That was apparently the wrong answer, because John stuck his bottom lip out so far, Zack thought he might trip over it. Any desire Zack had had to take John home with him tonight evaporated. Plus, John didn’t seem sober enough to consent. Zack needed to think of something fast, or he had a feeling he was going to have to deal with a distraught hookup-gone-wrong for the rest of the night.

Zack managed to unpin himself, but John was still invading his personal space.

“So,” John slurred, “what would you like to do?”

“Um, why don’t you introduce me to your friends?” Zack improvised. If he could get John to them, maybe he could slip away without feeling like he’d abandoned the poor guy.

John’s pout warped into a smile so fast, Zack blinked and missed it. “Okay! But more shots first!”

“Haven’t you had enough?” Zack yelled, but John had already leaned all the way over the bar and signaled the bartender. Zack sighed. Well, so much for that. John ordered three shots of rum, and before Zack could stop him, he knocked one back.

He was reaching for another when Zack intervened. “Mind if I have those?”

John gave him a bleary look and then shook his head. “Not at all.”

Zack quickly took the shots, thinking that his mother would be so proud if she knew he was drinking for the good of another. The rum left a sweet taste in his mouth and made him itch for a cigarette. He hoped his friends weren’t wondering where he was.

Zack signaled for John to lead the way, reaching for him every time he wobbled or threatened to tip over. John stumbled onto the dance floor, where throngs of people were packed together so tightly, the air felt moist with heat. Just as Zack was wondering how the hell they were going to pick their way through the crowd, John took a detour and headed for one of the booths that lined the walls. They were roped off and mostly unoccupied, but three men sat at one on the far right. They were engrossed in conversation despite the loud music.

John stumbled up to them. A bouncer appeared from nowhere and tried to head him off, but John held up his arm. He had on a blue wristband that Zack hadn’t noticed before. The bouncer examined John’s wrist and then moved one of the red velvet ropes to let them pass. Zack frowned. This must be the VIP area or something.

John approached the three men and fell into an empty seat. He hit the table as he went, and the men had to grab their drinks to keep them from tumbling over. Zack winced. That could have been disastrous. He debated slipping away while he had the chance, but John reached out and yanked on his shirt, tugging him closer.