Chapter 2

So shoot me. I was looking not touching.Bobby was speaking to the stranger with grand, wide drunken gestures. Did Bobby actually go over there to ask this guy to screw Jason? Oh, God no. I’m going to kill him and this time I really mean it.

* * * *

Zach Montgomery had been watching the young man at the end of the bar all night. At first, there had been a crowd around him but they’d trickled away as the night wore on. The kid pushed all of Zach’s buttons. He’d noticed him as soon as the kid walked up to the bar with his friends. The group went back and forth to the bar all night but the kid stayed where he was as if the party revolved around him. He was broad shouldered, had curly light brown hair was slim hipped and had powerful legs and arms. The T-shirt he wore outlined his perfect six-pack. He didn’t look like he held his liquor very well but he had wisely turned over his shot glass indicating he didn’t want a refill. That was until his friend filled it for him.

The kid had spoken with great animation to his light-haired friend as if his friend was about to do something stupid. He’d thrown his arms up in resignation and surreptitiously eyed Zach from under his eyelashes, then put his head down on the bar. Zach had been about to make his move when the friend came trotting up beside him.

“Hi, I’m Bobby Michaels. My friend down the end of the bar is Jason Monroe. He’s interested in you but too shy to make a move. I’ve seen you watching him for the greater part of the evening. Are you interested? We’re looking to get him laid.”

Zach began to laugh. The kid had a pimp. “Who’s we?”

“His former team mates from the state champion Ocean Township soccer team of 2010. It’s his birthday—he just turned twenty-two.” Bobby repeated himself, “He really needs to get laid.”

“Any particular reason he can’t do that himself?” Zach asked laughing.

“Like I said, he’s shy.” Bobby stood there waiting. Zach looked down the bar. The kid, Jason, Bobby had said, lifted his head off the bar and sent his friend black looks. Zach had a feeling that Bobby got black looks from Jason often enough that he was immune.

Zach thought about his options. He didn’t do relationships but this kid wasn’t looking for one according to his friend and he looked too delicious to pass up. He’d go down the bar, speak to him, and lay it on the line. Then, he can at least tell himself he tried. He looked the friend up and down and said, “Lead on.”

* * * *

As Bobby walked back with the stranger in tow, Jason waited for the ground to open up and swallow him whole; he was so embarrassed. He couldn’t believe that Bobby actually did it. The man was huge. He had black hair and piercing blue eyes that you could see from five foot away, unlike his own ordinary hazel ones. Jason’s hair was light brown and a little bit too long and lay in ringlets atop his head. He checked himself in the mirror behind the bar. No harm in looking, he told himself. Bobby brought the man close enough so that he stood in Jason’s face, “Jason Monroe, meet Zach Montgomery.”

Up close his eyes are even more mesmerizing. Christ, a man whose eyes you could get lost in for days. Jason reluctantly offered the man his hand in greeting. Bobby, the ever helpful, snuck away into the dark recesses of the tables in the back of the club all the way across the dance floor from the bar. His best friend was in so much trouble. The man, Zach, Bobby had said his name was, began to speak.

I must look like a fish with my mouth hanging open. I’ve got to practice a poker face.

“So this is your birthday bash. Do you always have your friends procure a fuck for you on your birthday? You know, you could easily get the job done yourself. There were at least a dozen guys eyeing you up tonight, if you’d deigned to notice them.”

Jason almost fell off of the bar stool he was so shocked. Had Bobby actually gone and asked a stranger to fuck him? He was going to torture and kill his best friend at the earliest opportunity. Jason shot a look over to the tables. Bobby gave him a lecherous smile. The others at the table laughed so hard that Reggie fell out of his chair. Jason downed the shot Bobby left. He needed the fortitude.