Hidden Passions (Hidden, #7)(61)

"I know." Tony's smile warmed his soft green eyes. "I'm glad you feel safe letting it out with me."

Was that why Chris did it, rather than because Tony was naturally submissive and called it out in him? The question made him uneasy. He couldn't answer it.

Tony was sorting through the pile of tossed off clothes for the ones that belonged to him. Despite his preoccupation, he caught Chris's expression.

"Oh God," he said. "Please stop that."

"Stop what?"

"Second-guessing everything we do together. I'm happy, Chris. This--" he gestured from Chris's heart to his own "--is working out for me."


If that was true, Chris was grateful. Regrettably, he couldn't help thinking Tony was painting his emotions a tad too rosy.





CHAPTER TEN


THE engagement party was in full swing by the time the private elevator let them out at Cass's super-luxe penthouse. The store her home was perched on took up a city block--plenty of room to show off what being a Maycee meant. Tony watched Chris gape at the marble-clad outer hall without letting on he'd noticed. They heard people laughing before the apartment door opened.

Nate stuck his head out of it. "What held up the two of you?"

"Traffic," Tony singsonged, giving Nate's freshly shaven cheek a gay little pat.

"Uh-huh," Nate said with both eyebrows up. Tony wasn't normally this fey. Nate and Chris exchanged soberer hetero greetings. Tony didn't tease, because he had his I-barely-know-this-tiger disguise on.

"The bartender sucks," Nate informed the cat. "Once you've had your fill of socializing, I'm sure no one would complain if you stepped in."

Tony opened his mouth to say, Oh yeah, Chris's mango martinis are dee-licious. He shut his jaw just in time. That was not an approved comment. At least, he didn't think it was. Chris had tended bar at Nate and Evina's engagement. If Nate remembered, wasn't Tony allowed to?

Maybe Chris's second-guessing had rubbed off on him. Having to parse every word he said for the rest of the evening suddenly seemed a drag. Also, was a party really a party if you couldn't share a single dance with your true new love?

Tony frowned at himself. He'd just had amazing sex, the sort that realigned a person's atoms and left their spine tingly. He was fine with his and Chris's arrangement. No way was he going to let a moment's doubt ruin his stellar mood.

"I'm hopping in the pool," he announced to Nate as if Chris's plans were irrelevant. "Where can I change that won't shock anyone?"

Nate laughed. "Guest bedrooms are that way. Just knock if the door is closed."

Tony sashayed off, then wondered if he should have thanked Chris for driving him. Oh screw it. Nate wasn't going to think about it one way or another. You're in a stellar mood, he reminded.

Selectively lying about his personal life didn't make it less awesome.

~

The wolves had a history of rooftop parties. This one at Cass's place lived up to tradition. Stripped to his red swimsuit, Tony knew he looked fine strolling onto the big terrace. He was tall but graceful, muscular but not musclebound. The air felt good on his exposed skin. The warming spell was topnotch, soft and balmy without crossing over to sweltering.

Tony wondered if Cass's father had spun it. Tony had learned from Rick that the pureblood was really juiced. If he were the enchantment's author, it might explain why the flowerbeds were blooming in midwinter.

Since he didn't want to think about Roald or their weird first meeting, he waved at the kids splashing in the pool. Maria's husband Johnny manned the barbecue, smoke from the roasting meat wafting on the breeze like incense.

Tony wasn't the only guest inhaling.

"Hel-lo, handsome," said Evina's free-spirited friend Freda. The paramedic covered her mouth when Tony turned around. "Oh, it's you. Sorry."

"Don't be sorry," he teased. "Everybody likes compliments."

She laughed good-naturedly. "Dance with me later?"

"Absolutely," he promised.

Mood buoyed, he grabbed a sunrise-orange drink from a tray--one of Chris's specials, he realized as soon as he sipped it. He must have replaced the bartender already. Determinedly avoiding looking around for him, Tony worked his way between groups of partiers toward the jazz quartet at the roof's far-end. Some of the guests looked ritzy, but most were casual. His parents were close-dancing in front of the band's low stage, still feeling the afterglow from their cruise on the submarine. Tony kissed his mother's cheek, but didn't interrupt.

"Tony," she exclaimed, catching sight of him. "You're nearly naked!"

His father whispered something in her ear and paddled her bottom. Because it was probably along the lines of Leave the boy alone, Tony grinned at the interplay.

The dragons liked music, and they weren't far away. They'd drawn together beneath a cluster of young maples and were peeking curiously around at everything. They'd grown fast in the last few months, closer to the size of St. Bernards now and not housecats. Since everyone trusted Tony to babysit, the trio knew him well. Auric trilled when he spotted him, his greeting joined a moment later by Scarlet and Verdi's.

Once he was close enough, they all jostled up to him.