Dylan looked up, startled. “No! I mean absolutely, but no. Of course not. What if something happened?”
“Nothing’s going to happen and it’s completely insured.” Tristan dangled the keys from his fingers.
“No, if anyone sees me, they won’t understand why I’m driving your car,” Dylan replied. Tristan nodded, masking his features. As much as this whole morning had taken its toll on his emotional state, Tristan could understand how much Dylan’s life must suck living under that much concealment and fear of being found out. He used the key fob to unlock the car and opened the garage door.
“Then cancel on the group dinner tonight and come back over here,” Tristan said, starting the car. The engine roared to life, and the fascination was back on Dylan’s face as he put the car in reverse and backed out. He and Dylan connected on so many levels. Data centers, miles of servers, car coolness factors and their engines. Then there was sex… “You can take her for a spin along the coast. I know a perfect drive to watch the sunset.”
Tristan tried for casual with that comment. It had actually surprised him when he suggested they get together tonight after watching Dylan bow up tight thinking Maria might see him. As far as they were both concerned, last night should have been a onetime deal. Taking a car ride along the ocean sounded very much like a date, not a casual opportunity to give his baby a spin. Damn, he’d messed that up and looked over to gauge Dylan’s response. The shell-shocked look had returned.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Dylan said softly. Tristan let that sit between them. He’d known those words were coming. For whatever reason, he loved last night and truly wanted to see Dylan again. But he could tell by the way Dylan acted that the man wasn’t ready to give up his life of hiding.
“Hey, one night doesn’t make you an expert and you should see what they have planned for you guys tonight. I already bailed. Poker with topless serving girls… Not my thing at all.” Tristan pretended to shiver. “Your guys loved last night so much they changed things up. I got the update this morning.”
“Y’all didn’t have to go to all this trouble. We didn’t need all that. Just a meeting with what you plan to offer would have been fine. That is, if you even intend to make an offer,” Dylan said, staring out the side window.
“These things are always a wine and dine kind of deal. Wilder wants Secret. We want you to want to sell it to us over our competitors. We know you won’t really think that just because we can supply topless waitresses, we’ll take any better care of the baby you started from the ground floor,” Tristan stated matter-of-factly and laughed a little. Dylan gave a deep sigh.
“I’m still not sure it’s a good idea. Last night was risky. I never do things like that.”
“You’re a million miles away from home. Besides, there’s more I could teach you,” Tristan said. Coming to a stop light, he looked over at Dylan and waggled his eyebrows.
“I’m not ready to bottom,” Dylan mumbled softly, doubt clear in his voice.
“What about adding a third?” Tristan asked, pulling that out of thin air. Surprised by his own words, he immediately wanted to take them back. What was he thinking? Had he just pushed too far to get Dylan back to his house?
“What? Do you know people like that?” Dylan asked incredulously, quickly covering his surprise.
“Of course I do. Are you doubting my hookup skills?” Tristan chuckled and that had Dylan smiling.
“No, not at all. I’m doubting mine more than likely.” Dylan scrubbed a hand over his face and ran his fingers through his hair before finally looking over at Tristan, perhaps more cautious than anything. Dylan hadn’t come right out and said no, but he hadn’t said yes either. He got the impression Dylan was more inquisitive than not, and curiosity was something he could work with.
“Look, we can take a drive. If you’re interested in the other, I’ll have him on standby,” Tristan said, pulling onto the street where the hotel was located.
“Guys just wait for you on standby?” Dylan asked disbelievingly.
“This one will. I’ll pull up on the side of the building and you can get out, jog around if you want. I’ll see you later,” Tristan said, wishing he’d kissed Dylan before they left the house, but at the time, the guy was too spooked. Dylan got out, back in panic mode, never even saying goodbye.
Tristan watched for a moment and lifted a hand, knowing it wouldn’t be returned. He drove away, wishing the guy who had made love to him so tenderly last night would have been the same guy he woke up to this morning.
Instead of dwelling, he called his buddy Julian, explained the situation, and had him on standby for tonight. He made another call to ask Maria to pack him a dinner to-go. He mentally took inventory of the alcohol he had in the house. He could completely see why Dylan had stopped drinking since he had planned to hide his life away. He wasn’t a sloppy drunk. Hell, you couldn’t even tell he’d been drinking, but he was up for anything with liquor in his system. If Dylan wanted to drink tonight, there would be something available for him.
As for Tristan, he wasn’t done with Dylan Reeves by a long shot. Dylan just needed to get on board with his plan.
Dylan hightailed it up the stairs, bypassing the elevators, hoping to avoid David and Rob. Once he got inside the room, he’d tell them to go on without him. In stealth mode, he stuck his head out the stairwell door and looked around. The hall was empty. He jogged the few steps to his door. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t flat out told Tristan no. He’d always been curious about threesomes, even fantasizing about the act, but was it something he could actually go through with? As he pulled the card key from his wallet, David walked out of a room almost directly across the hall from his. Rob followed behind, catching him going inside his room. Dammit!