When Jack goes to lock up the shop the next evening, he half expects Rhys to meet him out in front of their shops. But he doesn't. Jack only waits a moment before walking into the store, bells chiming as the door swings open.
"We're closed!" Rhys calls from somewhere Jack can't see. There's pop pouring from the speakers in the ceiling. Jack doesn't recognize the song, but it feels familiar somehow. Maybe something Angel had listened to before?
"It's me!" Jack called back, leaning against the counter.
"I'll be out in a minute!"
Jack shakes his head, smiling to himself as he tapped his fingers against the glass to the beat of the song. He'd probably have the tune stuck in his head for the rest of the weekend. He hated bubble gum music like this, mostly because they were written with the intention of sticking in your head, but this song did sound familiar. He just couldn't figure out why.
He didn't realize he was humming along until the music switched off and Rhys stepped out from the back room.
"I never took you for the Britney Spears type." Rhys chuckled.
"I—" then Jack caught sight of Rhys and nearly swallowed his own tongue. He looked good. He wore a pair of tight, black shorts, garter straps sneaking out from the hem to hold up a pair of sheer, black thigh highs, a pair of boots lacing half way up his calves. He wore a white button up, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and unbuttoned to show a tight, black lace tank top underneath. Jack whistled lowly. "You look very nice."
"I thought I'd change out of my work clothes. I'm glad you like it." Rhys smiled. "Of course, anything works for you as long as you're in that leather jacket." He brushed past Jack, gripping the sleeve of his Jacket before pulling him towards the door. Jack chuckled, following as Rhys led him. Rhys flipped off the main lights, leaving the display lights on, before shutting and locking the door behind him.
"So, are you driving, or am I?" Rhys raised his brows, tucking his keys into his pocket.
"I figured since I asked you out, I'd drive." Jack tucked his hands into his back pockets. "My car's over there."
"Sure." Rhys followed Jack to the car, smiling when Jack opened the door. He slid into the seat and Jack started the car, backing out of the lot.
Rhys immediately went to fiddle with the radio, but Jack caught his wrist.
"Ah, ah, Cupcake. Driver picks the music."
Rhys folded his hands back into his lap. "I figured you'd be a classic rock kind of guy."
Jack chuckled, coming to a stop at the light. "How could you tell?"
"The other day," Rhys grinned. "You were singing Bad Company."
"How'd you know?" something in Jack's chest fluttered. He was cute and he knew classic rock, at least a little. That was two checks yes in Jack's book.
"You think I only listen to pop music?"
"Well, not only apparently." Jack pulling into the lot of the bar. "Is this place okay?"
Rhys peered out the window. "If it's where you want to go."
They got out of the car together, walking inside.
"Hey, Jack." Moxxi waved. "Haven't seen you in over a week. Thought you'd stop coming all together."
"Just been busy is all." Rhys followed Jack up to the bar. "I'll take the usual, please, and what can Moxxi get you to drink, Cupcake?"
"I'll take a dirty martini." Rhys grinned, sliding his hand against Jack's lower back. "And, I have to use the restroom, so I'll be right back."
"I'll be here." Jack watched Rhys go over his shoulder before turning back to Moxxi, who was giving him the slyest look as she filled a pint of Guinness for Jack.
"So, who's he?"
"He rented the space next to my store. He's been bringing me a lot more business, so I thought I owed him a drink."
"He's awful cute." She slid Jack his pint before picking up her martini shaker. "What kind of shop does he run, anyways?"
"Lingerie, real classy joint." Jack took a sip.
"So, is this just a business drink, or…?"
"Not sure yet."
"I've never seen so many stickers in a bathroom stall before." Rhys slid down on the stool next to Jack. "You come here a lot?"
"Oh, yes, all the time." Moxxi slid Rhys his martini and smiled. "Jack's a regular here at the Red Light."
Jack gave her a look over the top of his glass that screamed 'run along'. She laughed to herself before heading down the bar to check on some other patrons.
"So, I figure you know her pretty well." Rhys ran this pointer finger over the rim of his glass.
"Moxxi and I have known each other for quite a while. The Red Light and Jack's Music opened up at about the same time. Local businesses have to stick together." Jack took another sip from his drink. "Speaking of, what got you into running a lingerie store?"
"I wanted to run something different. Lingerie looks good on everyone if they find the right piece, and I've always liked making people happy." Rhys took a sip from his drink and smiled. "You should see someone's face when they find the piece that fits them just right. It's like seeing a kid find out they're going to Disney World."
