Love Is Always Write Volume 4

anywhere else, too happy to linger on the long-legged beautiful man leaning against the far wall.
    Chad watched as the stranger talked and laughed with a woman standing next to him with an easy confidence that came from being comfortable around each other, friendly but not overtly sexual. But something about the man… the way he leaned half back, the way his thumbs rested at his belt loops with his fingers on his thighs, exuded sexuality. Okay, so maybe he wasn't planning on hooking up, but hell if that would stop him from taking in the eye candy.
    Chad let desire course through him as his eyes devoured the sight and found he couldn't get enough. Deep chestnut hair, sinfully high cheekbones with a light complexion shadowed by stubble, a couple tattoos on one arm and another showing on his chest where the black tank didn't cover. He fixated on the vibrantly colored tattoos a little longer, especially the one playing peek-a-boo on his right pec. He wondered briefly if they meant anything special to the brunet, or if he just thought they were beautiful. Yeah, the guy had the bad boy look down pat. Nummmm.
    Noticing the defined arms, Chad couldn't help but let his mind wander to what that smooth skin would feel like and he unconsciously licked his lips. His gaze traveled higher and he realized he wasn't the only one staring.
    Steel gray eyes looked back at him and he couldn't look away. That's all he could see. And that's all, it seemed, his mind could process. Not the time ticking by while he stared or the fact that he was holding his breath. But then the man blinked just before his attention was drawn sideways towards the woman talking to him. The spell broken, Chad took in the oxygen he hadn't known he was denying himself and reality caught up to him.
    "Oh, shit." Chad mumbled, and decided his drink was very interesting to look at. How stupid was it to go and get caught checking out another man in a straight bar? And not even a quick glance but actually staring. And… oh fuck… had he actually licked his lips? He knew better than that! There were men out there that would kick his ass for a lot less! None of his friends seemed to notice his distress and he was glad for it… well, unless he needed their assistance warding off a punch to the face. In that case he needed to give them a heads up.
    His focus went back to the stranger, almost in a panic to see if the large man was heading his way with violence in mind, but what he saw surprised him. The brunet was looking his way, but with a sexy little smirk on his face. Once he realized he'd caught Chad's attention again he lowered those beautiful light eyes to give Chad's body the same slow sweep he'd just gotten.
    Chad wasn't sure what was wrong with him but he felt first his neck and then his face heat up, and with shocked horror realized he was blushing. Oh, Gawwwd no! "I don't blush," he said fiercely under his breath. Great. Now he was embarrassed to be embarrassed.
    "What?" Derek asked from beside him.
    "Nothing." He answered, a thin smile in place.
    "Dude! You're bright red. You okay?"
    "Yeah. Yeah, just fine. Got a little warm in here is all."
    Derek gave him a strange look but then just shrugged. The other guys were in an animated conversation about the bane of their existence, a college professor Chad was lucky enough never to have, and how they were sooooo glad to never have to look at the man's weasel face again. From the sounds of their chatter none of them had even noticed the time lapse where they hadn't had any of his attention. Of course, he reminded himself, with excitement and alcohol mixing he could make a trip into La-La-land for a half hour or so before any of them realized he wasn't paying attention as long as he didn't miss his cue to laugh at their jokes.
    He tried to focus on his friends' conversation, really he did, but found his eyes sliding sideways towards the stranger. Just for a peek. Once it was to see the guy smiling and heat ran through him so fast it made his limbs feel heavy. The next time only a half beat passed before the guy looked over, like he could tell the instant Chad's eyes were on him. He wasn't going to look again, really, but a couple minutes later he couldn't help it. It was like his eyes had a mind of their own; they knew what they wanted to see and were going to go there with or without Chad's permission. This time it was to see those steel grays already fixed on him, the look on the stranger's face