Guys on Top 02 - Guys on the Side (34 page)

“You’re driving, Jairo,” Corey said.

“Oh, can’t we all pile into your little Fiat? It’ll be cozy!”

“You’re driving,” Corey repeated. “Because I need a shot of tequila tonight. Or maybe two. Or three.”

“That’s the spirit,” Rod said. “Take care, Doug. Take it easy tonight, okay?”

“I promise,” Doug said. “I won’t throw any wild parties while Daddy is out of the house.”

“You’d better not,” Corey said. “Tell your brother I said hello.”

“Will do. Goodbye!” Doug waved. “Get lost!”

“Getting lost,” Corey said. “Come on you two fruitcakes, let’s go.”

****

Bernie’s Pub was in full swing, the crowd nearly as loud as the band, but Corey found it almost soothing. The noise of the bar was managing to drown out the noise he’d had in his head the past two weeks, worrying about Doug, working to calm Stewart down, and thinking nonstop about Angelo.

Corey’s mind was conflicted over Angelo. Flashbacks to the last night they’d spent in bed kept working their way into his thoughts, causing spontaneous erections at inopportune moments. The guy turned him on like nothing else—that much was certain. But he also was beginning to care about Angelo deeply, and feared that the whirlwind speed and crazy passion of their courtship had blinded him to the obvious pitfalls of it all. Tommy’s attack on Doug had left Corey feeling guilty and responsible, but it also slapped some reality into him when it came to this thing he’d started with Angelo.

Angelo’s past—his
heterosexual
past—was literally and figuratively following him around. It was there like a silent predator, a competitor for Corey’s happiness, lurking around corners, ready to spring out and attack their love at any moment.

Love
. Corey had been so starry-eyed over Angelo that he’d chosen to ignore the silent predator that stalked them. But it wasn’t another assault from Angelo’s family that he feared, whether it came in physical or emotional form. It was fear that Angelo would ultimately find the baggage that would come with dating Corey too much to bear. And that was something Corey had to take time to consider fully before allowing himself to get in any deeper than he already was with Angelo, regardless of how perfect he felt the other man was for him.

But still, he longed for Angelo. Putting his mind before his heart was proving more difficult than ever before in his life, and he’d had to work at maintaining his logic.

“Not so hard,” Corey said when Rod’s pool cue sent the balls scattering over the table in every direction but the pockets. “You only need to tap it lightly.”

Rod frowned at the pool table. “This is a lot harder than it looks.”

“Here you go, Blondie!” Jairo trotted up holding a short glass of tequila with a wedge of lime, handing it to Corey. “It’s the good stuff.”

“Thank you, Jairo. You’re being so nice to me, it’s making me a little nervous.”

“I’m always nice!”

“You’re always giving me shit. It’s what I’ve grown used to.” Corey took a sip, the tequila smooth and flavorful, cooling his throat. “I really hope you’re not feeling
bad
for me or something. That would be patronizing.”

Jairo placed his hands on his hips. “And why would I feel bad for you?”

Corey shrugged. “Because I’m a sad, lonely old sod?”

“You’ll bounce back,” Jairo said. “You always do.”

“If it’s any consolation, Corey,” Rod said as he lined up a shot on the pool table, “I don’t feel bad for you at all.”

“Thank you, Rod.”

“Rod!” Jairo smacked his ass. “That isn’t nice.”

Rod’s ball hopped and landed on the ledge of the table, and Corey caught it before it dropped onto the floor. Rod pouted. “See? This is why I don’t feel bad for him.”

“Because you suck at pool?” Corey asked.

“No, because you don’t suck at it. You’re good at everything and you slept with my boyfriend before I did.”

Corey snorted a laugh. “Sorry.”

“Rod,” Jairo said, “you’re not special. Corey slept with most people’s boyfriends before they did. Talk to Doug.”

“Ah, good, you’re giving me shit again,” Corey said. “All is right in the universe.”

Corey began to feel relaxed, the tequila and friendly banter around the pool table giving him a warm glow, and he was finally glad he’d come out tonight. He even allowed his eye to wander through the crowd, admiring the ass of a sinfully well-built guy leaning on the bar while he ordered a drink. Corey’s eyes scanned him, from his boots up to his perfectly fitting jeans to his muscular arms in a tight black tee shirt to—

Oh, fuck me
.
That’s Angelo!

