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"Of course. I wouldn't be a Scotsman if I didn't." He led her out of the kitchen and into the dining room.
The dance floor was packed, with those who were still seated busy talking and drinking and laughing, and no one seemed to pay her any attention, which was good.
Well, for tonight, it was. She wouldn't have dyed her hair blue and pierced her eyebrow if she wanted to go unnoticed.
Pulling her behind him, Peter managed to squeeze between the dancing bodies until he reached the center of the dance floor and wrapped her in his arms.
Everyone around them was waving their arms and moving this way and that, but Peter seemed to think it was a slow dance and wouldn't let go of her.
Marina couldn't shake the feeling of unease gnawing at her insides. The eyes of the other guests seemed to bore into her, and she had the feeling that their whispers and murmurs were about the outsider among them.
"This is embarrassing," she hissed into Peter's ear. "Let go of me."
He seemed oblivious to her discomfort, his arms holding her tightly and his nose buried in the crook of her neck. "Not yet," he murmured, his breath warm against her skin. "I need to hold you for a little longer."
Peter was definitely buzzed but despite that, she found herself melting into his embrace, the tension in her body slowly abating, and as they moved together, she tried to convince herself that she was imagining the whispers and stares and that no one was paying attention to the only couple slow dancing among them.
Lost in the rhythm of the music and the warmth of Peter's touch, she had a few blissful moments, but as the song came to an end and the crowd began to disperse, she could no longer pretend that no one was looking or that some of the murmurs weren't about her.
Marina didn't have an immortal's hearing, but she'd heard the words 'human' and 'blue hair' spoken from several directions.
Finally, Peter released her from his embrace and leaned back to look her over. "What's the matter? Why are you so tense?"
She leaned to whisper in his ear. "Everyone is looking at me."
"Of course they are. You are gorgeous." He wrapped his arm around her waist and tugged her along with him. "I know what you need."
"And what's that?"
"A drink."
44
PETER
Were people looking?
Of course they were. Peter was well aware of the looks despite being a little drunk, and Marina was uncomfortable, thinking that everyone had a problem with her being his human date, which wasn't true. She didn't know that most of those immortals, who she thought were judging her, were hooking up with humans on a regular basis.
The only difference was that it was happening on this cruise, which was almost the same as if he had invited a human to the village. Not that it should have been so shocking. After all, the humans from the Kra-ell compound had been offered a place in the village, and if they hadn't decided that they liked Safe Haven better, they would have been living there now.
So yeah, it was a small oddity, but it was by no means the big deal Marina thought it was.
"Bob." Peter waved over to the bartender. "A drink for the lady."
Bob zoomed over and grinned. "What would the mistress like?"
"A mojito, please." She leaned against Peter's side as if trying to disappear into him.
"Marina." Jay walked over and offered her his hand. "Good to see you. Are you enjoying the party?"
"I'm trying to." She gave him a tight smile. "I feel strange being here all dressed up instead of serving tables."
"You look spectacular," Jay said. "I don't think anyone recognizes you as the server they've been seeing every other meal in the dining room."
"You are such a sweet liar." She wound a lock of her hair around her finger. "But with my blue hair, I'm hard to miss or to confuse with someone else."
He shrugged. "Does it matter? Every single guy here is envying Peter for snagging such a beautiful lady as his date for tonight, and I bet tomorrow, he will be approached by a dozen different guys asking him how he managed to get you to agree to be his partner."
