Out of Nowhere (Balls and Brawn Bodyguard #4)

15. Chapter Fifteen Dex

Chapter Fifteen: Dex

T he way Seo-jun stopped that man from touching Dex had been so hot. Dex watched as Seo-jun smoothed a strand of silky black hair away from his forehead. His beautiful petal-pink lips were so perfect in their symmetry, they were a work of art. And those dark, narrow eyes. Every time Seo-jun turned to look at him, Dex was sucked into their depths. Add the leather pants that fit like a fucking glove and the smooth skin and the muscles under that white shirt—all on display every time he moved—and Seo-jun was easily the most beautiful man that Dex had ever seen. And then, knowing that Seo-jun could be deadly if he had to be, it all added up to one sexy man in Dex’s book.

“What are you thinking?” Seo-jun asked before taking a sip of his bourbon and Coke. They’d taken a seat at one of the few available tables, sitting very close so they could hear each other talk and facing the hall where the restrooms and back exits were so they could see who went in and out of them.

“Nothing in particular,” Dex lied. He had been rock hard since the moment Seo-jun had man-handled the guy who’d touched him, and his erection wasn’t going to go down anytime soon with the way Seo-jun’s knee kept brushing against his under the table. And the way he was tracing the condensation on the glass with his index finger…

“I’ll check the restroom,” Dex said suddenly, not waiting for a reply before high-tailing it down the hallway and bursting into the first one he came to, which happened to be the co-ed restroom. He passed its only occupant on his way out, and, after stumbling into a stall, slid the lock into place, unbuttoned his pants, and shoved his hand inside.

It only took three shaky strokes and he was coming into his hand.

Panting, he leaned against the wall of the stall a moment before cleaning himself up with toilet paper. Turning, he sat down a moment, waiting for his racing heart to calm.

He hadn’t run away to jack himself off since he was thirteen and watched from a hole in the neighbor’s fence as seventeen-year-old Archie Knollwood, the local high school quarterback, mowed the lawn in a pair of tiny athletic shorts.

Ah, fuck it. If he was going to have to stare at Seo-jun in that outfit all night, he’d needed to take the edge off.

He was about to leave the stall when he heard someone enter the bathroom. The feeling he’d been doing something wrong still riding him, he instinctively pulled his feet up so the person wouldn’t see he was in there.

You idiot, what are you doing? He admonished himself, putting his feet back down as he heard the door to a stall down the line close and lock. He was reaching for the door to leave when he heard squeaking noises. Specifically, the sound of a marker writing on a bathroom wall.

What the fuck? Are you kidding me right now?

Dex sent a quick text to Seo-jun before quietly opening the stall door. As silently as he could manage, he crept toward the only closed stall at the end of the line, and stood waiting, keeping his feet out of the sight range of the person inside.

Out in the club, someone on the loudspeaker announced a live DJ and the crowd cheered and applauded enthusiastically as the first notes of Celine Dion’s “I’m Alive” began to play.

The lock on the stall rattled, and Dex tensed, ready to confront whoever was in there. Then the door opened and Dex lunged, grabbing the perpetrator by the shoulders. Shocked, he stared down into the face of an old woman wearing bright pink lipstick, her wrinkled face surrounded by a cloud of gray hair. She had to be at least eighty years old.

“Get your hands off me!” she snapped. Peering behind her, Dex saw several homophobic, derogatory words written in big black letters on the wall of the stall.

“Security, ma’am. I need to see in your bag,” he said, letting go of her but remaining where he was, blocking her exit from the stall.

“If you’re looking for this, I’ll save you some time.” She held up a black Sharpie marker.

“You’re the person who’s been vandalizing this club?” Despite the evidence, Dex was having a difficult time believing it.

“That’s right.”

The door burst open and Seo-jun ran into the room, gun drawn. When he saw the old woman in Dex’s grip, a look of confusion came over his face.

David Hendrix walked in behind him, two security officers in tow, and, remembering what he’d been doing earlier, Dex moved toward the sinks and took a moment to wash his hands.

“Ma?” he heard Hendrix ask, puzzled.

Tossing the paper towel he’d used to dry his hands into the trash, Dex glanced at Seo-jun, who had lowered his gun.

“David Albert Hendrix, this club is a den of iniquity!” the elderly woman scolded. “I want you to know, your father is rolling in his grave.”

“Dad isn’t dead, Ma. He left us when I was seven. He lives in Montreal now.”

“Well, if he were dead, he’d be rolling.”

“I doubt that, since he’s now living with his boyfriend.”

“Stop arguing with me, young man!”

“So, you’ve been vandalizing my place of business?” Hendrix asked incredulously.

Mrs. Hendrix proudly waved the marker. “I wanted these sinners to see what they are!”