Angelo turned from the bar, carrying drinks over to a table where he sat down with a thick bearded guy and a tall skinny blond with glasses. Corey stared at Angelo, who laughed at something the bearded guy said. God, that smile. That face. The black tee shirt looked perfect with his short dark hair and that killer bod, eyes like gems against his olive skin. Swallowing hard, Corey turned away, focusing on the pool table.
Shit. Shit, shit, shit.

“What’s the matter?” Jairo asked.

“What? Nothing. Why?”

Jairo grinned. “You look like you saw a ghost. A super-hot, beefy Italian ghost with pale blue eyes.”

Corey smirked. “Okay. So you saw him, too. Moving on.”

“Saw who?” Rod asked.

“Third table to the left of the bar over there,” Jairo said. “See the three guys? The one with the black hair is Corey’s most recent...playmate.”

Rod peered through the crowd, then his eyes widened. “Holy shit! Corey, I really hate you. He’s phenomenal.”

“Try to be a little less enthusiastic, dear,” Jairo said.

Grinning, Rod gave Jairo a kiss on the cheek. “Sorry. You know you’re the only man for me, baby.”

“All right,” Corey said. “Don’t make me gag. Are we gonna start a real game here or what? Jairo, you playing?”

“You’re not gonna say hi to Angelo?”

Corey gathered the balls up in the rack. “Sure.” He shrugged. “I will. Eventually.”

“Okay.” Jairo picked up a pool stick. “Want me to break?”

“Sure.” Corey stepped away and picked up his cue. His gaze darted to Angelo’s table again, just as Angelo glanced up, catching his eye.

Angelo’s grin slid away. He gave Corey a small wave, then picked up his beer, taking a sip.

Corey nodded and waved back, then turned his focus on the pool table, his pulse quickening. When he glanced back, Angelo was engaged in conversation with his friends again.

Okay, so he’s not going to approach me. That’s good
. Or so he told himself. But his body’s reaction to seeing Angelo was like a jolt of electricity, lighting him up inside, filling him with longing.

“Corey?”

“Huh?”

Jairo raised his eyebrows. “It’s your shot.”

“Oh, right.”

Corey lined up the shot, then fumbled it when he saw Angelo and his friends get up from the table and begin moving away.

“Oh, what the hell was that?” Jairo said. “Thanks for sucking but you left me nothing.”

“Sorry, Jairo. The stick slipped.”

“Uh huh.” Jairo circled the pool table, frowning. “I think it’s your mind that’s slipping. Get out of my way, goldilocks.”

Corey stepped back, but his eyes peered through the crowd, somewhat relieved to see that Angelo and his friends had moved to the dartboard in the corner. He’d thought Angelo was leaving the bar. And wondered at his own idiot-ness. If he didn’t want Angelo to leave the bar, then why didn’t he just go over and talk to him?

He thought back to the conversation he’d had with Doug after the first night he spent with Angelo at his loft.
“I guess I’m feeling...insecure.”

Corey scowled into his tequila glass as though it had insulted him. Angelo sure as shit turned everything upside down and backwards. Corey had never been insecure, he’d never been one to toy or play games. He spoke his mind, did what he wanted, said what he wanted, consequences be damned. It had worked for him all his life, never hesitating, never over thinking things.

But he stood here now, longing for Angelo, drawn to him like a magnet, but hesitating. Not because of his conflicted thoughts over his speculated list of everything that could go wrong if they kept seeing each other. But because he feared that at this point, after telling Angelo he needed time...that Angelo might
reject
him. It made him feel pathetic. But it also made him realize something.

If he was more worried about Angelo rejecting him than he was about any of the other bullshit he’d been broodingly ruminating over the past couple weeks, then he should probably reevaluate his priorities. Because as he watched Angelo shoot darts at the board, the overwhelming need to march over there and claim him was far more powerful than any doubts he had. Those doubts had slid into the background now, and didn’t seem important in light of this urgent desire.

“Corey.”

Corey looked up. Jairo and Rod were both staring at him.

“Oh, sorry. My shot?”

Rod laughed. “Can I play? Because I think maybe I can beat you right now since you can’t stop staring at that guy.”

Corey sighed and set his stick aside. He took a sip of tequila. “I know. I can’t concentrate with him here.”

“So go
talk
to him,” Jairo said.

“He’s with friends.”

“So what, Corey? You’re scared of his friends?”

“Fuck off.”

“They do look awful scary,” Rod said. “The tall geeky one might beat you with his calculator.”

