Page 58 of Out of Reach
“And now he’s sandwiched between two guys dancing.”
“They’ve been arguing a lot, from what I’ve heard,” Hawk said. “We’ve all been thinking it was just a matter of time until they split. Colt’s too easy and free-spirited to be with someone as rigid as Brian is.”
“Brian’s rigid?” Jude asked, frowning. They were leaning into each other to be heard over the loud music, Hawk’s hand still resting on Jude’s hip from when he’d been shoved forward.
“In a lot of ways, yeah. He likes things a certain way. Colt has ADD and said he has to work hard to be organized, while Brian’s so organized he doesn’t shit unless it’s on his schedule.”
“Isn’t he an accountant?” Jude asked.
Hawk nodded.
“I guess I could see where he’s rigid,” Jude admitted. “But opposites attract, I’ve heard.”
A slow song came on, and on impulse, Hawk took Jude’s drink from his hand and set it on the table beside Hawk’s beer. “Let’s dance.”
Jude grinned and Hawk guided him through the crowd. The moment they reached the dance floor, Hawk pulled him into his arms.
Tingles ran through Hawk’s body at the contact. They fit like a glove. Holding Jude close, he moved to the beat of an Ed Sheeran song, and when a guy tried to cut in, Hawk growled at him to get lost.
“That was unnecessary,” Jude said, looking up into Hawk’s face.
“It was totally necessary. I don’t want to give you up.” He held Jude more tightly to him.
“I just mean you could’ve been nicer about it,” Jude said, smiling before he rested his head on Hawk’s chest again with a contented sigh that hit Hawk like a sledgehammer.
I love him, Hawk thought.I’m in love with him.
Jude looked up at him again, this time with a frown on his face. “Hawk? Your heart’s racing like crazy.” He patted Hawk’s chest.
Hawk just shook his head. He couldn’t tell him on the dance floor of the loud club.
“We’ll talk later,” he promised. Then he kissed Jude softly.
Jude looked surprised but not unhappy.
Hawk knew at that moment that he couldn’t let Jude leave his life again.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Jude
Something was going on with Hawk. When he’d arrived at the club, he’d seemed normal. Then, after they’d started dancing, he’d gotten weird. Weird as in his heart suddenly started racing underneath Jude’s hand like a fire had broken out in the club, and he wouldn’t tell Jude what was wrong.
But Jude was too busy to wonder about it for long. He’d been hiding it, but he was uncomfortable in the crowd—even more than he’d thought he would be. He felt eyes on him, but when he looked around, no one was paying him any attention other than the occasional guy checking him out.
They had chosen a gay club. Tara had asked Jude’s opinion on it earlier in the day, and Jude had agreed that even if Dex was totally straight, he might feel more at ease and less pressured at a gay club. Of course, Jude now knew that Dex liked guys, so he hoped that Dex might make a connection. Reminding himself he was there to make sure Dex had a good time, he looked around for him and saw that, although he’d started off dancing with Colt, Dex was now with a big guy with ebony skin and muscles to die for.
Sean approached Hawk and Jude through the crowd. He’d gotten in the way of someone tossing glitter—it was sticking to him everywhere, even in his auburn hair. Before Jude could answer, a blond beefcake strode up to Sean.
“Hi. I’m Hal. What do you think about taking a stroll with me down the hall, cutie?” the man drawled.
“I’m a top,” Sean said, craning his neck to look up at Hal, whose eyebrows hit his hairline. After a moment, Hal said, “Well, that’s not a problem, babe, unless you think it is.”
Eyes traveling over Hal, Sean smiled wolfishly. “Not a problem at all. See you later, Jude.”
“I didn’t know Sean was into men,” Tara said when Jude joined her at their table and Hawk headed for the restroom.
“I think he said he’s poly. He also said he’s vers, but I think he intended to get rid of the big guy by saying he’s a top. Obviously, he’s used to people assuming that guys who aren’t tall are bottoms.”