“I think he knew he was headed down a path he wouldn’t likely survive and it was his way of...I don’t know, rushing along rock bottom. Before it was too late. Heroin’s a lot harder to kick. Just ask Shawn.”

I blink, trying to backtrack. “Is that how they met? Rehab?”

“Yeah...” His brows bunch as he studies my face. “You okay?”

I wave him off and drain what’s left of my beer. Sliding the empty bottle his way, I shake my head when he asks if I want another.

“I don’t know why I’m telling you all this.” He rubs a hand over the back of his neck, eyes trained on the counter.

“Maybe because you needed to talk about it.”

His hazel eyes lift to mine, searching. “Maybe,” he admits, almost reluctantly.

I give him a small smile, and his gaze drops to my mouth. There’s no missing it this time. No chalking it up to a trick of the light, or my own deluded thinking.

Pulse hammering in my neck, I don’t dare move a muscle. I don’t even breathe as I watch his throat bob painfully slow. As the tip of his tongue winks out to wet his lip.

“See something you like?” I whisper before I can stop myself.

He flinches back like I’ve slapped him, eyes going wide and terrified.

Shit.

Face beet fucking red, a snarl forms on his lips as he grits out slowly, “I’m not gay.”

Everything in me stills. “Okay,” I say, dragging out the word.

“So get that look off your face. Right now.”

My neck feels hot. Skin crawling, like it’s pulling too tight. Like my bones are too big for my body. “I’m not looking at you like anything.”

“Hey guys—” Mason joins us, his words coming to a halt when he senses the tension. “What’s wrong?”

His light-colored gaze darts between us, before settling on a glare that he directs toward Waylon. “What the fuck did you do now?”

I feel more than see Waylon go rigid.

“You told me you—”

“It’s nothing,” I hurry to say, cutting Mason off before this can escalate any further. “Just another little misunderstanding.” I glance at Waylon. “We good?”

He studies my face, jaw jumping. “Yeah.”

Mason looks like he doesn’t quite believe us, but much to my relief, he drops it. Nodding, he flashes me a grin and jerks his head toward the other side of the bar. “I’m going to get the scanner for you. Show you how it works. Use your best judgment, but I’m totally cool with you carding every single person who walks through the door.”

Right. I’m supposed to be working, I think as I watch him walk away.

Tonight’s just going fan-fucking-tastic.

Running my fingers through my hair, I turn around, releasing a long exhale. “Well, on that note—”