Page 107 of How Not to Date an Angel

Julian lifted his gaze, staring across the room, at Rami cheering with the small crowd.

As if they could feel him, they glanced up, eyes locking. Their brow furrowed, and Julian wondered if his conflicting emotions were showing on his face.

He cooled his expression into one a little more casual and smiled, lifting his drink.

The angel returned the gesture, and when Jesse elbowed them again, they excused themself from the group.

Julian swallowed as they approached.

“Dance with me?” Rami asked, and before Julian could even respond, they reached out and grabbed Julian’s wrist to tug him along.

Julian found himself crushed up against Rami in the crowd. Their cheeks were flushed, or at least what he could see of them between the multicolored lights.

They looked so light and happy, and their arm was around Julian’s waist, and—

“I have to tell you something,” Julian said softly.

Rami leaned closer to shout in his ear. “What?”

Julian turned them the other way. “I need to tell you something,” Julian yelled.

“Do you want to go outside?” Rami asked. “It’s loud!”

Julian agreed, but then the music changed, and Rami turned the biggest, saddest eyes on Julian. “Dance with me for this one song?” they asked in his ear.

Julian was helpless against that gaze, and turned his head back, nodding.

Rami beamed, brighter than the lights flashing around them. And then they grabbed him around the waist and pulled him close.

Julian melted into them. He loved nothing more than feeling Rami against him like this. The curve of their belly pressing into Julian’s stomach, their soft thigh slotting between his own as they swayed together.

Julian laid his right arm on Rami’s shoulder, threading his left beneath Rami’s to grab their waist, just like Rami was doing to him.

Their fingers were sure and confident in their grip on his waist as they danced, and warmth filled Julian.

The beat of the song was slow but heavy, thumping through the building, vibrating the bottom of Julian’s feet, rattling his chest.

The crowd shuffled, and they pressed even closer. Chest to chest, Julian was surrounded by everything Rami.

Their soft, sweet scent. Their touch.

He couldn’t take it anymore.

Julian slid his hand in their hair and pulled them close, hesitating just as their lips brushed, in case Rami didn’t want public affection.

But they clearly didn’t care, closing the distance and tilting their head and putting all their practice from the last twenty-four hours to use.

Julian was putty in their hands as they carded said hands through his hair, gripping just tight enough to send shivers over his skin.

I have to tell them. Before it's too late.

Julian leaned into them, bodies still swaying with the beat, Rami’s thigh pressing with a little more intent between his legs.

Julian moaned into the kiss, though it was lost to the music, and he ground into them. Warmth trailed down his spine, settling between his legs, and he pulled back.

Rami’s lips were kiss-bitten red and twitched in a smile as they stared at him. They brushed a bit of his hair off his cheek, and Julian wanted to scream with the affection that filled him so suddenly.

He was already hard, cock trapped beneath his pants, and he hoped it wasn’t visible to the hooting and hollering crowd they’d left at the tables.

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