Page 21 of Sir Avery's Wish
“Oh, I…” Eli shoved his phone in his pocket as if it might blurt out his deepest, darkest secrets. “I was just checking on something.”
That didn’t sound suspicious at all.
Ryan squeezed his shoulder. “It’s okay. I might have a tendency to be nosey, but it’s none of my business.”
“Sorry.” Eli lowered his eyes. “I’m not a very good friend.”
Ryan looped his arm through Eli’s. “That’s not true.
“Yes it is. You're being totally sweet to me when I'm clearly keeping secrets from you.”
Ryan’s eyes softened, and he guided them toward the club entrance. “Everyone has stuff they can’t talk about. Doesn’t make you a bad friend,” Ryan said, raising his voice slightly over the music as they entered the club. “Master Zane always says trust is earned over time, not demanded upfront.”
The mention of Master Zane made Eli think of Avery again, the brief encounter at Zane’s that still made him wonder if anything could ever happen between them.
“Come on.” Ryan grabbed his hand, guiding him through the crowd. “Master left us some gear in the changing room. I was supposed to bring everything, but it’s been a day.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Two volunteers didn’t show up at the shelter, so I was running back and forth like a wild animal let loose from his cage.” Ryan laughed. “But that’s cool. I’m soooo ready to have a good time tonight.”
A couple of decked-out bears molested him with their eyes as they squeezed past, and Eli sucked in a sharp breath at the realization he didn’t have the red bracelet on yet.
“Oh no!” Eli quickly stepped closer to Ryan, feeling exposed. “I need my red bracelet.”
“That's why we’re heading to the changing room first.” Ryan tugged him along faster, weaving through the crowd with practiced ease. “Master Zane put aside some special gear for us, but I was thinking we could maybe get you a yellow bracelet tonight instead.”
Eli nearly stumbled. “Yellow? But that means…”
“That you're open to watching scenes up close, yeah.” Ryan's eyes sparkled with mischief. “Not that you have to participate, and only if you’re ready to take the next step. But it gets you into more areas.”
Eli’s heart thundered. The thought of getting closer to the action sent a thrill through him, but also a wave of anxiety. What if he did something wrong? What if he embarrassed himself?
“I don’t know,” he said, biting his lip.
They reached the changing room, and Ryan paused, placing a hand on Eli’s shoulder. “I’m not peer pressuring you, I promise. I only want to put it out there.”
Several men in various states of undress chatted while changing into leather gear. Ryan led him to a bank of large, narrow, closet-sized lockers on the back wall of the spacious room. Like everywhere else in Club Sensation, there wasn’t a fluorescent bulb in sight. The same vibe that permeated the interior of the club space also extended to the changing area.
More than once, Eli found himself wondering what the private rooms were like and if he’d ever have the nerve to go inside one. He licked his lips.
I think I would with Avery.
Not that Avery would ever ask him, not after the last time he was alone with the man and ran from him like Avery was a hound from hell. Still, he couldn’t stop those pesky fantasies from forming every time his mind wandered.
Ryan was fiddling with the combo lock, his tongue poking out between his lips, his brow dipping low between his eyes. “Hmm… I could’ve sworn me and Ty agreed on this combo.” He straightened, scratching his head. His features suddenly brightened, and he held up his pointer finger. “Nope. That was last month’s number. I’ve got it now.” Ryan opened the locker with a wide grin. “Ta da!”
Eli laughed, grateful for Ryan’s playful demeanor. His positive outlook and seemingly endless energy always helped ease his nerves. Ryan tugged a large canvas duffel with a pattern of cartoonish dragons covering the deep purple fabric out of the narrow cubicle.
“Here. There’s a bunch of stuff in here. Since you and Ty are about the same size, there’s a lot to choose from.”
“He’s okay with me borrowing his clothes?” Eli felt as if he was racking up a ton of IOUs, even though none of his new friends expected any payback.
“More than okay.” Ryan was digging through the bag as if he were hunting for treasure. “He’s the one who suggested it.”
“Oh, wow. That’s so cool of him.” Ryan was in the process of untangling two leather harnesses, so Eli jumped on the chance to ask him about the rooms. “You were saying that each room has a different theme? Like, what kind of themes?”
“Aargh… These should’ve been stored in separate bags so they don’t get damaged.” Ryan’s scrunched-up face was a study in frustration. “Master is going to be soooo pissed.”
“Can I help?”
Ryan glanced up. “Huh?” He paused, blinking a few times. “I never answered your other question, did I?”
