Page 6 of Gator
I’d been coming to Kirby’s ever since Vic and Jesse opened it, but I hadn’t been in a few months. Instead, I’d been traipsing my ass all the way to Austin to see a guy I’d met at a club there. At almost six months, my relationship with Bradly—if you could call it that—had been the longest one I’d had in years, and now that it was over with, I was ready to have some fun.
The club was packed tonight, but that was no surprise. The monthly drag show was the only thing that came close to the numbers Daddy Night brought in. I stepped up to the bar, whereClay was pulling a beer. He smiled when he saw me. He handed off the beer and came over to me. “Hey, Julius, long time no see.”
“It has been a while, hasn’t it?” He was one of my favorite bartenders here at Kirby’s. He was straight as an arrow, but he was really friendly, made a mean martini, and was insanely good-looking.
“It has. Glad to see you back. What can I get you? A vodka martini?”
“Of course.”
“I assume you want it dirty.” He had a teasing lilt to his voice that I’m sure padded his pockets with tips, especially on a packed night like tonight.
“I wouldn’t want it any other way,” I said with a wink.
While he made my drink, I looked around to see who was here. There were quite a few new faces since the last time I came, but no one who really interested me. That was okay, though, because the night was early. Besides, I’d told Mika I’d be here, so I wanted to spend a little time with him before I went on a Daddy hunt. I wasn’t one of those guys who was only interested in Daddies, but after the mess I’d been through the last couple weeks, I wanted a big strong man who would baby me a little.
Clay handed me my drink, and I headed to the back where the owner, Jesse, kept a table reserved for his boy, Andy, and his friends on Daddy Nights. At some point, the group had movedfrom the u-shaped booth they normally sat at to a much larger table, and it was still almost full. Mika and his Daddy weren’t here yet, but that was okay because my very favorite of the Three Bears was there.
“Hey, everyone,” I said as I pushed my way in between Gator and Andy’s chair. I smiled at Gator while I bumped Andy with my hip. “Slide over, honey, this is my seat.”
He didn’t argue; he just rolled his eyes and slid over a seat.
“Well, hello there, sugar,” Gator drawled in that super sexy accent of his.
“I haven’t seen you in ages.”
“And whose fault is that, Julius? I’ve been right here almost every single Daddy Night, but someone’s been otherwise engaged.”
“That was then, but I’m here now, Daddy.” I bit my lower lip and trailed my finger across my bare collarbone.
“You’re trouble, brat, but I do love a little trouble now and then. Keeps life from getting boring.”
“Well, you’re in luck, cause boring is the one thing I never am.” I downed the rest of my drink and then picked up the toothpick with the olive on it. I bit down on the olive with my teeth and slowly pulled the toothpick out.
He shook his head and chuckled before sliding his chair back and standing. “Come dance with me, gorgeous.”
He held out a hand, and I slipped mine into his and let him pull me up out of my chair and out onto the dance floor. The music wasn’t anything slow, not yet, but Gator didn’t seem to care. He spun me once just to show off, and then pulled me close enough that his belt buckle brushed my stomach.
He slid one hand down my back and let it settle on my ass.
“You always this handsy?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“You showed up lookin’ like sin dipped in sugar,” he murmured, leaning in just enough that I felt the warmth of his breath along my cheek. “I’m only human, baby.”
I laughed and let myself move with him, hips rolling, fingers trailing lightly down the front of his shirt, before I hooked a finger through one of his belt loops and reeled him in tighter. His hands found my waist like they belonged there.
“Thought you said I was trouble,” I said, swaying to the beat.
“Oh, you are.” His voice dropped a little lower, a little rougher. “But like I said, that’s what keeps life interesting.”
The song shifted, giving way to something slower—something with a little slide and sway to it. He didn’t let go. He just adjustedand moved with me like he already knew what I needed before I did.
I slid my arms up around his shoulders, fingertips brushing the curls at the back of his neck. He was solid and warm and close enough to smell like sandalwood and the hint of whiskey from his drink. He drew me up against him slowly, like we had all the time in the world and no one else on the dance floor mattered, as we swayed to the music.
“You’re a really good dancer,” I murmured.
He grinned, lazy and dangerous. “I have a good partner.”
We moved like that, easy and close, like our bodies had already decided what they wanted, even if our minds hadn’t caught up yet. I rested my cheek briefly against his chest, just long enough to feel the steady beat of his heart through his shirt.