Chapter Seventeen
Eric was worried that Carter might die from laughing so hard.
Scott Hunter was center stage, wearing a very revealing elf costume. It consisted of tight, green shorts, a red vest worn open over his bare chest, a pointy hat, and curly-toed shoes with little bells on them.
“Ho-lee shit!” Maria yelled. “That’s a lotta Scott.”
It was definitely more skin than Eric had ever seen Scott flash outside of a locker room. He’d done some shirtless photo shoots, but the shorts he was wearing now were obscene.
The drag queen who’d been hosting the evening’s entertainment—Helen St. Mount—had just stuck a candy cane into the waistband of Scott’s shorts, which made Scott blush and Carter howl.
“I heard you’re getting married,” Helen said.
“Yes I am.”
“Well, that fucking sucks,” Helen quipped. Scott laughed, and the audience cheered.
“Sorry,” Scott said. The crowd was eating up the bashful sweetheart thing that Eric knew for a fact wasn’t an act.
Once again, he was amazed by how far Scott had come in a couple of years.
From being terrified that someone would figure out that he’s gay, to participating, half naked, in a drag show and making jokes about marrying his boyfriend.
While Carter couldn’t stop laughing, Eric felt his own throat tighten a bit.
“He really fills out those shorts nicely, doesn’t he?
” Kyle said into Eric’s ear. Eric tried not to react to the soft flutter of breath against his skin.
It wasn’t easy. Just seeing Kyle again had nearly knocked Eric on his ass.
He looked especially stunning tonight, dressed for the club in a tight, dark blue T-shirt with tighter black jeans, and his skin glistening a bit from the heat of the packed room.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he replied, as evenly as possible.
“The hell you don’t.”
“I see that guy naked more days than not,” Eric reminded him. “He’s not gonna turn my head.”
Kyle winked at him, and Eric’s stupid heart did a backflip. He really did want to be just friends with Kyle, but it was hard to remember that when every part of him was aching to touch the man.
“Is your lucky fiancé here tonight?” Helen asked Scott.
“Yes. He’s backstage.”
Helen rolled her eyes and slumped over dramatically. “Fine. Bring him out, I guess.”
Kip walked out wearing a very baggy Santa costume, complete with a fluffy white beard. The crowd whistled and cheered.
“Hey,” Scott said, doing his best attempt at acting. “I think that was supposed to be my costume.”
“Oh no,” Helen said innocently. “Someone must have switched the names on the costumes.” She did an exaggerated shrug. “Oops.”
“You’re on the naughty list now,” Kip teased.
“Darling, I was born on the naughty list.” She turned to the audience with a game show host smile. “Isn’t it wonderful to have...” She glanced over her shoulder at Kip.
“Kip,” he told her, laughing.
“Kip!” Her face fell into a scowl and she said, in a dark tone, “Kip.”
Kyle laughed loudly beside Eric, and Eric smiled. He was glad he came.
“Do you mind if I take some of this costume off?” Kip asked. “It’s kind of warm.”
“What do we think, beautiful people? Should he take off the suit?”
A loud cheer, and then Kip grinned and pulled off the beard and hat, and then the Santa jacket.
He was wearing a black tank top underneath, which the audience appreciated.
He dropped the baggy pants to reveal slim-fitting jeans.
Eric had always thought Kip was a good-looking guy, but tonight he looked. ..hot. Scott was a lucky man.
Eric glanced at Kyle, because if Eric was noticing how good Kip looked, then Kyle must be in agony.
But Kyle was laughing along with everyone else, eyes shining with amusement.
He must have felt Eric’s eyes on him, because he turned his head, and the beauty of his smiling face knocked Eric breathless.
He turned his attention to the stage, where Scott was talking about the LGBTQ youth charity they were raising money for tonight.
He was saying earnest things about the great work the organization did.
Eric was proud of him. It was really thrilling to watch Scott be his true self, on and off the ice.
There were three drag performances after Scott and Kip left the stage. Eric stood and watched them with the group they’d assembled for tonight: Carter, Kyle, Maria, and Matti. Scott and Kip joined them halfway through the second act. Scott had changed into jeans and a T-shirt.
“How’d I do?”
“That was fucking hilarious,” Carter said. “You’re a good sport, Scotty.”
Scott grinned. His eyes were bright and he was bouncing on his feet, as if he were filled with the same adrenaline that made him hyper after a big win. “It was fun. I mean, I felt ridiculous, but it was fun.”
“You just like being ogled by a sea of men, admit it,” Carter teased him.
