Chapter 13 Dakota
DAKOTA
Okay, you can do this.
It’s just trivia.
In a bar.
In a very crowded bar.
With the exact type of guys who used to beat you up.
But no. That’s not true.
Gabe is here. And he’s not going to let anything happen to me.
Normally, I’d bristle at the thought of anyone taking care of me or suggesting I can’t take care of myself. But somehow, I just knew that’s not what Gabe was saying. He wasn’t suggesting I’m weak.
He just didn’t like the idea of anyone hurting me.
I take another deep, shivery breath because my body is reacting the same way it did last week when he said it. His face stern and serious, no hint of playing around. It was like an electric shock. My entire body on total alert. My cock stiffening so fast, I thought I might pass out.
I guess the whole knight in shining armor thing does it for me. Who the hell knew?
But that’s not what this is.
This is just a nice guy who wants to be friends and who wants to help the pathetic recluse get out in the world and make friends.
He’s just a nice guy.
After my pep talk through my fun little panic attack, I pull open the tavern door and immediately, my eyes zone in on Gabe.
Damn, he’s good-looking. Like stupid, melt your brain hot.
With a tight white T-shirt I’m sure is supposed to be casual and tight, ripped jeans. Yeah . . . I’m not going to make it.
Hopefully, I’ll get through the night without throwing myself at him, but a guy can only take so much.
He’s sitting at a table with four other burly dudes and two pretty women. Is one of them his ex-wife? No . . . she has their kid this week. I slowly make my way over to them, my legs shaking and threatening to give out, but he lights up as he stands. “You made it.”
“I did,” I say, my voice quiet and rusty.
“I’m glad,” he says earnestly, and how does he do that?
Just two words and a smile from him and I’m suddenly at ease.
It makes no sense. He nods to the largest of the bunch, a big man whose arms are currently trying to bust his T-shirt sleeves.
“This is Oakley.” He nods to the much smaller but somehow more menacing man next to him. “And this is Travis. My bosses.”
“Blech,” Oakley gags. “I hate being called the boss.”
The man, Travis, who I now know is his husband, kisses him on the nose and laughs. “You really need to get used to that.” He nods politely at me. “Mr. Gordon.”
“Oh, Dakota, please,” I say, taking the seat Gabe offers me as he sits back down.
“Hi, Dakota,” Travis says and then nods over to the other four people. “This is Jackson—please ignore everything that comes out of his mouth.” Gabe laughs, and Jackson, who’s absolutely stunning—like Gabe has my full attention and attraction—but dayum. Honestly, they’re all gorgeous.
What the hell is going on at Oakley’s Crew?
“I have amazing things to say,” Jackson says, holding out his hand for me to shake. I reach awkwardly across the table and shake his hand with my clammy one, only cringing slightly.
He whistles, but his attention is on Gabe. “Phew, you weren’t kidding about his nickname. Well, minus the whole serial-killer part.”
Gabe is shooting daggers through his eyes at his friend when I turn to look at him in surprise. The rest of the table is laughing, but it doesn’t feel like I’m the butt of a joke. I don’t think. “Nickname?”
“Don’t worry about it,” Gabe says. “Like Travis says, you can’t listen to anything Jackson says.”
Jackson laughs, and I want to push the issue, but Gabe distracts me. “The youngin is Luke.” I look at the man, who does look to be ten years younger than everyone else at the table, but I know from my own experience, looks can be deceiving.
“I’m not that young,” the guy grumbles. “Twenty-five,” he says, holding up a beer in Gabe’s direction before taking a big swig of it.
Gabe just laughs it off and then nods in the direction of the two beautiful women at the table.
I now see that the darker-haired one seems to be pregnant—though no matter how socially inept I may be, there’s no way I’d say that out loud in case I’m wrong.
“That’s his big sister, Sarah, and her wife, Missy. Everyone here is on Oakley’s Crew.”
“Yeah, but we’ll be losing Missy soon,” Travis grumbles through a drink of his beer, though, I notice the teasing hint of his tone and maybe a little excitement.
Missy just laughs at him, taking a drink of what I assume is water. “Please. I’ll be out of work for three months. I think you boneheads will be fine.”
“I’m going to miss you,” her wife says, leaning into her and smacking a kiss against her cheek.
I try not to shift uncomfortably in my chair, but I can’t help scoping out the rest of the bar as the two women sit so close and when Oakley pulls Travis into his lap. I don’t notice anyone hostile around here, no one with hatred in their eyes, but it’s hard for me to believe.
This is Hayes, Kansas. As far as I’m concerned, they’re stuck in the dark ages when it comes to gay relationships.
