Out of Nowhere (Balls and Brawn Bodyguard #4)

13. Chapter Thirteen Dex

Chapter Thirteen: Dex

“ I take it you don’t want me to work this case with you,” Dex said, pinned to the mat by Seo-jun’s body weight. Seo-jun had been working Dex hard since early that morning when he returned from his assignment at the casino in Cherokee. He hadn’t even bothered to go back to his apartment, just changed into clothes from his locker and announced to Dex that they were doing Taekwondo.

Confusion clouded Seo-jun’s dark eyes, which were within a couple of inches of Dex’s at that moment. “Why do you say that?”

“Well, it’s pretty obvious you’re trying to kill me.” Not that he minded having Seo-jun on top of him, but the fact that Seo-jun had flipped him to get him there had been kind of painful. “Honestly, I should have gotten Sean to teach me judo. He’d be less of a task master. Did you even go home before coming here?”

“Taekwondo is better than judo,” Seo-jun said with assurance. “And I’m better than Sean.”

Dex laughed.

“Why are you laughing?” Seo-jun asked, his expression so serious it only made Dex laugh harder. The man was so cute sometimes.

Seo-jun eased up the pressure on him and got to his knees, looming over Dex where he lay on the mat. “You aren’t trying hard enough, or I wouldn’t have been able to pin you.”

“Well, I didn’t exactly expect to be doing this today.” Dex badly wanted to place his palms on the tight thighs on each side of his torso.

“You don’t have to expect it. Life doesn’t give a schedule.”

Dex frowned. “Huh?”

“What I mean is, anyone can attack you at any time. Without warning. You have to be ready.”

“Is this about me getting konked on the head with a baseball bat?” Dex asked, suddenly getting it. “Because I’m fine. I’m as good as new. Seriously, I don’t want you to think you can’t rely on me on this assignment.”

Except for the occasional bout of dizziness, which he didn’t feel worth mentioning, Dex had completely recovered from the attack. Well, he did have headaches that might be a tad worse than the ones he was used to getting, but that was to be expected. He’d read all the stuff the doctor had sent home with him.

“It’s time we get ready anyway,” Seo-jun said, getting to his feet. “I need to go home and change.”

“I’ll pick you up,” Dex called as Seo-jun headed up the stairs.

An hour and a half later, Dex waited in his car outside Seo-jun’s building. When Seo-jun appeared, Dex couldn’t stop staring. He was wearing close-fitting black pants with a lavender shirt open at the neck. He looked as untouchable and dangerous as he always did. When he smiled at Dex, Dex’s heart soared.

“You look very nice,” he said when Seo-jun slid into the passenger seat. “You’ll have guys all over you at the club.”

“You look nice, too,” Seo-jun said, his gaze slowly scanning Dex.

Dex had worn the pants that ended just above his ankles, a pair of black suede driving shoes, and a white, short-sleeved button-down that was made out of a silky material. The pearl necklace rested just above his collarbones. Having Seo-jun look at him so appreciatively made him hot all over.

“Thanks.” The word came out hoarse. Dex felt his cock stir in his pants. Clearing his throat, he pulled away from the curb.

As he drove, Dex filled in Seo-jun on what he’d learned at Trend the night before.

“Perhaps the vandal only comes to write the slurs and then leaves,” Seo-jun said, hands resting atop his muscular thighs, his long fingers absently rubbing the material of his pants. Dex always noticed Seo-jun’s hands—he liked them a lot. “He or she may be gay and hate themselves for it. Or they may hate homosexuals in general.”

Dex nodded, tearing his eyes away from Seo-jun’s sexy hands and looking at the road ahead. “Sounds reasonable.” Seo-jun was so damn hot, and Dex wanted him. He needed to rein himself in before he embarrassed himself. This is a job, Dex.

Trend was even busier than the night before. At ten o’clock the parking lot was full, forcing Dex to find a space in an empty lot down the street.

“That music is loud,” Seo-jun commented as they walked down the sidewalk toward the club.

Although they were still a good fifteen yards away, Dex could hear the song that was playing inside the club well enough to recognize it. He didn’t remember it being that loud the night before. “We’ll both be deaf when we leave here.”

A noise coming from Seo-jun made Dex turn to look at him. “Did you just laugh ?“ he asked incredulously.

Seo-jun rolled his eyes. “I laugh.”

“No, you don’t. Your lip curls up sometimes, but you really don’t laugh.”

“You’re being ridiculous. Of course I laugh.”

“Sometimes your eyes light up with amusement,” Dex allowed, enjoying the tease. “But you never laugh.”

Seo-jun just shook his head and huffed at him.