“I mean, I’m not going to deny it.”
Matti wrapped Scott in a tight hug and kissed the top of his head. He was one of the more physically affectionate straight men Eric had ever met.
“That was epic,” Matti said loudly. He said everything loudly, but at least here, in this club, his volume level was appropriate. “You are a legend.”
“I need a drink,” Scott announced. “What can I get you guys?”
“I’m going to head out,” Carter said. “I’ve got a Skype date with Gloria.”
“I am starving,” Matti said. “This place does not have food.”
“There’s a diner on the corner that has amazing food. Open all night,” Maria said. Eric couldn’t help but smile when she added. “I could eat.”
Matti beamed at her and said, “Yes. Let’s go.”
Eric didn’t miss the giddy look Maria and Kyle exchanged.
“You coming, Benny?” Matti asked.
Eric glanced at Kyle, who had his eyebrows raised as he waited for the reply. “Actually,” he said slowly, knowing it was a terrible idea, “I think I’ll stick around for a bit.”
Kyle was glad Eric decided to stay, but he also wasn’t sure what to do with him.
He’d thought this event would be the perfect place for Eric to cut loose a bit and maybe try to pick someone up, but now that they were here Kyle realized that Eric was probably never going to do either of those things.
Eric was talking to Scott at the moment, sipping a soda with lime. Kyle was watching the dance floor, which had gotten very busy over the last hour.
“I’m bored,” Kip complained in his ear. “Let’s go dance.”
“Scott won’t dance with you?”
“I think I need to lure him over. Come on, I haven’t danced with you in forever.”
Kyle smiled at his friend. It had been too long. “Sure. Okay.”
Kip grabbed his hand and pulled him into the throng of dancers. The music was loud and sexy, and he quickly lost himself in it. He loved dancing, and he loved Kip. And maybe his love for Kip wasn’t quite what he’d thought it was.
They were close together, arms and chests and hands brushing each other, but it was firmly platonic. They didn’t put their hands on each other, they didn’t grind into each other. They didn’t kiss. It was just...fun. And nice. Two young, gay men being silly and having a good time.
As Kip had predicted, it didn’t take long for Scott to arrive on the dance floor.
Kyle moved back so Scott could take his place.
When Scott and Kip danced together, it was definitely not platonic.
Scott’s big hands were gripping his fiancé’s hips, and Kip looped his arms around Scott’s neck and pulled his head down so they could devour each other for a while.
Kyle decided to find his own boy to kiss.
As he was searching the floor for a potential partner, his gaze found Eric, standing alone against a wall.
Watching. Kyle jerked his head toward the dance floor in invitation.
Eric shook his head, which was annoying.
What was the point of all the work Kyle had been doing with him if he wasn’t even going to try?
At the absolute least he should enjoy the press of a hard, sweaty body against him on the dance floor. It didn’t have to lead to a hookup.
But if Eric wanted to be stubborn and lonely, then that was his problem. Kyle had his own problems. Like whether to dance with the cute blond guy or the cute guy with blue hair.
Blue hair won when Kyle noticed he had a tongue piercing.
It had been a while since Kyle had been with a guy who had one of those.
The man smiled when Kyle locked eyes with him, and Kyle smiled back as he squeezed through bodies until he was standing in front of him.
For the rest of the song, neither man said anything.
Kyle was a good dancer—his years of racing down mountains had taught his body grace and agility.
The other man was a great dancer. New York City was, Kyle had quickly learned, full of great dancers.
Partway through the second song, the man brought his mouth close to Kyle’s ear. “I’m Jesse.”
“Kyle.”
Jesse grinned wickedly at him, then hooked a finger in one of Kyle’s belt loops, pulling their groins together so Kyle could feel the hard bulge there.
He probably shouldn’t be thinking about Eric at all right now.
Not when Jesse was expertly grinding his hips into Kyle, and Kyle’s cock was plumping up in response.
Not when Jesse’s hand slipped into the back pocket of Kyle’s jeans and his breath was hot on Kyle’s neck.
But maybe Eric could gain something from this.
Watch and learn, gorgeous.
Eric should leave. He should not be standing alone, watching Kyle make out with another man on the dance floor like a creep.
But every now and again Kyle would make eye contact with him, as if inviting him to watch.
Maybe this was supposed to be another tutorial for Eric, but he wasn’t learning much.
Except that he was really turned on by watching Kyle dance.
And jealous from watching Kyle kiss someone else. And maybe turned on by that jealousy.