Page 40 of Night By Night

“He’s a rope slut, and so is she. They’re only play-partners—they’re not together. Orrr…” She smiled. “I could introduce you tohim. He’s single, too. And gay.”

“Being bi really does open their files and improve their chances of finding you someone,” Rusty playfully added.

The guy wasn’t bad-looking. A little on the thin side for his tastes. “He’s a Top though,” Maddox noted.

“Vers. And a switch.” Eliza arched an eyebrow at him, a look Maddox well remembered from high school. “Is that a green-light?”

Maybe before Hank was back in his life he would’ve been interested in either of them. But…

Yeah. When he thought about either of them as he watched the man tie her…

Nothing.

Zilch.

Not even a twitch from downstairs.

He finally opted for, “I’m afraid I wouldn’t be good company right now.”

“Interested in me hooking you up for a friendly dinner with one of them? No pressure. Get you out of the house.”

“Iamgetting out of the house.”

“ToHank’s,” Rusty said, all teasing now vanished from his tone. “You said it yourself—you’re hung up on a guy you think is unobtainable. Maybe what you need is to force yourself to step into a different groove for a while.”

“Who knows?” Eliza added. “Maybe Hank will get jealous and you can open a conversation with him.”

That was tempting, except Maddox wasn’t fond of those kinds of mind games. Mindfucks within the context of a scene? Sure, absolutely.

He also suspected Hank wasn’t exactly clued in to Maddox’s feelings, either.

Still…

They had a valid point, and he knew it. “I guess I wouldn’t be averse to dinner with her.”

“Atta boy,” Eliza said. “Consider it arranged.”

As Maddox settled back in his chair to watch their suspension scene, he wondered how he was going to move forward if he was still so completely hung up in the past.

* * * *

Hank stretched out in bed with his laptop to watch Netflix. JJ had a fantastic day, had absolutely rocked it in the presents department, and he felt nearly overwhelmed with gratitude for everyone who’d taken part.

Especially Dox.

Who apparently was going to that kink club tonight.

He didn’t know why that spun up a nest of conflicted feelings inside him. The guy deserved a life outside Hank’s pitiful existence. Especially after everything he’d done for him and JJ.

Besides, they were going over to Dox’s tomorrow to hang out and swim, and he’d told JJ to bring the robotics kit with her.

He definitely didn’t want Maddox to grow resentful of all the time he spent with them. That meant not being a clingy friend.

Except that’s exactly what he felt like. Which totallywasn’thim.

Except…itwas. When it came to Dox, it definitely was and always had been.

He completely understood he’d once again defaulted to their old dynamic from when they were kids, of him letting Dox take charge, take control.