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“I’d like that,” Greg said and let himself be led out to the dance floor, his fingers entwined with Holden’s.
They stayed on the periphery, Holden’s arm wrapped around Greg’s waist, Greg’s hands on his shoulders. Holden was adorably clueless about how to move with the pulsing EDM beat and admitted—his cheek brushing past Greg’s to shout in his ear—that the club music he grew up with actually had lyrics and a definite end to each song. Greg appreciated that Holden wasn’t trying to act younger, that he owned his age and recognized he and Greg were from different generations. That kind of confidence definitely put a plus sign in the attractiveness column, and Greg found that he didn’t want to leave the dance floor when a shift in beat signaled the transition to a new song.
By the time Holden asked to take a break for water and a new drink, Greg knew Holden was interested in more. Despite his better interests, Greg was too, but he was also realistic enough to know they probably had different ideas about how this night was going to wind up. Greg should just nip this in the bud before Holden thought he was owed something. Except, as Greg followed Holden to the bar, their hands entwined, Greg wondered what it would hurt to get to know him better.
The high-top they’d been at was occupied by another group, so they found space to lean against a wall while they sipped their drinks. They stood close to each other, shoulders touching as they angled toward each other in order to hear over the music. The scent of Holden’s cologne now mingled with musk from his sweat, and Greg found himself inhaling deeper than normal just to keep that scent present in his awareness. He could almost taste it on the back of his tongue, warm, slightly sweet, with a bit of spicy tang, like a rich and satisfying dessert.
Holden reached out and stroked Greg’s cheek, his fingertips grazing along the ridge of bone, his thumb caressing just underneath Greg’s jaw as if he wished to commit the feel of Greg’s face to memory. It made Greg feel comfortable enough to ask Holden how long he was going to be in town and if there was a chance to have dinner the next night, but the question made Holden pause, then shake his head.
“I leave tomorrow,” he said. “I wish I could say yes, but I’m heading back to Virginia in the morning.”
Greg didn’t think it was a line, but he still pulled back slightly, enough to leave Holden’s hand hanging in midair before he dropped it to his side.
“I’ll be back next month. Can I have a rain check on that dinner?” Holden asked, and Greg agreed. He gave Holden his number, felt the buzz of his phone as Holden texted him.
“I’ll respond once I get my screen fixed,” he said and got a smile from Holden in response.
The man leaned closer, his hand rising once more to Greg’s face. “I’d really like to kiss you,” he said. “Would that be all right?”
Greg nodded, and Holden’s hand slid to the back of his head, holding him lightly but bringing Greg closer. He tensed as their lips met, hoping he hadn’t been wrong about Holden, hadn’t misjudged the man and was about to feel a tongue thrust into his mouth. But no, the kiss was gentle, the warmth of Holden’s lips on his own sensuous and undemanding, still asking permission, taking no more than what Greg was willing to give. And Greg found himself willing to give more than he usually did. He flicked his tongue out to caress the seam of Holden’s mouth and slid into its warmth when Holden opened to him.
Sighing, Greg wrapped his arms around Holden, pulled him closer, willing to let Holden feel that he wasn’t hard, trusting that Holden would know from the kiss that it wasn’t from a lack of interest. Even if he wasn’t aroused, the promise of it was there if he and Holden could continue to build the connection that seemed to have formed between them this evening. Disappointment that he wouldn’t get that time made Greg pull back. He frowned as he lifted his glass and took a sip of his drink. At least he could enjoy himself tonight.
After they finished their drinks and danced some more, Holden begged off, telling Greg his flight was an early one and he really should get back to his hotel.
“Promise you’ll text once you’ve gotten your phone fixed?” he asked, and Greg nodded.
One last kiss as sweet and gentle as their first, and Holden pulled away so slowly, Greg had no doubt the man was as reluctant to leave as he was to let him go.
Holden pulled Greg toward him for another kiss. Then they parted, and Greg watched as Holden was swallowed by the crowd. He kept his eyes fixed on that gorgeous head of salt-and-pepper hair until the press of people between them grew too great, then leaned back against the wall, his heart beating a little faster, his skin retaining the feel of Holden’s touch. Greg touched his fingers to his lips and prayed that Holden hadn’t just been feeding him a line.
