Page 86 of The Bartender Special

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All attempts to find a common talent were abandoned as soon as their fingers started to prune. Jack laid out two towels for them and plopped right down into lounge mode on the sand. He rested one arm over his face, the other palm up in the sun near the waistband of his swimming trunks.

Benny eyed the area. On accident.

He too leaned back. Trying not to openly ogle the bartender while swimming—while existing—was proving to be harder than he had hoped. The man had a good body, with a happy trail and honest-to-goodness V-line to boot. And he knew it.

Jack Knox was confident in his looks, his body, and his banter.

While Benny had fought to put himself into a more relaxed rhythm, Jack had joined his groove with ease. He would have envied the man had he not made Benny feel so…included.

Even now, eyes covered, lying flat, his leg had listed toward Benny.

They weren’t touching but it was enough.

Benny wasn’t an outcast here.

At least not on the sand with Jack.

The sound of laughter pulled Benny’s attention towards the water they’d just left. Marcus and Felicity had brought out floats. Marcus was struggling to get on his while Felicity watched from hers. Both were laughing at the ongoing struggle.

Their scene, plus his still-lingering bravado, encouraged Benny to do something he hadn’t had the courage to do yet with Jack.

“Can I ask you a question?” The words escaped louder than Benny intended. He was quick to add on, “Feel free not to answer if it’s too personal.”

Jack kept his arm over his face and waved him on with the other.

“Ask away, sweet cheeks.”

Benny mentally side-stepped the nickname and adjusted his gaze to the passing cloud overhead.

“So, I know you’ve obviously dated women before because of Felicity,” he dove in. “And I’ve assumed you also date men since you said yes to fake dating me but, well, I haven’t actually asked yet. You know, what your, uh, preferences are.”

Jack, and that confidence he wore like a second skin, was smooth with his response.

“I’ve been with two guys and two women before, Felicity being the longest relationship I’ve had. The only thing I prefer between the two is someone who won’t make me feel shitty about caring about my family’s bar. Everything else is down to attraction and personality. Sometimes they surprise me, sometimes they don’t.”

“So that’s why no one batted an eye at you being with me,” Benny surmised. “I mean, the me being a guy part.”

Jack shrugged against the sand.

“I think any shock came from the fact that I went public,” he said. “Other than Felicity, I’ve been pretty private with my dating life. Even with her, she wanted to be more lowkey because of her job, so only Dixon and Santana really saw us doing anything coupley.”

Benny nodded, despite Jack not being able to see him.

“So, I’m like your tiebreaker.”

Benny felt the heat in his face the second he realized the comment had escaped his mouth.

“I-I didn’t mean it like that,” he instantly started to backpedal. “Especially since you just said you don’t actually have a preference, it’s just based on the person and⁠—”

The laugh that tore out of Jack was so pronounced that it stunned Benny to a stop.

He looked over at the bartender to find the man already staring.

“Benny De Carlo, are you trying to keep me grounded in the land of dick?”

His body reacted faster than his mouth. Benny used both hands and pushed the bartender.