Page 87 of The Bartender Special

“Jack!” he half-yelled, half-squealed.

Jack’s cackling was equally loud.

He rocked on the towel from the shove and shook with each laugh.

“I-I mean, isn’t that what it comes down to?” he managed. “You-You want to score a win for the-the guys? Ti-tip the scales with my— With your tip.”

“Jack!”

Benny hadn’t meant that.

But he also had.

He just hadn’t meant for Jack to know that.

Certainly not for him to hear it.

He had, though.

And Benny’s cheeks were like the sun itself.

Instead, he embraced the cream of it all.

Benny rolled over and lunged for the man lying on the towel next to him. He tried to cover his mouth while accidentally laughing himself.

Jack didn’t move away from the attack, but he did block it.

One hand caught Benny’s wrist with ease before it could cement over his mouth. The other snaked around his waist. The former pulled Benny flush against him. The latter kept him there.

Benny felt his laughter intertwine with Jack’s until both slowed to a stop.

Then it was just breathing.

Calm and warm and no space between them.

Jack’s hand moved across his waist and lounged flat against the small of Benny’s back. He didn’t release his wrist. Instead he stared into Benny’s downcast eyes.

“Would this have made the blog?” Jack’s voice was just as warm as his chest. Benny relaxed a little into both.

“What do you mean by this?”

Jack lightly shook Benny’s wrist. He tapped his finger against his back next.

His answer wasn’t their physical closeness though.

“The game on the boat, this lying in the sun to dry off thing. Just us, right here, talking.”

Most of their bodies were pressed against each other.

Benny couldn’t help but wonder himself.

He felt his brow furrow in thought.

He was sincere with the words that followed.

“The game on the boat would have, but the rest probably wouldn’t have. Not before the blog went viral.”

“Why?”