Page 61 of A Hard Sell

Thomas’ eyes widened as he gave a tight shake of his head.

“Let’s go get him,” Finn yelled at Luka over the music. He took Luka’s hand and began to shimmy over to the painfully sexy man smoldering on the edge of the dance floor. Luka was just drunk enough to go with the plan.

“Come on, Wolf. Let’s see your moves.” Finn reached a hand out toward Thomas.

“I don’t dance.”

“Don’t you wanna dance with us?” Finn pouted. He threw an arm around Luka and pressed their faces together. “Look how cute we are.”

Thomas shifted his weight. Something like a smile played at the corner of his mouth. “I’m not saying you’re not cute…”

Luka’s stomach twisted as Thomas’ eyes met his.

“…I just can’t dance.”

That just made Finn smile wider. “I have good news for you—everyone can dance! Luka here is proof of that.”

Luka laughed. “I feel like I should take offense, but he’s not wrong.” He stuck his lower lip out and made his eyes nice and wide. “Please dance with us, Thomas.”

Thomas sighed and drained the rest of his drink. “Okay.” He plunked the empty glass down on the nearest table. “Don’t judge me.” He took Finn’s still outstretched hand. Finn whooped as he hauled them all back onto the dance floor where Rory and Tawney were still going strong.

Luka thought his heart might burst with how adorably uncertain Thomas looked, starting to bounce a little to the latest Top Forty club banger.

Luka moved a little closer. “It’s in the hips,” he told Thomas. “See?”

Thomas watched him dance, his eyes heavy. He nodded and bent his knees more, letting his hips slide back and forth.

Luka grinned and nodded. “Perfect.”

Once he settled in, it was clear Thomas was a very good dancer, which wasn’t a surprise to Luka at all, given how smoothly and gracefully he moved day-to-day. As the night went on, they danced closer and closer, hips and fingers brushing together, lips parted, a thin sheen of sweat shining on their foreheads.

The beat echoed through Luka’s chest, simmering in his groin while Thomas’ torso rippled. “I need a break,” he leaned over to tell Thomas when he felt the blood gathering down low.

He took a moment to drink some water and mop the sweat off his brow, but when he glanced at his phone, he realized the night was drawing to a close. There was something he had to do still. He approached Thomas who had followed him off the dance floor for some water. “Hey,” he leaned over to say into his ear. “Do you want to get some air for a second? I have something for you.”

Thomas looked puzzled, but he grabbed his jacket and nodded, following Luka out through the sliding door onto the patio.

Luka shivered in the cold as he pulled his blazer on. It was a clear night, the stars dotting the sky above. He turned to face Thomas, leaning back on the railing. “That was a fun night.”

Thomas smiled, tilting his head. “Really fun. Thank you for dragging me out there.”

Luka nodded. “And thank you again so much for the gift. I love it. You spent way more than the price limit!”

Thomas shrugged. “Fuck the rules. I’m glad you like it.”

“I, uh, got you something too.” He pulled a small box out of his pocket.

“You did? I thought the rule was…?”

Luka smiled. “A wise man once said ‘fuck the rules’.” He handed it to Thomas, heart pounding.It’s too much.

Thomas unwrapped the white paper and lifted the lid. A pair of silver wolf cufflinks were nestled in the tissue.

“There’s two wolves,” Luka said, unable to look at Thomas, “because you’re not alone.”

Thomas inhaled sharply, then a silence hung over them. He risked a glance up. The warm brown gaze of the other man threatened to light him on fire.

“Luka, I…” Thomas shook his head, his voice strangled. “Thank you.”

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