had to stifle a chuckle. “He’s not too young for you?”
“Hell, no. Not for flirting, at least. Look at that jawline,” Hank mused. “I’m going for it.”
I held up a hand. “You’ll have to wait in line, it seems,” I said, pointing. Another man was already waltzing up, full of confidence, with a friend to back him up. The exchange went on longer, with Channing shaking his head and shrugging, and then pointing to his two friends. Apparently that was fine, and his friends accompanied the men to the dance floor.
Hank was up and moving then, not willing to lose the opportunity to get Channing alone. Some of the guys cheered him on as he crossed the bar and leaned on the counter next to Channing. I could admit that it was far more interesting to watch Hank hit on my boyfriend than it had been to watch the other men who’d hit on him, in part because Hank was the same age as me.
Also because it was hilarious to watch, knowing what I knew, while Hank had no idea.
Channing began talking to Hank, but the signals were the same. His face and body language gently suggested that he wasn’t interested. Hank, though, was eager for the challenge. I could see his posture shift as he flagged the bartender.
Time for some fun.
It was destiny, it felt, for Channing to be here. I’d been nervous about telling Hank about my much younger boyfriend. But if he was here, and Hank was right there, unknowingly hitting on him? Yeah, I was going to take advantage.
Picking up my beer, I crossed over to them. Channing saw me, his eyes widening, but I went to stand shoulder to shoulder with Hank instead of greeting Channing the way I normally would.
“Introduce me to your friend,” I said to Hank, hoping Channing would pick up the hint.
Hank managed to not look totally peeved that I was cutting in. Probably because I’d just told him I was seeing someone, and he didn’t consider me competition. But he didn’t sound enthusiastic when he said, “Channing, this is my friend Reagan. Reagan, I was offering to buy Channing a drink.”
I held out my hand and Channing took it. Even though this was a ruse, the sexual tension that existed between Channing and I snapped taut at our touch. We shook hands a fraction too long, our eyes locked. Hank shifted next to me, his shoulders stiffening. “Nice to meet you, Channing.”
“You, too,” he said. “Are you two together? Because I’m not really into sharing.”
Red bloomed on Hank’s cheeks. “Nope. I’m flying solo here. Reagan just informed me he’s seeing someone.”
“I am,” I admitted, sounding morose. “But I’m regretting that fact just a tad looking at you, Channing. You’re fucking hot, if you don’t mind me saying so.”
Hank jerked back a step to gawk. “Rude!” he protested, even as Channing laughed and tilted his head, saying, “You aren’t so bad yourself.”
I shrugged. “Thanks.”
Channing’s smirk grew devious. “I didn’t know they let the nursing home men come drink on Thursdays. It’s really great they let you guys out now and then.”
Laughter burst from me like water from a failing dam. “Yeah. I think our nurses get sick of us. I don’t suppose you’re interested in coming back with me and playing nurse? I’ve got some Jell-O I’ve hoarded that I’d share with you.”
Hank’s mouth was hanging open at this point. His face oscillated between offended at Channing’s age comments, pissed at my flirtations, and confused as to just how he’d been demoted to wingman. “What is going on here?”
“I’m trying to get Channing here to come home with me. Is it working, Channing?”
My gorgeous boyfriend tapped a finger against his lower lip like he was thinking. “I don’t know. You’re both wickedly handsome, and I do have a soft spot for some gray, but I can’t help but worry you won’t be able to handle me.”
Desire pooled in me, beginning to grow and shimmer—and I was starting to feel less and less like joking. I stepped closer to Channing, my body brushing his. My eyes smoldered as they looked straight into his. Heat flamed in our gazes. “Don’t worry about me. I’m very good at keeping up.”
“What about keeping it up?” Channing said, his voice low but pitched so Hank could hear it. “Because that’s what I’m most interested in.”
He trailed a finger from my sternum to my belly button, letting it drift off of my body just before he hit