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strong cocktail was going straight to his head.
    Before he got too tipsy, Nathan tried to up the ante. He slid closer in the booth and bumped knees with Auryn under the table. Auryn tried to keep the conversation tame, but Nathan refused to play ball; anything he said now was simply loaded with veiled invitation and double meaning.
    Auryn still didn’t respond. It was like he politely ignored Nathan’s come-ons.
    Why wasn’t he flirting? This man seemed to have an uncanny ability of distracting him into a different conversation before Nathan realized what he was doing.
    Nathan’s answer to this was to keep drinking. It felt like he had gone from only slightly tipsy to quite drunk in just a few sips. Although it did give him the determination to keep going.
    Falling back on his tried and tested move to get a guy to touch him, Nathan decided to show off his tattoos. He offered each arm forward and pointed to each tattoo, explaining what they were. Being a typical nerd, there was a story behind each of them. Auryn paid close attention, even held Nathan’s arms politely when Nathan thrust them upon him.
    “They’re great,” Auryn said.
    “Wait, there’s more!”
    Nathan shucked off his army shirt and very slightly pushed up what remained of the sleeve on his T-shirt. Just visible on his shoulder blade was the edge of his back piece, a pair of bat wings in black and grey. Nathan was thrilled to A Bar Tender Tale | Melanie Tushmore 68
    feel Auryn’s fingers trace along the skin of his shoulder, perhaps lingering a few moments longer than necessary.
    “Very nice. You’ve got quite a collection.”
    “Yes,” Nathan smiled wickedly. “There’s a couple more I can show you… but I’d have to do that in private.” Catching his eye, Auryn pulled himself back. He looked faintly surprised.
    Dammit, Nathan thought. He was just about to take it back and say he was only joking… then he noticed Auryn’s hands pulling out his mobile phone. Nathan watched avidly as he brought up a screen then placed the phone on the table, sliding it around to face him. The screen was flashing on New Contact.
    “Would you put your number in?” Auryn asked. He wasn’t quite looking Nathan in the eye as he asked. It was beyond adorable.
    At last! Nathan snatched up the phone, a sleek, heavy model, and carefully entered in his number. “Why?” he teased. “What are you going to do with it?”
    “I was hoping I could call you.”
    “What for?” Nathan finished adding his details in and slid the phone back to Auryn. He left his fingers drumming slowly on the table.
    “What for ?” Auryn repeated with a chuckle. “Oh, I don’t know… maybe I’d like to see you again.” When he clasped his hand over the phone, Nathan reached out; the opportunity to touch that hand was just too tempting.
    “You’re seeing me now.”

    A Bar Tender Tale | Melanie Tushmore 69

    Auryn looked surprised but quickly covered it up. He pulled his hand back under the pretense of putting his phone away. Nathan pulled his hand back too, more hurt by that one action than he’d been prepared for.
    “Look, Nathan, I’m not making presumptions about you or anything….”
    Nathan’s fighting spirit deflated at the sound of that, but what Auryn said next was so unexpected Nathan’s jaw almost hit the table.
    “I think it’s only fair if I tell you that I’m not really into casual things,” Auryn explained. “I mean, I’d rather take things slowly and get to know you.”
    “Um, really?” Nathan was surprised.
    “That is… if you want to?”
    He felt so elated, Nathan didn’t think twice about leaning forward to press his lips against Auryn’s. He closed his eyes as their mouths melted together soft and warm. For one glorious moment Nathan was kissing him. Then he felt himself being gently but firmly pushed away. Nathan opened his eyes.
    “What’s wrong?”
    “Nothing,” Auryn said quietly. “But there’s no need to rush.”
    “Oh.” Nathan