CHAPTER 18
harrison
I jump in the shower when we return to our room after the impromptu football game. Miraculously, Casey leaves me in peace and I’m able to have a shower on my own as I stand under the jet of water and breathe.
Casey’s sitting on the bed shirtless when I step back out but he’s rubbing at his shoulder, and I wonder if I really did hurt him earlier. The thought makes me anxious.
“Hey,” he grins as he looks at me. I’m only wearing my tight black boxers despite my earlier qualms about normalising nudity around each other. I figure it is all but pointless now that we’ve basically showered together.
“Did you really hurt your shoulder?” I ask, chewing on my lip in worry.
“Nah, it’s fine,” he says, rolling it to show me. But I can’t help the worry as I kneel behind him on the bed and run my hands along his shoulder. He drops his head to the side as I kneed the muscles there, his soft moan letting me know I’m hitting the right spot.
“There?” I ask.
“Oh, everywhere,” he sighs. “You have the most magic hands, Harry.”
I haven’t spent much time working on Casey’s upper body before.
The nature of his injury has focused all our attention on his legs and groin.
He feels so good under my touch that I let myself linger, using the excuse of my profession to run my hands over his shoulder, dipping to his biceps and skirting the top of his pecs.
I need to stop but his soft sighs and moans are doing the opposite of discouraging me.
I shift my attention to his other shoulder because balance is always important and work on him there. The room is silent save for the sexy little sounds Casey is making and the occasional swish of the sheets when I move.
“You good?” I eventually rasp, knowing I need to put a stop to this before I lose control.
“I’m good,” he says, voice low and sleepy. “Gonna have a shower.”
“Good idea,” I say, kneeling lower to hide the way he’s made me feel. I watch him walk away, closing the door of the bathroom behind him as I sigh and lean back against the headboard. I listen to the sound of the shower, not moving until he turns the water off as I let my body slowly cool.
I pull myself off the bed and rifle through my suitcase for something to wear. I’m pulling on my black jeans when Casey comes out of the bathroom, white towel around his waist.
I turn my back as he drops the towel before rifling through his duffel bag for a pair of clean boxers. I’m still undecided on what to wear when I turn around to find Casey in a pair of eye catching clingy ripped jeans and a pale blue button down that he hasn’t yet buttoned.
“I don’t know what to wear,” I mumble. “I wasn’t actually expecting to go out clubbing.”
“I have something you can borrow,” Casey replies, delving back into that bag of haphazardly packed clothes before he brings out a clean white linen shirt.
He holds it up for me before he takes it back and scrutinises me with one eye.
“Actually, you wear this one,” he says, peeling off the blue button down he’s wearing. “It will bring out your eyes better.”
Words choke in my throat as I watch him slip off the shirt.
He steps towards me and I stand perfectly still as he dresses me in his shirt, still warm from his body heat.
He pulls the shirt fronts together and then carefully buttons each little button for me, eyes on his hands.
Surely, surely even my oblivious little Casey can feel the tension pinging between us as he dresses me in a way that is more intimate than anything we have ever done.
“There,” he finally says, smoothing the shirt down with the palm of his hand. I clear my throat, emotions wedged there.
“Thanks,” I rasp, voice all gravelly. He just quirks a grin as he pulls on the white shirt and I watch as he covers his perfect chest with each little button.
“Ready?” he asks, eyes dipping down my body. Seriously? Does he honestly have no idea?
Sonny and Izak are waiting in the lobby when we arrive, both of them dressed similarly to me and Casey.
“Looking good, boys,” Sonny grins as Casey sketches a bow.
“According to the concierge, we can walk to the party strip from here,” Izak tells us. It’s a nice warm night outside so we agree to that plan and set off. The air is damp with sea salt and humidity, and I feel it clinging to my clothes as Casey falls into step at my side.
I let the boys lead when we make it to the strip which is alive with people and the sound of heavy bass.
I’ve only really ventured into gay clubs in the past and generally avoided other types so I’m not surprised that the one Izak chooses is one I would have walked right past. It looks like a straight guy’s paradise, but I follow the boys in, immediately absorbed by the strobe lights and the electric beat of the DJ hidden somewhere in the depths of the club.
Casey seems to be vibing with the place and I’m not about to say no to a drink or two with him.
