Bat Boy (Easton U Pirates 1)

Except it was huge. I turned my attention toward the source of the thumping music for the first time, noticing the deejay in a booth in the back corner and dancers in skimpy shorts on the risers.

I inhaled slowly, trying to get my erratic pulse under control. Ever since the night I’d slept in Kellan’s hotel-room bed, my mind and body were all messed up. It was as if all my internalized questions about who I was attracted to had transformed into a warm body resting against me, one that didn’t pull away in confusion or disgust. And now…now I’d come to a gay club to meet Kellan.

What if he isn’t even here? Maybe he changed his mind or went somewhere else. That meant I was standing in the middle of a gay club by myself with no plan. I almost turned around and got the hell out of there. What if someone sees me? Well, duh, then I might actually find a kindred spirit instead of always trying to blend into a straight world. Somehow it terrified me and soothed me all at once—that maybe someone would at last know the real me.

Was that the only thing Kellan represented to me—someone I could completely relate to? Maybe my fascination with him all these months could be boiled down to that. A confidant. Then I remembered how my body had reacted to him. How I’d jizzed in my underwear just from him rubbing up against me. It wasn’t like I was popping a boner in the locker room over every naked ass I saw on display. Though I always made sure my gaze never strayed, way more than any of my teammates. Curiosity was a normal human reaction, but mine could’ve given me away too easily.

When someone accidentally bumped into me, I pushed back against the wall to give them space, as a guy on the dance floor caught my eye. Kellan. Dancing with a bigger, shirtless guy with a hairy chest. The hot fire of jealousy and shock scorched through my veins. Where was Jasmine? Had Kellan met this guy here?

But then Kellan twirled away from him and started dancing with someone else, and I realized I was totally overreacting. I blamed it on the adrenaline coursing through my body. Kellan was only in the moment and enjoying himself, and holy hot damn, could he move those hips.

Whereas I immediately recognized his smaller frame and the color of his hair, this Kellan was way different than the guy I saw on the regular. This Kellan was free and wild and hot as hell. He wore tight jeans that underscored his lean physique, and a cropped shirt that highlighted his smooth skin. And not only that—he was wearing makeup, and his hair was styled differently, showcasing his cheekbones. Not even a pack of wild elephants could make me look away right then. Just seeing this side of him, I felt lucky in a way I hadn’t before. Would he feel the same about me?

When he glanced up and our eyes met, his widened like a cartoon character’s. I nearly cracked up, but my heart was beating so wildly, I felt momentarily lightheaded.

He began making his way over, a guarded look in his eyes, but I couldn’t stop taking him in as I tried to reason through his reaction to me. His lips were shiny, and his eyelashes were longer and feathering against his rosy-pink cheeks as he blinked repeatedly. In a word, Kellan looked…gorgeous.

“Holy shit, what are you doing here?” he asked as soon as he reached me.

“You invited me, remember?”

“Yeah, but…” He motioned dramatically with his hand. “I didn’t think you’d actually show.”

He signaled to someone over my shoulder, and when I turned, I spotted Jasmine near the bar, ordering drinks. She looked just as stunned at my presence as I raised my hand in an awkward wave.

“So, why didn’t you think I’d come?” I leaned closer so he could hear me better, and picked up his familiar vanilla scent. But this time it was laced with something lush, and I had the urge to bury my nose in his neck and inhale his skin. “Because it’s a gay club?”

“Well, duh,” he said, studying me. “I thought maybe you’d be afraid what your teammates might think if they knew you’d come here.”

Instead of admitting they had no clue, I asked a question of my own. “Are you?”

“Not really. I’m out to my family and friends, and most of the guys probably have it figured out.”

“Figured out that you’re…” I sputtered, unable to gather my racing thoughts.

“Not exactly straight?”

“I…I…” Had hoped? No, not the right time to admit it. “I wondered a time or two.”

He lifted his arms and spun around in an enticing way. “And now?”

“You look amazing,” I confessed, and his eyes softened a fraction.