There weren’t any gay clubs in Westwend—shocker—but there were a couple of places about an hour north, closer to Austin.
Heading back into my room, I pulled on a sheer black button-down scattered with silver flecks. They were like the tiniest cosmic shimmers that caught the light when I moved. It clung in all the right places, hinting at the shape of my chest and shoulders without giving too much away. I left the top buttons undone, just enough to make the thin silver chain at my throat glint, and rolled up the sleeves a little.
Paired with my darkest jeans that were tight and hugged my ass perfectly but had just the right amount of stretch, I looked like I hadintentions. I cuffed them to show off my black combat boots, the worn leather giving me a little edge.
Checking myself out in my full length mirror, I couldn’t help the smirk that settled on my lips.
Yeah.Edible.
I’d turn some heads in this outfit and that would hopefully translate into getting laid.
I snapped a pic and sent it to Chris. She was my person for when I went out alone. If I met someone and decided to leave the club with them, Chris got a text letting her know. Just incase. I may not ask for names or details, but I wanted to try being safe.
She responded immediately with a line of fire emojis and a ‘DAAMN, PERCIVAL’.
I laughed, pocketing my phone.
Stepping out of my room, I spotted the light on in the living room and headed in that direction to turn it off. Sometimes Derek would work late and forget to switch the lights off. I had jokingly nagged him about it a few times, so I was shaking my head with a small smile as I entered the room only to realize he was still up. He was sitting at the kitchen table, flipping through some files, his forehead buried in one of his hands and his face scrunched in concentration.
He glanced up from his work and froze in place. His gaze swept over me in a long elevator-style up-down. My chest tightened with a sense of pride.
Yeah, that’s right. I know I look fucking good.
I leaned against the wall casually, my arms crossed in a way that caused the fabric of my shirt to accentuate my forearms. The smirk I wore continued to grow.
“What?” I asked, lifting a brow.
He blinked, then shook his head like he was getting the cobwebs out. “Heading out?” His voice was a little raspy.
“Yeah,” I said easily. “I haven’t gone out in a while.” I didn’t need to elaborate on what that meant. We were both adults here.
He nodded slowly, his gaze fixed on my face with a look on his own like he was trying to solve a complex puzzle. I held his stare for a beat, before straightening up.
“Don’t wait up, okay?” I grabbed my keys from the side table near the door.
If he said anything else, I didn’t hear it, as I stepped out into the warm night.
The drive to the club had my skin feeling too tight, a restless energy coursing through my veins. It’d been forever since I’d gone out looking for a hook-up. It was fun.Thrilling.And a little nerve-wracking. But it also felt like slipping into a second skin.
After arriving, I dutifully joined the line, thumbing through my phone as I waited for my turn. At the door, the bouncer took my ID, looking it over before sending me a scrutinizing glance.
“Colton?” He questioned, one brow raising.
This guy’s appearance screamed security guard—gruff, broad, built like a brick shithouse.
“That’s me,” I said, flashing a hopefully dazzling grin. Was there some sort of problem?
A sultry grin slid over the bouncer’s features as he flicked my ID back to me between two fingers. “If I wasn’t on shift tonight, I’d definitely be buying you a drink,Colton.”
Heat and something akin to elation scorched its way through my insides, making my chest puff up. “Too bad,” I winked, “Would of loved getting to know you better.”
He pushed the door open, our gazes locked as I stepped through. “Next time,” he smirked, and I practically floated the rest of the way in, high on the adrenaline of already feeling sowanted.
Thick smoke made the entry hallway dim and hazy, and faint neon strips lit the way to a set of double doors. A heavy bass thrummed from the other side, reverberating through the floor and settling heavily in my chest. Droning conversation made unintelligible by its loud, overlapping nature mixed with the music that fluctuated in volume as club goers passed to and from the main room.
Step one of my mission was accomplished after paying the cover, gaining entry into my kingdom for the night.
Lights flashed and swirled across a sea of moving bodies, theroom drenched in pulsing blues and greens as I made my way toward the bar.