Which would be fine except for the fact it takes barely five minutes for the girls to swarm.
Izak and Sonny always love the attention but even Casey doesn’t seem to mind it tonight, sharing a grin with me when a girl presses up against him.
I find it hard to smile back as something tightens in the base of my gut.
Sonny buys some kind of sickly-sweet cocktails for the table, and I drink mine because I have nothing better to do than pretend the boy of my dreams is not flirting with a beautiful blonde on the other side of me.
And she is beautiful, there’s no doubt about that.
Casey is talking and she is laughing and I get why because he has that effect on people.
Another girl presses up at my side and I feel Casey’s eyes flick my way.
The girl wants to engage in conversation, and I indulge her if only so I can avoid staring at Casey and the girl at his side.
Her breasts are pressed up against his arm and it’s kind of hurting something fairly fundamental inside me right now.
I mean, it’s one thing to know Casey’s straight. It’s another thing to see it in real life, especially since I’d been able to imagine different scenarios with him this weekend.
The girl at my side, Heather I think she said, places her hand on my arm and I try not to grimace.
I’m pretty sure Casey is watching me too, so I try to hide the flinch at her touch and just smile back.
I can’t even hear what she’s saying as she all but yells into my ear and I’m reminded why I don’t really like clubs.
My cocktail is already drained, and my eyes keep flashing to Casey even though I don’t want to look anymore. His smiles are for the girl at his side as he leans in and talks into her ear while she presses in closer.
I need to leave, need to get away from here. I can’t just sit here and watch Casey flirt with some girl, can’t sit here and watch what happens next. My heart hurts.
I apologise to Heather as I squeeze out of the booth and beeline for the bar. I lean against the countertop with a sigh, glancing over my shoulder. I can just make out the back of Casey’s head, but I doubt he even noticed I left.
“That’s a heavy sigh.” I turn to the voice at my left, latching on to the guy leaning against the bar, flirty smile in place and eyes that instantly say interested.
I return the smile, eyes darting down to reveal a nice enough looking guy with dusky brown hair and bright eyes.
But hey, it’s a guy and he’s smiling at me in that way I fully recognise, and right now I’m just desperate enough to latch on to anything other than the sweet smiles Casey is sharing with some other person who is not me.
“Not vibing tonight?” the guy presses, leaning in a little closer.
“Not really,” I shrug, trying for light hearted. He really does not need to know my personal woes. At least it’s quieter by the bar and I’m relieved I no longer have to yell to be heard.
“Can I buy you a drink?” he asks, angling his body my way.
The guy is cute and clearly interested so I shrug and say, “Sure, why not?”
He smiles back at me as he steps in a little closer, green light confirmed. “I’m Jed.”
“Harrison,” I return, shaking his offered hand. The bartender arrives and I order a gin and tonic while Jed orders the same. He pays the machine and it dawns on me that I haven’t outlaid a single cent for this holiday thanks to Casey’s generosity.
“You here with the footballers?” Jed asks, head inclined in the direction of our table. My eyes automatically fall on Casey, heart tugging sadly in my chest as I breathe and look back at Jed. Jed with his pretty eyes and nice smile just for me.
“Yep,” I tell him as the bartender sets our drinks on the bar top. I take a quick sip.
“Do you play?” he asks, narrowing his eyes as he looks down my frame. I keep myself fit, yes, but I’m not anywhere near professional athlete level.
“No,” I chuff. “Team physio.”
“Ah,” Jed says, brightening immediately. “Bet that means you’re good with your hands.” The innuendo is strong with this one and I feel myself smiling.
“So I’ve been told,” I say back, taking another sip of my drink. Jed’s eyes brighten as he watches me over the rim of his glass.
“How long are you on the Goldie for?” he leans closer.
“This is our last night.”
“Hmm,” he mulls, eyes wandering down my chest. “Mine too. I’m staying just around the corner …”
“Yeah?” I return. Yes, I’m interested, if only to get a certain unobtainable footballer out of my head. It seems like Casey is going to be caught up for the night anyway. Maybe Jed and I could sneak out without anyone noticing.
Jed says something but I don’t hear him over the swell of noise and he takes that as permission to lean right into my space, hand snaking under my shirt to my waist as he says into my ear, “Want to get out of here?”