25. Caleb

TWENTY-FIVE

"THE FACT THAT you're not dancing on the table half-naked means you haven't imbibed enough of these yet." East swung a shot of tequila in front of my face, and I waved him off.

"I'm not here for your entertainment."

He cocked a brow and threw the shot back himself. "Aren't you?"

Thank God for a higher tolerance these days—with drinking and patience, because East was trying his best to wear me down with both.

The only reason I hadn't told him to go the hell away was because he served as a distraction for the fuckery that'd been happening on the other side of the VIP. And on the dance floor. And at the bar.

I chanced a look in Travis's direction, shocked he'd finally detached himself from the guy who'd been stealing his attention all night. He was like a magnet for fuck's sake, never left alone for more than a minute before someone else swooped in. At least right now it was only Donovan and Kelly, not some asshole trying to get in his pants.

I gestured for another shot from East, who was only too happy to oblige.I still wasn't getting trashed and dancing on the table, though. More like getting trashed and sitting my ass on this couch.

"It's not usually you glaring him to death," Gavin said as he plopped down beside me, his platinum hair stuck to his forehead from dancing with Daire. Well, he'd been dancing, while Daire seemed satisfied to be the pole. "Everything okay?"

"Fucking perfect."

"Uh oh."

I sank down further into the cushions, stretching my spread legs as our server handed me a beer. "What?"

"What's he done now?"

Following Gavin's stare, my eyes connected with Travis's for a heartbeat before he looked away. Seemed like giving him a reminder to play it cool was unnecessary after all. He was doing a damn good job acting like nothing was different, flirting with every guy East and even Kelly had introduced him to.

Why was I so damn bothered? So we'd fooled around a couple times and he'd confessed he'd always harbored a crush on me. It didn't mean I should expect him not to look at someone else. I didn't have that kind of hold on him. We were just…

What were we? I didn't even know. All I knew was the uneasy feeling in my stomach tonight wasn't just from the tequila.

So what exactly had Travis done to cause my foul mood, which, according to Gavin's line of questioning, was apparent?

"Nothing out of the ordinary," I said.

"Well, if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm only a couple floors away. I can't promise I'll help you exact revenge, since I kinda like the guy, but I'm a good listener."

Of course he liked Travis. Everyone did. Even I did. That was what was so damn annoying.

"Thanks, man, I just need to?—"

"Drink some more!" West slid into the seat beside me, bumping shoulders with me, two shot glasses in his hand. "Look, the best way to forget someone is to get blind drunk. And since you can clearly see that dumb motherfucker you're related to?—"

"We're not related."

"Eh, details, but since you can still see him and he's clearly annoying you just by existing, you need more liquor."

JT frowned at his boyfriend. "West, come on. Don't force?—"

I'd downed the first glass and was reaching for the second before he could even finish his thought.

"Okay, well, maybe we should get a bottle?—"

"That's a great idea," I said, getting to my feet, and that was when the alcohol made its presence known. The room started to spin. "What have we been drinking?"

"I meant a bottle of water," JT said as he reached for my arm, but I tugged it away.

I knew he meant well, and was probably wondering who had hijacked his best friend. But the tequila had a hold of me now, and the last thing I wanted was to sober up and have to sit there and watch Travis get his dick stroked by whoever was next in line.

"Don Julio's the man on your tongue tonight." East smirked. "He making you want to strip yet?"

"I was getting a little hot, but?—"

"He's not taking his clothes off." JT stepped between me and East, bless his heart. Like anyone could deter James Easton when he wanted to fuck with someone.

"Not for you, anyway." East turned and looked back out to the dance floor, where some guy was swaying his way down Travis's front. "But maybe someone else?"

East had a knowing smirk on his lips. At least, that was the way it looked to me, but I was super fucking drunk and paranoid they were going to find out about me and Travis.

Travis and me…

No matter which way I phrased it, it still felt strange.

Travis and I are friends…

Travis and I are stepbrothers…

Travis and I like to kiss each other…

Travis and I like to come together…

"Do you think he's passed out standing up?" Donovan clicked his fingers in front of my face a couple of times, and my brain snapped back to reality. "Whoa, there he is. Dude, you good? You look a little spacey."

I felt spacey, like my brain had left my body and now my dick was in total control, because all I could think about was that Travis was out on that dance floor with someone that wasn't me.

I didn't like it.

"Maybe a bottle of water wouldn't be such a bad idea," Kelly said from behind his boyfriend.

"I don't want water," I said. "I didn't even want tequila, but noooo, you all forced that on me too."

