Sighing, I decided to give him the scaled-down answer because the truth was twisted and complicated enough that it still pissed me off when I thought about it too long. “Went with the one I was best at. What can I say? I like things easy.”
I winked when I said it, because flirting was always a good way to end a Q and A session before it really got rolling. Should have known it would have zero effect on him. Either my gaydar was broken or the guy was completely immune to the vibes I was putting out, neither of which was very beneficial right now.
“You forget, I see the energy that goes into your performances and the long hours each song takes to craft. If that’s your idea of easy, I’d hate to see what you consider hard.”
Chuckling, I just raised my glass to my lips and peered at him over the top of it for a moment before draining the last of mybeer.
"So, are we staying or are we going?” I asked, poised to wave the bartender over for a refill if he decided not to take me up on my offer.
“If it will head off potential flash mobs, TikTok reels, and a barrage of new photos on social media, I guess we’re going,” he replied and stepped back so I could get up.
“I knew you were the cool one.”
“Wouldn’t go that far,” he said as I slid a twenty-dollar tip across the bar and stood, Steel hot on my heels as I headed for the elevator. “Seriously though, how did you get down here without an escort?”
“You really don’t wanna know the answer to that.”
“Actually, I do. If there was a lapse in security, then Sully needs to know about it.”
“The only lapse was in their ability to predict how creative I can be when I’m properly motivated,” I replied, not wanting to get anyone in trouble for my act of rebellion.
“If you wanted to come down, no one would have stopped you.”
"It's hard to get laid when you have an escort, unless both parties are into that sort of thing.”
“So, the truth comes out,” Steel remarked, his voice sounding dry and completely unimpressed.
“Meh. The place was woefully lacking in possibilities.”
“So, you decided to stick around for the refreshments and the game.”
“Let’s just say that there are a lot of things I prefer not to do on my own, and hotel bars have a way of solving most, if not all of them, depending on the night. Unfortunately, tonight was a bust.”
“Look, if I’m off, I’ll join you for hockey and a late-night snack if you’re hungry. I played center through college. You’re not the only one who hates missing games.”
I eyed him up and down and could tell he would have been a fierce advisory on the ice and one hell of an asset if he’d been onmy team. “I played wing.”
“I take it you were fast.”
“Even going backwards.”
“Impressive, we might have to take to the ice sometimes, see if either of us is still capable of showing off a bit,” Steel offered, shocking the hell out of me.
“I’m always capable of showing off.”
He snorted at that; the first real laugh I’d managed to wring from him since he’d appeared behind me at the bar. “Yeah, I can see that.”
“So, what, you’ll hang out with me in my room, keep me from trolling bars for beer and an easy fuck, and catch up on the hockey season in the process?”
“Why not? Sounds like a fair trade to me, though I have to admit, you managed to shock me.”
“How so?” I asked as we stepped into the elevator and headed up to our floor.
“I didn’t take you for the fuckboy type.”
“I’m normally not, but beggars can’t be choosy.”
“I can’t imagine any situation that would turn Rebel McAuliffe into a beggar.”