Corey smirked at Rod. “Okay, wiseass. You play my shot. I’ll go talk to Angelo.”

Jairo smiled, looking entirely too pleased. “Good! Good, go talk to him.”

“Settle down, Jairo.” Corey put his drink down and took a deep breath, looking over at the dartboard. The bearded guy was shooting now, and Angelo leaned against a table watching, arms crossed over his chest. “Okay.” He nodded.

“He’s freaking out,” Rod muttered to Jairo. “I’ve never seen him freak out before. It’s kind of fun.”

Shooting a last glare at Rod, Corey moved off and headed toward Angelo.

Angelo looked up as Corey approached, a nervous smile lighting up his face. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Corey sidled up next to him. “How you doing?”

Angelo turned to watch his friend shoot darts. “Do you want pleasantries or do you want the truth?”

The tall blond with the glasses approached. “I’m empty,” he said, holding up his glass. He looked at Corey. “Hi.”

“This is Randy,” Angelo said. “Randy, this is Corey.”

“Pleased to...” Randy paused. “Oh. Corey. Pleased to meet you.” He glanced at Angelo.

“Hey,” Corey said.

“Um...Jake and I are gonna go up to the bar for a minute. Jake?”

The bearded man turned from the dartboard.

“This is Corey,” Randy said.

Jake’s eyebrows rose. “Oh.” He approached them. “Hey, Corey. I’m Jake.”

Corey shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“I was just telling Angelo we’re going up to the bar to get more drinks,” Randy said.

Corey grinned.

“Right,” Jake said. “Yeah. We’ll be right back.”

“Okay,” Angelo said, turning his head and watching them go. He smiled at Corey. “That was subtle, huh?”

“I take it they’ve heard of me.”

Angelo shrugged. “Yeah. Um...before. Before everything went to shit.”

Corey leaned against the table, catching a whiff of Angelo’s cologne, still finding it hard to concentrate as he looked into his eyes. “Yeah. To answer your previous question, I don’t want pleasantries. Truth. How are you doing?”

“Shitty. But I feel like I can’t say that after what happened to Doug. How is he doing?”

“A lot better,” Corey said. “I should have asked you how you were sooner, Angelo. The whole thing must have fucked you up. I’m sorry.”

“I understand,” Angelo said. “You don’t have to apologize. You had a lot going on.”

Corey nodded, but didn’t know what to say next. Once again, Angelo had him tongue-tied, and all he could think about was how much he wanted to touch him.

“How are
you
doing?” Angelo asked.

“I’m all right.”

“Yeah?”

“No. I’m lying my ass off. I miss you.”

Angelo grinned and a blush climbed his cheeks. “Good. I hope it’s killing you.”

Corey laughed. “It is, in fact.”

“Were you ever gonna call me?”

Corey went still. He winced. “I don’t know. Probably. Eventually.”

Angelo turned away, nodding, looking at the floor.

“Do you think you can forgive me?”

Angelo looked up. “Nothing to forgive. I respect your decisions. Whatever they are. You have to do what works for you.”

Kind words, but Corey could see the hurt in his eyes. Angelo clearly thought Corey was politely trying to brush him off. When all he could think about was getting Angelo back in his arms.

Corey wished Angelo would yell at him, fight him, demand his affection. Which was fucking crazy, because that sort of shit had driven Corey nuts when he was with Zach.

But Angelo wasn’t anything like Zach. “Why must you be so awesome and agreeable?” Corey asked. “So nice to me after I treated you like crap?”

Angelo’s eyebrows pinched as he looked at Corey. “I want you to do whatever you need to make you happy. Even if it doesn’t involve me. Because I’m in love with you.”

Corey huffed out a breath, an intense, sensual rush blasting through his body. Angelo was normally the blusher, but Corey could feel his own cheeks heating as though lit by an inner flame.

Angelo confidently held his gaze, didn’t look away.

“You...” Corey’s heart thudded as he processed the words. “You are?”

Angelo nodded.

“Well...that’s quite a coincidence. Because I’m in love with you, Angelo.”

Angelo grinned. “You sure about that?”

Corey laughed. “Yeah. I’m fucking sure about that.”

Angelo exhaled, grinning as he looked down. Turning his eyes up to Corey, he said, “Does this mean we can go somewhere and make out now?”

Corey reached out and stroked Angelo’s cheek.

Angelo sighed, eyelids fluttering.

“If you think I can wait that long to kiss you, you’re crazier than I am.”