Page 9 of His Boys to Protect

Ward was barely gone for two minutes, but while he was away, Skylar was asked how the two of them had met. Skylar put on a smile and told the story he'd made up earlier, gettingoohs andaahs from the women at the table.

“…murmuring that he'd like to take me out for coffee sometime, if I was interested,” Skylar was saying just as Ward returned to the table. “And this girlneverturns down coffee,” he added with a laugh.

Ward frowned and opened his mouth like he was going to say something, then snatched up his wine glass and took a healthy gulp instead.

“So of course I saidyes,” Skylar went on with the story. “And we've been together ever since.” He turned and gave Ward a flirtatious grin.

“Oh!” a woman exclaimed. “I love this song.” She jumped up, dragging her date with her. Another couple followed, leaving Skylar and Ward alone at the table.

Ward picked up his wine glass again and idly swirled it around. The wine was clear, but when the light hit it just right, it shone with a hint of gold.

“What's that?” Skylar asked.

Ward's hand went still. “Sauvignon blanc.”

“Is it any good?” Skylar asked. “I bet yours is better. Do you make that one?”

Ward smiled shyly. “Yeah, we do. This one's decent.”

“I had your grenache,” Skylar said. “At least, I think it was yours. You work with John, right? At that party, Beau pulled his trick on Adam and me, and the wines were different but the bottles had the same logo.” Beau Renaud, the proprietor of Living in Zin, apparently had a knack for pairing people with their favorite wines. It had worked on Skylar, that was fordamned sure. Beau had poured him a glass of grenache, and Skylar had never tasted anything better in his life. “Because Adam insisted that he only drink something that John had made, and then Beau poured mine, and I saw the logo. And I'm rambling. We should dance.”

Ward blinked at him, then blushed as he set down his glass and slowly rose, towering over Skylar in a way that made him feel tiny and fragile and wholly at the man's mercy. But not in a dangerous way. For once in his life, having a man looming over him didn't feel the least bit threatening. Then Ward moved behind Skylar's chair and pulled it out as Skylar stood.

Then it was Skylar's turn to blush.Jiminy Christmas. He'd thought for sure they didn't make men like Ward anymore.

Ward took his hand and led him out to the dance floor just as one song ended and another began. And of course, it was just as the DJ brought the energy way down. Ward blushed as he gently pulled Skylar into his arms, slipping easily into the slow, swaying rhythm of Lifehouse's “Everything.”

Holy shit. Skylar almost melted, except Ward held him too steadily. The man was a better dancer than he'd been expecting. Ward's frame was strong, his steps smooth. Skylar drifted into it, giving himself over to the man's control.

In the heels he wore, Skylar would be eye-to-eye with Charlie, but next to Ward, the top of his head only came up to the man's nose. He was sorely tempted to kick the heels off. To see just how much more the man would tower over him while pressed this close together. Skylar tipped his head back to look up at Ward, on the verge of blurting out all the thoughts racing through his mind, but when their eyes met, all the words vanished.

Fuck. The way the man looked at him! It was like Ward was both feasting on the sight of him and also searching for something more. For the boy underneath the makeup, maybe?Skylar trembled. He wanted to rip off the disguise. Strip himself bare for Ward's inspection. Would the man still like what he saw? Would he still look at Skylar like he was now?

Ward muttered a curse.

“What?” Skylar asked, holding his breath while he waited for Ward's response.

“I want to kiss you so badly right now,” Ward growled, then he paused, his gaze turning wary. “Am I even allowed to do that?”

Skylar shuddered in Ward's arms. “Yes,” he gasped. “Holy hell, yes.” But when Ward slowly moved in, Skylar sucked in a breath. “Wait,” he choked out.

Ward pulled back, eyeing him with concern.

Skylar shook his head. “I'm sorry,” he murmured. “It's just…”

Ward frowned. “Not here?”

Here. There. Everywhere. “Hhng,” Skylar whined. “I want you to kiss me more than I want my next breath,” he blurted out, “but no, not here. Not like this.” Skylar squeezed his eyes shut and muttered a curse, then looked up at Ward again. “If you're going to kiss me, I want you to kissme. Not Sarah. Not the lie. I want you to kiss the real me.” Skylar paused. “Assuming you still want to, once you see me.”

Ward's eyes darkened. “I want to see the real you,” he whispered back. “Geez, you have no idea how much I want to see the real boy underneath all this armor.”

Skylar blinked.Holy shit. Ward saw that? Skylar almost stumbled, feeling dizzy, but Ward held him too well.Sheesh. What was it about this man? Skylar was sorely tempted to get down on his knees right there in front of everyone. “Think it'd be rude if we left now?” he asked breathlessly.

Ward blushed and cleared his throat. “I'm gonna need a minute.”

“Huh?”

Ward tightened his hand on the small of Skylar's back, his palm burning through the fabric of the dress, but otherwise didn't respond.

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