, how quickly a date could flip upside down and turn from charming and steamy to absolutely disastrous.
Maybe this is why we don’t go on dates much? Poisoning your sweetheart for the evening is not a good look.
We were back out on the street, and the air was still warm. Grayson had sat in the back of the pharmacy for ten minutes, but the hives that were rising up went down on their own, and he didn’t have to do the injection after all. After walking around the block a few times, Grayson decided he was in the clear, much to everyone’s relief.
With the little white paper bag in his hand, he glanced from side to side, looking a little bashful.
How bashful looked so sexy on him, I’d never understand. There was just something about a strong, confidant man blushing for you…
“I should get going,” he said. “That’s probably enough excitement for the night.”
“Oh no,” I said, thinking quickly and wanting desperately to save the evening. “If the date ends this way, Demir will have to console me all week long.”
Grayson laughed, and I was relieved that the joke landed right. Demir stepped beside me and slid his arm around my waist. “Did you have any ideas?”
I caught Grayson’s eye and remembered how much fun I had on the dance floor with him. “Dancing? A friend is launching a new club tonight. It’s invite-only, so I can’t imagine it will be that crowded.”
Grayson ran the tip of his tongue across his bottom lip. “Okay,” he said. “Yeah, I think that could be fun.” He chuckled. “The rash is pretty much passed already, and I could dance off some of this energy.”
My heart sang out when he said yes. The owner of the new club was an acquaintance from the business side of our life, and as Demir drove us across town, he told the story of meeting her at a gala fundraiser for the local LGBT elder care organization, and I peppered the conversation with some jokes and flirty comments.
I hoped the club would turn the date around. I was picturing big comfortable booths and chill music to recover the evening and hopefully paper over some of the mishap at the restaurant. I could tell how much Demir was warming to Grayson, and I got the strong impression that Grayson was enjoying our company as well. We’d only talked about the date as a casual thing, but the more time we spent together, the more I valued the space we shared.
Hell, I couldn’t remember the last night Demir and I made it an entire hour without talking business.
Once we arrived, I stepped between the two of them and threw an arm over each of their shoulders as we crossed the street. “I didn’t forget that the machine ate your card,” I said. “Anything you want tonight, just ask Demir. He’ll get it for you.”
Grayson laughed. “Demir?”
I nodded. “He picked the restaurant.”
Demir laughed as he held the door open, and when we stepped inside, a light swept across my eyes, disorienting me. When my vision returned, I saw that the space was actually quite packed with people. The music was blaring and thumping, and a line crowded near the bar.
“Hmmm,” I hummed, stepping aside from Grayson and Demir. “Not exactly the kind of opening I had predicted.”
Grayson tried to say something, but the music blared for a moment, and I had to ask him to repeat himself. “I guess your friend must be happy?” he said. “If the party is a success.”
“What do you think?” Demir asked. “Should we brave the crowd and try to dance?”
Grayson nodded, and the three of us started through the crowd to the dance floor. My heart sank as I saw how little space there was and realized how loud the music was turned up near the speakers.
I tried to spin but couldn’t get my bearing, and Demir had to steady me. I went to shrug and laugh it off but got jostled by a couple of twinks on the other side and nearly fell across Grayson.
Not quite as graceful as I prefer...
We kept trying to dance and got pushed through the crowd until we were by the small tables in the back. I considered calling it quits there and just accepting the date as irrevocably ruined.
Nightmare dates. It can happen to you.
Grayson had a strained smile on his face, and I couldn’t help but feel touched a bit by his optimism. He was clearly trying to have a good time, even though we were throwing some obstacles in his way. And if he could still smile after getting poisoned, I didn’t see any reason I couldn’t enjoy the dance, too.
