Page 12 of The Jock
And then Milo’s nails tapped against his glass and Colby’s dick twitched.
Oh. That was new.
CHAPTER 6
MILO
The questioning gazesfrom Milo’s friends didn’t affect him. At least, he tried not to let them see how uncomfortable their stares made him. It had been a long time since Milo set foot out of the house looking the way he did and up until he sat down with Colby, his nerves had him wanting to crawl out of his skin.
Neville hadn’t liked it when Milo dressed like this and the longer Milo thought about him, the longer he wondered if there was anything about him Neville liked, or if the appeal had been the way he’d let Neville cut him down and control him.
Milo was aware that his friends were watching him. They all wanted the old Milo back, and that’s who they thought they were looking at. But Milo didn’t want to be that man again. That man was vulnerable and had let a man get under his skin and manipulate him. He’d allowed Neville to chip away the things that were important to him. His friends. His social life. His self-expression. And when he thought he’d chipped enough away, that Milo wouldn’t go anywhere, Neville started looking elsewhere. Maybe he’d been looking the whole time and Milo had been blind until presented with the truth.
But Colby hadn’t known him before, so he didn’t expect anything of him and there was something dangerously refreshing about a blank slate. Not that Milo was going to jump into anything with anyone. But it gave him hope that he didn’t have to go back to the person he had been, that maybe he could reinvent himself in a new way. A stronger way. A way that wouldn’t let other people take important things from him.
“Are you staying for the show?” Milo asked Colby. He thought the man’s concern for his brother was admirable and sweet. It was endearing that Colby was so willing to go the extra mile to try and help Taylor. Not that Milo was interested in him. The only man Milo was focused on pleasing was himself.
Colby leaned back and gave Milo a smirk that was almost cocky. “I came all the way here, didn’t I? Are you going to watch it with me?”
Colby sat forward and the cocky expression dropped from his face. “I mean, if you’re not here with friends or something. I don’t want to intrude. You were already nice enough to invite me.”
The smart thing to do would be to let Colby watch the show alone, but Milo couldn’t pry himself off the chair. He didn’t want to go back to his friends and their many questions. He wasn’t ready to talk about what went down with Neville or the sudden return of his former, more flamboyant manner. He simply wanted to sit and exist. To have a few drinks and watch a show.
“Of course I’ll stay.”
Colby looked relieved and pleased all at once. “Thanks.” He took a sip of his drink then glanced around the club, taking it all in. “So what goes on at these shows, anyway?”
“Some dancing. Some singing. A bunch of raunchy jokes. It’s fun.”
“And you perform?”
“I used to. I haven’t in a while.”
Milo braced himself for the question that never came. Colby didn’t ask why he didn’t perform anymore. He asked about the other acts and he listened intently while Milo gave him the rundown of who was performing that night and what to expect.
Milo ordered them another round of drinks and when they arrived, he pushed one toward Colby. He wanted to learn more about Colby’s brother, but the lights dimmed, the stage lit up, and the music started.
Instead of watching the stage, Milo kept his gaze trained on Colby. By his own admission, he’d never been to a show before and Milo was curious how he’d take it. He barely knew the man, but watching Colby’s eyes widen and his face light up when Kyle, also known as Starla Bright, stepped out on stage. She was done up in an evening gown that had slits up both sides to show off her killer legs. Her hair was always a work of art. As it should be, considering Kyle was a hair stylist by trade.
Milo smothered a smile by taking a sip of his drink as he watched Colby gape at Starla Bright strutting around stage, dancing in heels, and lip-synching her heart out.
“She’s spectacular.” Colby tore his eyes away long enough to locate his drink and to flash Milo a smile. Goddamnit, why did he have to have dimples?
“I’m impressed.” Milo scooted closer so he could be heard over the roar of the crowd.
Colby glanced his way, a question evident in his expression.
“You got her pronouns right.”
“Well, I did some of reading before I came,” Colby admitted. “I didn’t want to say something stupid and embarrass myself. God, how does she do that in those shoes?”
Colby leaned forward, taking it all in, and it gave Milo a chance to get a look at him from the side. Okay, so he was gorgeous, and sweet, and thoughtful, and he loved his brothers. Clearly there had to be some sort of flaw.
“I should make everyone train in heels from now on,” Colby mused.
Milo nearly choked on his drink. “Box jumps in heels, I think not.”
“Okay, so it is a little mean, but look at her. She’s got moves. I’m almost sad that I didn’t bring Taylor here to see this.”
