Instead of slipping into expensive leather shoes, I opted for a stylish pair of sneakers, which were practically collecting dust in my closet. Then I swapped out my tortoiseshell frames for a chunky, electric-red pair that matched the stripe in my shirt.
Living large. I chuckled to myself again, which helped assuage my nerves.
When I opened the door for Gretchen, she regarded me with a keen eye. “You look good.”
“So do you,” I replied, noting her silky top and funky leopard shoes. She was brimming with energy, which was contagious.
We ordered a car service so that we could drink without worrying about driving home, and before I knew it, we were standing in line at the Playground. I felt a bit stuffier than the others around us, but at least I’d tried my best. I pushed up my glasses and tried to loosen my shoulders, but it was no use. I was too restless, not only about the club, but about running into Skylar. Would he be surprised to see us?
When we finally moved beyond the bouncer with the purple Mohawk and walked down a short hall to enter the club, the atmosphere changed completely. It was loud, the music booming, the place crowded. I took a deep breath and surged forward into the throng with Gretchen by my side.
Holy shit, there were beautiful people everywhere, and I wasn’t sure why that surprised me. Clubs had never been my thing, but I also knew how important safe establishments were for LGBTQ people. Somehow that made me feel more settled inside. These were my people, even if I felt like a fish out of water.
“Wow, this place is cool!” Gretchen spun around in a circle, taking everything in.
“Definitely.” My eyes scanned the place too. I didn’t see Skylar, but there were two different bar areas, so he could’ve been anywhere. “Let’s get a drink.”
“Good idea. First round is on me.” Gretchen might’ve sensed I needed one, or more than one, to help calm me down. My fingers were trembling as she led me to the nearest bar and stepped into a narrow space in front of a pretty female bartender.
I felt more confident while waiting for our drinks, like maybe I belonged there too. Also like a kid in a candy store because all around me men were talking, laughing, dancing, kissing, touching. I felt my cheeks flush, but I couldn’t say why. It wasn’t like I was some shy virgin. Though maybe in this setting I was.
Thankfully, Gretchen ordered shots first, which we downed quickly, and I enjoyed the burn and then the warmth sliding down my throat and through my limbs.
She joined me near a ledge along the wall as she sipped her Cosmo and me a beer. Just as I was about to lean over and ask her if she danced, a pretty twink with short-cropped blond hair and holding a microphone jumped on the bar. He held his hand out to a hunky bartender with dark hair, who’d been working the other end of the crowd.
“They’re gorgeous together,” Gretchen said once the bartender joined the blond guy and they began dancing together in a sensual way. And they were. In fact, I couldn’t take my eyes off them, and I wondered if they were a real couple. The soft way they were looking at each other while grinding their hips together kept me watching with rapt attention.
It also made my chest ache with a foreign sort of longing. Maybe because it was something I was missing in my life. Not a boyfriend, because I’d had plenty. A real relationship. Someone I wanted to spend my life with, not just pass the time.
When they ended the dance with a steamy kiss to hoots and hollers from the crowd below them, a bell went off in my head. Was this the friend Skylar had told me about who was dating the bartender? Given the possessive look in the bartender’s eyes, I was going to guess in the affirmative. So hot!
The blond strode through the crowd toward a riser and was helped up by another gorgeous guy. I held in a small gasp. He wasn’t only gorgeous. He was stunning. Skylar wasn’t kidding when he said I hadn’t seen anything yet.
I pointed. “Oh my God, there’s Skylar.”
His full face of glittery makeup enhanced his features, and as I stared openly, noting his sharp cheekbones, long lashes, and full red lips, my eyes snagged on his midsection next, which was on full display. Smooth, creamy skin below a cropped T-shirt and above nylon shorts that were so skintight, they accentuated, well, everything. When he turned toward the wall and bent at the waist, showcasing his ass, all I could do was gape because his body was banging. All lean, graceful lines in a compact package.
“Skylar’s an amazing dancer,” Gretchen said, and I had to agree once I finally snapped out of my gawking and noticed how he moved and appealed to the crowd.
When he got close enough to the edge, men would step up and shove dollar bills in his shorts, and that made me feel…strange. I didn’t know why. This was what he did for a living, he was damned good at it, and he apparently enjoyed it, given his radiant smile. Some of it might’ve been shtick as he egged on his customers for tips, but I also got the feeling he simply enjoyed performing.
“Follow me. I’ve got a couple of singles.” Gretchen pulled at my arm with a laugh, and my stomach tightened as we moved nearer.
She handed me a dollar bill before stepping directly in front of him and raising her hands in the air as she bounced on her feet. When Skylar focused on us, he released a gasp, and when our eyes locked, the biggest smile broke over his face. “Sneaky! You didn’t tell me you were coming.”
He looked so happy, I was suddenly glad I’d made the leap tonight. Seeing him smile like that after his earlier glum mood was exactly what I needed. I couldn’t help grinning back.
“Here you go. You’re awesome,” Gretchen said, quickly slipping the money into his shorts, then stepping back to give me more room. But I just stayed put, my feet feeling like lead.
“You got one for me too?” Skylar asked, then turned to wiggle his butt suggestively.
My entire face flamed as I surged forward and slipped the dollar bill inside his waistband. His skin was hot and sweaty but so smooth. I always thought I liked bigger and hairier guys, but right then it was as if my twelve-year-old self was crushing on gymnastics Skylar. I felt a bit light-headed as I stepped back. He blew me a kiss, then moved to the other side of the riser to appeal to that portion of the crowd.
We watched a while longer, then walked around the club, but my gaze always found its way back to Skylar. Thankfully, Gretchen never asked me to dance, because I wasn’t sure I could make my legs move well enough to not embarrass myself. But it was fun to watch others getting down and dirty in the little pockets of spaces we found to stand. Eventually we ended up at the original bar for one more drink before Gretchen pulled me toward a spot against the wall.
When I next looked for Skylar, I saw him jumping off the riser with the blond guy and heading our way, possibly taking a break. As they walked through the crowd, men reached out to him, and that made an uncomfortable feeling churn in my gut, but again, I didn’t understand why. Maybe it was that confidence thing. He had an abundance of it when it came to owning his sexuality. They both did.
“So what do you think of the club?” Skylar asked when they reached us.
“It’s like I stepped into a different world,” I admitted, then quickly changed the subject because that sounded dumb. “You’re amazing, by the way. I mean, I knew you could move and be all bendy, but not like that.”
He chuckled as our eyes met, and I could tell he enjoyed the compliment.