24. Travis

TWENTY-FOUR

WHAT ARE YOU wearing?

RISKY BUSINESS:

You'll see

But don't make it obvious

Right, because as Caleb had reminded me for the hundredth time, we needed to keep up pretenses in front of the guys, especially tonight. Maybe he thought I got a little loose-lipped when I drank and didn't want me standing on top of another bar calling him out.

Hey, I could keep my mouth shut. Sometimes. Although apparently I did need to remember to throw a few insults and glares his way every now and then. That could be fun. A different kind of foreplay.

The line of people waiting to get inside Gilt wrapped around the entire block, but Scotty drove us past them all, coming to a stop in front of the entrance.

"So Caleb doesn't mind being seen walking in with us, but he still won't catch a ride?" West rolled his eyes. "Does he have some kind of restraining order against you we don't know about?"

I tried to be casual as I scanned the sidewalk, looking for a glimpse of him. "How do you know I'm not the one with the court order?"

"Because you like to torture him by getting all up in his space, and he's the one constantly running away from you."

Ouch. The truth hurt—but he wasn't running anymore. I had to bite back my smile at the thought, because being near Caleb again was just like old times. Better, actually, because this time I didn't have to keep my hands to myself. It felt too good to be true, that he'd even want me to touch him. A part of me kept waiting for him to decide he wasn't into this and shut me back down again. But there was another, smaller part of me that was…hopeful. Hopeful he was realizing after all this time that he couldn't live without me.

God, I was nothing if not dramatic.

Caleb turned around as Scotty opened the Sprinter door, and I lingered by the window to look at him as the other guys filed out. Damn. He'd styled his hair back from his face and left the top buttons of his scarlet dress shirt undone, and he'd switched out his favored jeans for a pair of black pants. As much as I'd recently learned I preferred him completely naked, I couldn't tear my eyes away from how good he looked standing there all dressed up. It didn't seem to matter what he was wearing, though. Jeans. Sweats. A tux. He was always the most gorgeous thing I'd ever seen.

My stomach flipped as he ran his gaze over the Sprinter windows and stopped briefly on me. He looked away, a hint of a smile on that sexy mouth, and then pulled out his phone.

RISKY BUSINESS:

You're staring

Impossible not to

RISKY BUSINESS:

Might help to look a little more pissed off

Caleb looked up as Gavin headed in his direction and shoved his phone back in his pocket.

"Trav, he's not gonna bite," Donovan said from where he stood on the steps waiting for me. Everyone else had already piled out, and there I was, being as obvious as Caleb said not to be.

I stood up, smoothing down my shirt and easily channeled my inner asshole. "You don't know that. Those canines look sharp."

"Dude, try to be nice." Donovan gave me a pleading look.

"I'm always nice."

"You know what I mean. Can we have one night where the two of you aren't going at it?"

Well, when he put it that way, it was damn near impossible. Just not the way he was thinking.

I gave him a light smack on the cheek as I passed. "Don't worry so much."

We headed toward to the roped-off entrance to see East already chatting with the guy manning the doors, and the second his name was mentioned, the rope was pulled back and we were ushered inside.

I made sure to hang back with Donovan and Kelly as JT chatted with his best buddy Caleb, and did my best to play things cool. Not the easiest thing when what I wanted was to be the one laughing with Caleb.

The pounding rhythm of a remixed favorite pulsated throughout the club as we weaved our way through the crowds mingling around the bar. There was no way we were going to fight to get to the front of that crowd, instead following East's lead to where our VIP area would be waiting for us with a designated waiter.

I scanned the barely dressed bodies already writhing on the dance floor and wondered how much crazier things would get by the end of the night, considering the doors had only opened an hour or so ago.

"This place is packed!" Gavin called back at us, as Daire scowled at anyone who came within arm-brushing distance of his man. "Plenty of singles out there for you to mingle with tonight, hey, Trav?"

That was exactly what I'd be thinking on any other night. But the only single I wanted to mingle with was currently being sized up by a group of women he passed by. A couple of them grinned and made eyes at him in a way that made me want to go over and scratch their eyes out—especially the blonde's.

"In that outfit?" Kelly gave me an approving nod. "I doubt he'll be dancing alone for long."

"He's not wrong." Donovan ran his critical eye over my outfit. "Yours, or someone I need to know about?"

"One-of-a-kind original, baby."

As I headed up the couple of steps to the VIP area, Donovan grabbed my arm.

"When you're ready to share your talent with the rest of the world, let me know, okay? Because everyone needs to see these."

"Thanks. I will. But I don't think the world's quite ready for me yet."

"Well, when you think they are…" Donovan grinned and took Kelly's hand, passing me by. This wasn't the first time he'd had offered to wear or model one of my designs, and it was flattering to think that a model of his caliber wanted to be seen in something I made. But I wasn't quite sure I was ready for that kind of attention on my work. Or to have something I loved be picked apart and put under a microscope.

I wonder if that's how Caleb feels about me—us?

Not that I thought he loved me or anything—we'd only just started to be able to exist in the same room without committing murder. But maybe it was a similar kind of sentiment. He didn't want others weighing in on whatever it was we were doing with each other just yet.

"You gonna come sit and have a drink with us?" West called out, settling into a black velvet couch and pulling JT onto his lap. "Or you gonna guard the entrance all night to keep the riffraff out?"

Caleb's eyes on me were almost as tangible as one of his hands, and with the way that made my body react, I made sure to keep my attention focused on West—who of course had to be sitting right fucking next to him.

"Well, you're in here, so I guess I'm doing a lousy job at playing guard." I took a seat by East, who was on the opposite side of our private area, and took an offered shot. "Is this tequila?"