Chapter four
Holden
Holden’shighlyeroticdreamabout the gorgeous man he’d met the night before was interrupted by a call from his boss. After he fumbled for the phone and accepted the call, the gruff voice on the other end of the line told him he wasn’t going to be flying back to Virginia as scheduled but heading out to China Lake for a few days. They had a glitch in one of the new simulator modules, and Holden was not only the best person to figure out what was going on, but he was also the one they could get there the quickest. After that, he was needed in Denver to meet with some of the company’s executive team about a new system they were developing.
A rental car was waiting for him when he checked out of the hotel, and he spent the three-hour drive thinking about the previous night. Damn, he’d wanted more with Greg than a couple of kisses and a few dances, and he thought Greg had too. The man was all kinds of hot, but that wasn’t what had attracted Holden or kept him talking long past the point where it became obvious Greg wasn’t looking for a quick hookup.
The request for dinner had thrown him a bit, but hadn’t deterred him, even though he’d been disappointed. Even if Holden’s job made it impossible to be out and limited his chances of a relationship, he was in LA often enough that finding someone he clicked with who hadn’t wanted to fall into bed immediately wasn’t a deal breaker for him. He’d just never found someone who seemed worth the effort.
Holden had been trained to make assessments and calculate risks and act only when the risk was minimal or the reward substantial. That was crucial when he was targeting missiles during military engagement, but it had also been an essential part of success in his career. Now he focused on working a few more years, gaining another promotion with a higher salary that would mean a more comfortable retirement. It would all be worth it in the end. At least, that’s what Holden kept telling himself. Maybe something with Greg could develop into a real relationship in that time, something with a future.
Greg’s face floated to the surface of his memory, the feel of the man in his arms as they danced, the taste of his mouth when he’d gotten brave enough to ask for a kiss, the way Greg had seemed almost shy, even though Holden suspected he was anything but once you got to know him…all those things were making Greg a difficult man to forget, and Holden was grateful he’d thought to ask for his number. He was a little troubled that Greg hadn’t texted him yet, but then he had no idea when Greg was planning to get his phone repaired.
It could have been a line. The small voice of doubt niggled at him. Maybe Greg hadn’t been as into him as he’d thought. He hadn’t gotten hard when they were dancing nor after they’d kissed. That kiss, though. It had been everything Holden wanted in a first kiss. A sweet, sensual invitation for more rather than a frantic clash of tongue and teeth, and Holden thought their interest in each other was mutual. Maybe he’d been wrong. Maybe Greg had found someone else after Holden left the club. Someone closer to his own age. Someone without as much baggage. And perhaps Holden had been an idiot to give him his number at all. The wrong person seeing the wrong message could mean the end of his career.
By the time Holden arrived in China Lake, his thoughts had turned dark, and he was grateful to have a glitching flight simulator to occupy his mind and keep him from brooding over the gorgeous man he’d met the night before and would likely never see again.
Fourdayslater,Holdenwas in the first-class lounge at LAX waiting for his flight to Denver to start boarding. One of the perks of his position for which he was grateful was the amount of travel he did meant he hadn’t flown coach in almost a decade. Flying first class gave him access to the lounge with its comfortable couches and free food and alcohol, not to mention the Wi-Fi and charging stations.
Ordinarily, Holden would have gotten a glass of wine and holed up in one of the cubby spaces with his laptop and gotten work done, but Brody was accompanying him to Denver. The man had already been in the lounge when Holden arrived, so beer and nachos while watching whatever game they had on the TV screen at the bar it was going to be. He hated beer, thought nachos were disgusting, and, except for admiring the players, disliked sports. Add Brody to that mix, and Holden was already longing for the privacy of his hotel room once they landed in Denver.
By the time they were ready to board, Brody had already passed buzzed and was heading toward drunk, and Holden was grateful the last-minute change in his schedule meant they weren’t going to be sitting next to each other. He’d still be able to hear his coworker and whatever cringe-worthy comments came out of his mouth, but he wouldn’t have to engage with him.
As they boarded, they were greeted by a lively flight attendant who apologized when Brody asked for another drink before he sat down. She cheerfully informed him that she wasn’t actually their flight attendant and he’d have to wait until the actual flight crew arrived. “They’re coming in from Hawaii, and their flight was delayed, so I’m just here to welcome passengers aboard until they arrive. Sorry for the inconvenience.” Then, she deftly turned away and focused on the line of travelers entering the aircraft as Brody grumped his way into his seat.
Holden settled into his own two rows behind Brody and got his laptop out of his bag so he could write up his final report on the glitching simulator at China Lake. He quickly put the sound of his fellow passengers out of his mind and focused on his report.
