Love Is Always Write Volume 4

contemplative.
    God! He felt like he was in high school, checking out some guy across the classroom, giving eye signals to flirt because both were too chicken shit to approach each other. That just wasn't him! And the way his body reacted to the stranger; the way his body heated from just one look, the blushing, or the strange loss he felt every time he looked away and then couldn't wait to look back again. Nothing like that had happened to him before. He'd been attracted to guys hundreds of times, felt lust crawl through his veins on more than one occasion, but he'd always had control over himself.
    He changed positions in the group so his back was to the stranger. Maybe a stupid thing to do considering how hot the guy was and that he was obviously interested too, but the unsettling reactions left him feeling like he needed to physically turn away, at least for the moment, to regain the control he was used to having. Maybe later he'd see what he'd see once his friends were more occupied, but ditching buddies wasn't cool. Especially on their last night together.
    The fact that the other four men were all straight came into factor as well. He'd come out three years ago, without them batting an eye, but he'd never gotten comfortable picking up guys in front of them when they were out together. Derek, his best friend, was the only one out of this group privy to that level of closeness.
    Only a couple minutes passed before the back of his neck prickled. Fine, look your fill . But then there was a presence behind him, heat from another body even though he knew the man couldn't possibly be standing that close. Then came the deep voice, quiet but confident.
    "Hey."
    Chad turned around slowly, almost positive what he'd see there. The second he looked up into the taller man's face his heart rate picked up its pace, and he decided that if he couldn't control it, at least he could ignore it. "Um… hey."
    "Zeb." The stranger said.
    "What?"
    "Zeb. That's my name." The smirk on the guy's face made Chad's heart skip a beat. He swallowed hard and only stared for a moment before noticing the man, Zeb, had his hand out to shake and probably had for a moment or two. No wonder the guy was smirking.
    Get it together, Chad. He took a soothing breath and the man's hand.
    "Chad." His own confident, deep, tone surprised him.
    "Nice to meet you Chad. I've gotta work now, but maybe we can have a drink together later." Zeb still had his hand, but it wasn't like where a guy held on a little longer to secretly let you know he was interested. Instead, he used his thumb to brush the back of Chad's hand while his middle finger ran lightly across his wrist. No, this wasn't some secret handshake, this was a caress. Blatant, direct and confident.
    Then he caught what Zeb had said. "You have to work? Wait… you're leaving?" His embarrassment amplified into the heavens when he heard the note of distress in his own words. What the hell was happening to him?
    Zeb let their hands slowly glide apart and stepped backwards. "No worries, Sexy. I'll see you later." He continued his trek backwards, a slow and deliberate saunter, seemingly unworried he'd run into anyone.
    Little pinpricks of panic raced through Chad's chest. Zeb didn't know Chad would only be here one night… how could he think they'd see each other later when all they knew of each other was their first names?
    "Later when?" blurted out of him, almost demanding, before he could stop himself. Zeb was a good ten feet away now and didn't pause, just winked and shouted over the crowd.
    "In about five minutes!" Then he turned and went down another hallway. Not the one that was lit where he'd first seen Zeb, but the darker one almost hidden back on the other side of the stage that was probably for employees only.
    Wait. Employees only?
    That probably meant Zeb worked here . Was he a bartender? Chad looked over at the two different stretches of mahogany and even though they both seemed fully staffed, figured someone could be getting off work soon, or taking a break maybe. He wondered if his friends would notice if, after watching to see which bar Zeb went to, he talked them into finding a seat at it? Even more embarrassing… would Zeb notice? Yep. And he didn't plan on embarrassing himself twice in one night so he'd just have to look from afar.
    Of course, with his entire world focused only on the grey eyed beauty, it hadn't occur to him that his friends, only a few feet away, already had front row