For only the second time since moving to L.A., Nic was standing at his mirror trying to look at himself as a potential love interest might.

No, a one-night stand. That was all he needed right now. One step at a time, Nic, he scolded himself. A lot easier to find one of those who’s willing to take a chance on me.

Even in a smaller town, he’d been the awkward wallflower for the first few years of clubbing. Formative experiences of not being quite sure how other guys saw him had left him shy, even if he was different now.

He got a lot more attention with a full face of scruff, chest hair he had to constantly keep shaved, and something in his pants that he could feel guys grab. He was smaller than they expected post-meta, but there were definitely balls to feel.

Nic suppressed a shiver and adjusted himself. He really wouldn’t mind finding someone handsy tonight.

The taxi honked and he nearly slipped on the bathroom floor in his haste to rush to the door. He didn’t want them leaving before they even picked him up.

The momentary nervousness he felt at giving the club name dissipated when the taxi driver had no real reaction to it. They must see everything anyway, Nic figured. One more gay guy heading to the club was nothing.

You’re just one more gay guy tonight, he reminded himself, drawing a deep breath as he watched the lights of the suburbs pass. Evie had spotted him and zeroed in on him, just as he’d suspected with her. It was a little harder to tell who was who here, with more straight people dressing… well, gay… than back home. Still, his instincts were still solid, it seemed.

He paid and hopped out, checking his watch. A couple minutes early. Perfect. That gave him time to stand in the lineup upside, shifting from foot to foot until he got to the door. Thank God this part wasn’t a problem anymore.

Once he was inside, Nic unzipped the light sweater he’d chosen and headed straight for the bar for a drink to unwind his nerves.

There was something familiar—safer—about a gay bar than a straight bar. At least he knew only half of his identity was in question and potentially dangerous at any given time, and these days, he was barely even read as trans. Sometimes even in bed, guys didn’t figure it out. He was almost wholly in his element. He couldn’t complain.

He still didn’t feel in his element as he found a spot by the bar, against the wall, to watch people dance. Early it might be, but other people had started earlier.

The harsh taste of whiskey against his palate kept him grounded. No sickly-sweet coolers or bland beers for him. High-ABV drinks were a leftover habit from when he had to make sure he didn’t need to pee more often than strictly necessary.

He got casual look-overs from a couple guys even in these few minutes of loitering around, which made him smile, at least. Maybe this whole socializing thing was a good idea.

“Nic! Hey, there you are!” Evie was waving at him from the other side of the bar. She beckoned him over and he smiled and nodded. Halfway there, Nic spotted the distinctive flash of bright green hair, though Kyle’s back was to him.

Oh, boy. I should have known. He probably won’t want to hang out when I’m here. It’ll be awkward, right?

But when he approached, brushing by Kyle’s elbow to join Evie, Kyle looked over at him and brightened up. “Oh! Hey! Evie said you were coming.”

Evie nodded at his drink. “All set?” There was a woman standing close to her, her arm wrapped around Evie’s waist—almost definitely her partner, then.

“Yeah, thanks,” Nic smiled. He’d make this double last a while. Better to take it slow while he met them and their friends. “I’m Nic. Hi,” he introduced himself to the other woman.

“This is Dana, my partner. Nic’s new at the company,” Evie told Dana. “He’s the guy Greg sent to work for Kyle’s project.”

“I hope you got a referral fee out of that,” Dana grinned. “Nice to meet you.” They nodded at each other casually, Nic slightly disconcerted that not everyone out here seemed to believe in handshakes as a strictly necessary form of greeting.

It was a little overwhelming here, but he stuck close to Kyle and Evie and now Dana as a couple other people joined them: River first, then Ash, whom he recognized from the charity, and finally Joe, who almost instantly bounced to the other side of the bar to hit on the group of leather daddies there.

“He’s hard to keep around,” Kyle grinned conspiratorially at Nic. Even though Nic didn’t know him, he felt welcomed into the little group of friends and grinned back at him.

“Can’t blame him. There’s… a lot to see here.”

“I guess compared to Minneapolis, huh?” Kyle nodded. “Welcome to the land of mega-clubs and partying ’til dawn!”

“And close to the land of accidental weddings,” Evie smirked, giving Dana a sideways glance.

Dana scoffed. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say she’s hoping to get me hammered tonight and hitched tomorrow before I knew what happened.”

“We can start by talking about moving in,” Evie teased while Kyle laughed.

Nic leaned against the bar, staying quiet as he listened to them talk—River and Kyle the most. It was good to see Kyle beaming and laughing at everything River said, but he felt bad that he was glad he didn’t detect a romantic vibe between them.

River was the campest guy in the place. He was all-in with eyeliner, eyeshadow, and a bunch of things Nic couldn’t even name. No wonder he held Kyle’s attention.

God, why was Nic focusing on Kyle? Yeah, he was gorgeous and his type, and also gorgeous and his type, and…

No, he reminded himself. He was not here for Kyle tonight. It didn’t matter how much he wanted to squirm with pleasure every time Kyle grinned at him like that smile was for him alone.

Besides, it wouldn’t be appropriate to hold Kyle’s interest for too long. They had a work relationship right now, and would for another three or four weeks, if the timeline held.

The topics at hand sparked and died off in the natural ebb and flow of bar conversations, and Nic participated now and then, but mostly stayed off to the side, watching everyone else get along. Maybe next time he’d let them draw him into the center of attention.

Or maybe next time he’d be bold enough to try to be the center of Kyle’s attention. They caught each other’s eyes more than once, and when he brushed past Kyle to lean against the bar and reorder, he felt the thrill between their skin every bit as well as Kyle did, judging by the way he shifted on his feet.

If he wants me… I need a signal. Nic wasn’t going to dive in head-first after a man he was sure wouldn’t be interested in him for more than a good conversation.

Well, no, that was a lie. He wanted to dive head-first into his bed, but he was trying his hardest not to follow that impulse.

As Kyle bumped his side playfully to get his agreement on something to do with the music, Nic beamed at him and nodded while he blushed, willing to agree to anything Kyle said.

Oh, boy. One drink was not enough, which was why he had a two-drink rule. He was going to need that second drink to handle it if Kyle touched him one more time.

Don’t come on to him. Play it cool.

Nic was hot already—burning with the desire to dance close to a man, and feel hands all over him. And not just any man—Kyle.

Kyle’s hand touched his hip on accident as he gestured while talking. Nic barely stifled his gasp, turning away to the bar to watch for his drink.

Okay, fine. Next time, I’ll hit on him.

He curled his toes in his shoes, trying to focus on the bartender pouring his drink.

Next time.