"He did that." Gavin pointed at East, who shrugged.

"I don't deny it. But he'd be far more miserable without Don Julio."

"I'm not miserable."

"No? My mistake. I could've sworn your bender started around the time Travis hit the dance floor."

That wasn't true. Was it? No. I'd had a couple of shots before then.

"Why would he care that Travis is dancing?" JT said as I tried to keep up, but then my eyes caught on Travis's dance partner, and like someone in a trance I walked over to the edge of the VIP lounge as the slippery little snake wound himself up Travis's lean body.

East and the rest of the guys kept up their chatter behind me, but my attention was now fully on Travis.

"Jesus, West, how is your boyfriend still so clueless?"

"I'm not clueless. I just don't understand what the hell you?—"

"They're fucking, genius."

That somehow made its way into my inebriated brain enough to have me turn to East. "We're not fucking."

"Of course you're not." JT rolled his eyes at East. "They're brothers, in case you forgot."

"Stepbrothers," Donovan said under his breath, but loud enough that JT caught it.

"You guys need to leave him alone and stop making shit up."

I could hear the way JT was defending me, but everything was white noise as Travis's dance partner pulled out his phone for a sexy selfie, the pose so suggestive I didn't know why he didn't just stamp MINE on Travis's forehead.

"Who's making shit up?" someone responded, but I didn't know who it was, because somehow I'd stumbled out of the VIP and was pushing my way through the sweaty bodies blocking my path. My vision turned red around the edges, and somewhere in the back of my mind I knew I should've kept my ass on that couch, but I couldn't sit there and watch this guy think he was going home with Travis. I didn't give a shit how irrational that sounded or that I had no claim whatsoever. This was bullshit.

Travis's back was to me, hips gyrating in a way they shouldn't be with anyone else. The asshole dance partner had one arm wrapped around Travis's neck, and before I could think twice, I grabbed him and shoved him off.

Travis whirled around. "Caleb? What are you?—"

The asshole dance partner didn't take too kindly to my knocking him away, because he pushed me in the chest, making me lose my balance and hit the wall.

Wait, that wasn't a wall. That was Daire's chest.

"There a problem?" he said, looking straight at the asshole.

"Yeah, this guy's trying to start shit."

"Maybe you should keep your hands to yourself." I lunged to shove him right back, but Daire grabbed the back of my shirt, keeping me away.

Travis stepped in front of me, and immediately I forgot about anyone else as those blue eyes held mine. "Caleb, what are you doing?"

"You promised your body was available for my eyes only."

Travis's nose flared, and he glanced up at Daire, who let go of my shirt and backed away.

"While this is super fucking hot, we can't do this here," Travis said. "Okay?"

I heard the words coming out of his mouth, but my head wasn't comprehending anything but how shit it was to see someone else's hands where mine had been.

"Can someone get security to get this guy out?" The asshole was still protesting behind Travis, but one look from Daire and he snapped his mouth shut.

"Don't be too upset," East told him as he came from out of nowhere. "You know how brothers are. And these two are very close."

Travis held his hand up for East to stay back. "Can you not right now?"

"Just providing commentary for those who are a little confused. We're all enjoying the show, though, so carry on."

It was then that I realized the entire group had made their way out onto the dance floor and had us surrounded. Travis took one look at our audience and turned back to me.

"I think you've had too much to drink."

"Told you he was more fun on tequila," East interjected, and I flipped him off. At least, I thought I flipped him off—no telling if it was the right finger. I was starting to sway and see double.

"Okay, I think it's time to call it a night and get you home." Travis lifted my arm, placed it around his neck, and then held me tight by the waist to keep me upright.

I was vaguely aware of the stares from the group, especially the baffled look on JT's face, but all I could seem to focus on was where Travis was touching me. It didn't escape my notice that this was what I'd wanted all night, and I'd made it happen. My drunk ass would've high-fived myself if I didn't think I'd fall over.

As we made it out of the club to where the Sprinter waited at the curb, Travis's breath was hot on my neck. "And you thought I was the one who would spill all our secrets," he said.

Scotty opened the door for us, and I didn't have it in me to protest riding in the van with everyone.

"All right, let's get you home and in bed." Travis helped me step up inside, where I collapsed into the first seat I saw.

"Wait, whose bed?" East asked.

I barely heard Travis's response as my head hit the back of the seat and my eyes started to close.

The last thing I remembered before passing out was East's answering chuckle. "Aww, isn't brotherly love grand?"