Page 101 of The Gaybor War

Oh, this is fun!

"Oh good. For a second I thought you were having a medical event."

Carter laughs finally, and allows himself to take me in fully, eyes sparking with heat as they travel over my bare chest and stomach.

I toss him a wink and reach for my shirt. "If it helps, this is me behaving."

He snorts before he can stop himself, then shakes his head. "We’re going to be late."

"Relax. Authors are never on time. It ruins the mystique."

I tug the shirt over my head, smoothing it down, then grab my jacket. When I turn back, his eyes are fixed on me. "Ready?"

His gaze drops to my shirt, and he barks out a laugh. "You're actually wearing that?"

I glance down at the hot pink lettering. GAY MEN DO IT BETTER.

"I paid good money for this shirt."

"That's somehow more concerning."

I dine on his scandalized expression. "Thank you."

"That wasn't a compliment."

"It sounded like one."

Carter shakes his head and reaches for his room key. I fall into step beside him.

His mouth twitches as he fights a smile. "I don’t know whether to be impressed or deeply concerned."

"Both," I say cheerfully. "You should always be both where I’m involved."

We step onto the empty elevator, and Carter glances at me. Then at my shirt. Then immediately away again.

"You're still staring at it."

"It's distracting."

"It's a T-shirt."

"It's hot pink."

"It's educational."

"It says gay men do it better."

"Research-backed claim."

He actually laughs. A real one. Not the reluctant little exhale he tries to pass off as amusement.

The elevator dings and the doors slide open. Neither of us moves immediately. Carter gestures toward the lobby.

"After you."

I step out first. A second later, his hand lands briefly at the small of my back, guiding me through the crowd. The touch lasts less than a second, just enough to promise something later.

The meet-and-greet takes over half the hotel lobby. Authors. Narrators. Readers. Bloggers. Influencers. It's chaos. Beautiful, glorious chaos.