“Tyson went to UVM, and now he works for my dad.”

He tilts his head like “Ah, that explains it.” But … I don’t exactly know what it explains. “We thought you might have been here, like, together.”

My attention ping-pongs between him and the other two, who are focused on our conversation too. “Uh, would there be a problem if we were?”

Clint nudges Lochie. “I told you I saw him kiss his cheek.”

“We’re all cool here,” Dylan says. “I just … we didn’t know …”

“Funny story. Neither did I.” I shrug. “He was a last-minute college is over hookup where I thought all my years to do impulsive things were done. I didn’t know how much I’d like it. Or him.”

“Fair enough. I guess we don’t have to worry about him out there with our women, then.”

As Tyson always does, he’s his usual charming self and already has the girls laughing and dancing with him.

“I wouldn’t go that far. This is technically our first date, and he’s actually bi. You want to show off how much of a caveman you can be?”

Dylan sips his drink. “We men. Own women.” He goes to take another sip but looks at me out of the corner of his eye. “Don’t tell Katrina I said that. She’ll have my balls.”

I burst out laughing. “Your secret is safe with me. But if you’re not going to go claim her, I think I might have to go claim him.”

Dylan sighs. “Well, I can’t have you showing me up. I did promise Kat I’d dance with her at some point tonight.”

We leave Clint and Lochie and join the others on the dance floor. Dylan goes straight up to the brunette and pulls her close, while I wrap my arm around Tyson’s waist and pull him against me.

His eyes widen, and I smile.

“They know. They’re cool with it. Surprised, maybe, but cool.”

“Are you sure?”

“Well, if they’re not, we’re about to find out.” I lean in and kiss his lips softly. It’s chaste and nowhere near long enough, but this is about reassurance.

When I pull back, no one acts differently.

Dylan’s dancing with his girlfriend, and the other two girls are dancing with each other.

I can feel the tension as it leaves Tyson’s shoulders. I hate that he and anyone else in our position have to feel this way, but I suppose it’s common in the queer community.

I’ve seen it from the outside, of course. Stupid people yelling shit out at some of our games. Our own teammates saying ignorant shit. This is the first time I’ve been on the other side of things.

Not a fan.

But I am a fan of Tyson, so it all evens out. Or something like that. I’ll endure it because the fun I have with him outweighs the ick feeling in my gut when it comes to worrying about outsider opinions.

“Dance with me,” I say to him.

He wraps his arms around my neck. “You weren’t what I was expecting. At all.”

“I can say the same about you.”

We press against each other and move our hips to the beat, grinding and getting lost in the music.

I stare down into Tyson’s blue eyes. He smiles, his lips so tempting and right there.

I want to kiss him again. Properly, like I did back in his apartment. I was so close to canceling going out and climbing up to his loft bed and throwing him down on it.

Dylan taps my shoulder. “We’re getting more drinks.”

I wave him off, but Tyson pulls me along with them.

“You should spend time with your friends,” Tyson says. “I’m gonna hit the bathroom.”

I swear there’s an invitation in there somewhere, but he tells me to stay where I am.

A few minutes later, he comes back with two new beers and hands me one. “I can be sneaky too.”

We drink some more and then dance the alcohol off until we’re both sweaty and happy. After the initial questioning, my high school friends are cool with Tyson and me, and the longer we’re there, the more Tyson comes out of his shell and is his usual loudmouthed self.

At one point, he swaps shirts with Dylan’s girlfriend because “This top matches my pants!”

The only time one of the guys has a problem with that is when Katrina whips off her shirt and stands in only her bra for a couple of seconds. Dylan stands behind her, trying to shield her boobs from the rest of the club.

Everyone else thinks it’s hilarious.

The plan is for them to swap back at some stage, but after all this time on the dance floor, I can’t take grinding against him for much longer before I need release.

“We need to get out of here,” I say next to his ear. “I want to make you come.”

“We’re going!” Tyson announces. He makes a phone gesture to his ear at Katrina and then drags me down a corridor toward the back of the club.

Tags: Eden Finley CU Hockey M-M Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net