“Ineed help.”
“Jesus, Finn. Are you okay?” Anna’s alarmed voice came through my phone speaker.
I’d been staring at my clothes for the last twenty minutes and was no closer to picking an outfit than I’d been when I’d first opened the doors of my closet.
“Sorry. I’m fine. I just need help picking out what to wear.”
“Then you’ve called the right girl. What’s it for?”
“I’m going to an LGBT club night.”
“Holy shit!”
“Shut up.”
“No way.” She laughed. “I’ve been trying to get you to go to LGBT events for two years, and suddenly you’re going to club night? He must be hot.”
“Who?”
“Whoever you’re going with. Or for.”
“It’s not like that.”
“Then what’s it like?”
“Beck suggested we hit an LGBT event so I’ll have a better chance of finding someone. He’s just being a good wingman.”
“Uh-huh.”
“He’s my friend. End of story.”
“If you say so,” she singsonged.
“Why do I hang out with you again?”
“Because you wove me.” She made kissy noises to go along with her baby talk.
“Right. That. Now back to my outfit.”
“You don’t exactly have a ton of club clothes.” She hummed. “Definitely wear those jeans from last night if they’re clean enough.”
“They are.”
“And that T-shirt you had on when we went to the pool. The white one with the flame pattern on it.”
The shirt in question was ridiculously tight and so worn it was nearly see-through. The pattern did look cool, but it was so outside my comfort zone it was laughable.
“Yeah, not happening.”
“Trust me. You won’t stand out at all. In fact, you’ll probably be overdressed.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ll see.”
“So not helpful.”
“Finn, can I give you a piece of advice?”
“Sure.”
“Don’t get in your head.”
“This is me you’re talking to.”
“I know. But try to remember that everyone is there to have a good time. No one is going to be judging your dancing or watching you, even if you feel like they are. They’re too busy focusing on themselves. Let go, have fun, and try to keep relaxed.”
“I’ll try.”
“Want to hang out tomorrow? If you’re not laid up after tonight?”
“Sure. And I’ll be fine. I’m not planning on drinking.”
“Still recuperating from last night?”
“A little.”
“I get off work at one. Want to meet at two?”
“That works.”
“Great! I’ll text you where in the morning.”
“See ya then.”
“See ya.”
I ended the call, closed my closet, and grabbed the shirt out of the back of my drawer.
When I was dressed, I looked at myself in the mirror.
The shirt was as ridiculous as I’d thought, but Anna wouldn’t steer me wrong. If she said I’d fit in, then I believed her.
I worked some gel into my hair, styling it in the messy way that made me look like I’d just rolled out of bed, then checked out my reflection again.
Huh. I didn’t look half bad.
“Finn?” Beck knocked on my door.
“It’s open.”
“Hey.” He pushed the door open.
My jaw dropped.
He looked incredible.
His jeans were so tight they looked painted on, hugging his thick thighs and shapely calves. His black sleeveless shirt showed off his incredible arms and was cut low on the sides, offering a mouth-watering flash of abs. Finishing off the look was a backward ball cap, which was my kryptonite.
I had no idea why, but I loved it when guys did that.
“You look hot.”
I slapped my hand over my mouth, my eyes wide.
Shit. Why had I said that out loud?
He grinned. “So do you. Ready to go?”
“All set.” I patted my pockets to make sure I had everything, then grabbed my phone off the desk.
“I ordered us an Uber. It’ll be here in a few.”
“I could have gotten it.”
“It’s fine.” He waved dismissively.
The house was quiet as we left, and only seconds later, a car pulled up.
Twenty minutes later, we arrived at Prism. Thankfully, the line wasn’t bad, only about ten people long, and it moved quickly.
Dance music pulsed out of the building, ratcheting up every time the door opened.
When we were at the front of the line, the bouncer took our IDs and stamped the back of our hands.
I got an X, which I assumed meant I was underage, and Beck got a check mark. Not exactly original, but it got the message across.
The moment we stepped into the bar, the temperature rose about ten degrees. It was like being transported to another world.
