Page 7 of Say It Again

“Yeah, I’m sure. That’s why I’m about to serve them floor popcorn.” He stood and dusted himself off. “Because they’re nice.”

He strolled off, and Daniel tried to send Aaron a telepathic message not to eat the floor popcorn, but he didn’t get it. He was too busy shaking hands, flashing teeth, and forgetting about their encounter altogether.

Daniel rolled his head to the side and hummed to himself as one sad little snort escaped from some sad little place from within. Oh to be so entranced by a stranger with a boyfriend. And who did he have to thank for the overactive imagination for thinking someone who looked like that guy would ever be interested in him?

Down the hallway he found the bathroom, where he locked himself inside and met his own big caramel-colored eyes in the mirror. Someone like him can have whoever he wants. He dropped his chin to his chest. He was no matador.

AARON TONGUED the corner of his mouth and pressed up to his toes to see where the little guy went. Precious. Extraordinarily precious with the dusky brown curls and the pouty crimson lips that looked like he’d spent the past couple of hours sucking on hard candy.

He was a nervy little thing. Nervy in tongue and yet fluid in movement with those delicate fingers and quicksilver curtseys and shoulder squirms. It sure seemed like he could use some soothing. Someone to shush him sweetly with a few whispered exchanges.

It sure seemed like he could use someone to take the lead.

He’d never seen him at one of these parties, which could mean nothing, or it could mean a lot. Maybe he was new to the scene? Maybe he was just a guy trying to make money. Like everyone else.

“Who are you going home with?” Stevie suddenly stood by his side, fake-smiling at the group of men before them. “Tweedle-dee over there looks fun. Oh, but then how could I resist Tweedle-fucking-dum?”

“I came here with Corey,” Aaron said, reaching for a handful of popcorn. “I should probably leave with him—”

“No.” Stevie smacked his hand away. “Trust me.”

Aaron swiped his palms together and scanned the crowd for the little bartender. “Hey, you see where the sexy guy went? Did he leave?”

Stevie grimaced as he extracted a long hair from the popcorn. “There are no sexy guys here.”

“No, not one of them.”

“Oh, one of us?” Stevie squinted. “There are no new us that I know of.”

“I don’t think he’s one of us either. About yea tall.” He flattened a palm next to Stevie’s ear. “Skinny. Super funny in a clever way, and he’s got this….” He trailed off as he gestured vaguely over Stevie’s face. “Mouth.”

“Oh, the clumsy guy? Like, real skinny?” Stevie tipped his chin toward the house. “Check inside. Be mindful as you take corners.”

Yeah, it was just about getting inside, which was easier said than done. Aaron smiled graciously as he began his descent into the lion’s den, skirting a few tugs on his arms and the beginnings of “conversations.” Mostly Where do you think you’re going, young man? And Leaving so soon? No, you don’t. Come here. Come here, come here, come here. There’s someone dying to meet you.

Free at last, he snuck inside and checked the sunken living room with the incredible curved sheepskin sectional he would someday own, then checked the kitchen with the extrawide champagne-colored refrigerator he would also be sure to own. Once he had enough money. He swung around a corner and—

“Where do you think you’re going?” Corey asked in his royal-pain-in-the-ass British accent, always manifesting at the worst possible time. “You’re leaving with me, yes? You ready?”

“I am.” He managed a patient smile. “I can’t wait. Two minutes to hit the bathroom, and I’ll meet you at your car.”

Corey’s lips curled sheepishly. “My apologies about earlier, love. For losing my patience. Can you forgive me?”

“Absolutely. No worries.” He gently squeezed his arm as he stepped past him. “Excuse me—”

“Wrong direction. I believe your bartender is in the bathroom down that hall.”

Aaron whirled around, then halted. He preferred to keep the borders of his worlds way more defined. Clients stayed in one world. Cute bartenders stayed in another. But he’d known Corey for years, so for the sake of courtesy, he scrunched his face and smiled as he dropped his head. “That obvious?”

Corey looked a hint sentimental as he melted into a sigh. “Christ, you are so beautiful. What it must be like to be twentysomething and catching your eye. I dread the day someone catches it for good.”

Aaron swallowed and forced his smile wider. “I’m all yours tonight.”

“Mm-hmm, I’ll give you five minutes with him, and the clock is ticking, so better hurry.” Corey winked back on his stroll toward the door. “Then you are all mine.”

“YOU ARE an ass cork,” Daniel whispered to himself as he furiously prodded at his curls in the bathroom mirror. “Even if Aaron was interested—which he’s not—where’s it gonna go? You have a boyfriend. Ass cork.”

He rolled his sleeves and picked lint off his pants in a huff. His mom, that earth angel, had always said in her charming Midwestern way that wearing black made him look terribly underfed, sweetie. Are you sure you’re eating? But in black’s defense, everything made him look terribly underfed. Everything also made him look too pale. He had that bright-light-at-the-end-of-a-tunnel kind of skin tone that didn’t work with a lot of outfit color choices.

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