Swinging her head back, laughing, she moved to the beat of the music. “Oh, Adam, I love dancing with you.”
He winced. He couldn’t say the same. As he held her against him, swaying, he looked out between other dancing couples into the sea of tables and people under the glow of lanterns and tried to pick out Necalli. Darkness swam overhead. It’s got to be late. Anxiety gnawed at his insides with the situation brewing between Necalli and Maxwell, ever since Necalli’s words sunk in. Maxwell responded to Necalli, which also meant in Necalli’s terms—Necalli excited Maxwell.
Julie’s head bobbed in his vision as he scanned through the tables. After a few passes, he picked out Maxwell and Necalli.
Maxwell sat with his chair pushed up right next to Necalli, much to Adam’s dismay. They were focused on each other, each leaning toward the other, nodding and chatting. Maxwell bent close into Necalli, pawing at him.
When is this damned song going to end? He had to see where Maxwell’s hands were landing. Besides, she had already kept him out here for at least a half-hour, enough was enough.
“—don’t you, Adam?”
He shifted his attention to his dance partner. “What?”
“I said I love jazz, don’t you?” She pressed her chest against him and gazed up into his eyes.
He tried to hold her a little farther away. “Sure, I like jazz.”
He saw it.
Maxwell’s arms wrapped around Necalli’s neck. Leaning in, Maxwell’s head covered Necalli’s face as if he were kissing him.
Jealousy and pain stabbed at Adam’s heart. He stopped dancing and stood motionless, releasing Julie.
Necalli smiled at Maxwell as he pulled away.
“Hey.” Julie’s movement stopped and she turned to see what Adam stared at.
His mind raced. But Necalli said he didn’t like Maxwell? Necalli loves me, doesn’t he? He said so. Then Maxwell’s words flooded into his head. How much can you love Necalli when you get so hard for me? Images flickered in his mind, of Necalli straddling Maxwell, of Maxwell stroking himself, of Necalli pleading with Maxwell to take him.
“You okay? You look sick.” Julie’s gaze roamed his face.
He glanced at the ground before meeting her gaze. “I think I am. Excuse me.” He pushed her aside and trudged through people back to their table. When he reached it, he stopped and glared at Maxwell.
Necalli smiled up at Adam.
“Oh, hey, Adam.” His cousin’s hand rested on Necalli’s thigh.
“You two seem to have taken quite a liking to each other.” Fury blurred Adam’s thinking and made his hands clench into fists.
“You didn’t think I was going to let you keep him all to yourself, did you?” A smirk of satisfaction curled one side of Maxwell’s lips.
With concern and worry on his face, Necalli sat forward and reached out for Adam’s arm. “Adam?”
He jerked his arm away. “Don’t touch me.” Turning, he fled, twisting through people, racing toward the piers, heart pounding, lungs burning. Questions flooded his mind. How could Maxwell do that to him? How could Necalli let him? How could he let Necalli into his heart so fast? He knew better than to let people get close. He knew, somehow, people always disappeared, disappointed, died. They hurt him. They always hurt him.