Most of the bar furniture had been removed, so the entire place was a giant dance floor. Groups of students crowded around tall tables pushed against the walls, drinking and laughing.
A laser beam cut through the smoke coming out of a smoke machine, creating a whimsical atmosphere. I looked around, my head on a swivel, as my nerves faded and I got caught up in the enthusiasm.
All around me, people danced, swaying and swirling to the infectious music. An EDM song I’d never heard blared over the speaker system.
Two girls were lost in each other, their foreheads pressed together as they stared deep into each other’s eyes, moving way slower than the beat of the music.
Behind them, two guys were grinding up against each other, their mouths fused.
I’d never seen such public displays of affection before, well, not queer ones.
It was as liberating as it was fascinating.
Beck grabbed my wrist and tugged me along until we found a free table.
“What do you want to drink?” He leaned close and nearly shouted to be heard over the music.
I lifted my hand, showing him the X.
“You can have some of mine. No one will say anything.”
His hot breath tickled my ear, and a tingle ran up my spine. I shuddered.
Either Beck didn’t notice, or he was polite enough to ignore my weirdness.
“Can you get me a Coke?” I dug out my wallet and pulled out a few bills. “Here. It’s on me.”
He took them and tucked them into his back pocket.
Cheers burst out from the table next to us, where a group of girls were lifting test tubes from a wooden holder between them.
“Retro shots,” Beck explained.
“I should probably stay away from those,” I shouted.
“Probably.” He grinned and leaned close, so close his lips brushed my cheek. A shiver of arousal shot through me. “Wait here so I can find you again.”
I swallowed hard. Hopefully he hadn’t noticed. As he headed toward the bar, I shamelessly checked out his ass.
When he was out of sight, I scanned the eclectic crowd.
Anna had been right. I was overdressed.
Most of the students were in various versions of club wear, and rainbow accessories were everywhere.
Three guys to my left were dressed exactly like Beck, down to the backward ball caps. My eyes lingered on their tall, fit bodies.
A squeal to my right caught my attention, and I tore my eyes from the hotties beside me to see two guys in fairy wings and light-up necklaces hugging and jumping up and down like they hadn’t seen each other in months.
A small crowd of students had gone all out as cowboys in jeans, boots, flannel, and the obligatory hats. Most of the girls wore skirts, but considering how hot it was in the room, the ones in jeans had to be sweating their balls off.
People danced like they didn’t have a care in the world. They swayed and jumped and ground together. Couples, trios, groups. There were no limits.
And the PDA.
Jesus.
Guys kissed guys; girls kissed girls. A few couples looked straight passing, but I knew better than to judge someone’s LGBT status based on looks.
It was mesmerizing and freeing and so damn sexy my dick was half-hard already.
Beck appeared in my line of sight, and I grinned at him, my smile so wide it hurt my cheeks.
He grinned back and handed me a slightly sweaty glass filled with dark liquid.
Our fingers brushed as I took it, and the flutter that shot through my chest was not only unwelcome but a little annoying as well.
I needed to get over this stupid crush on Beck. He was straight, for fuck’s sake. And he was turning out to be an amazing friend.
“What do you think?” he leaned in and spoke directly in my ear as the song melted from a synthesized dance tune to Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance.
The crowd went nuts.
“This is amazing. I’ve never seen people be so open and free before.”
He leaned back and grinned as he sipped his drink.
I took a big gulp of mine as I checked out a group of guys dancing shirtless near the bar.
They were all built like Beck, tall and lean and hot as fuck, with miles and miles of smooth skin and defined muscles.
“See anything you like?” Beck bumped my shoulder playfully.
“Uh-huh.” I tore my gaze from the yummy eye candy and gulped down some of my Coke, the bubbles and sugar hitting just right.
“Here, try some of this. Then go over and dance with them.”
He held out his drink.
I shook my head so fast he laughed.
“No to the drink or to the dancing?”
“Dancing.”
“Want me to go with you?” His lips brushed my ear.
I was acting like a giant tool.
