All Souls' Night - Renee Rose Page 0,122

don’t seem to have individual faces. It feels like one large, connected mass of flesh.

Except for Taylor.

And except for the various men I see scattered around the outer walls of the club, men who are apparently bouncers, like the men at the front door. They aren’t dressed identically, although most of them wear suits. But they all bear the same heavy, sharp, watchful and dark kind of stare.

It also feels like someone’s watching me specifically. When I turn to look, I spot the man from the front door now standing on the other side of the room and seemingly studying me.

Heat fills my face. I wonder if the handsome stranger is upset with me. Maybe he could tell I was checking him out. I’m such a baby gay, and due to my upbringing I still suck at interpreting basic social cues like this. I—

“Earth to Baker,” Taylor drawls, laughing. “Come back to me, baby.”

My head snaps around to focus on Taylor. For a moment, I can’t remember what I was even looking at, and can barely remember my own dang name.

It should embarrass me that my cock’s hard and throbbing in my jeans, yet it doesn’t. Taylor leads us to a corner booth, where he sits between me and the woman.

“This isn’t Naomi’s first time here, darling,” Taylor says once we’re seated. “So she already knows this club has a secret.”

I guess Naomi is the woman’s name. Hard to say, because I’m still entranced by Taylor’s blue gaze. “A secret?”

He smiles and flags down a server. “Yes. Only certain special people are allowed downstairs. Luckily for you both, I am one of those people. As my guests, you may accompany me.”

“What’s downstairs?” I ask.

Naomi giggles. “A lot of fun.”

A server comes over and Taylor orders for himself and Naomi, then looks to me. “What’s your poison, Baker? Anything you want—it’s on me.”

I’ve never had alcohol, and I don’t know if this is the right time to admit that. Except I don’t want to get myself into trouble. “I’m not a very experienced drinker.”

“Ah! Let’s go with a rum and Coke for him then,” Taylor says. The server nods and heads off to get our drinks.

Taylor drapes his arms around us and pulls us in close. When I glance across the room, I spot the man again. He’s shifted positions so he’s closer than he was before.

Funny, I don’t even remember seeing him move.

Then again, I am sort of distracted. Taylor has a sweet, earthy scent that reminds me of spices and sugar, with a hint of old leather.

“Darling,” he whispers to me, “are you a Top or bottom?”

At least I know what that means. I’ve been reading. “I don’t really know.”

He nuzzles my earlobe, his teeth grazing it and sending a jolt of liquid heat straight to my cock. “That’s all right. I’ll help you figure it out downstairs.”

The server returns with our order, and Taylor pays her in cash and gives her a generous tip. Once we have our drinks, he holds his up in a toast, and Naomi and I do likewise.

“To a fun evening,” Taylor says, glancing first at Naomi, then to me. “And to brand-new friends.”

“To brand-new friends,” Naomi and I both parrot.

The drink is good, but I immediately taste the bite of what I assume is the liquor, and fight the urge to cough as I swallow.

Taylor grins and leans in, kissing me. His lips feel particularly cool against mine, but mine open when I feel the tip of his tongue sweep along the seam of them. “Enjoy your drink, baby,” he says, and I take several long, deep draws from my straw.

“Thank you,” I finally remember to say. “I appreciate this.”

“My pleasure.” His gaze narrows. “Exactly how new are you, baby?” he asks, staring into my eyes.

Something deep inside me rolls over and wants to give everything I am to him. I don’t hesitate to answer. “I’m a virgin,” I whisper.

His eyes widen. “Seriously?”

“Yes. And… I’m gay.”

I sense a blur of motion. Suddenly, as if I blinked and he appeared, the tall, dark, hunky bouncer from the entrance now stands at our table. “Taylor,” he says in greeting, except his gaze is on me and I find myself drawn to him in a way I don’t understand.

Taylor’s tone thins somewhat. “Tiberius. How are you?”

“I am well.” Ooh! He sounds British. His gaze finally shifts from me to Taylor. “A moment to speak in private, if you please?”

It doesn’t sound like a request.

Taylor’s sigh sounds