Page 3 of Riding Pine
“I don’t suppose you’d want to tell me how you came to be an expert in handstands?” He raises his voice over the music and bends closer.
Be still, my heart. He wants to talk about handstands? Maybe I can pass the time with him tonight while James has his fun. The guy literally fell at my feet. It would be irresponsible of me to ignore such a gift.
“Do you mind waiting here for a few minutes? I need to check on my friend, and if you’re serious about handstands… I’ll show you.”
The man’s smile grows, andoof…he’s a handsome devil when he grins like that.
He points to the hallway I had been heading towards before his failed handstand. “I’ll wait right here.”
Shaking my head, I leave the man and scan the dance floor for James. When I find him, he and Brandon are dancing awfully slow and close for the upbeat music.
“James!” He turns away from Brandon and grins at me.
“Ben! Are you leaving?”
“I, uh, met someone. I’ll text you his picture before I go anywhere with him.” Leaning in close to his ear, I ask, “Are you taking Brandon home?”
James smiles with a wink. “He offered to take me, so I’ll say yes. Is 2 A.M. too late for you to come back?”
Shaking my head, I hold up my phone to snap a photo of Brandon. “Sorry, it’s our tracking method.” Brandon doesn’t seem put out about it, and I shove my phone back in my pocket. “It’s fine, James. I might have found a way to pass the time anyway. I’ll text you the pic and our plans.”
With a hug, James resumes dancing, and I weave through the crowd, half expecting the shitty handstand guy to have disappeared, but there he is. Standing right where he said he’d be. Hands stuffed in his pants, with a boyish smile and appearing much smaller than his actual size.
He’s not my usual type. I usually stick to the suits or the men close to my size. This guy is huge and tattooed. He carries himself with a shy confidence. Like he knows he’s attractive, but he’d never believe it if you told him.
Maybe it’s the fact he failed at a handstand, or maybe it’s just that he has a scar on his chin that tells a story of some risk I don’t know. Whatever it is, it works, and I’m intrigued enough to at least talk to him.
“I wasn’t sure if you’d still be here.”
He shrugs. “I don’t have anywhere else to be.”
“That’s very flattering.”
His smile fades. “Shit. Sorry. I wasn’t…” He runs a hand through his shaggy hair and puffs a breath. “Can you really do a walking handstand?”
His voice carries a hint of childlike excitement. “I can.” His smile grows. He’s actually interested in handstands. “And I think I can teach you. Do you want to get out of here?”
He nods, and I hold up my phone. “Say cheese.”
His laugh rumbles from his chest, deep and carefree. “See? I’m already unforgettable. You took my picture.”
I send the pic to James and wait for it to register as received before pocketing my phone. “Maybe. We have an entire evening to find out if that’s true or not.” Yeah, something tells me this guy will definitely be a favourite memory. “But I sent it to my best friend. If I go missing, you’re the last person I was with.”
Blood drains from his face, and I feel a twinge of guilt for being so forward.
“Are you sure you’re okay with this? I’m not…I don’t hurt people.”
And I know he doesn’t. Call it a feeling, but I’m not worried about being alone with him. He throws massive teddy bear vibes despite his formidable stature, and his eyes are too kind. Sure, I’ve been wrong before, but this time feels different.
“What’s not to be sure about? We’re going to do some handstands and then hit a hot dog cart after. No hot dogs before upside-down stuff. I don’t want to throw up.”
When he laughs again, it’s rich and… sexy. He thinks I’m funny, which is a total plus in my book. I motion for him to follow me, clearing the way to the exit. When we burst into the crisp early autumn air, I shiver. Vegas nights were chilly, but it takes some time to adjust back to the near-zero temperatures of a Northern Ontario autumn evening.
“Are you warm enough?” I ogle the big guy in his T-shirt, who seems not to care a single bit about the chill.
“I will be once we get to the physical stuff.”
“That’s mighty presumptuous of you.” I raise an eyebrow as we walk and laugh.