But no one seems bothered. Gabe must notice my unease, though, because he leans in close to my ear, his voice low and sexy.
“You’re safe here. I promise. Archie practically lived here before he met Cane—his boyfriend.
” I meet his eyes. “And the guy was not subtle about looking for guys to hook up with.”
That makes my lip quiver in a slight smile. “So, Oakley’s Crew really is queer as fuck?”
That gets a boisterous laugh from the group around me—who for a minute, I admit I totally forgot about, but Oakley raises a beer to that. “Hell yeah! I need to have shirts made!”
“No,” his husband says quickly, but there’s a teasing smirk on his face as he looks adoringly at his husband, then to me. “We’re definitely inclusive.”
“Yeah, we even accept Gabe’s straight ass,” Missy says and blows Gabe a quick kiss.
He laughs, but I don’t miss the subtle uncomfortable shift in his seat as he blows her a kiss right back. I, however, don’t feel like laughing at the reminder of Gabe being straight.
His friends would know, right? Unless . . . well, he did say he doesn’t really know what he is when we were talking about sexuality. Maybe . . .
No. I shake my head at my own intrusive thoughts because I can’t let my brain go there. This is not a date.
“You want a drink?” Gabe asks, and I notice all the eyes on us, but I don’t look away from his.
“Um, yeah.” I stand up on very shaky legs. “I can get it.”
“I’ll go with you,” he says, that deep drawl making my body wish like hell this were a date. But it’s been so long since I’ve been with a man, I don’t think this body would even know what to do.
Especially not with a guy like Gabe . . .
“Okay,” I barely manage to squeak out, and I hear lots of laughing and teasing behind us and Gabe shushing them but just try to ignore it and make my way to the bar.
“Hey, hun. What can I get you?” The nice woman behind the bar asks me and then nods to Gabe. “You want a refill already, sweetie?”
“No thanks, Mae. Just whatever he wants. It’s on me.”
“Sure thing.” She looks to me, and I want to argue about him paying for my drink, but I think my tongue has swollen or something. My mouth feels dry, and I can’t form words.
“Um . . . beer. Please,” I barely choke out. “Whatever you have on tap.”
“No problem.” The woman seems overly nice, and I don’t think she’s sizing me up or wondering why Gabe is buying me a drink. But what I do know is I haven’t been in a place like this in a really long time.
I tried a couple of times after I finished college. It didn’t go well. I always left in a panic—thinking my high school bullies would pop out at any minute, even though I tried bars in other towns. But not this one.
God, what if they’re here tonight.
I jolt when I feel Gabe’s hand graze my lower back, and he pulls his hand away instantly. “Sorry. You ready to go back to the table?” He nods toward the beer sitting on the counter in front of me as he puts down a five-dollar bill and tells Mae to keep the change.
“Yeah.” God, Dakota, keep it together. “Sure. Thank you for the beer.”
“No problem,” he says with a sweet wink that nearly sends me to my knees and lights my cheeks on fire.
We settle in at the table as I sip my beer and listen to them all tease each other, but I know it’s all good-natured. They seem more like a family than coworkers. Trivia starts, and we fail horribly. But it’s fun.
Never thought that was possible, but it is. Until it’s over and Jackson looks over at me, “So I heard something about a firepit. That still on?”
I try really hard to get control of my nerves, and I hope I’m not sweating through my shirt.
“You don’t have to,” Gabe says quietly.
“No. That was the deal, right?” I ask, trying to keep my voice light and fun. Though I can’t lie, I’m nervous about having all of them at my house, despite them all being nice. I look around at all the kind faces. “You’re all welcome to come over and see Gabe’s work.”
“Well, this kid is currently trying to kill me.” Missy stands up, her belly protruding as she places a hand over it, but she’s smiling. “And I need some sleep.”
“Thank you for the offer,” her wife says and then looks at her brother. “You coming?”
“Yeah, yeah.” He stands up but glances over at me. “Maybe some other time. I gotta catch a ride with them.”
“Hey, I’ll take your ass home. I already have to haul this guy around,” Jackson says, and I realize he’s pointing at Gabe.
“Yeah, you insisted on riding together. You can’t get enough of me,” Gabe teases.
I don’t like the little prickly feeling that comes over me, thinking about Gabe and Jackson. Is he gay too? Does he want Gabe? Does Gabe want him? This is getting ridiculous.
Gabe never mentioned dating anyone at work. The thought of dating seems to terrify him, but they’re close, there’s no denying that. I’ve never been this twisted up over someone before. I’m not sure I like it.
“Nah. Next time,” Luke says and waves goodbye as his sister and sister-in-law do the same and then take off.