Page 22 of Half Notes and Highlights
“I was a wrestler,” Marshall explained. “If music didn’t work out, I was heading for WWE.” He flexed his muscles and made a ridiculous noise that sounded like a bull but looked really hot in the process.
“My goodness,” Tyler commented. “I don’t know if I should be afraid or turned on.”
Ethan wrapped a protective arm around Tyler and pulled him to his side. “Let’s get something to drink. Later, Marsh.”
“Nice meeting you!” Tyler called as they headed to the table full of beverages. “Jealous?” he teased Ethan.
“Of Marshall? No. He’s straight.”
“I was only kidding around. You know that, right?” Tyler wanted to make sure Ethan knew that he would never be disrespectful by seriously flirting with another person in front of him. “I tend to be overfriendly. But it’s all in good fun. It’s harmless.”
“I know. It doesn’t bother me. I like that you’re so friendly.”
A few minutes later, Paul returned and told Ethan it was time for soundcheck.
“Where’s Wolf?” Ethan asked. “I want to introduce him to Tyler.”
“He’s in his dressing room,” Paul replied. “Introduce him after soundcheck. We gotta go.”
A quick kiss and a promise to return as soon as he could, and Ethan was off.
Tyler made his way around the room and made small talk with a few people, but he couldn’t stop wondering if Wolf had purposely stayed in his dressing room because the guy was avoiding him. Or maybe he was reading too much into it and Wolf was simply entertaining someone. Part of him really wanted to meet Wolf. Another part of him wished they’d never cross paths.
Soundcheck took less than an hour, and then Ethan and his bandmates returned. Walking with Ethan, Harris, and Marshall was another man. He was tall, with a medium built, long hair, and green eyes that Tyler could see from across the room. Beautiful hair and a face to match. There was no doubt that this was the friend with benefits.
Ethan was all smiles as he hooked an arm over Wolf’s shoulder, whose eyes lit up at the contact, and hurried over to Tyler.
Take your time, but without the arm over the shoulder,Tyler thought to himself. Because he was in no rush to meet Wolf, whose name seemed to suit him perfectly by the way the guy was gawking at Ethan. Scratch that. He was in a big hurry to meet Wolf, because the sooner he staked his claim the better. Wolf might be an occasional fuck on the side, but Tyler was . . . he didn’t know what to call himself. He wasn’t Ethan’s boyfriend, but he better be Ethan’s number one, because Tyler Kennedytook a back seat to no one, even a guy Ethan knew for most of his life.
Tyler stood taller, placed a hand on his hip, which he jutted out to the side, flipped his hair to the front so it hung over one shoulder, and waited with a confident smile on his face. He knew he looked hot. His signature leather pants were black as night with fishnet inserts in all the right places. He wore a bright purple furry vest with no shirt and tons of silver chains. He was the most stylish person in the room.
“This is Wolf,” Ethan proudly announced, moving his arm from around Wolf’s neck and resting it on his shoulder. “I’m glad you guys can finally meet.”
Why? Tyler wondered. Maybe Ethan thought there’d be some kind of ménage à trois. No thank you. Not happening. “Greetings.” Tyler extended his hand. “I’m Tyler Kennedy. You’ve got a lovely head of hair.”
“Thanks.” Wolf, void of any facial expression, looked at Tyler’s hand for a moment before shaking it. “Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise.” And then there was an awkward silence. It wasn’t like Tyler to be at a loss for words, but what are you supposed to say to someone who was fucking the same guy as you? The absurdity of it almost made him laugh, but the assessing way Wolf was staring at him made him defensive, and the hair on the back of his neck prickled with annoyance. So, he returned the stare. The two of them looked each other over, from head to toe, up and down. Tyler counted to five, and still neither one said anything or averted their eyes, while Ethan seemed mortified and frozen in place.
Tyler decided to break the silence. “Who does your hair?”
Wolf looked confused by the question. “I do.”
“I mean, who cuts it? I’m a stylist. I just moved to LA from New York.”
Wolf nodded, as if he already knew that. “I go to a place in West Hollywood.”
“They do a good job. My studio is in West Hollywood also. Stop by anytime.”
Wolf nodded again, with his brows pinched together, as if he didn’t understand why they were having a conversation about his hair. What did he expect them to talk about? What Ethan liked in bed and his favorite positions?
“It was nice to meet you,” Wolf said, dismissively. “I’m going to get a drink.” And then he shot across the room like they were giving out free rainbow snow cones.
Tyler folded his arms across his chest and raised an eyebrow at Ethan. “So. That’s Wolf.”
“Yeah.”
“Not exactly Mr. Warm and Fuzzy, is he?”