“I didn’t even think you knew those words!” Hendrix exclaimed, moving to look at her handwork.

“You have to know the Devil’s own language to defeat him,” Mrs. Hendrix said with a smart nod.

Hendrix’s eyes shifted to Dex and Seo-jun. “Under the circumstances, I’m not going to be pressing charges. Send me your bill.”

As Dex and Seo-jun left the room, Dex heard Hendrix ordering his guys to close the bathroom while he got someone to clean the walls while mother cursed like a sailor in the background.

In the main part of the club, where Tina Turner’s “The Best” shook the rafters, Seo-jun leaned close to Dex’s ear. “Well, that was a surprise.”

Dex shook his head slowly. “No kidding.”

Taking Dex’s hand, Seo-jun led him to the bar.

“Aren’t we leaving?” Dex asked.

“Our job here is done. We deserve a little down time. Order us a drink, and I’m going to put in a request for a couple of songs. What kind of music do you like?”

“Uh, how about ‘Don’t Get Me Wrong’ by Matchbox 20,” Dex suggested.

“You got it.”

Dex watched Seo-jun stride off toward the DJ booth before turning and ordering their drinks.

When Seo-jun reemerged from the crowd, Dex handed him the bourbon and Coke he’d ordered for him and took a sip of his vodka tonic. After his run-in with the old lady vandal, he needed something stronger than beer. They stood at the bar, drinking, their eyes running over the crowd on the dance floor. It was kind of nice being there without having to be on constant alert. Smiling, Dex shook his head. He couldn’t believe the vandal had been the owner’s mother. He took another sip of his drink.

When Rihanna’s “Diamonds,” finished playing, the first strains of the song Dex had wanted to hear began.

“Come on, let’s dance.” Seo-jun took Dex’s drink from him and put it on the bar with his before taking Dex’s hand again.

With some alcohol in his system, it wasn’t too hard for Dex to go with it. It did feel good to successfully end another case, and this time he didn’t get hurt. And he was going to dance with Seo-jun . Pretty soon, he was bouncing on his feet and singing along with Rob Thomas to the chorus.

I’m all caught up, I’m faking. Without you I’d be gone. Don’t get me wrong. Don’t get me wrong!

Grinning at Seo-jun, whose tight, white T-shirt glowed in the dim lights of the club, Dex let all his worries go for the first time in what felt like forever.

As the song ended, Seo-jun took Dex’s hand again, and Dex suffered a momentary feeling of disappointment. Were they leaving? But then Seo-jun rested his other hand on Dex’s waist and drew him in close. If it hadn’t been for the alcohol slowing his reactions, Dex was sure Seo-jun would have seen him gaping like a fish before their cheeks brushed as the next song began.

It took a little longer for Dex to catch up and recognize what song was playing— “Lover” by Taylor Swift.

“I love this song!” Dex breathed, and he felt a chuckle rumble through Seo-jun’s chest.

“I know. That’s why I requested it.”

Dex suddenly recalled having said he loved it when Brand had mentioned it had been his and his ex’s song. His heart constricted as Seo-jun began swaying them to the music. Of a similar height, Dex thought they fit each other pretty perfectly.

Pulling back a little, Dex looked into Seo-jun’s eyes, which remained focused on Dex as they danced. The moment felt like a dream. Giving himself over, Dex sighed and leaned into Seo-jun.

Can I go where you go? Can we always be this close? Forever and ever…

Pulling back slightly, Seo-jun leaned his forehead against Dex’s, his long fingers curling around Dex’s hand, and time seemed to stop until the last strains of the song faded.

“Ready to go?” Seo-jun asked when the beat of Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust” reverberated through the club.

Dex nodded, unsure what to think of the fact that Seo-jun didn’t let go of his hand as they made their way through the crowd and out of the building.

Taking in a deep breath of the night air, Dex’s head began clearing of the slight buzz his drink had given him. “Thanks for that. Requesting the song and the dance. It was really nice.”

“Have you ever danced to that song with anyone before?” Seo-jun asked.

Dex shook his head, thinking, even if I had, it wouldn’t compare to dancing to it with you. He would remember it forever.

“Another job successfully wrapped up,” he joked when Seo-jun slid behind the wheel of his car. “That’s two for zero. We’re a great team.”

Seo-jun smiled as he started the engine. “Do you want to go to the Waffle House?” he asked as he backed out of the parking space.

“What? Like, now?”

Seo-jun shrugged. “That’s where I used to go with my friends after a night of clubbing.”

“Okay. Sure. Waffles sound good.”

“You have a headache?”

Dex realized he was rubbing his temple.

“A little.”

Reaching over the console to rest his cool hand against Dex’s neck, Seo-jun began to message the tension out of the muscles there.

