Chapter 82
He wanted to dance with Tad. His boyfriend looked so sexy in that outfit he wore, and pretending he was a gangster was definitely a turn on. However, he knew that would go over like a lead balloon.
Suddenly the band’s singer leaned into the microphone and sang out, “It’s electric!”
“How was that included?” he asked, surprised.
“I don’t know, maybe it’s the law. TheElectric Slidehas to be danced at every wedding.” Tad smiled innocently. “All I know is that I’m not letting this opportunity to dance with you slip through my fingers.” He tugged lightly on Rush’s sleeve. “Please?”
“Okay.” It never failed to amaze Rush that this handsome young man was his boyfriend.
“Cool.”
JT pushed back his chair. “Billy Bob? Would you like to join us? You don’t need a partner.”
Mopp shook his head. “If you don’t mind, I’ll just watch. And…maybe get myself a beer?”
“Knock yourself out, buddy.”
Meanwhile, Tad was almost bubbling with excitement.
Rush was pleased Mopp seemed to be having a good time, even if he didn’t dance, but he was even more pleased with Tad’s reaction.
“I want you to stand on my left,” Tad instructed him.
“Why does Rush have to stand there?” Becca and Jan were both getting to their feet, having long since kicked off their own shoes.
Tad lowered his voice. “So I can watch my boyfriend’s butt.”
“But I still get to watch your butt, too, Tad.”
“Yeah.” Tad grinned and winked at him. “It’s all good.”
He blushed and laughed and tried not to look as if he wanted to find a room and drag Tad off to it. Mindful of the people around them, they pulled the girls onto the dance floor with them.
Tad had taught him how to dance. Oh, he’d done the whole ballroom dancing thing when he’d been in his early teens. Mother had insisted on it. But Tad and JT had shown him how much joy there could be in the simple movement of hips and shoulders.
Now, although they weren’t touching each other, Rush felt as if Tad was making love to him on the dance floor. He flushed, wondering if the people sitting it out had any idea of what was going on. But he realized it didn’t matter to him. All that mattered was the man who was his first—his only—lover.
Rush did a little move and was pleased to see Tad flushing.
“You’re really asking for it, Rushboy!” he said when a movement brought them close together.
“What’re you going to do about it?”
“Just you wait.”
“Promises, promises.” Rush yelped when Tad danced close enough to pinch his hip, and his boyfriend gave a satisfied nod. “Now who’s asking for it?”
“Behave, you two,” Becca whispered. Rush blushed, and Tad went for an innocent look, but they both turned their attention back to the line dance.
Not many of the older guests had joined in. JT and Mr. Jack flanked the girls, sliding and dipping and clapping their hands, and it was so nice to know they really did care about what happened to him and Jan, even if they weren’t blood kin.
All of them had gone dancing in gay bars—Tad told him he intended to broaden Rush’s horizons—and they included moves most of the other dancers were unfamiliar with.
It was fun, and they were laughing and breathless when the music ended with one last, “It’selectric!”
“Um…” Rush abruptly stopped laughing. The six of them were the focus of all eyes. They were also the sole occupants of the dance floor.
“Thanks, guys!” The M.C. took over the mic. “That’s the way we like to see people have a good time!”
“Rush? What’s wrong?”
He cast a glance toward his parents’ table, feeling himself turn pale. His stomach roiled, and just as quickly he looked away. “Please, let’s go sit down, okay?”
Mother was pointedly talking to Gratton’s father-in-law, who sat on her left, while Father wore a scowl that didn’t bode well for the evening having a happy conclusion.
JT matched him scowl for scowl, something Rush knew Father wasn’t accustomed to.
“Please?”
“All right,” JT growled, and Rush breathed a sigh of relief. Not that he didn’t think JT couldn’t handle anything Father threw at him, but this was supposed to be Gratton and Suellen’s day, and he didn’t want to be the cause of dissention.
“And now, if you’ll take your seats,” the M.C. said, breaking into Rush’s thoughts. “The bride is about to cut the cake!”
The band began playing, and to the tune of Three Blind Mice,the singer sang, “The bride cuts the cake, the bride cuts the cake…”
“I didn’t expect to hear that here.” Jan frowned at him as if it was his fault. He shrugged helplessly. More and more lately she seemed ready to blame him for anything and everything that went wrong, even implying he’d only let Tad take him to bed so he’d have a cushy position at the ranch.