::I like what I see,:: Matt teased. Then heshook his glass, rattling the ice cubes inside. ::Give me aminute to freshen up. I’ll be right there.::
::One minute,:: Vic agreed as he moved closerto the food table. ::Then I’m coming to get you.::
Matt saw him reach through the crowd to snag twoplates. The guy beside him started to complain, but one hard lookfrom Vic silenced him. With a laugh, Matt circled the bar. On theside facing away from the pool, shelves lined the inside of thewooden bar. The two bottom shelves held a veritable wealth ofalcohol—bottles of cheap wine, whiskey, tequila, some beer, the rumMatt wanted. There were a few cans of soda as well, Coke and somelemon-lime mess that went in the fruitier drinks, and an insulatedbucket of ice cubes sat well back on an upper shelf, in therelative coolness of the shade. Along the top of the bar, cleanglasses waited to be filled.
Tipping his glass over, Matt shook his melting iceout onto the grass and crouched down behind the bar. There he addedfresh ice, which cracked and popped when the warm rum trickled overit. He filled the glass to the top, sipped off the excess, andfilled it up again. Thank God Vic was driving. Though if the sweetache in his crotch were any indication, Matt didn’t think they’dmake it home. Maybe they could find an empty parking lot, or a darkshoulder on the side of the road, somewhere they’d be alone. Mattshifted his weight from foot to foot and felt the lust coiled athis groin spring to life. His jeans pressed down on a swollenerection that throbbed for release. Maybe they wouldn’t even makeit to the car. Maybe Matt could commandeer Kyle’s bathroom again,Vic wouldn’t mind…
As if thinking of his lover conjured him into being,Matt heard the soft shuffle of a footstep behind him and, twoseconds later, a shadow blocked out the sun above. Vic must’vebullied his way along the food table to return to Matt’s side soquickly. Gotta love that man.
Before Matt could turn around, a tender hand foundhis shoulder, then trailed down his back to rub into the waistbandof his jeans. He savored the touch, leaning into the strength ofthe arm behind him, his eyes closing in trust. The hand slid lower,teasing into his briefs. The intimate moment seemed surreal, outhere amid Kyle’s friends, almost sinful at its audacity.With a faint grin, Matt sat back on his heels and said softly, “Iwas just thinking about you.”
Jordan’s low voice cut through his reverie like ajagged knife. “Were you?”
Matt whirled as he stood. Losing his balance, hestumbled back against the bar; his elbow hit a row of glasses thattinkled in agitation, then something fell to the ground with aclatter. A small hand-towel followed, brushed aside in Matt’ssurprise. One foot kicked out, impulsive, and whatever lay hiddenbeneath the towel now skidded under the bar, out of sight. A stepback put some much needed distance between them, but in his hasteto get away, Matt tripped and hit the ground sprawling. His handknocked over his glass as he fell; rum splashed across the whiteconcrete like liquid amber, soaking the seat of Matt’s jeans.“Shit,” he gasped, breathless. He thought of that hand on his body,the touch so tender, so loving, and fought the urge toretch.
A faint smile played around the corners of Jordan’smouth. When he spoke, his voice was like honeyed poison, sickeningsweet. “No hello for an old lover?”
Crab-like, Matt scrambled back. “We were neverlovers. We weren’t even friends.”
Jordan laughed, a sharp sound like breaking glassthat shattered the late afternoon quiet and set Matt’s mind onedge. He felt foggy, unsure, unable to find his footing onunfamiliar land. He wished he hadn’t had quite so many drinks. Whathad he been thinking? Breaking away from the crowd, where hewas easy prey. Coming here in the first place, even. Letting Jordancatch him alone.
“So,” Jordan said, eyes sparkling as he stared atMatt, still on the ground, “miss me?”
Matt opened his mouth to answer and was surprised tohear his lover’s voice reply, “He has nothing to say to you.”
Matt’s mouth clamped shut. Leaning back, he saw hislover behind him, reaching to the sky above—the back of Matt’s headbrushed Vic’s leg and his bulk rose up from there like a tall oaktree, his chest filling Matt’s world, his head among the cloudsabove. In one hand, he held two plates laden with food; in theother, the bandages had charred around a coruscating ball of flamethat enveloped his palm. Though the bar shielded his hand from therest of the guests, Vic raised it just enough to draw Jordan’sattention to the fireball. In a low, dangerous voice, Vic begged,“Give me a reason.”
Jordan’s eyes widened at the bold display of Vic’spowers. Suddenly he didn’t sound quite so cocky. “I’ll tell Kyle,”he threatened. “If you lay one finger on me, I’ll tell everyonehere about you. About both of you.”
“Not if I get you first,” Vic growled. “Think you’refaster than me? Want to find out?”
Apparently not. With a last glance at Matt, still onthe ground at Vic’s feet, Jordan scowled and turned away. His hipcaught the edge of the bar as he left, jostling it; a handful ofglasses clinked together but didn’t fall, and Matt moved his handbefore the caster on the bottom of the bar could run over hisfingers. For a second he thought Vic would lunge after Jordananyway, grab the scruff of his neck with the hand on fire, singethe bastard out of spite.
But the moment passed. Jordan strode away, fast, asif fearing the same thing. As Matt stood, he saw Jordan cast ahurried glance over at them before he rounded the pool. Almostrunning now, he hurried to the table of food and pushed among theother guests still fixing their plates.
With a shaky sigh, Matt ran a hand through his darkcurls, then took one of the plates from Vic. “God,” he