Closing his eyes, Dex dropped his head and grunted. “Feels good.”

When Seo-jun stopped rubbing a minute or so later and turned back to the wheel, Dex missed his touch.

It was barely midnight when they walked into the restaurant, and only two booths were occupied. Seo-jun ordered an eggs, waffles, and bacon plate, and Dex told the waitress to bring him the same.

“I’ll bet you were shocked to nab a woman in her eighties in the bathroom stall,” Seo-jun said.

“Yeah, I was. But not as surprised as I bet Mr. Hendrix was that the person who’d been vandalizing his club was his mother.”

“Tell me what happened.” Crossing his arms on the table, Seo-jun leaned in, watching Dex intently.

“I, uh, had just finished using the bathroom when I heard someone come in. Then I heard them writing on the wall. So, I waited outside the stall door until they came out. I was preparing to deal with someone a lot larger, that’s for sure.”

Seo-jun chuckled. “I’ll bet. Did she give you any trouble? Try to deny it?”

Dex shook his head. “When I asked to see in her purse, she proudly held up the marker. I guess she’s not too happy that her son owns a gay club.”

“I guess not,” Seo-jun agreed. “Probably had something to do with her husband leaving her for a man.”

The waitress arrived to pour their coffees and then left again.

“Until I saw her, I was getting ready to break out some of the moves you’ve taught me,” Dex said. “It was kind of disappointing.”

Seo-jun’s eyes danced with humor. “Didn’t want to bust a Naeryeo Chagi on Granny?” he asked, referring to the axe kick he’d taught Dex.

Grinning, Dex shook his head.

After the waitress brought their food, Seo-jun picked up his fork and surprised Dex yet again. “Tell me something embarrassing you’ve done.”

After thinking for a moment, Dex remembered an incident a few years prior. “Once, when I lived in New York City, I was walking into a public building that had one of those revolving doors. You know, the ones that are sectioned off?” When Seo-jun nodded, he continued. “Well, I’d noticed this really hot guy walking in front of me. I was so busy watching him, when we got up to the building, I accidentally stepped into the same section of the revolving door as he did. There wasn’t anything to do about it but to keep going. Stopping would be even more mortifying, right? We were only, like, an inch apart in that tiny space. I swear, it seemed to take forever to take those few steps. I remember when we came out inside the building, he turned and looked at me, like, what the hell, bro? ”

Dex was awarded with one of Seo-jun’s full-on smiles, and his heart jumped. He was quickly getting addicted to them.

“Whoever invented those doors deserves a smack in the head,” Seo-jun said.

“Right? I get claustrophobia in them. I always think the door will get stuck, and I’ll run out of air, trapped in glass like—a bug in a jar or something.”

The sound of Seo-jun’s throaty laugh brought goosebumps to the surface of Dex’s skin.

“I’ve had that experience—where someone stepped into the space with me, so you aren’t the only one who’s accidentally done it. I thought they were going to mug me or feel me up or something. New York City scared me when I first moved there,” Seo-jun said.

“I’m sure that guy thought the same of me.” Dex took a sip of water, thinking back to that moment when the guy had turned to look at him. He suddenly recalled the guy had been a cute, young, Asian wearing a baseball cap. Hey, could it have been— but, no. There were millions of people in New York City. Still, he liked the idea that Seo-jun could have been the man Dex had spent a few moments in time with in a revolving door.

“What about you?” he asked Seo-jun. “What’s something embarrassing you’ve done?”

Seo-jun considered as he stirred a packet of sugar into his coffee. “My mother once caught me trying on her lingerie.”

Dex lost his grip on his glass, spilling water all over the table. Grabbing for a napkin, he sent his silverware clattering to the floor.

Grabbing Dex’s wrist, Seo-jun held it for a moment while Dex stilled, his pulse beating so hard, he was sure Seo-jun felt it under his palm.

Seo-jun mopped up the water with his other hand before releasing Dex’s arm. The waitress hurried over with another bundle of silverware and picked up what Dex had dropped.

“I’ll bring you another water,” she said.

“That’s okay. The coffee’s enough,” Dex said, face burning. Turning back to Seo-jun, he said, “Well, there’s another embarrassing moment to add to the list.”

Looking amused, Seo-jun shook his head. “My fault. I over-shared.”

Dex couldn’t help but grin. “The visual alone did me in.”

As they ate and chatted, Dex relaxed. It was nice sitting there having a conversation they didn’t have to yell over, like they’d had to in the club. The food was good, and Dex’s headache was beginning to fade. Since the moment he’d danced with Seo-jun, the night had taken on the feeling of a date. Which it wasn’t, of course, but Dex could pretend for a moment that two men, whom fate had brought together years ago in a revolving door, had somehow found each other again, like in some crazy romance novel.