Page 17 of Tobias

“We’re just friends, Nathanial.”

“Oh, well in that case—”

Nathanial grabs my face again, leaning in, but I swat him away. His light brown hair falls over his eyes, and he runs a hand through it to tame it back.

“You know that costs money,” I say, pointing at him chastisingly.

He pouts, then moves over to sit between Luca and Benton.

“You all sung out?” Luca asks.

“Just wanted to give someone else a turn,” he says, reaching for a drink on the table and taking a swig.

“That’s mine!” Mario shouts, reaching over to pull it from his hand.

Nathanial turns his body to give Mario his back and take a longer swig. When he’s done, he hands Mario the glass back and says, “Oh shut up. Your dick’s been in my mouth; what’s a little saliva on the rim of your glass?”

I glance at Theo, who looks terrified. It’s going to be a good night.

Chapter Seven

Theodore

One more drink and I’ll be drunk for sure. The guys have kept the whiskeys coming, and though I’ve offered to pay multiple times, no one will let me. They keep calling me their guest and telling me to enjoy the night. It was making me nervous at first, but now I don’t really care. I just want to have fun. This is so different from when I go to the bar with Asher. In fact, I should tell Asher about this place. I bet he’d love it.

Luca and Nathanial are out on the dance floor, owning it. I learned that Luca is a dancer, and you can tell by the way he moves his body. Nathanial seems to be reaping the benefits of it, if the way he’s gripping Luca’s hips and smiling against his throat is any indication. I keep pulling my eyes away because all I want to do is watch, but it’s rude, so I try not to. Even if they seem like they don’t care.

“You ever been to a sex club?”

I nearly choke on my drink, covering my mouth to not cough in Tobias’s face.

“No. Of course n-not.”

“You should go.”

“Why in the world would I do that?”

Tobias smiles, taking a sip of his drink before answering.

“Because I can see how much you enjoy watching. At least there, you won’t feel weird about it.”

My cheeks heat as I consider what he’s saying—and the fact he caught me. Nothing is stopping me from going. If I asked Marianne, honestly, she’d probably want to go too. She’s always trying to get me to explore and push limits. But the thought of going with Tobias excites me more, and because I’ve been drinking, I can’t keep the thought to myself.

“Then maybe you should take me.”

His eyes flash withsomething, and he smirks.

“Those kinds of dates cost more.”

I can’t really explain how that comment makes me feel. A mix of embarrassment, disappointment, and determination.

Embarrassment because it was a bold question. Disappointment because why can we come to a bar without it being a date but not something else? I’m not good enough for that? I mean, obviously I’m not. He probably just took me here hoping to make money in the future. Obviously, I’ll rent him again now. But then there’s also determination… the stubborn part of me that won’t give up. I will get him to hang out with me again and not pay for it.

“I have plenty of money,” is my response.

Tobias grins even wider, and I expect him to agree. Set a date. Hell, we can go right now. So when he gets to his feet, putting his drink on the table and turning to me, offering me his hand, I’m confused as hell. It must be written all over my face because he seems humored.

“Come dance with me.”

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