Page 102 of Full Body Hit: Part 2
Noah wouldn’t hear of it. The team was going to go out, have a drink, and go through the loss together.
Auston didn’t want to agree, but the kid was right—the last thing this team needed was for a bad loss to fracture them.
The bar was already busy with an early Saturday crowd as they arrived. Auston ordered a beer, slotted into a booth, and resolved not to move unless he needed to piss.
Chase started the night with him, squeezed against his side, joining the flow of conversation as Auston sat back, trying not to be too moody as he sipped his beer. The tension in his shoulderslessened as an hour went by, the guys crowding the table joking and being way too loud as the bad taste of the loss washed away.
Sammy dragged Chase to the bar eventually. There was a little dance floor to the side of it, practically barren until Sammy began dancing in the middle of it. Auston grinned at the mortified expression on Chase’s face, the way it cracked into a smile as Sammy spun him around and made him shimmy.
Every introvert like Chase needed an extroverted friend like Sammy—someone to pull them onto the dance floor every now and again, show them that there was nothing to fear about letting loose in public.
The Omegas’ shenanigans cracked the seal, more people joining in, Chase bright red but smiling, Sammy’s attention on him.
Auston was pulled away from watching his mate dance by Jimmy, who’d just spilt half his drink everywhere, and then Vincent, who had to show him pictures of his new puppy, and the next time he glanced up, Chase had been swallowed up by the crowd.
Not that Auston needed to keep an eye on him all night—even in the mess of scents permeating the air, he’d be able to tell the second Chase felt anything similar to fear.
It was only when his phone buzzed with a text from Chase that he suddenly became alert.
Chase
Look at this yummy drink someone bought me
The image attached was of a tall glass filled with a sparkly pink liquid that went from light to a dark red at the bottom.
Auston read the text again. He looked up, searching, and spotted Chase by the bar with Sammy and two Alphas, one of which appeared to be completely ignoring the mating mark on Chase’s neck in favour of flirting with him.
Auston tensed, ready to stand up, but…Chase was smiling, nodding along. He wasn’t distressed. Had accepted the drink from the stranger, sipping from it periodically.
Auston gritted his teeth even as his blood pumped hotter, just like it had done that day Chase had sent him nude after nude while they were at the bar together.
Auston took a deep breath. They needed to have a long fucking conversation about Chase springing scenes on him instead of just asking for what he needed, but…
God, if it didn’t feel better this way. Morereal. A silent communication that slipped them from real life and into playing a game they both knew the rules of instinctively.
Auston was in control, and Chase was misbehaving.
Auston sat back, settling his heartbeat. He waited for Chase’s gaze to flicker over to him and raised an uncaring eyebrow.
If Chase thought that Auston would spring into action and drag him away, he was sorely mistaken.
Something silent and feral settled into place, a tiger crouching in wait, tail flicking and eyes trained on its prey.
Auston let the night roll on, waiting until some of the other guys began heading home to say his goodbyes and walk over to Chase and his little companion.
“Hey, baby,” Auston greeted, startling the Alpha. Auston didn’t even glace at him. “I’m heading home. See you later.” He planted a kiss on Chase’s forehead, waved at Sammy, who was just as bug-eyed, and walked calmly away.
There was a beat, and then spluttering behind him, the sound of a barstool scratching the sticky floor, of a glass clattering against the bar top. Auston ignored it, stepping into the cool night air.
“Auston!”
Auston debated not pausing, but that would break his charade of nonchalance. He turned, head tilted. “What’s up?”
Chase stumbled to a halt in front of him, cheeks flushed. “You’re leaving?”
“Yeah. But you can stay, just take an Uber home, yeah?”
Chase opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. “I can go home with you.”