They’d reached the club, and Dex opened the door for Seo-jun who flashed him a large smile that left Dex standing with both the door and his mouth wide open.

“Are you coming in?” Seo-jun asked, looking at Dex over his shoulder.

Dex hurried after him, almost tripping on the rug inside the door, catching up just in time to see Seo-jun give their names to the bouncer, who stamped their hands. At the bar, Seo-jun leaned in to give the bartender his order. “A bourbon and Coke, please.” He looked at Dex.

“I’ll have a Heineken.”

A man to Seo-jun’s left put an arm around him and leaned close, saying something Dex couldn’t hear. Whatever Seo-jun replied back made the man pick up his drink and walk away without another word.

“What was that about?” Dex asked, handing the bartender a twenty for the drinks.

“He wanted to know if I wanted to dance,” Seo-jun said. “I told him to take his arm off my body or he would lose it.”

Dex’s eyes widened. “Wow. Remind me to never touch you without permission.”

“ You don’t have to ask,“ Seo-jun said, twirling the ice in his drink.

Dex barely managed not to choke on his beer. Was Seo-jun flirting with him?

They drank and watched the hallway for a while. A couple of guys approached, looking like they were going to ask Dex to dance, but they glanced behind him and walked off. Dex looked over his shoulder, but Seo-jun was studying his drink.

“I’m going to use the restroom,” Dex said, knowing Seo-jun would know he was checking for the vandal. When he entered the men’s room, there were moans coming from one of the stalls where he could see two pairs of men’s shoes facing the wall. Otherwise, the room was empty. Dex peed, the sound of slapping skin now coming from the occupied stall, washed his hands, and then returned to Seo-jun, who then left to check the co-ed bathroom. When he returned with a subtle shake of his head, Dex was considering going out back to get a look at the dumpsters when he saw a familiar face heading for the bar.

“Oh, shit,” he said.

“What is it?” Seo-jun asked.

But there was no time for Dex to warn him. Raheem zeroed in on Dex immediately. “Dex, hello again.” Raheem cast a look behind him at Seo-jun. “This the boyfriend?”

Fuck. It looked like Dex’s lie was going to come out.

A small noise escaped his throat when Seo-jun’s arm slipped around Dex’s waist.

“I am. And who are you?” Seo-jun had to lean forward to be heard, which put his mouth next to Dex’s ear. Without thinking, Dex leaned back into him and turned slightly so he could watch Seo-jun’s face.

“I’m Raheem. Dex and I met last night after you had to leave for that work emergency,” Raheem shouted back at them.

“Oh, did you, now?” Seo-jun sounded displeased. Having this conversation at this volume was ridiculous, but Dex wasn’t about to interrupt.

“Had someone broken into the nursing home?” Raheem asked. Of course, Seo-jun had no idea what Raheem was talking about, but you wouldn’t be able to tell that from looking at him.

Without missing a beat, he said, “False alarm. Were you coming onto my boyfriend after I left?” Seo-jun tightened his arm around Dex, his fingers brushing the edge of Dex’s ribs. “Because I’m a very jealous man.” He moved his mouth closer to Dex’s ear. “Aren’t I, Dex?”

Dex nodded, swallowing hard. Seo-jun’s other hand came around to rest on his stomach, and he began stroking it with his finger, sending chills cascading down Dex’s back.

“Not after I found out he was taken,” Raheem said. “You can’t blame me for approaching him, though, can you?”

“I cannot,” Seo-jun agreed and then his teeth sank into the edge of Dex’s ear. Dex was so stunned, he couldn’t move, but he managed a polite smile at Raheem before the man disappeared into the crowd.

His heart beating wildly, Dex swallowed hard and reluctantly eased out of Seo-jun’s arms. Leaning close to his ear, he said, “Thanks for that. Last night when he approached me, I didn’t know what to say and just blurted out that my boyfriend had left due to an emergency, and then I made up that stupid story about the nursing home. The, uh, bite on the ear was a nice touch.”

Dex didn’t imagine the shiver that ran through Seo-jun when Dex had his lips so close to his ear. His cock pulsed in his pants at the thought of Seo-jun’s ears being sensitive.

“It’s probably better that we act like we’re together anyway.” Seo-jun’s hand resting on Dex’s back felt hot and possessive.

“You don’t mind?” Dex asked.

“Do I look like I mind?” Seo-jun asked. He glided his hand around and up Dex’s shirt to the part that was see-through. “This is very revealing. As your boyfriend, I don’t know if I like people looking at you in it.”

Seo-jun was fucking with him, but Dex couldn’t stop the blush that quickly suffused his cheeks. His attempt at a laugh came out strangled.

If Seo-jun keeps this up, this is going to be a long night , he thought.