Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 99918 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99918 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 333(@300wpm)
“How’s that working?” Tristan asked.
“My youngest graduates in nine months. They’re all going away to school. Teri’s already spreading her wings. She’s on a cruise right now with a man she’s been serious with for a few years now. I’m just stalling, I guess.” Dylan picked up his 7 and 7 and took a long drink. Cate’s news that she’d be leaving almost a year earlier than planned and Teri getting serious with Mark made things a little more real for Dylan.
“So you gave up your youth for your kids?” Tristan sounded incredulous.
“It’s not like that. They’re good kids. I’m lucky to have them. I wouldn’t change that part of my life for anything,” Dylan reassured him. “Besides, they didn’t ask to be born. It wasn’t their fault I didn’t have the balls to be me. Teri’s a good woman; I live with my best friend.”
“Okay, I understand that and really have no experience to speak from. Here’s another question. You’re uncomfortable here, I can tell. You don’t want anyone to know…” Tristan’s brows lifted and he leaned across the table. “If you haven’t told anyone else, who do you fuck?”
Dylan remained silent. What could he say?
“Oh man, no way.” Tristan shook his head. He didn’t laugh but Dylan could see him hiding the chuckle behind his glass as he drained it quickly. He lifted a hand to get Leo’s attention. “Drink up! You deserve to have a good time tonight. It’s part of our goal in bringing you guys here from Texas. And we’re dancing at least once before we leave.”
“No, I can’t…”
“The fuck you can’t. Leo’s right, I’ll make sure you get to your room safe. Drink up, have a good time. Besides, I owe this to you. It does my heart good to know you’re gay and you trust me enough to tell me. And so you know, every guy in this room wants to know who you are. They’re still staring. As for me? Straight guys and deeply closeted guys aren’t normally my thing, but you… Yeah, you’re sexy as hell. And now I’m glad I pushed, because I get to be here tonight with the hottest man in the room.” Tristan flashed that killer smile at him.
Dylan remained quiet. Actually his brain was on overload and just downright fuzzy. Had he heard those words right? Was Tristan flirting with him? Tristan watched him and laughed straight out loud. “I’ll remember this quiet thing you do. It makes you mysterious and that’s hot as hell, too.”
Leo came to the table with two drinks even though Dylan hadn’t finished his first one.
“I’m fine,” Dylan said, rejecting the second drink.
“Yes, you are, indeed.” Tristan winked, keeping his eyes trained on Dylan. He could feel the heat creeping up his cheeks at the compliment. God, he was such a dork. Guys like Tristan Wilder didn’t pursue guys like him. He was only being nice, probably because he had come off so fucking pathetic. He should have lied about the sex thing. “Leave the drink, Leo, and keep ‘em coming. We’re celebrating tonight!”
The dance hadn’t been terrible, Tristan thought as he stepped away from the man who was bowed up so tight he could barely execute a proper sway. Last call had come and gone, almost everyone had paired up and left for the night and the few stragglers remaining in the club were well past drunk. It had been the only way he could get Dylan up and onto the dance floor.
“Are you ready to go?” Tristan asked, beginning to regret his decision to bring Dylan here. Who was he to push his lifestyle on anyone, especially someone buried so deeply in the closet? Tristan didn’t wait for an answer. Instead, he left the dance floor, walking back to the table as the lights blinked on in the club.
“Closing time,” someone called out from behind the bar.
Tristan grabbed his tie, tossing the silk strip carelessly over his shoulder, and scribbled his name on the tab. He did some quick math for a tip, added more than what he should, and looked up. Dylan was a few feet away from him, standing alone in the foyer. The stark white light of the club hid nothing, and he was struck again at what a good-looking man Dylan Reeves truly was. Right now, Dylan had his head bowed, his hands slid deep inside his pockets, and he kicked at something with his foot. The line of that hard tight body was more pronounced, and Tristan wondered how he had missed that before. When they danced, that was when he’d noticed the deep ridges and valleys of his muscular torso and arms. He’d also felt the size of what Dylan had going on in those slacks. It was really the only physical proof he’d gotten all night long that Dylan was into him.
“He’s a keeper, man,” Leo said from behind Tristan.
“Mmm, I do agree. For someone else though, not me. It’s business.” Tristan picked up the payment book and handed it to Leo.
“Nah, you need to hear me, dude. He only had eyes for you tonight. Everybody tried to get his attention. He’s about you,” the waiter replied. Tristan looked back at Dylan who was still kicking at something in the carpet.
“He’s got a wife and kids,” Tristan found himself saying.
“Yeah and so do half the guys in this place,” Leo replied. Tristan looked the waiter in the eyes for several long moments, contemplating what he just heard. Did he miss those signals? Unable to find an answer quickly, he patted the guy on the shoulder and turned to walk toward Dylan.
“You ready?” Tristan asked, stopping in front of Dylan. He placed his hand on Dylan’s forearm to test the waters. Dylan moved immediately out from under the touch like he’d done over and over throughout the entire night. Yeah, Leo read him completely wrong.
“It’s late. It’s been a while since I’ve been out like this in a bar,” Dylan admitted as he walked out the front door.