I was introverted, but I wasn’t necessarily shy. I didn’t do well when it came to talking to people one on one, but I wasn’t some bashful little virgin.
Well, the virgin part was true, but that was more because of my hang-ups rather than because the opportunity hadn’t presented itself.
I didn’t need to talk to people to dance with them or even just dance close enough to check them out without having to squint and strain my eyes.
“You don’t mind?” I asked.
“Not at all. I love dancing.” He pushed his drink into my hand. “Liquid courage.”
“What is it?”
“Have you ever had a pornstar?”
“I’ve watched a ton of them. Does that count?”
He laughed softly, his breath ghosting over my skin. “They’re good. Not too strong.”
I took the cup and gingerly sipped it.
Sweetness exploded on my tongue, the hint of bubbles and booze making it go down way too smoothly.
“Oh shit, those are dangerous.” I handed the cup back to him. “Like those coolers Anna loves.”
“I don’t drink coolers.” Beck shifted so he was right next to me and didn’t have to keep leaning in. “People call those girly drinks, but they pack a punch. The first time Beth took me to a club after I turned twenty-one, she bought them for us. I kept pace with her and was wasted by the fifth one while she was living life and having a great time. She had to drag my ass home and pour me into bed like a lightweight before midnight.”
I chugged the rest of my Coke, needing to cool off a bit. Even though my shirt was thin, it stuck to my skin, thanks to the humidity here.
Dex had promised to take me to a bar when I turned twenty-one to buy me my first legal drink. I couldn’t see him taking me to a club, but it would be fun to share that experience with my brother.
Beck put his cup to his lips. My eyes were drawn to his Adam’s apple as he drank.
My mouth watered as I watched the muscles work.
I tore my eyes from his throat so he wouldn’t catch me staring like a creeper.
“Here. Drink this, and we’re going to find some people to dance with.”
I took the cup and shot the rest back. The drink wasn’t strong, but the warmth from the booze helped calm my nerves.
“Ready?” He took my empty cup and put both on the table.
“Ready.”
No one is judging you. They’re all here to have fun, just like you.
I repeated that little mantra to myself as Beck took my arm. We weaved through the crowd, approaching the guys I’d been checking out.
One of them caught sight of us, but instead of zeroing in on Beck, his eyes raked up and down my frame, a lusty grin on his lips.
“Hello, gorgeous,” he shouted over the music.
Beck not-so-subtly pushed me in front of him.
The group parted and made room for us, and I swallowed hard when another of the guys turned so we were in a bit of a trio.
“Hi,” I shouted back.
They were both hot, like devastatingly so.
“I’m Derek.” The first one put one hand on my hip and tugged me a bit closer.
“Finn.”
“Jake.” The other guy moved behind me, his hand on my other hip and his mouth close to my ear, effectively boxing me in.
“Hi.” I shuddered.
Neither was touching me outside their hands, but the sensation of being sandwiched between two sexy-as-hell guys was enough to push down the last of my nerves.
Drew gently draped my arms over his shoulders, giving me plenty of leeway to pull away if I wanted to.
I didn’t.
Jake gripped my hips and stepped closer, his chest brushing my back.
I glanced at Beck. He gave me a thumbs-up, then turned back to the group.
One of the other guys stepped close to him, his hand on Beck’s hip.
Beck gave the guy a grin and let him tug him closer. Not close enough that they were dancing together, but it was interesting that he hadn’t moved away, even though the guy was still holding his hip.
Tightening hands on my waist dragged my attention back to Derek and Jake.
They were moving in perfect synchrony, swaying along with the music, a dance tune from the nineties I vaguely recognized. It was catchy as hell.
I closed my eyes and let the music wash over me, moving and swaying along with my dance partners.
All around us, people danced and shouted and drank, having the time of their lives, and it was easy to get swept away by the energy in the room.
My dance partners moved closer until we were smushed up together in a Finn sandwich.
Their bodies were hot and hard, the evidence of their arousal pressing into me as my erection rubbed against Derek’s hard thigh.
“How about you get a little more comfortable?” Jake suggested, his lips brushing my ear.
