Out of Nowhere (Balls and Brawn Bodyguard #4)

11. Chapter Eleven Dex

Chapter Eleven: Dex

T he one time Dex had been to a gay club, he’d worn a black mesh shirt and jeans, which he’d picked out with Jude’s help. Jude and Dex had become friends the summer before when Jude had gotten back together with Hawk after he’d been the center of a case. When Dex called him, Jude said he had classes that night but that he should ask Zion to help him shop for something to wear to the club.

Zion had recently moved to North Carolina from New York City after his sister got married and emigrated to Australia. He reminded Dex a little of Jude with his light-blond hair and pretty face, but Zion had a sunnier disposition than the more reserved Jude. His apartment was in the back corner of a house on one of the university streets in old town Newburg that had been made into four apartments—two downstairs and two upstairs. Zion lived on the ground floor in a corner area that had originally been two rooms and a bathroom but one of the walls had been knocked down. It had a small kitchenette and living area with a bed tucked on the other side of the room. A pile of boxes was stacked outside a closet.

“This is going to be fun!” Zion clapped his hands in excitement. “Jude pointed out that you and I are the same size. You might be able to wear some of my clothes, so I want to go through them first.”

“Oh, I don’t want to take your clothes,” Dex protested.

“It’s okay. I haven’t worn them in a few years and I can’t imagine wearing them anytime soon.”

Dex started to ask why and then realized Zion was referring to his PTSD from when he was kidnapped the year before. According to Jude and Hawk, Zion had clung to Mal after Mal had saved him and wouldn’t let anyone else touch him for a long time. That was the reason Mal stayed with Zion so long in New York. Dex could understand why Zion didn’t want to dress up and go clubbing.

“If you’re sure,” Dex said.

Zion flashed him a smile, and this time Dex recognized it for what it was—a mask. Zion was hurting and doing his best not to show it. “I’m sure.”

Pulling one of the boxes to the floor and opening it, Zion motioned for Dex to do the same with the next one. “Let’s start going through these. Oh! Try this on.”

He tossed Dex a shirt.

Dex stripped off his t-shirt and slipped into the sleeves of the cornflower blue button-down shirt that was made of a silky material with two sections of sparkling netting on the shoulders.

“That looks so awesome on you. Wait.” Zion jumped up and ran to the three-drawer dresser by the bed, returning with something in his hands. “Turn around.” He snapped a necklace around Dex’s neck that settled just above his collarbone. “Now, look in the mirror.”

Dex walked to the big mirror on the back of the bathroom door. The necklace was made of small faux pearls. Dex would never in a million years have bought a pearl necklace for himself, but he wasn’t hating the look.

“You look stunning,” Zion said. “What about these pants?” He tossed him a pair, and Dex slipped out of his jeans and put them on. They were black, loose in the legs, and had a large sash at the waist.

“Wait, let me do it,” Zion said as Dex attempted to figure out how it should be tied. “Do it here, on the hipbone.” He stepped back. “That looks so sexy. Oh, my God, I wish Jude were here to see you.”

“Do you really think it looks good?” Dex asked uncertainly.

“I’m positive. You look amazing, Dex! That should definitely be one of your outfits. Now, before you take off those pants, try this shirt with them.”

The next shirt was light green and tight-fitting, with a floral design.

“No, no. Don’t button it that high.” Zion undid one of the buttons so that the shirt opened in a deep V at Dex’s neck, showing the dark hair on his chest. “Yes, Daddy,” Zion said, clasping his hands together at his chest.

Dex let out a snort.

“What? You are totally Daddy material in this shirt. Mmhmm. Okay, here’s another pair of pants.”

“These come up above my ankles!” Dex said when he got them on.

“It’s a style. Ankles are sexy. You just have to wear the right shoes with them. Put this red shirt on.”

Red mesh with little lacy designs.

“This shows my nipples,” Dex said, staring into the mirror.

“And nice nipples they are—small and brown.”

Dex’s face went hot.

The next pair of pants Zion handed him were shiny and flexible, like leather or plastic or something. The shirt was black but see-through except for the cuffs, collar, and button strip, and had sequins all over it. Dex had to admit it looked good with the shiny pants.

By the time Zion was finished going through everything, Dex had twelve different outfits—more if he mixed and matched.

“I don’t think my shoes would fit you. That’s the only thing you’re going to have to buy—a few pairs. Some ankle boots, driving shoes, loafers, maybe some Doc Martens. Wow, this is going to be fun!” Zion was beaming.

It was almost midnight when Dex pulled in through the gate in front of the mansion, the headlights of his Toyota RAV4 Hybrid arcing over the second floor as he pulled up beside Mal’s Jeep Wrangler, which Mal happened to be getting out of.

Mal Bailey was in his mid-to-late thirties, from New York, and an all-around affable guy. He wore his dark brown hair casually ruffled and a recently trimmed beard set off his square jawline. To Dex, Mal looked like the kind of guy you could depend on in a fight as well as in an emergency. He was calm and imperturbable most of the time, although in the last several months he’d had some definite mood swings that Dex thought had something to do with his time in New York with Zion.

“Hot date?” Dex asked him.

“More like luke-warm,” Mal answered. “I don’t think I’ll be seeing her again. Where have you been?”

“Zion’s. He hooked me up with some clubbing clothes for my next case.” Dex pulled the box out of the backseat, the bag of shoes he’d bought hanging off his elbow. “He says he doesn’t want them anymore and that I should keep them, but I hate to do that.”

“Bring them to me when the assignment’s over,” Mal said. “Zion’s just got to work through some things. One day, he’ll probably wish he had them back. Until then, I’ll keep them in my closet for him.”

“Sure,” Dex said, turning to walk into the house, Mal following.

When Dex entered the foyer, it sounded like some of the team were playing pool in the game room. He heard Andi shout a string of cuss words that would make Howard Stern blush. He climbed the stairs to his room and began hanging up the clothes so they wouldn’t be a wrinkled mess come morning. Could he really wear those outfits to a club? He thought about how he’d felt when he’d tried them on—like a different person. A sexy person. A lot like he’d felt that night he’d gone to Cockatoo with his friends. Of course, he’d been pretty drunk then. He wouldn’t be able to drink much while on assignment. With a sigh, Dex finished hanging up the clothes and went to take a shower before bed.