Page 145 of Body Check

Dakota clutched at his shoulders, then pulled away laughing, lips still slick from Gavin’s mouth. “Don’t they say whatever you’re doing on New Year’s Eve, you’ll do for the rest of the year? We’re off to a great start, huh?”

He was glowing, looking so light and happy Gavin could hardly contain himself.

“I think it’s actually New Year’sDay,” Gavin said with a smile. “But, oh well, I guess I’ll have to kiss you tonight”—he leaned in and pressed a kiss to Dakota’s lips again. “And tomorrow”—another kiss—“and the day after that. And the day after that …”

Dimly, in the background, he heard the group begin counting down to the New Year.

“Ten … nine … eight … seven … six …”

Gavin slid a hand into Dakota’s hair and deepened the kiss.

“Happy New Year!” erupted around them but Gavin was lost in his own little world. For tonight, he wasn’t going to worry about the team.

Spending time with Dakota was all that mattered.

Half an hour later, Dakota sidled up to a flushed-looking Leah. “You might want to, uh, do something about your hair,” he muttered.

“Shit.” She smoothed it down. “Is that better?”

“Better,” he said, although it was still a little wild. “So, you and Danny rang in the new year together, huh?”

She bit her lip. “I mean, we figured Jesse and Connor are together and you and Gavin are together … maybe we could get away with a little bit of something tonight.”

Dakota arched an eyebrow. “Just tonight?”

She shrugged. “For now.”

“Well, good luck.”

“Thanks.” She scowled at him, crossing her arms. “So, how long has this been going on with you and Gavin?”

“Since Thanksgiving,” he admitted.

“Since—” she lowered her voice. “And you didn’ttellme?”

“I …” He sighed. “I was trying to be careful. I mean, up until a few days ago, Gavin was my boss. We could have gotten into deep shit if anyone found out.”

“But they didn’t.”

“Just Gavin’s brother, but he … he had our backs,” Dakota said, belatedly realizing he’d actually had two enormous things he could have held over their heads but and chosen to keep silent about. Huh, maybe Dakota owed him more than he realized.

“Well, I suppose you can be forgiven,” Leah said. “If you promise to dance with me.”

“Happy to,” Dakota said, setting his glass of water down. “Lead the way.”

An hour later, the party was still going strong. Non-alcoholic or not, the shots had hit Gavin hard—at least where his bladder was concerned—and he wove through the crowd toward the bathrooms at the back of the pub.

He reached the door to the men’s room as Connor and Jesse were coming out. They looked … a little disheveled. Jesse’s hair fell in a messy tumble over his forehead, his zipper was undone, and Connor’s lips were unusually pink and swollen.

For a moment, they all stared at each other in silence. Connor made a strangled noise and flushed under his auburn beard, but he didn’t let go of Jesse’s hand.

“Umm,” Jesse said.

Gavin held up his hands, palms toward them. “I don’t wanna know. Just do up your fly before you go back out there, Webby.”

“Right.” Jesse had the grace to look mildly embarrassed as he fumbled to do it up. “Sorry. We?—”

“Not your GM tonight,” Gavin said, pushing past them. “Enjoy your evening. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, boys.”

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