Page 3 of The Beautiful Mess

“Pity, and since when have you danced to fast music?” Sven countered.

The current song ended, and a slow rhythm blared through the speakers before Kerry could form his answer. He triumphantly pointed both hands toward the ceiling as if his wishes alone conjured the switch.

Sven straightened in his chair and pulled a supersized fruity cocktail toward him. “It seems my work here is done,” he said before pursing his lips around the straw and sucking hard. The provocative pose no doubt earned a collective groan from his fan club. “Have fun, boys.”

Kerry shook his head and walked off without waiting to see if Keegan had followed. But, of course, he would. He sighed and pushed back from the table. It took everything in his power not to bound after him like a desperate little puppy. Keegan glanced over his shoulder and caught Sven watching them with a smug expression that halted him mid-step. Not long ago, Sven cautioned Keegan to guard his heart around Kerry, and now his friend made shooing motions to encourage Keegan to follow Kerry onto the dance floor. Sven had told him Kerry would be tending bar at the Feisty Bull but hadn’t seemed surprised when Kerry showed up. Keegan smelled a rat. Was that what Kerry had meant when he’d accused Sven of causing trouble?

“I look like a dumbass standing on the dance floor by myself,” Kerry called out.

When Keegan turned back around, a slender guy with light brown hair had stepped into Kerry’s personal space.

“That invitation wasn’t for you,” Keegan snarled, surprising himself with the ferocity in his voice. “Scram.”

The guy curled up his fingers to mimic cat claws and said, “Meow.”

Kerry seemed to get a big kick out of his feisty display if the massive smile on his face was any indication. “Even that guy knows you have claws.”

“Don’t get a big ego,” Keegan said.

“Why not? Everything else on me is big.”

Kerry looped his arms low around Keegan’s waist and pulled him close. Too close. Keegan’s nose nearly collided with Kerry’s collarbone, but it allowed him to inhale Kerry’s intoxicating scent without being a creeper. Keegan inhaled subtly to get another whiff of cedarwood, leather, and something smoky before he eased back a little and circled his arms around Kerry’s neck. He willed himself not to take the bait with Kerry’s comment on his size, but he couldn’t help himself.

“Well, a guy your size would look ridiculous with little feet,” Keegan quipped, refusing to feed into the man’s inflated ego. “You’d tip over.”

“Yeah, I was talking about my feet.” Sarcasm dripped off his tongue, and Keegan longed to suck it off.

His recent thoughts about Kerry and their growing intensity rattled Keegan. It would only fluster him more to catalog the size of Kerry’s features, such as the warm, large hands resting near the swells of Keegan’s ass, the broad shoulders blocking out the rest of the room from his view, or Kerry’s huge, cocky smile. The man knew the effect he had on other people, and the spreading warmth in Keegan’s lower belly reminded him why he didn’t want to focus on Kerry’s powerful attributes, lest his mind wandered too far astray again. Instead, Keegan considered the similarities and differences between their first dance and this one.

Keegan’s heart still tried to pound its way out of his chest, but he didn’t let anxiety drown out all his other senses this time. He swayed naturally to the music rather than woodenly turning in a circle, keeping a foot of space between himself and the gentle giant. Kerry had pulled him flush against his body this time, and Keegan was more than happy to keep it that way. The heat and power radiating off Kerry were more intoxicating than Sven’s enormous cocktail. Their changed physical dynamic was impressive, but the emotional shift was what kept Keegan awake, aching and longing late into the night. They were inexorably drawn to one another, but neither seemed willing to do anything about it.

The glimmer in Kerry’s eyes changed from ornery to something else. Surprise? A different kind of awareness? It felt like Keegan should at least be able to recognize the response after years of intensive therapy, but the emotion eluded him. Kerry leaned in, and Keegan thought for a moment he might kiss him, but Kerry nuzzled his nose against Keegan’s temple instead. Black dots danced before his eyes, and Keegan realized he was holding his breath. He inhaled deeply, and a lungful of oxygen cleared his vision.

Kerry lowered his mouth to Keegan’s ear. “Eighteen months, three weeks, and two days.”

The husky voice and Kerry’s proximity made it hard for him to think. “Huh?”

Kerry pulled back and stared into his eyes. “You said our dance was a long time ago. It’s been eighteen months, three weeks, and two days.”

Hoping not to betray his shock, Keegan said, “You don’t know the exact hour?”

Kerry lifted his arm and glanced at his watch. “Eighteen months, three weeks, two days, and twenty-two hours.” When he returned his hand to Keegan’s waist, it landed lower so that his fingertips dipped into Keegan’s back pocket. “You aren’t the same person I met back then, but this bar is still no place for you.” The surly, arrogant remark almost ruined Kerry’s stunning admission, and Keegan didn’t think it was an accident.

“I don’t agree.” Keegan replayed the advice Sven had given him during their ride to the bar. He angled his head just so and peeked up at Kerry from beneath his eyelashes. He dragged his teeth over his bottom lip and barely resisted a giggle when Kerry’s dark gaze dropped to his mouth. Feeling emboldened, Keegan raised his hand and twirled one of Kerry’s curls around his finger. It was even softer than it looked. Kerry briefly closed his eyes, and his chest rose higher on his next inhale. His hand inched deeper into Keegan’s pocket until his long fingers cupped Keegan’s ass.

Kerry’s dark eyes burned with intensity, even as he said, “Sven has taught you well, but those tricks won’t work on me.”

“Is that so?” Keegan asked. He slowly withdrew his finger from Kerry’s hair and settled his hand over Kerry’s racing heart.

“Yes.”

“That’s too bad,” Keegan said, adding a heavy sigh for effect. “Maybe I should go find Ken and see how they work on him.” He took a step back, and Kerry’s hold tightened.

“We’re not done talking,” Kerry growled.

“Look who’s turned into the Big Bad Wolf,” Keegan teased. “Maybe you’re not done talking, but I’m looking for something more than conversation tonight.”

“God, I’m going to kill my brother,” Kerry snarled.

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