Chapter 3 #2
Milo nodded, a pink light shimmering off the white sequins on his cropped shirt.
“We are Knot Me and this is Somebody Told Me by the Killers.” Devin dipped his head.
Screams and shouts filled the room and people rushed the stage.
“Holy shit.” I climbed up onto my barstool while Ryder did the same. Thankfully we were here and not in the throng of people fighting to get at the stage.
Devin held his fist up and the band readied their instruments, the guitar players with their hands hovering over pickups and frets.
When he dropped his fist, Silas and Axel, both guitar players, strummed a harsh riff on their guitars and pranced to the front of the stage while Caleb, the bassist, thumped his bass in time with Gabe hitting his cymbals.
Milo struck his keyboard, coming in strong with a haunting and chaotic melody.
Starting in on the first chorus, Devin leaned to the side and shook his leg under his miniskirt to the building beat.
Axel came in with a stuttered chord on his blue guitar while Gabe pounded all over his drum kit.
My gaze landed on Milo, rocking back and forth in the lights as the chorus started and Axel, Silas and Caleb all hopped in unison, their hair flying up on their heads, all smiling.
The crowd jumped up and down and fists pounded the air.
Milo swung his hips and rocked his head, always keeping his fingers on the keys. As the song built for the second chorus, he jumped up and down with the rest of them, his gaze searching the crowd and landing on Ryder. A wide smile spread over his lips.
Ryder whooped and swung his fist in the air, smiling back at him. “That’s my boy!”
Yep, Milo and Ryder had something special. I wasn’t going to get in their way. I glanced at Ryder with a smirk teasing my lips, then hollered at Milo, too. This was over before it had even begun. But at least I knew Milo would be in good hands. Ryder was a great guy and very protective of him.
The band finished off another song and the guitar players swung their straps off their shoulders and set their guitars in stands.
Ryder leaned over to me. “Looks like they’re taking a break.” He peeked at me. “Have you ever seen them play before?”
“No, this is my first time, too.” I fingered the lip on my beer glass. “Milo sure is sexy up there.” I shook my head. “Damn.” Yeah, but I’d get over it. There had to be someone out there for me.
Milo and Gabe walked off and through a doorway next to the stage, while the others followed.
Ryder twisted on his stool to face me. “So, Archer. How did you meet Milo?” He drank the last of his beer and held up a finger to catch the bartender’s attention.
She ticked her head at Ryder, as she poured drinks like a crazy woman.
“I met him on a hookup app.” I peered at him, heat rushing my cheeks. “I was dating this girl from my classes, and she was…wasn’t what I wanted. I wanted to try dating a guy. I’d only hooked up with men at parties and shit.” The puck bunny, as Tyler had called her.
“What are you studying?” He sat back in his chair and propped his elbow on the bar, then rubbed his chin.
“I’m a senior studying exercise science.
I’ll probably go on to get my master’s. I like hockey, but I don’t think I’m good enough to get a contract after this year.
” I sucked my upper lip between my teeth, then released it.
“Don’t think my dad would like that, either.
” Shit, why did I even have to go there?
“Does your dad know you’re dating a guy?” He winced.
“Yes. I came out to him a while back.” I shrugged a shoulder. It had sucked and gone badly, but at this point, I didn’t give a fuck.
“So, do you want things to be serious with Milo?” He narrowed his eyes at me.
Damn, was he protective of Milo. “I guess so. It’s my first time trying to date a guy. I don’t know where it will go, but I wanted to give it a shot.” I quirked the corner of my mouth. “Milo and I uh, we hit it off pretty well in bed. The guy’s wicked.” But now, I wasn’t so sure about any of it.
He coughed into his hand and struggled for a breath. “Shit.”
I patted his back and gave a sharp laugh. “Sorry, man. Didn’t mean to freak you out.” I probably shouldn’t have told him that. He was straight, right?
“No, no, it’s okay. I’m not freaked out.” As he breathed in deeply, he rubbed his brow.
The bartender set new beers down in front of us and sauntered off.
He snatched his beer and took a few gulps.
“You sure you’re not freaking out?” With a wry smile, I held my beer up. “Maybe you need another shot?” I snickered. No, he was not okay with hearing about me and Milo in bed together.
“No, I have to drive home at some point.” He drew deep breaths and calmed. “So, tell me what um, what did Milo say about me?” He let his gaze land on mine.
“Oh, well, he said you were pretty much the best person in the world.” I turned to face the bar and sipped my beer. I was going to play this up. The guy needed to hear it. “Yeah, you can basically do no wrong in his eyes.”
He swallowed hard and toyed with the edge of the square, paper napkin under his beer glass. “Okay, but what did he say exactly?”
“He loves you.” I snapped my gaze to him.
He had to see it, the way Milo looked at him, the way he looked at Milo.
It was obvious to me now. “As a friend, you know, he loves you.” I nodded.
I’d tone it back a touch. “Your friendship is really important to him. He said it’s what got him through a lot of shit in his life. ”
He nodded. “Yeah, like his dad cheating on his mom while she was working in a NICU as a nurse.” He clenched his jaw. “It almost wrecked him. His dad’s a douche.”
“See? He never even told me about that. He won’t talk about his dad with me.” I faced him, then propped my head in my hand. I’d just throw it out there. “Maybe you two should be dating?” I arched a brow.
“What?” Milo stepped between us, grabbed Ryder’s beer, and took a sip. “Damn, I’m parched. Playing a gig is a workout.”
I ticked my chin at Ryder’s beer. “See? He drank your beer, not mine.” It was an obvious tell. Yeah, these two needed to be together.
“What does that mean?” Milo planted a hand on his bare hip and edged into Ryder’s side.
With a coy grin, I said, “It means you two are very, very close.” I snapped my brows up, then drank my beer. Dudes, get a clue already.
“Yeah, I told you that.” Milo glanced at me, then focused on Ryder. “What have you two been talking about?”
“You.” I hooked an arm around Milo’s waist and hauled him between my open legs, resting my cheek on his shoulder beside Milo’s head.
“How hot you are tonight. How great your band is. You’re the full package, Milo.
” I kissed Milo’s cheek. I wanted him to feel good about himself, then maybe he’d come clean with Ryder.
Milo’s face flushed. “Yeah? Thanks.” Wrinkling his brow, his gaze crept to Ryder’s.
“I need to take a piss. Here, keep my seat for me.” Ryder hopped off his barstool and strode through the crowd, bumping people along the way.
Milo turned to me, furrowing his brows. “What were you really talking about?”
“Nothing, just…” I swirled the beer in my glass. “He’s a great guy, Milo and he thinks very highly of you.” I’d leave it at that. I was cool with it and there wasn’t much more for me to say.