"I get that. It's kind of like when someone finds that guitar they've been looking for. Though, I bet it happens less at my shop then it does at yours."
"Well, I don't sell guitars."
They both chuckled before taking sips from their drinks.
"So, you're a Guinness guy."
"And you're a dirty martini guy."
"Please." Rhys rolled his eyes. "I'm usually more of an appletini drinker, but I wasn't sure if this was really the place for that."
"Where do you usually end up drinking, then?"
"I'm more of a Pandora man."
"The club on the other side of town?"
Rhys raised his brows. "You not a club kind of guy?"
"Not really my scene, Rhysie." Jack took another drink.
"Seedy bars is your thing, right?" Rhys took a sip from his own drink.
"Always been part of the scene, everywhere I go."
"Leather jackets, classic rock, Guinness, and seedy bars." Rhys smiled to himself. "Dangerous…"
"And?"
"I have a soft spot for dangerous guys."
Jack raised his brows and finished his drink. "Would you mind flagging Moxxi down and ordering me another one? I'm going to go switch the song out on the juke box."
"Sure thing." Rhys winked as Jack slid from his stool and wandered over to the juke box, leafing through the music selection. He clicked D4 and the song started to echo through the bar. He turned and Rhys was behind him, holding Jack's drink.
"Play pool with me?"
"Alright," Jack took his drink and took a sip before setting it on the table near the rack of pool sticks. "You want to make a wager before we start?"
"Sure." Rhys began racking the balls, bent over the table as he rolled the rack. "Hmm…well, if I win I get to pick where we go the next time we go out."
"The next time?" Jack raised a brow as he passed Rhys a pool stick.
"Mhm." Rhys smirked pulling away the rack. "And if you win?"
"If I win…" Jack placed the cue ball. "You let me take you back to my place after this."
Rhys whistled, rounding the table to stand next to Jack, bending over and shooting the cue ball, balls bouncing off the sides in a clean break. "You drive a hard bargain, Jack."
"Take it or leave it, Cupcake." Jack stooped down, striking the cue and sinking the 3 ball in the upper right corner pocket. "But I am pretty good at this game."
He shot again, and the 7 bounced off the side, stopping just short of the left side pocket.
"Well, then I'll just have to take you up on that offer, but I'll have you know." Rhys shot and sank the 12 ball before shooting again and sinking the 9. "So am I."
Jack whistled and watched as Rhys came close, bending down and bushing his rear against Jack's hip. The 15 bounced away from the corner pocket and Jack smirked.
Jack rounded the table and bent to shoot. "How long have you lived in Hollow Point?"
"Just a few months now. I rented out the space a few weeks before I moved down here."
Jack sunk the 7 before rounding to shoot for the 5. "And where are you from?"
"Atlas." Rhys leaned against the wall before taking a sip from Jack's drink and making a face. "How do you drink this?"
"With my mouth." Jack chuckled, watching as the 5 sank in. "What made you come to our shithole of a town, anyways?"
"Wanted to start somewhere new." Rhys rounded the table after Jack missed the 1 with the cue ball. "Atlas wasn't really my scene, anyways."
"Fair enough."
Rhys missed the 13 and straightened back up. "What about you? You lived here your whole life?"
"Well, not my whole life. Just since I was about nineteen."
"What made you move here?"
Jack missed his shot before he straightened up and cleared his throat. "My, at the time, girlfriend."
"Ah." Rhys looked down. "You can shoot again. I kind of messed you up on that one."
"Nah, it's fine." Jack made a 'go ahead' motion with his hands and took a long drink from his Guinness. "You just caught me a little off guard is all."
"Bad break up?" Rhys shot for the 13 again, missing. Jack couldn't tell if it was on purpose or not,
"Something like that." Jack bent and shot for the 2 and sank it before rounding the table. "Can we talk about something else? It's too soon to get into each other's baggage."
"Sure." Rhys exhaled, looking up at the ceiling. "So what made you want to open up a music store?"
"I was sick of seeing people get ripped off for their instruments, myself included." He sank the 1 and rounded the table.
"You play?"
"Of course, I do. Don't think there are any music shop owners that don't." He missed the 4 and leaned back against the wall. "You better catch up soon, Rhysie, or you'll end up going home with me."
"We'll see about that." He sank the 13, then the 15 before rounding to shoot for the 11. "Are you any good?"
