Page 86 of For Your Heart
Honestly, I want to stay here. But I nod and get off my stool. While I’m still shit at keeping myself from blurting things, at least I manage to keep my words in sometimes.
He leads me out, close to the guys we came with, and pulls me against him. “Just relax, Najee. Let me lead you.”
I nod again and wrap my arms around his neck.
Remembering that I haven’t danced before and letting myself go as if I have is a very strange feeling. But I love being pressed against him like this. The way his body aligns with mine. How his hard dick presses against my hip and mine his. His mouth skims my sweaty skin, his hands trail over my body, squeezing my ass.
We dance until I can’t breathe, but instead of heading to the bar for a drink, I find that I’m dancing with Zarek instead. He’s grinning at me as he nudges his head and I follow where he’s looking. At the twins dancing together. By the way they glance at us, I’m sure it’s for our benefit that they’re all nasty dirty dancing and turning me the fuck on.
I dance one song with Declan before insisting that I really do need a drink. I think I’ve sweat eight pounds of liquid from my body. Zarek joins me and I order another seltzer. Sipping on it, I look at Zarek.
“This isn’t bad,” I say.
He shakes his head. A minute later, Quin joins us and orders the same. I finish one and ask the bartender for another, noting that this isn’t quenching my thirst at all. With the new one in hand, I turn toward the dance floor, looking for Damon.
My heart stops when I spot him and everything in me goes cold. The way they have Simon pressed between them is indecent. How they’re touching him. Their mouths on him. How theykisshim is not the simple peck like at the restaurant. The sight of them makes me hurt everywhere and all I can think is that Damon is in love with his best friend.
His best friend that’s pressed between them, head back and eyes closed. Letting them touch him. I somehow manage to glance at Quin and I’m surprised to find he’s watching them with a strange, small,fondfucking smile as he sips lazily on his drink.
But when I look at Zarek and see his slightly green complexion, I know I’m not alone in how I’m feeling right now.
“I’m going to be sick,” Zarek says.
My stomach churns in agreement and while I don’t want to look back at all, I find I can’t help myself. And I stare as the man I’m in love with basically dry fucks his best friend on a dance floor. In front of me.
As if I’m not even here.
Twenty-Seven
DAMON
Everything had been fine.Everything was great. Perfect. The entire night was going better than I ever hoped. But when Simon, Declan, and I move off the dance floor after dancing together, one look at Declan tells me the entire night just went up in a dumpster fire.
Declan breaks away and chases after Zarek who is making a quick exit. Sage just stares at me. The look of hurt, betrayal, and horror that covers his face makes me feel sick. I reach him and cup his face in my hands. The way he flinches at my touch makes my chest tight.
Dancing with Zarek is fine. Dancing with Declan is fine. Dancing with Simon between me and my brother? Clearly not fine.
I was stupid to think that this was going to work. That Sage could accept this relationship. That he’d be okay with how things are between us and Simon.
I was very, very wrong.
Words don’t come. I won’t lie to him and promise that it won’t happen again. That’s just stupid. You don’t lie to someone you’re seeing. About anything. But I don’t know that there’s anything that’s going to make this better.
“Want to dance?” I ask.
His eyes get glassy, and he blinks rapidly, shaking his head. I don’t hear his answer but read it on his lips. “No.”
I study his face, seeing every line of hurt I just put there. How could we have thought this was going to be a good idea? I can feel my brother’s panic rise inside me, which only fuels mine brighter.
“We’re going to go,” Simon says.
His voice is quiet and I nod. I need to look at him. To tell him I love him and will talk to him later. But I know if I look away from Sage right now, to look at Simon for any of that, this suddenly very fragile thing between us is going to shatter.
“I’ll text you tomorrow.”
“Okay,” Simon says. He pauses and I know he wants to say something. But eventually he just leaves.
We don’t move as Sage tries to catch his breath. I continue to hold his face, rubbing my thumbs across the smooth planes of his cheeks, catching the quiet tears that fall.
