Page 41 of All Roads Lead to You

Nick snagged my hand and pulled me back. “No, this is actually an awesome idea. You can get a taste of the gay nightlife.” He threaded our fingers together, and I may have whimpered a little at the intimate contact. “Come on. We can pretend to be boyfriends.”

I snatched my hand away and shook my head, storming out of there. The only person I wanted was Nick. I didn’t want to dance with anyone else. And I definitely didn’t want to pretend to be boyfriends. I wanted to be actual boyfriends. No, I wasn’t ready for this.

As soon as we were outside, the bouncer glared at us, but I ignored him. Nick grabbed my elbow and led me away. “Uh, what’s wrong? I thought that place was perfect.”

Out of earshot of the bouncer, I leaned back against the brick building and looked up at the night sky dimmed by all the lights and traffic.

“I’m not ready,” I said, running a hand through my hair, unable to look at Nick. “I’m so out of my league in there. So damned inexperienced. Did you see those guys? They were grinding, dancing with confidence, kissing… I haven’t even kissed a guy before… not including you.”

“Okay. It’s cool. No worries. You should be comfortable, for sure.”

I finally looked at him, staring at me with understanding eyes I probably didn’t deserve after the way I’d treated him over the years. “Thanks. I… appreciate it. God, I hope I get over this.”

I pushed myself off the building and shoved my hands into my pockets because I wanted to hold his hand again.

“You’ll get there. I know it. It just takes some adjustment.”

“I don’t get it.”

His thick brows furrowed in confusion. “Get what?”

“Why are you being so nice to me?”

He shrugged and smirked. “Because I understand why you’ve been such an asshole all this time, and I forgive you. I’m awesome like that. Now, let’s go find me a bar where I can learn two-step dancing.”

I finally smiled. “Sounds good.”

The next bar was just what Nick had been looking for. It was a huge country-western bar. Couples danced the two-step with their partner in a circle around the dance floor. The man led the dance, and the woman went backward, completely trusting her man not to let her fall.

Nick and I sat at the bar, drinking the cheap beer we ordered on tap and people-watching. I felt so out of place in my outfit, and Nick must have, too, because he removed his sports coat but left his shirt collar popped.

“How do I look?” he asked.

“Fine.”

Gorgeous.

“Pfft, just fine? I’m hot.”

I rolled my eyes. “Then why’d you ask me?”

“I need validation in my life.”

I rolled my eyes again. “Sure you do. Your ego is bigger than this bar.”

“You wound me.”

I chuckled before I chugged down my beer and ordered another.

“Go dance,” I said when I noticed some chicks looking at him.

“You sure?”

No.

“That's why we’re here, right?”

“Cool!” Nick downed the rest of his beer and meandered off to the group of women, asking one who had dark brown hair like his, but she kept hers to her shoulders with teased bangs.

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