But Dominik came to the rescue. “I’ve got this,” he drawled. He plucked the mic from Mateo’s hand. “Excuse me, stud. You’re in my way. Spin that shit,” he told Harley.

“I’m Too Sexy” started playing. Dominik strutted around, striking ridiculous poses.

“That checks out.” Archer scratched, still vibrating from adrenaline and … whatever else it was swirling around inside him. “Drink?” he asked Mateo.

Mateo nodded. “Yes, please.” He followed Archer over to the fridge.

Archer rummaged inside, then handed him a bottle of nonalcoholic beer.

Twisting the cap off, Mateo studied him. “So … you can sing, too.”

Archer scoffed. “Not nearly as well as you.”

Mateo laughed. “I don’t know about that. The way you reworked the soprano melody into your own range … It was flawless.”

“Oh—uh—” Archer stammered.

Mateo leaned against the counter. “Thanks for asking me to sing.”

“Are you kidding? Thanks for singing with me.”

“Archer—” Mateo fiddled with his bottle.

“Yeah?”

He paused. “Nothing.” Mateo tapped their drinks together. “Just … thanks.”

Archer took a long pull of cold beer. There were many words spinning through his head and some emotions he couldn’t name. Better keep it simple. He smiled. “You’re welcome.”

23 Smashed It

“Do you guys want to go for a swim? Or catch the drag show, maybe?” Archer asked Beau and Harley, his latest roommate combination. A sticky Sunday evening stretched ahead of them after a long, hot day of rehearsal, and Archer was ready to unwind a little.

“We can’t today!” Harley exclaimed. “It’s the volleyball game!”

“The what now?” Archer asked.

“At the end of every season, the dancers play a match. We’re allowed to use the courts during the drag show.”

“We’re playing volleyball? For real?”

“Didn’t anyone tell you? Game’s at six. It’s super fun,” Harley insisted. “I promise.”

“If you say so,” Archer said, reliving his memories from middle school gym class. “Super fun” seemed super unlikely.

When Archer arrived at the court with Beau and Harley, the rest of the crew was mostly already there, milling around in swimsuits. Archer’s eyes found Mateo immediately, so hot in small navy blue swim trunks it should be illegal. Dark body hair dusted his chest and made a tantalizing trail below his belly button.

“Okay, what are the teams?” Betty asked, snapping Archer out of his daze.

“I say we split up the tango duet partners,” Dominik suggested, “with the height roughly equal on both sides.”

“Height? What about the ability to actually play volleyball?”

“Pfft.” Dominik waved a hand. “Overrated. Everyone line up with your partner, and I’ll divide you into two teams.”

Mateo and Archer stood facing each other.

“You any good?” Mateo said, looking Archer up and down.

Archer laughed, gaze flitting over Mateo’s pecs. “Nope. You?”

“Captain of my high school team,” Mateo said, with a fake polish of his knuckles.

Archer raised an eyebrow. “Really?”