Page 25 of Better Late Than Never

I straightened a little. “You don’t think so?”

He smirked. “Tell you what.” Nodding toward the crowded floor, he said, “Go out there for three songs. If no one wants to dance with you, I’ll cover your train ticket and your hotel for this trip.”

Well, I wasn’t one to turn down a deal, and I liked the challenging gleam in his eyes a lot more than I probably should have.

“All right.” I shrugged and brought up my water bottle for another swig. “You’re on.”

His grin was toothy and wide. “That’s what I thought.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I started to step away from the table, but hesitated. “I, uh…” I scanned the crowd. “Don’t… really know how to dance.”

He waved that away and took me by the elbow. “No one does. Just move to the beat. Start with your hips, then do whatever feels right.” He gestured at the crowd as he tugged me toward it. “That’s what everyone else is doing.”

I was dubious of that. I’d seen too many videos of people showing off their dance moves. I’d even treated a kid in the ER who’d sprained his knee on a dancefloor, insisting “I’ve been doing those moves forever.”

I didn’t have “moves.” I didn’t buy that everyone else out there was just going with the flow and faking it till they made it.

But could I say no to that glint in Alex’s eyes? To that tug at my elbow?

No, I could not.

So I let him lead me away from the safety of our table into the dense mass of people.

When he released my arm, I had that momentary panic like a lifeline had just snapped, leaving me in rough waters with nothing to cling to. But he was still close by. Still in sight.

He gave me a reassuring wink, and then he started doing exactly what he’d told me to do—move to the music. Start with the hips and go from there.

And… forget dancing. I wasn’t sure I could remember how to walk now that I was watching him move.

The momentum of the crowd kept me from being completely still; I moved a little to keep people from crashing into me, and out of necessity, that meant moving with the music. So at least I wasn’t just standing here like a dipshit.

But for the most part, all I did was stare at Alex.

At the way his hips moved like they had a mind of their own.

At the way he put up his arms and closed his eyes and just seemed to get lost in the music.

Fuck. Hadn’t he said this place used air conditioning? Because it was suddenly way too damn hot, and I didn’t think it had to do with all these bodies around me.

Right then, someone emerged from the crowd, and I lost my own rhythm for a couple of beats when his hands slid over Alex’s waist. Alex’s eyes fluttered open, and oh, God, if I’d thought his earlier grin was sexy…

Someone bumped into me, and I remembered I wasn’t supposed to be just standing here. I tore my gaze away from Alex so I could concentrate on moving. That helped. Checking out some of the other men helped, too.

And oh, hell, there were some hot men in this room. I’d been afraid walking into a gay club that it would be like I’d seen on TV or in photos—perfect bodies and six-packs as far as the eye could see. Yeah, there were men here who wouldn’t be out of place in underwear ads, but there were also normal guys. Some who were way too young, but not all.

If I’d had any lingering doubts that I was bi—and I didn’t—they would’ve evaporated in the heat of this dancefloor. So many attractive men. So many broad shoulders and gorgeous asses. So many disarming eyes and perfect lips; I’d been curious for a long, long time about what it would feel like to kiss a man, and my pulse raced at the thought that it might happen tonight. That before the sun rose, I might know what another man’s mouth tasted like.

Christ, was I getting hard?

I was. How could I not? I hadn’t been touched in four years. Tonight, I might break that dry spell. With a man. With one of the men in this room right now.

Fuck, yes. Bring it on.

Without thinking, I gave a quick glance around to make sure my lifeline was still here. I found that red shirt in the crowd and?—

My breath stuttered.

He wasn’t just dancing close to that other guy—he was dancingcloseto him. A hand firmly on the other guy’s ass. I couldn’t see much of Alex’s face, but I could see enough of the other guy’s to know hewantedAlex. He wanted him bad. His dark eyes were absolutely gleaming with need. Their facesalmosttouching, and all he or Alex would need to do was inhale deeply and they’d be kissing.

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