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do or who I do it with. Still, he caught his new admirer s hand in his and tugged it up to his
stomach again. If nothing else, he was moving too fast. Xavier didn t want a quick one-off in
the middle of the club. He wasn t sure what he wanted, other than a certain unattainable
man.
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Xavier looked into confused bright blue eyes and smiled slightly. He lifted the hand
from his belly and brushed a kiss across the guy s knuckles. The man s expression shifted
from irritated to flabbergasted, his red lips parting as he widened his eyes. Xavier leaned
down enough to bring his lips to speak into the man s ear.
 I don t want this  he squeezed the hand in his  right now. My head just isn t in the
right place, but I d love to dance with you. Xavier pulled back enough to see the man s
expression, half expecting anger to have twisted his cute features. Instead the guy s eyes
glistened in a way that made Xavier s stomach cramp with guilt. He shouldn t have let this
go on as long as it had.
 Just dance? That s it? the man asked in a light, almost feminine voice. Xavier nodded,
keeping a close watch for tears. Instead the man broke into a smile that might have stopped
Xavier s heart had that organ not decided it wanted someone else.  Okay, okay, I can do
that I d love to do that!
Xavier felt his own mouth curling up into a smile. He straightened and, his hand still
clasping the other man s, led him onto the dance floor.
* * * *
Chase had tried not to eavesdrop when he d walked through the living room, but he d
heard Xavier s name, and damn it, after almost a week of constantly fantasising about the
man and being pissed about it Chase hadn t been able to stop listening in. Discreetly, of
course. Chase had planted both feet beside Josh and stared blatantly at him as he sat on the
couch snuggled up to Nick. Josh had given him a serious look and arched both eyebrows, but
Chase hadn t budged. He was pretty sure he d used the words  worried about right before
Xavier s name. Chase didn t see any reason to pretend he wasn t interested in the
conversation.
And damn, if Josh hadn t got this smug, knowing look in his eyes. Nick had too, but
he d given this sympathetic smile that had warmed Chase as much as it confused him.
Confusion seemed to be his constant state lately, well, one of them. Toss in horny, worried
and angry and Chase s emotional range was about covered.
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Josh finally finished the call and turned to Nick. He patted the man s thigh, then stood
up and tugged on Nick s hand. Chase was on the verge of demanding to know what that
phone call was all about when Josh said,  Come on, Nick, we re meeting Adam and Les at
The Xxchange. Billy called them, seems he s a bit concerned about some guy at the club
who s all over Xavier.
Nick huffed and shook his head.  Josh, Xavier s a grown man. I m pretty sure he can
handle himself and whoever it is trying to get in his pants. Christ, the man probably needs to
get laid and y all are going to go charging in there and ruin it for him!
Chase s mind blanked in a red haze as his body went hot then cold. He didn t agree
with Nick s reply it even if it was likely true. Chase opened his mouth up to snarl something
he would have regretted, maybe, but Josh spoke over him.
 Well, see, that s the thing. Apparently Xavier doesn t usually act like this, and Billy is
just concerned. Liam had to go back home, and Billy didn t know who else to talk to about it
so he called Adam. No one is planning on ruining Xavier s night, we just want to make sure
he doesn t do something he regrets. The last part of that sentence was said with a glance at
Chase that set his teeth on edge.  Or maybe we just want to see who the lucky man is who s
going to get laid by Xavier tonight, Josh added, with a challenging look at Chase.
After a week of touching himself in ways he hadn t ever thought he would, all because
of Xavier Talbot, Chase was nearly stupid with lust. Nearly. He crossed his arms over his
chest and stared Josh down. Pink flooded Josh s cheeks, but he didn t look away.
 You aren t worried about Xavier, Chase snapped, narrowing his eyes as the pieces fell
into place.  You re just trying to piss me off enough to get me to go to him.
Josh rolled his eyes and huffed before focusing on Chase again. He crossed his arms
over his chest, mirroring Chase s stance.  Actually, after the way you ve been snapping at
everybody and glaring daggers every time someone mentions Billy and Liam up until you
found out they weren t in a ménage with Xavier I do think you should at least let Xavier
know you re interested.
 I m not  Chase began, then shut his mouth. If he couldn t deny it honestly, he d best
just shut the hell up.
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 Right, Josh said, sarcastically.  Whatever. If you re not going to make a play for him,
then you ve got no right to get angry when someone else does. Josh s expression softened
into one filled with understanding. Chase wanted to run back into his room and hide. He
didn t know what to do with someone like Josh, who wore his emotions so openly. Josh
placed a hand on Chase s clenched fist.  Look, I don t mean to be a bitch. I m sure you have
reasons for being the way you are, and I m not asking you to tell me. If you want to 
Chase shook his head emphatically. Josh continued on as if he hadn t bothered.
  then that s great, I will be happy to listen, but if not, that s fine, too. You re certainly
entitled to your secrets. Just, sometimes secrets eat away at you from the inside. Josh patted
his hand, and Chase unthinkingly unclenched his fist and wound his fingers through Josh s.
It was a small comfort, another step in their budding friendship that, luckily, Josh didn t
make a big deal of.  But in regards to Xavier, Billy is actually worried for another reason. The
guy all over Xavier looks familiar, but he can t place him and it s really creeping Billy out. He
doesn t know if he s just being paranoid because it s been a long time since Xavier s bothered
picking up anybody, or if he has a reason to be concerned. And since he s working the bar
because the regular bartender got sick, Billy s kind of stuck behind there.
Chase studied Josh for a long moment, looking for any signs of deceit. He couldn t find
any, and felt like an asshole for trying.  Sorry, he muttered, knowing Josh would
understand why. Josh squeezed his hand lightly, then lifted. Chase wasn t expecting the
touch to his cheek that drew his gaze back to Josh s.
 It s okay, Josh assured him in a soothing voice.  I know how confusing it is, being
attracted to someone when you don t want to be at first, he added when Nick groused.  I
get being scared. I can totally understand and support you even if you decide you want
nothing to do with Xavier even though the air fairly snaps and pops with the attraction
between the two of you. That doesn t mean you have to act on it. Stay here if that s what you
want to do. No pressure, no guilt, okay? Josh ended his speech with a quick peck to Chase s
cheek that left Chase stunned. It wasn t that there was anything to the chaste kiss, it was
simply that Josh had even bothered& and that Nick wasn t trying to kill Chase for it.
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Nick must have seen the question in Chase s eyes because he grinned loopily as he
wrapped his arms around Josh and explained.  He s got a big heart, and I wouldn t ever try
to fence that in. And besides, he loves me.
Chase wrinkled his nose as the two lovers went to get ready to go to the club. That had [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]