“I wasn’t a nerd,” Diego protested with a laugh that said he wasn’t even trying to be convincing.
“But not a bully, right?”Alyssa asked sharply.
I shook my head and held up both hands in surrender.
“He wasn’t.I’d never suck a bully off in the locker room,” Diego assured them all.“Not even for revenge purposes.”
“Spicy!”Shawn declared.
I snorted.
Shawn said, “Yes, you would.”
“I will kick your dick clean off your body,” Diego told him, deeply unserious.
Shawn blew him a kiss.
When I went up to get the last round of drinks before two thirty, Bryn came with me.“You said something about a birthday wish list?”
“Yeah.I’m gonna get him to do one up for the family.He needs some stuff to start recording at home eventually.”I didn’t know shit about it, but I did know using a professional studio would cost money.The sooner he could get his own setup, the better.
“Can you get it to me if I give you my number?”They pulled out their phone.“Everyone at the Pike will wanna go in on something nice if I bring some good ideas.”
“Absolutely.”We traded numbers, and they helped me get the drinks back to our table safely before last call.
Eventually, Alyssa dropped everyone at home safe and sound.Diego nearly tripped getting into his apartment, so I caught him and made a big show of setting him back on his feet.
“My hero,” he murmured, his eyelids heavy.He rewarded me with a smack on the ass as he kicked off his boots.
I closed and locked the door behind us and did the same.When I turned around again, he was just standing by the mirror behind the door, watching me with those sleepy eyes.
“You okay?”I asked, holding out both hands to him.
He took them and pulled himself in close, leaning his head on my shoulder.I put an arm around his waist and squeezed, breathing deep.
He said, into my neck, “Thanks for coming out.It’s really late.You have to wake up in like.Three hours.”
“S’okay,” I told him sincerely.
“I wanted to take you dancing—Shawn loves to go out dancing—but I don’t think you’d have that much fun.”
“I’d have fun watching you have fun.”
“Would you dance with me?”
“I’d do anything you want, Diego,” I assured him.
He laughed—more like a giggle, honestly, and picked up his head.“No, but, like… don’t just say that.I want you to do stuff you wanna do.”He wasn’t just sleepy; he was a drunker than I’d ever seen him.Come to think of it, I’d never seen him drink more than two cocktails or a handful of beers in one sitting.
He was probably gonna regret it, but it was fucking adorable.
“I mean it.”He pushed off my chest and glared, though the effect was ruined by how he swayed on his feet a little.“You should, like, have an opinion.”
“I do,” I said.“I don’t sayanything you wantbecause I don’t care, or because I think you’ll get mad if I disagree with you.”
“Then why do yousay it?”he asked, suddenly exasperated.
“Because I’d do anything for you,” I said.
