Page 32 of The Play

“I do say so,” Deacon said forcefully.

Riley crossed his arms over his chest. “Deac, don’t be like this. I know Carter’s been trying to convince you to make a move on Mr. G. And you won’t.”

“I can’t,” Deacon pointed out.

“Yeah, yeah.” Riley waved a hand. “So you say.”

“So the NFL says, Riley,” Deacon said, grinding his teeth together. It was bad enough having this conversation with Carter, who had newly discovered love and had decided that everyone should experience it with the same heart-stopping intensity that he currently was. But Riley was even worse, because Riley was the most stubborn person that Deacon had ever met.

More stubborn than even himself.

Riley wouldn’t let it go. Deacon could see it now, in the hard line of his jaw.

“But there’s nothing stopping you from going over there and dancing with Nate,” Riley said. Neatly maneuvering him into a position Deacon didn’t want to be in.

Namely, the position where Nate might assume that some of his hero worship might be returned.

“Except common sense,” Deacon hissed.

Riley shot him a look. “You’re dancing with him, not proposing marriage. You might try to hide it but I just saw you, Deac. You’re lonely. You want what the rest of us have found, and if you’re not going to find it with Mr. G—”

“I just made it clear that’s not going to happen,” Deacon said in a tight, hard voice.

It was fucking hard enough to keep resisting his feelings when it was just him and his painfully circular thoughts. Other people trying to convince him to give in? Made it even worse.

“Then do something else,” Riley said. “Go dance with Nate. Poor guy’s third wheeling it with Micah and Beck and you of all people should know what that feels like.”

Yeah, he did.

“You could always go rescue him,” Deacon suggested. He did dance, because you couldn’t come to the Pirate’s Booty with Carter and Riley and the sappiest husbands of all time and not dance at all. But he didn’t make it a normal habit.

“I’m gonna go dance with my boyfriend,” Riley pointed out reasonably as he finished his drink. Set the glass on one of the empty tables ringing the dance floor. “Don’t think that’s gonna help his third wheel situation.”

Deacon groaned. He’d almost have guessed that Riley invited Nate to the Pirate’s Booty tonight but no, Riley had only taken advantage of the situation. The situation that Deacon himself had created in the first place.

“Fine, fine,” Deacon grumbled. He set his half-drunk gin and tonic down next to Riley’s drink and followed him onto the dance floor.

“Heeeeey, look who’s decided to join,” Carter teased in a loud voice, one arm wrapped around Ian’s shoulders.

“Hey, Carter,” Deacon said. “Ian.”

He turned to Nate, and yeah, there it was shining somewhat undeniably in his light brown eyes. Hero worship. A crush, Riley whispered in his ear.

“Hey, man, glad you came,” Deacon said, turning to Nate. He extended a hand and tugged the guy into a quick hug.

It felt just like hugging Jem. No fireworks whatsoever.

Nothing like last night, when Grant had moved close to him and it had felt like his whole body lit up.

But Riley was right about one thing: it wasn’t right to leave him with Beck and Micah.

He loved those two, but they were a lot. It was tough to witness such an epic love and not want a little bit of that for yourself.

“Glad you invited me,” Nate said shyly.

“You wanna dance?” Deacon said, hoping that he wouldn’t regret it and this wouldn’t make anything awkward.

“With you?” Nate squawked.

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