Page 9 of Friendly Skies
With a groan, Darius pushed himself up. “Let me just take a quick shower and brush my teeth.”
Luis watched his best friend get up and strip, admiring the strong shoulders, muscular arms, narrow waist, perfect ass, and long, slender legs as they came into view. No matter how you looked at him, Darius was a beautiful man, and when he turned around to blow a playful kiss at Luis, the beauty of his heart was fully visible as well. Luis loved him too much to ever risk anything that might cause him to lose Darius in his life and dreaded the day Darius found someone who could love him the way he deserved.
Several hours and more than a couple of pregame Cosmos later, Luis and Darius arrived at the Groove Lounge on Santa Monica Boulevard. Luis was dressed in his favorite pink harness and matching booty shorts, which he’d paired with pink Docs, while Darius had kept it simple with black jeans so tight they looked painted on and a black mesh top that was ripped in strategic places so it was even more see-through. They had done up their faces with dramatically outlined eyes and lips and painted each other’s nails with day-glo polish. When they’d posed at the door for the obligatory “going out” selfie, Luis couldn’t help but angle himself against Darius to get as much of the man’s body against himself as he could.
As they strutted their way toward the bouncer at the entrance, Luis was conscious of the heads turning to watch them and more than one guy giving them serious once-overs. He loved it and swung his ass with a bit more pizazz: full-blown sex kitten mode activated. It thrilled him to be the object of so much naked lust and desire, conscious that he could enjoy it because Darius would look out for him and keep him safe. With Darius around, he could relax, let go, flirt outrageously, have fun, and know nothing would happen to him. He felt powerful at these moments, knowing he could pick and choose who he wanted to be with, then walk away if he needed to.
Luis looped his arm around his best friend and hugged him tightly.
“Let’s get something to drink,” he said.
Darius frowned but nodded in agreement and put an arm around Luis’ shoulders as they stepped through the entrance.
The Groove Lounge was pulsing with light and music and bodies moving on the dance floor. Hundreds of disco balls hung from the ceiling, throwing rainbow-hued bits of light onto the crowd as they turned. The center bar glowed with blue light, a beacon in the dark club that Luis and Darius made their way to without hesitation. They ordered another round of Cosmos, then sipped them as they eyed the gorgeous men in their immediate vicinity.
The joy of living in LA was how many people worked in industries that placed a premium on beautiful faces and fit bodies, and Luis saw several guys he recognized from the internet or TV. Influencers, actors, fitness instructors, models, athletes, even the lawyers and businessmen in the city were beautiful. LA was a treasure chest, and Luis was lucky enough to know where X marked the spot.
Luis caught the eye of a guy whose Insta account he swore he followed and smiled with his best “come over and say hi” combination of sensually curved lips, coyly tucked chin and head tilt, and slightly smoldering eyes. As always, it worked, and before too long, the guy was sidling up next to him, a smirk on his luscious lips.
“Can I help you with something?” Luis asked. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Darius smile and shake his head. Though his friend was scanning the crowd, Luis knew he was also keeping tabs on him. He loved that Darius did this, and it made him feel protected. At five-five, Luis had met his fair share of men who treated him like a toy, but the presence of his best friend was a reminder that they should watch their step. Not to mention that Darius was a black belt in Krav Maga and could be menacing when needed in a way that even gave Luis shivers despite knowing what a sweetheart Darius was.
The guy who’d come over looked Luis up and down. “Maybe,” he said.
Luis took a sip of his drink. It was his turn to look the guy over, and he liked what he saw in the guy’s broad frame and defined muscles. “My name’s Luis.”
“Reed. Do you want to dance?”
“I haven’t finished my drink.”
“I can wait. Something tells me you’re worth it.” Reed flashed Luis a wide smile full of bright white teeth.
“Flattery will get you everywhere,” Luis replied and downed the rest of his drink in one swallow.
“Impressive,” Reed said as he held out his hand for Luis.
“Damn right, sugar.” Luis handed Darius his empty glass, then took the offered hand and let Reed lead him away. He glanced over his shoulder, mouthed, “Oh, my God!” and got a smile and a nod from his friend before they were enveloped by the crowd on the dance floor.
Chapter two
Darius
As he watched Luisdisappear into the crowd on the dance floor, Darius fought down a wave of jealousy. It wasn’t an unfamiliar feeling. In the twelve years since the quinceañera party, he’d had a lot of practice at not letting his feelings for Luis show. They were as close as two friends could possibly be, even closer than most got to be, as they occasionally hooked up with a third, and Darius was not going to risk what they had by pushing for a romantic relationship if Luis wasn’t interested.
He’d come too close to losing his best friend after Luis came out in college, and Darius had convinced himself that meant they were a couple. Luis disabused him of that idea pretty quickly when he introduced Darius to his first boyfriend. Watching Luis walk away at a club was nothing compared to the heart-shattering feeling of seeing the man he loved kissing that guy and knowing he’d never get to experience Luis that way again.
And he hadn’t. Not really. They slept in the same bed and often kissed or cuddled, they’d even had sex a few times whenthey were in their early twenties, but it had been purely physical: a comfort to Luis after a bad dream or breakup or times when they both felt horny but didn’t want to go out or scroll through an app. And they’d both had their share of boyfriends over the years. Darius knew they had been a puzzle to their various roommates over the years, but what he and Luis had worked, and that was all that mattered to him, no matter how much he wished it were otherwise.
On the dance floor, Luis was wrapped around the blond who’d approached him, his lithe and trim body a sinuous blur as he ground against the guy, his body so flexible and strong after all his years as a gymnast. Darius loved watching him move.
He was vaguely uneasy, though, and had hoped to get Luis to loosen up while they were out and tell him what had happened the night before. Something had, of that Darius was sure because he knew his best friend almost as well as he knew himself. He’d known the change in his return flight would throw Luis, but the way he’d greeted Darius, then curled around him when they’d taken a nap together, confirmed what he’d suspected when he walked into the apartment and found Luis cleaning.
Deny it all he liked—and Darius knew Luis well enough not to push—something had happened to his friend in the past and left him dealing with panic attacks, anxiety, and a secret he guarded fiercely with solid walls and hid behind a mask of flirtatiousness and sass. Whatever it was, Luis was his ride-or-die bestie, his soul twin, and Darius would do whatever it took to protect him and help him stay on solid ground.
“Hey, gorgeous, can I buy you another?”
Darius turned to regard the guy who had sidled up to him. He was standing close enough their arms brushed, and Darius felt a thrill at the contact. It had been too long since anyone but Luis had touched him.
“Not quite done with this one yet,” Darius replied, “but sure.”
