Page 52 of Flirty Dancing

Archer turned his smolder on as he and Mateo began their walk toward each other at the start of their tango duet. When they met in hold, Mateo’s hands were jolts of electricity on Archer’s skin. Archer tilted his head, their lips closer than ever before. He breathed Mateo in, the scent sending sparks through his brain, and then they were dancing.

It was their hottest tango yet.

Mateo held him tighter, their bodies slotting together like they were one. Hips brushing, feet flicking in perfect sync, eyes locking at each pause. Archer’s throat squeezed as the heat flooded through him.

When they finished, heart pounding, head dizzy, Archer swayed toward Mateo’s lips, the urge to kiss him nearly overtaking him. But the roar from the audience was a douse of cold water, and he turned so they could take their bow as Caleb and Ben began their duet.

Archer couldn’t find any words to say to Mateo when they got backstage. They drank their water in silence, mopped their brows, and got back out there.

The nine o’clock show was much the same—a dizzying, electrifying connection—except in their final pose, instead of his hand being on Archer’s shoulder, Mateo’s hand rested on the back of Archer’s neck. He let out a whoosh of air as their eyes met.Fuck. His hand is on my neck.If they weren’t in front of an audience right now, Archer didn’tknow what he might have done. They looked at each other another long moment, then took their bows.

After the show, Archer hurried to the greenroom to change, brain spinning with confusion and afraid of what he might say to Mateo. He was momentarily distracted when he checked his phone and found a missed call from his parents—Nine thirtyP.M.on my birthday, good job, guys—but returning it would have to wait until morning.

“Wow, you were sizzling again tonight, sexy,” Caleb said, peeling his shirt off and giving Archer a steamy kiss.

“Thanks, you too,” Archer replied, trying to name the emotion that was settling in his gut. Anxiety? Guilt? Excitement?

When Archer and Caleb got back to their room after a shower, just in their towels, there was no sign of Beau and Ben. Archer slid his arms around Caleb and kissed him. “Thank you for an amazing birthday.”

Caleb kissed him back and pulled Archer down onto his bed. “You’re welcome.”

Archer snuggled up against him, wiping at a drop of water trickling down Caleb’s chest. “I can’t believe you pulled it all together so quickly.”

“Yeah, it was fast! We had to scramble a bit when we got back. It was lucky Betty thought to run and grab the decorations right away, but I wish she had let us know when we were still in town.”

A thought clicked in Archer’s brain. “So, no one knew until you got back here?”

“I don’t think so… Why?”

“No reason.” His stomach flipped. Was it really possible Mateo hadn’t known about his birthday until they got back? No, Betty must have run into him in the store. Why would he have bought those things for him otherwise? Butbefore he could puzzle it out further, Caleb’s tongue was in his mouth.

The heat of the kiss grew until their bodies were pressed together, hands roaming, and the flames lapped at Archer’s insides.

Caleb tugged Archer’s towel loose. “Do you want to stay back here tonight?” he whispered.

Archer pulled Caleb’s muscular body tighter against his. “Yeah.”

“Good,” Caleb said, teeth scraping at Archer’s neck, then lips trailing down his chest. “I haven’t given you the rest of your present yet.”

12Late

Archer woke up Wednesday morning wrapped around Caleb. The heat of his body and the sleepy scent of his sweat sent tendrils of warmth winding through his center. Memories of the night came back to him in snatches of curled toes and grasping hands, and the smoldering embers inside him sparked back to life. He glanced at the other beds to make sure there was still no sign of Beau and Ben. It seemed they had very kindly vacated the room for the night.

Archer smiled when he saw Caleb blinking at him with heavy eyes.

“Morning,” Caleb mumbled. He brushed his lips over Archer’s jaw.

“Morning.” Archer pulled the blanket up around them.

“How are you?” Caleb asked, tracing his fingers over Archer’s chest.

“Really good.”

“Oh, yeah? I can tell.” Caleb’s hand slid between Archer’s legs and took hold of him with a firm grasp.

Archer laughed. “Hold that thought.” He slipped out of bed, pulled on some random clothes, and hurried to the bathroom to relieve himself and brush his teeth, Caleb following. Then they raced back, giggling and tossing their clothes before they tumbled into the bed and began engaging in a repeat performance of the night before.

A while later, the day now fully underway and his stomach growling, Archer sat up and stretched. “Come on. We’re going to miss lunch, too.”

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