"I mostly played in a band when I was younger."
Rhys sank the 10, rounding the table. "And now?"
"I don't play as much, but I still enjoy it when I get the time."
"Well, I'd love to hear you play sometime." Rhys shot for the 11 and missed. He smiled to himself. "Looks like we're about even again."
"Looks like it." Jack finished his drink and walked to set his empty glass on the bar. He crossed back to the table and aimed to shoot for the 4. "Still confident in your skills, Cupcake?"
"You don't scare me, yet." Rhys smirked when Jack missed. "You shouldn't be so cocky; you haven't won just yet."
"Please." Jack smirked right back, watching Rhys as he bent over the table. "Cocky is my middle name."
Rhys sank the 11 and straightened to shoot for the 14. "Maybe you should change it."
"To what?"
Rhys sank the 14. "I haven't decided yet."
Jack whistled. "Looks like you just have one left."
"Looks like it." Rhys smiled over his shoulder at Jack. "Go ahead and take your turn."
Rhys was close enough to kiss. Jack's lips felt chapped. Rhys' eyes were half-lidded, and he reached to set his hand atop Jack's.
"Come on, I haven't won just yet." Rhys laughed, squeezing lightly before stepping away from Jack's hold. "You still might best me yet."
Jack cleared his throat and moved around the table. "Right." He bent to shoot the 6 and sank it. He shot for the 4 and missed.
"Shit." He sighed, running his fingers through his hair.
Rhys smirked, rounding the table before stooping, lining up the ball. "Top right corner."
"Noted."
Rhys shot the ball and sank the 8.
Rhys won.
He straightened up and smiled. "Well, well, Jack. Looks like I get to pick the next date spot."
"Looks like it, Rhysie." Jack smiled. "That was a good game. It's been a long time since I've played anyone that good."
"Haha! Fuck you too!" Moxxi shouted from behind the bar. Jack and Rhys chuckled as they put away their pool sticks.
"Did you want another drink?"
"I'm good." Rhys smiled, "Thank you, though."
"Do you wanna…" Jack cleared his throat. "Do you wanna get out of here?"
Rhys smiled, reaching over to squeeze Jack's hand. "Okay."
Jack paid their bill and they walked out to the car.
"You're all good to drive?"
"Yeah." Jack nodded. "Just had two, and I drank them slow. I'm good."
"Okay." Rhys smiled when Jack opened the passenger door for him again.
"So, my place, or…?" Jack asked as he started the car.
Rhys chuckled, shaking his head. "Jack, you didn't win, remember?"
"I know, but…"
Rhys reached over, squeezing his hand. "Not on the first date."
"So, this was a date."
"Of course, it was." Rhys laughed. "What did you think it was?"
"Well, I wasn't sure until I saw you bending over that pool table."
Rhys scoffed. "Please, you knew as soon as I stepped out of the back room back at the shop."
Jack pulled out of the parking lot. "Maybe I did."
Rhys squeezed his hand again, threading their fingers together.
Jack turned into the parking lot of their shops.
"I…" Rhys turned himself in the seat. "I had a really nice time with you tonight, Jack."
Jack turned to look at him. "Yeah, this was…This was fun."
"So, next Saturday?" Rhys bit his lip. "I'll drive us after work."
"And, just where are we going?" Jack looked at him. "That club of yours?"
"You'll just have to wait and see, won't you?" Rhys grinned, unthreading their fingers and reaching for the handle to the car door.
"Hey," Jack caught hold of Rhys's hip.
Rhys stopped, turning to look at him. Jack kept his hand against Rhys' waist, rubbing this thumb in little circles against the lace of his tank top.
"I—"
Rhys closed in the space, setting his hands against Jack's chest. Their mouths pressed together, radio playing in the background, cycling through another song on Jack's mix tape. The same song he'd picked in the bar. Jack brought his other hand up, cupping Rhys' jaw and pulling him closer.
It was gentler than he'd expected it to be. Smooth with just the slightest graze of teeth against his bottom lip when Rhys pulled away, opening his eyes to look at him, their noses brushing together.
Rhys made a small laugh in the back of his throat, sliding his hands down Jack's chest before pulling away. "I'll see you Monday, Jack."
Jack cleared his throat, retracting his hands from Rhys slowly. "Yeah. I'll see you Monday."
Then Rhys got out of the car, walking with a delicate sway of the hips back to his own. Jack couldn't stop smiling on his way back home.