I opened my eyes and looked over my shoulder at him.
Dark brown eyes bored into mine.
Derek tugged on the front of my shirt.
Feeling bold and way too sweaty, I nodded and reached for the hem.
Jake’s hands were there, and he tugged it up so all I had to do was lift my arms for him to pull it off. The relief was instant as cool air blew over my heated skin.
He tucked the shirt into the back of my jeans.
I leaned back against Jake, draping one arm around his neck as he pressed his erection against my ass.
Fuck, that felt good, and I nearly purred when Derek grabbed my hips and hauled them against his, grinding our dicks together.
Then they spun me around so I was facing Jake with Derek pressed up against my back.
I didn’t know if they were a couple having fun with a third or friends who liked to share, but they moved seamlessly together, spinning me so they each got equal time with my front.
By the fourth song, my mouth was bone dry, and I needed to get something to drink.
Where was Beck? Ah, there.
He was shirtless too, dancing enthusiastically with one of the guys from the group we’d joined.
He caught my eye and mimed taking a drink.
I nodded.
He patted his dance partner on the shoulder and leaned in to say something to him. The guy threw back his head and laughed, then nodded.
He weaved through the dancing bodies toward me.
“Pardon me, gentlemen,” he shouted. “It’s drink o’clock.”
Derek and Jake let go of me and stepped back, easy smiles on their handsome faces.
“Maybe we’ll see you again?” Drew leaned in and pressed a kiss to my cheek.
“Maybe.”
Jake turned me around and kissed my other cheek. “Have a good night, handsome.” He winked.
I giggled, actually giggled.
Beck grabbed my hand, lacing our fingers together, and pulled me toward the bar.
I tried not to focus on the fact that we were holding hands or on the little tingle that shot up my spine.
Just friends. Just friends. Just friends.
He squeezed between two clusters of students, then tucked me in front of him so he was pressed up against my back.
The tingles redoubled, and I had to bite back a moan as he spoke next to my ear.
“Coke again?”
I nodded, leaning back against him shamelessly.
He let me, tightening one arm around my waist.
Wait.
What?
Did straight guys go around hugging their friends from behind and holding them tight?
I was still processing this when one of the bartenders asked what we wanted.
Beck ordered me a Coke and himself another pornstar and two bottles of water.
“I’ve got it.” I reached behind me, slid my hand between us, and tugged my wallet free.
He put enough space between us so I could grab it, but he didn’t let go as I paid with fumbling hands, putting my change on the bar as a tip.
Beck gave me a little squeeze, then stepped back so I could slip my wallet back into my pocket.
We grabbed our drinks, and he nodded to the far side of the bar where a few tables lay unclaimed.
I followed him, slaloming around dancing couples and groups as we made a beeline for the tables. We managed to get there without getting bumped, and he gave me a knowing grin.
“Someone was having fun,” he teased.
“A little.” My cheeks heated. “Never have I ever danced with two guys before.”
He laughed and cracked open his bottle of water, then opened mine.
“Do you want to go back to them?” He tipped his water back and drained half of it.
I couldn’t stop staring at his throat as he swallowed. Did I? No. It had been fun, but I wasn’t looking to hook up with anyone tonight. And while the idea of being a third was intriguing, it wasn’t something I was interested in actually doing right now.
“Did you have fun?” I asked, or rather shouted, as the music melted into another EDM song.
He nodded and shot me a lazy smile.
My eyes drifted over the crowd as I gulped down my Coke, the carbonation heavy in my chest. I discreetly cleared my throat. Hopefully, I didn’t burp.
Most guys were shirtless now. Even the cowboys had taken off their flannel. The scent of musk and different deodorants lingered in the air, along with a chalky smell from the smoke machine.
It should have been gross, but it wasn’t.
Beck shifted closer so our arms were touching. I leaned into the touch because why not. He’d initiated it. I was going to enjoy it.
We drank our drinks in silence, people watching as the music pounded around us.
A small body flung themselves at him.
“Beck!” Mina hugged him tight.
Beck swayed but caught himself and hugged her back, a big smile on his face.