East smiled. "The best money can buy. I thought it would be a good way to help Caleb remember how much he likes us."

My eyes flicked to the man I'd been avoiding looking at since we'd entered the club. Caleb was leveling East with a glacial stare.

"I'm not drinking tequila."

"I agree." East gestured to the tray being passed around. "You're going to do a shot of tequila, and you're going to enjoy it."

Caleb shook his head as the tray got closer. "I don't drink that anymore."

"Why?" I said, seizing the opportunity to dive in and add a bratty comment or three to the mix. Thanks East. "Because it actually makes you a fun human?"

Caleb's eyes shifted to mine, the glacier only melting slightly as it drifted in my direction.

"No." He looked at all our ridiculous grins and added, "Because it reminds me of a bunch of pricks I used to know."

"Well, you don't have to worry about that now." JT chuckled.

"Yes he does." East's voice dripped with devilry. "Because when he drinks tequila, he's just as much a prick as the rest of us. Hmm, maybe you're worried your Golden Boy will think differently of you."

"Whose Golden Boy?" West interjected, glaring at East, who waved off the interruption.

"Or maybe"—I threw back my own shot of tequila and arched a brow in Caleb's direction—"you're worried it'll make you take your clothes off in public again."

JT's mouth fell open as he whipped his head back to Caleb, who looked like he wanted to strangle me. Hey, he was the one who said to play it cool and keep the guys off the scent. I was just following orders—and picturing him naked.

"You took your clothes off? When?" JT asked.

"Does it matter?" East said in a bored tone. "The point is, Caleb is more fun with tequila running through his veins, and tonight we are going to remind him how to have fun."

The tray stopped in front of Caleb, one shot glass left, and as everyone leaned in to see if he would take the challenge that had just been thrown down, he looked to me and I mouthed, Dare you.

The only indication that he noticed was a slight narrowing of his eyes, then he reached for the shot glass and tossed it back.

Oh yeah, baby. Game on.

The empty tray was immediately replaced with a full one, and as it made its way around and I tossed back my second shot, East leaned in and gestured toward the dance floor. "You going on the hunt tonight?"

My answer should've been a definite yes, but after having Caleb's cock in my mouth and coming in his hand this week, it was more difficult to get it out than I would've expected. Something East immediately picked up on.

"Interesting. Do I detect a hint of hesitation there?"

Shit. This was exactly what Caleb had been worried about, but I'd be damned if I fucked this up tonight. He didn't think I could keep this thing between us—whatever it was—a secret? Well, I'd show him.

"Please." I shifted on the seat to look past East's shoulder to the dance floor. "I'm just checking out what's on offer."

"And? Is anyone piquing your interest?"

Yeah, he's sitting across from us drinking shots that used to make him take his clothes off.

"There's a couple."

"Ooh, looking for a little threesome action, are we?"

I'd definitely thought about it in the past, but in this case, East was way off. Not that I was about to tell him that.

"Maybe. Two bodies are always better than one when it comes to reminding myself I'm single and carefree."

East shrugged, completely unimpressed. "Seems like a whole lot of extra work, if you ask me."

"Yeah, I can see that. I'm sure it's an effort for you to think of making anyone come other than yourself. Let alone two others."

East arched a brow. "Being a little mouthy over there, McKinney. I don't see you rushing to get between anyone."

"Because you keep ordering drinks."

"This is true. Okay, let's see what we've got to play with." East got to his feet, and I followed, my eyes cutting across the VIP area to where Caleb's were tracking my every step.

Who's having a hard time playing it cool now?

Caleb licked his lower lip, and I couldn't help but wonder if I sucked it into my mouth if I'd taste the tequila he swallowed earlier. Was he feeling the effects already? He was two shots in, like me, and if his teasing tongue was any indication, he was definitely feeling a little looser.

If only I could get him alone somewhere…

"How about that guy?" East said as he stopped at the edge of our roped-off area, and I turned my attention to the dance floor. "Dark hair, leather pants, eyes all but begging you to come fuck him."

East wasn't wrong. The guy under discussion was facing our VIP section swaying his hips to the beat of the music. He was a great dancer, sliding his hands over his toned body in a way that would usually have my dick wondering how they'd feel wrapped around it. But when East raised a hand and crooked a finger at him and he started our way, all I could think about was Caleb sitting behind me.

Fuck. What was I supposed to do now?

East was calling this guy over for me. If I didn't take advantage of the situation, alarm bells would go off, but if I did dance, Caleb would have my balls.

Or would he? He was the one who'd told me not to be obvious about how I felt toward him, and this was the best way to do that.Flirt with a stranger. That was normal behavior. Dance with him. Even more normal.

Just don't go home with him.

I could do that. I'd just feign a headache. Wasn't that what people did when they didn't want to have sex? Fucked if I knew.

"Hey," Leather Pants said with a grin just this side of sexy, one that said he knew he was hot, and if it'd been any other night, I would've found somewhere dark and private with him. But it wasn't, and my spine started to tingle like someone was trying to incinerate me from behind.

"Hey, yourself. You look like you're having fun out there."

"Do I?" He took a step closer to us. "Bet I'd have more fun if you joined me."

An automatic I don't think so was so close to rolling off my tongue. But knowing I needed to keep up the charade, I walked over to the steps to join Leather Pants.

My stomach turned, a sharp stab of guilt piercing me as I looked back to where Caleb was sitting. But he wasn't paying attention to me. He was locked in on my new dancer partner, his stare shooting lasers. Then his attention shifted to East.

Caleb's lips twisted into a tight line. "Hey, East? You got any more of that tequila?"