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He was the opposite of what Charlie wanted in every way, and yet he needed the man like he was oxygen.
Edison’s low laugh reminded him that he wasn’t with Will but sitting in a bar with his old friend, trying to forget about Will.
“I guess he got tired of waiting for you,” Edison teased.
Charlie blinked the world into focus to see a short, curvy man with lush lips and huge dark eyes strutting toward him. That mouth was formed into a perfect pout. The guy had the act down, and yeah, Charlie felt like he should be eating it up right now. All he wanted to do was wearily sigh.
“What’s wrong with you? You just gonna stare at me all night?” the stranger demanded in an angry voice, but it was undercut by the little smile that kept sneaking out as he spoke.
Charlie smirked and purposefully looked away as he reached for his beer and took a long drink before turning his attention to his new friend. The fact was, he had no idea he’d been looking in his direction. He’d been so lost in thought about Will that he’d not paid attention to his surroundings.
“You could at least buy me a drink if you’re going to appreciate all of this,” the young man continued, sweeping one hand along his body from the top of his head to his dick.
“Except you’ve already been reimbursed,” Charlie countered with one arched brow. “You’ve had a very long stare at me. I think we’re even.”
“I’d like an even longer examination without the clothes,” he murmured.
Ed snickered next to him. Charlie grinned at his friend, his mood improving slightly. Maybe he really did need a distraction. Something to take his mind off Will.
Fuck.
“I’m gonna get another. You want?” Ed asked, holding up his empty beer bottle.
Charlie shook his head. He didn’t want another drink, and as he turned his attention toward the man who smiled broadly at him, he realized he didn’t what was being offered. He wanted only one person, and that wasn’t going to change so long as they were in the same city. He needed to get the hell out of Buenos Aires and fast.
“Thanks, but not tonight,” Charlie said to the stranger. That stopped Ed dead in his tracks while the other guy stared at him with his mouth hanging open.
“What?” he squawked.
“Serious?” Ed asked.
Charlie ignored the twink, keeping his full attention locked on Ed. “Yeah, I’ve had enough for tonight. I was thinking of heading back.”
Ed gave a shrug and shoved his hand into his pocket, digging out his keys. “Let’s roll.”
The twink marched away in an angry snit, muttering insults under his breath, but Charlie ignored him, feeling all the more that he’d made the right decision. He was not in the mood. “You can stay if you want. I can catch a taxi.”
His friend made a face and motioned for him to accompany him. “We both know I dragged you here because you needed to get out of the house.”
Yeah, he knew that.
With a final pat to make sure that his wallet and phone were in his pockets, Charlie followed Edison out of the bar that was steadily growing more crowded. They wove their way through the crowd of revelers. A few made a passing grab at him or Edison, trying to convince them to stay or have a drink, but they both kept moving.
When they stepped out onto the sidewalk, Charlie tipped his head up to the sky and dragged in a deep, cleansing breath. The air was crisp and cool. Not enough to leave behind a frost, but enough to nip at the sweat that clung to his skin after the hot interior of the bar.
“Charlie Sands calling it a night early and alone. Now I know shit is bad,” Edison teased, as they turned and walked along the sidewalk toward the car. Ed had opted for a trendy bar that was popular with both locals and gay tourists in a busy part of town. Usually loud and busy was just the ticket for pulling Charlie out of a funk, but not tonight.
“Have you thought about calling him?” Ed asked when they’d gone more than a block in silence.
Charlie snorted. He’d been expecting that. Edison might have given Will Charlie’s number, but Kairo had also been sure to grab Will’s cell number while the phone had been on the charger. He also knew that Kairo had tapped into the GPS chip in Will’s phone, using it to track the man. Just in case there was trouble, of course. If he wanted to know exactly where Will was, all he had to do was text Kairo. The information would be at his fingertips in a minute.
“Thought about it? Of course I have,” Charlie snapped. There was no point in denying it. They all knew exactly what his problem was. Or rather, who. “But what’s the point? Will can’t stand to be in the same room as me. Our lives have gone in separate directions. He’s doing his thing, and I’m doing mine.”