Well, shit. Of course my super hot straight friend would find a girl at an LGBT event.
“Hi, Finn.” Cora stood in front of me.
“Hi.”
She tossed one arm over my shoulders and tugged me in for a quick hug, then positioned me next to her. She was strong for such a tiny thing.
“Glad you came.”
“Me too.”
Beck and Mina pulled apart. Cora stepped back, and Mina flung herself into my arms.
“Finn!” She squeezed me tight enough to force the breath from my lungs.
I hugged her back, surprised and pleased by her exuberance. I wasn’t used to people being so happy to see me.
She let me go. “You look hot.”
“Thanks.” She was wearing a skintight dress and a pair of flats. Sensible choices for dancing. “You too.”
She pressed up against Beck as the four of us made a little box, moving in close so we could talk without screaming.
I half listened as Cora and Mina chatted with Beck, interjecting answers here and there as I finished my water and watched the writhing bodies on the dance floor.
Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” began to play, and the crowd went apeshit.
“Let’s dance!” Mina grabbed my hand and Beck’s shirt and tugged us toward the dance floor.
Cora shook her head, but her focus was on Mina, her expression soft, affectionate.
Shit. Did Cora have a thing for Mina?
Beck wrapped his arm around my waist as Mina tugged us across the dance floor.
We found a spot big enough for the four of us and danced. You couldn’t go to a queer event and not rock out to a queer anthem.
The song ended, and a ballad came over the speakers, the notes low and sensual.
Mina and Beck turned to dance together, his hands on her hips as they swayed and moved. They weren’t touching outside of his hands and her arms over his shoulders, but the implied intimacy was there. Little flutters of jealousy shot through me.
Had they hooked up before?
A hand landed on my shoulder.
“It sucks, doesn’t it?” Cora asked as she put her arms over my shoulders and tugged me close.
“What?” I wrapped my arms around her waist.
I’d danced with girls before, but it was nice that Cora and I both knew this was only a friendly dance, so the usual pressure wasn’t there.
“Having a thing for your straight bestie.”
“Beck’s not my bestie,” I said automatically.
She lifted an eyebrow.
“It sucks,” I said.
“I’d like to say it gets easier, but it doesn’t.”
I resisted the urge to see if Beck and Mina had moved closer to each other.
“He’s not the first straight guy I’ve crushed on.”
“It’s a gay rite of passage. Falling for your straight friends.”
“I’ll get over it.”
She gave me a sympathetic look.
“I will!”
Instead of saying anything, she leaned her head against my chest and held me tighter.
A prickle of awareness tickled the back of my neck. I looked over my shoulder.
Mina was wrapped around Beck, much like Cora was around me. A soft smile played on her lips, her eyes closed. She looked blissed out.
Beck, however, was staring at me, his eyes dark with something I couldn’t read.
I held his gaze, transfixed. And my traitorous dick was interested too.
Cora chuckled.
“Sorry.” I put some distance between us so she wouldn’t have to feel my hard-on.
“Don’t be sorry. I know it’s not for me.” She patted my back much like someone would pat a toddler on the head.
Beck continued to stare at me, that unreadable expression in his eyes.
Was that his way of trying to tell me to scram?
Maybe he and Mina needed some alone time.
The crush of disappointment that hit me must have been written all over my face because Beck’s expression shifted to one of concern.
I nodded to Mina, then to him. Hopefully my meaning was clear.
He smirked and shook his head.
Oh.
Okay.
The song ended, and Cora let me go while Beck untangled himself from Mina.
“Come meet some people!” Mina shouted.
Beck raised his eyebrows.
I nodded.
We followed Mina and Cora to a cluster of about a dozen students.
They shouted names and introductions, but I barely caught any of their names over the pounding of the music and instead waved to each person.
They stood close to a set of speakers, and the beat drummed in my chest.
At least that meant I didn’t have to talk, and I could give myself over to the music.
Every few minutes, someone would jump into the middle of the circle and break out their best moves as everyone else cheered for them.
I hadn’t had this much fun in… ever.
