––––––––
“I’m so glad you’re home, man!” John yelled over the music.
Troy smiled and took a sip of his beer. Their small, local bar had turned into a dance club while Troy was away. Well, as much of a dance club as it could be in a town of five hundred where most of the residents were related. At least it was a big tourist spot in the summer.
They stood at a table. John was on his fifth jaeger bomb and Troy nursed his fourth Bud. Both men were pretty solidly drunk. Drunk enough to sway to the third Justin Bieber remix of the night.
“It’s not the same in this town without you,” John said.
“Because no one eats lunch with you anymore?” Troy asked.
John rolled his eyes and waved down the waitress for another round.
“Nah, man, I have people to eat lunch with. I mean, like, no one is here who like really gets me? You know?”
Troy smiled and nodded but his stomach tightened. John and Troy had grown up together. They’d been puppies in the world of teeth, claws, and dominance. Troy knew everything about John, every heartbreak, failure, and embarrassing story. John used to know everything about Troy.
“I missed you, bro,” Troy said.
John laughed, “I bet you did, you motherfucker. Now, quick, which girl should I flirt with?”
“What do you mean?” Troy asked with a smirk. “You’ve never cared which girl before, you’ve just approached the one closest to you.”
“I have to bring a hot date to your wedding,” John said, “and you can’t just bring a girl to a wedding on a first or second date. She will get the wrong idea.”
“Oh, I see,” Troy said, laughter starting to bubble up in his chest. He was lightheaded from all the beer and his words were starting to slosh. “You have to be slightly serious about a girl so you can bring her to a wedding without getting serious.”
“Exactly!” John crowed, clapping his hand on Troy’s shoulder. “Now you’re getting it.”
Troy rolled his eyes and looked at the crowd. There must be a girl here who had a good head on her shoulders. John needed someone who would keep him in line.
As Troy’s gaze passed over woman after woman in colorful dresses, he was drawn to a figure by the bar. There, tall, broad, and handsome, stood his lion. Blake leaned against the bar chatting with a couple of blonde girls. He wore a tight, black t-shirt and tight black jeans. It was simple, but Troy couldn’t help but lust after his thick forearms and his flat stomach.
“John,” Troy said, tearing his eyes away from the most dangerous man in the room. “Do you remember that guy over there? In the black?”
“Hm?” Asked John. He turned his drunk eyes toward the bar and nodded in recognition.
“Oh, Blake something or other, yeah, I know that guy. We worked together a few years ago on a construction job. I think you were here that summer, right?”
“I think so,” said Troy.
“Yeah,” John nodded, “anyway, he’s some bigwig now. I think he owns the construction company? He doesn’t work the lot anymore, he wears suits and has meetings. He’s been here the last couple months overseeing those new apartments on Grand. I think they are supposed to be near finished now. You should check those out, you and Kylie could more there.”
“Yeah,” Troy said, not paying attention, “sure.”
His mind reeled. Construction company? Overseeing projects? In the past five years, had Blake gone from a man on the run to someone with a solid future?
The waitress set down their drinks and Troy threw his back. Everything had continued on without him. Everyone was happy while he was gone. He just needed to get through the week and back to Seattle. At least there, it was just him and Kylie and a bunch of wolves who didn’t care about his family history. Not like here. Not really.
“Come on, buddy,” Troy said. “I’m getting drunk and morose. We will find you a date some other time.”
John tried to protest but the last shot had done him in. The man pushed himself to his feet and followed Troy out the door.
“I don’t feel that great,” John said as soon as they were outside the bar.
“We will be home soon,” said Troy. He dug in his pockets. “Just as soon as I find my keys.”
Troy shuffled in his pockets for another minute. Then, his fingers closed around metal. He pulled the key out triumphantly and a hand clamped around his shoulder. Troy turned. It was Blake.
“What are you doing here?” Troy asked, his words coming out harsher than he meant.
Blake just raised an eyebrow.
“You are both too drunk to drive,” Blake said.
“Hey, man!” John said, waving at Blake. Blake waved back.
“Come with me,” he said, tightening his grip on Troy and turning him back toward the bar. “I’ll call you a taxi.”
“Great!” John said, stumbling along happily next to them. “You’re a pretty cool guy.”
“I like to think so,” said Blake.
He led them to the line of taxis and knocked on the door of the one in front. The driver rolled down the window.
“Take this gentleman home,” Blake said. He opened the back door and guided John inside, shutting it neatly behind him. “I’ve got it covered.”
Troy watched in surprise as Blake slipped the driver a handful of bills.
“What about Troy?” John asked.
Troy opened his mouth to answer but Blake spoke first.
“Your friend is on my way home. I’ll take him home.”
Troy shivered at the implication and the caramel deep voice of the lion. Whenever he was near Blake it was like all his senses were attuned to him. The cedar smell that clung to him, the way he moved like he was stalking through a forest, even how fast his heart was beating. Sometimes, when they were alone, Troy could hear it like it was his own.
The taxi drove off and John waved until he was out of sight. Troy stood, back to the lion, looking longingly after his friend. He was drunk, yes, but he wasn’t stupid enough to get caught out in public with a known homosexual and mountain lion to boot.
Well, that was until Blake turned him around and kissed him.
The kiss was sweeter than earlier. It was tinged with longing and understanding. This was the kiss Troy always imagined when he was alone those long first months in Seattle. Those nights when he prayed Blake would find him, show up outside his window, and rescue him. They would kiss their apologies and leave proper wolf society behind them.
Now, here, exposed for anyone walking out of the bar to see, Troy wrapped himself around the man. Blake almost cradled him, his strong arms pulling Troy into his chest. They were pressed completely together, from toe to lips, chests rising and falling in tandem. Troy felt himself soften into this man, forgiveness, and acceptance coming off of him in waves. Blake’s lips were soft against his, not fighting for dominance this time. He was just enjoying Troy, just showing him that Blake was interested. No strings, no pressure, just a kiss. This was the kiss Troy had always been waiting for.
Until Troy heard the bar door open.
He pulled away with a start glancing around wildly. The patrons walked in the opposite direction, not even looking at him. A false alarm.
Blake reached for him again but Troy pulled back.
“Not here,” Troy said. “Not now, I can’t go home with you, people will know.”
“People won’t care,” Blake said.
Troy tried to will himself to step away from Blake. He couldn’t do it. The man’s smell was intoxicated and Troy felt his wolf commanding him to stay. He was intoxicated, that was certain. It could be from either the beer or the man standing next to him.
It was probably the beer, though.