"Too bad." Pino refused to feel slighted that Zaki couldn't stand being alone with him, and instead passed over the shot. "Guy buddies or girl buddies?"
"Guys." Zaki threw back the shot with a full-body shudder. And damn but those muscles were sexy when he moved. When he'd first met Zaki, he'd noticed his ropey forearms first. Pino was definitely a hand/arm guy, and Zaki were sexy as fuck with the sort of vein and muscle definition that only came with serious work. But now his biceps were bigger, shoulders more defined, and he had this new way of standing where it seemed like he physically took up more space. Hell, even his neck was ripped, and Pino really needed to focus on Zaki answers, not his muscles.
"So no girlfriend waiting back in Arkansas? No hotties on the hook down in Las Vegas?" Pino pushed before he tossed back his own shot.
"Fuck no." Zaki tongue had become looser with each drink.
"Ever had a girlfriend?"
"Nah." Zaki shrugged and stole the last fry. "Too busy."
The "too busy" part sounded like a well-rehearsed line, but Pino nodded. "Yeah, I hear you. No girls in high school or college though?"
"There were some girls at church. Went to a few dances. Not really my thing."
"Girls or dancing? Because I saw you earlier you're a good dancer."
"Thanks." The tips of Zaki ears, bared by his blond crew cut, flared pink. His short hair always made Pino want to pet it, see if it was as soft as it looked. "And I dunno. Maybe both?" He sounded unreasonably sad, then brightened, a rather fake smile firmly in place. "I'll figure it out, man. By the time I'm ready to settle down, right?"
"I am never settling down." Pino laughed because the other option was to let his heart hurt for this guy who was so clearly twisted up in ways he couldn't even see himself. Been there. Done that. Didn't get the T-shirt. "And now I'm going to dance. Join me?"
"Dance? With you?" For someone with lightning reflexes, Zaki could be rather slow. And adorable. "Together?"
"No, not together." Pino patted him on the shoulder. "Dial back the horror. Come dance." Zaki mouth quirked like he wasn't sure whether to trust Pino, so he added, "Maybe we'll find you another hookup potential. Come on."
"Okay." Zaki followed Pino, steps decidedly looser. Pino was barely buzzing himself, but he resolved to slow Zaki down. True to his word, Pino put several feet of space between them on the dance floor. Zaki was a surprisingly good dancer innate rhythm and all those muscles turning fluid. He'd been good with the woman earlier, but on his own with the shots on board, he was almost hypnotic. Pino bet Zaki was an amazing swimmer he had the body for it, and Pino would have killed for a chance to watch him do his SEAL long distance swims. It didn't take long for two teen-looking women to dance up on either side of Zaki, and the helpless look he shot Pino was almost too much.
Pino grinned back at him. Zaki could extricate himself with three steps to his right, but that would mean getting closer to dancing with him. Problems, man. Thank God, Pino didn't have them.
The song changed and a tall, skinny goth guy danced closer to Pino. Across from him, Zaki eyebrows went up. Oh this could be fun. Pino gave the goth guy a seductive smile he made sure Zaki saw too. Eyes firmly on Zaki, he started dancing with the guy, stepping a bit closer than he might otherwise.
The other guy, bless him, caught on quick and pulled him in tight, mouth dipping close to Pino ear. "Are we making your boyfriend jealous or is he the kind to like watching? Because I could be down with that." He gave a deep, rumbly chuckle, something that ordinarily would have turned Pino on. And he did like this guy's style.
"Jealous," Pino said, then because the guy seemed nice enough, added honestly, "Not a boyfriend."
"Yet." Goth guy gave him a wink, dark hair falling in his eyes. Yeah, if Pino wasn't hung up on Zaki tonight, he would totally be in favor of pursuing this far easier prey.
The man was too tall for them to easily fit together, but they managed to stay close enough, and Pino made sure Zaki saw every flirty touch they exchanged. Showing off for him was more intoxicating than the Fireball, making Pino blood hum. Eventually the girls drifted away from Zaki, and the other guy got a gleam in his eye. Oh yeah. Pino had an idea what he was thinking, and followed him when he danced a few steps toward Zaki.
Zaki eyes went wide and he bit his lip, impeccable rhythm faltering, but he didn't step back. The three of them danced together, the goth dude touching Pino and turning him to face Zaki so that they made a sexy little sandwich. Zaki was still too far away to grind or anything like that, but he was close enough that Pino could feel the need rolling off him. He hooked a finger though Zaki belt loop, pulling him closer still. Behind him, the other guy was hard, grinding against his back, touching his sides and arms as they moved together.
Any other night and Pino would be plotting how to get the guy back to his place, which wasn't far away. But tonight all his attention was on Zaki and how he responded to Pino nearness, body going supple, hips matching Pino rhythm. Fuck yes. Each song seemed to make the energy between them more charged.
Eventually, the other guy leaned in. "I'm going to get another drink. You guys?"
"I could go for a beer." Damn. He was rather thirsty.
Zaki nodded slowly and followed them to the bar.
"I'm Chris," the goth guy said as they waited their turn in the thick crowd around the bar. The place had really filled up while they'd been out dancing. "Any chance you guys want to go to Micky's with me? One of my friends is dancing go-go there tonight, and I'm supposed to meet up with a group of friends there. But afterward his voice trailed off, invitation clear in his dark eyes.