"Do I even wanna know why you're practicing your evil laugh?" Beau skated in. He threw his pack on the floor under a chair in the front row, his impressive biceps flexing smoothly. His sweet, southern accent polished all his words until they were warm, fluffy, polite versions of their intended selves. Vin wasn't sure Beau would ever master the sarcastic comment; his normal speaking tone was so adorable that it was hard as hell to tell when he was actually angry.

"She's plotting to assassinate me and take over the club," Vin lied.

"Well, then," Beau said, pulling Vin into a swift embrace, "I should get my kisses in while I can." Vin quivered under Beau's powerful hands. Vin's fingers tangled in Beau's blond curls and he pulled his lover in for a kiss. Beau sneaked his tongue out, licked at the ticklish corner of Vin's mouth and took full advantage when Vin gasped to plunder Vin's mouth more fully.

"Oh, for God's sake," Jody exclaimed. She inserted her hip between the two of them and twisted, pushing them apart. "I know you two got a fuckin' room, so go --"

"Fuck there?" An unfamiliar voice piped up into the conversation. Vin focused, still befuddled by Beau's kisses. A new man had entered the room, Beau's age, but not at all shy or nervous, and grinned at them.

"Something like that. Knock it off with the public displays." Jody shook her finger at Vin.

"Not on my account, I hope," the stranger said. He was watching Beau's face with interest. "I was enjoying the show. Charles Allen. Transferred from University of Michigan." He offered his hand to Beau first, which Beau shook. The newcomer was dark-skinned, with a crop of shiny black braids poking out from under his cap. He had a wide, eager smile, and those honey amber colored eyes that only black men seemed to have.

"Beau Watkins," he said. "And my boyfriend, Vin Reyes, the club prez."

"Gathered that," Charles said. He hadn't released Beau's hand, the strong, dark fingers lingering. Vin raised an eyebrow. Beau went around the room, pointing and naming those he knew, gracefully removing his hand from Charles's grasp without giving offense, as if he hadn't even noticed the lingering caress. For all Vin knew, Beau hadn't noticed, and it was only with jealous lover's eyes that Vin was seeing an interest in his boyfriend.

The churn in his belly was familiar. He'd spent most of the last year watching Beau date other men up until Vin got stupid enough -- or maybe just desperate enough -- to blurt out the truth in a moment of weakness. Not that the results were bad, Vin chided himself, but his self-esteem had taken a knock by how ridiculously immature and uncool he'd acted.