“No idea,” Reese admitted as he climbed in behind the wheel.
“You know I’ve had your cock in my mouth, don’t you?” Brantley said, the words whispered in that dark, seductive tone.
Reese’s cock remembered, the damn thing coming to attention at the reminder.
A gruff chuckle sounded from Brantley and then Reese found his free hand being shifted, their fingers twining when Brantley took his hand.
“Better?”
“Surprisingly, yes,” he said, realizing it was true.
“You have nothin’ to be nervous about. I’m a sure thing, cowboy.”
Reese laughed, more tension draining away.
Half an hour later, Reese was heading down Sixth Street toward their destination. He should’ve known Brantley would guess where they were headed the closer they got.
“Goin’ all out, are ya?”
“I was in the mood for steak,” he said, playing it off.
“Yeah? I can think of half a dozen steak houses near Coyote Ridge.”
“None of them as good as this one.”
“I don’t doubt that.”
Reese pulled to the curb for the valet, got out of the truck, passing over the keys. When he stepped up beside Brantley, his nerves returned. Only this time, it was a little more than simply being in Brantley’s presence. He could feel eyes on them and once more that unsettled feeling began to choke him.
Brantley opened the door, held it. Reese swallowed past the lump forming in his throat, stepped inside. He made it to the hostess stand, relayed they had a reservation, gave his name.
The woman smiled kindly, then led the way back to a table in the back.
There was nothing unusual about the interactions, but Reese felt as though every eye in the room was on him, everyone was questioning why he was here, why he was with a man. On a date.
Oh, shit.
“Breathe,” Brantley said firmly from behind him.
Easier said than done, Reese thought as he allowed the hostess to take his hat and hang it on a rack in their section. Brantley did the same, then took his seat across from him.
Reese tried not to look around, didn’t want to see all the eyes surely staring at them. Two men out together, having dinner in a fancy restaurant. He couldn’t stop himself from peering over his shoulder and oddly didn’t feel any better when he noticed no one was paying them any mind.
Christ. He was sweating and he was almost sure his hands were trembling. If he wasn’t careful, he’d be in a full-blown panic attack.
“What can I get you to drink?” the waiter asked, stepping up to the white-linen-draped table all prim and proper.
“Two beers. Whatever you’ve got on tap,” Brantley said, his tone edged with irritation.
“Of course.”
When the man left, Brantley leaned in. “You wanna leave? Say the word.”
“No,” he said adamantly, exhaled. “I don’t.”
“Coulda fooled me.”
“I’m sorry,” he said quickly. “I just…”
“Don’t apologize. Just two guys out enjoyin’ the best steak in Austin.”
Right. Two guys. Fancy restaurant. Tablecloths and candlelight. They might as well have had a rainbow flag flying overhead.
“Now tell me about Z,” Brantley prompted. “What’s your brother up to these days?”
Reese stared at Brantley, the words not making any sense although he knew they should. “What?”
“Let’s get your mind off it. Tell me about Z or Jensyn. Or your parents. They’re up in Dallas, right?”
“Yes,” he answered, reaching for the glass of water in front of him.
“You said Z works for Sniper 1 Security. Why didn’t you go that route when you got out?”
Reese shrugged. “Don’t know.”
The waiter returned, setting two beers on the table, then asking if they were ready to order.
Brantley was the one to speak up. “Can you give us a few minutes?”
“Of course.”
Reese reached for his beer, did his best not to down it in one gulp. He took a couple of sips, set it back down, barely managed not to spill it, met Brantley’s gaze.
“What’re you worried about?”
Reese frowned. “What?”
“Somethin’s got you on edge. What is it? This place? These people? You think someone you know’ll see you here with me?”
Reese stared back at Brantley. He could hear the wariness in his tone, knew he was offended by Reese’s reaction but was doing his best to pretend otherwise.
“I don’t know,” he said, going for the truth. “It just … it feels weird.”
Brantley nodded. “Perhaps we should go.”
“No.” Reese didn’t want to go. He wanted to spend the evening with Brantley. He wanted to enjoy a nice dinner, go to the range like he’d planned, because he had reserved it specifically for tonight. He damn sure couldn’t hide out in Brantley’s house for the duration of their relationship.
“The last thing I want is for you to be uncomfortable,” Brantley said softly. “If goin’ out isn’t your thing…”
Then what? Reese wanted to ask him to finish that sentence, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer. If he couldn’t handle going out in public with Brantley, would it mean they were doomed? Was it wrong that he was self-conscious? It sure felt that way.
