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"Ok, someone gets it. I don't want to be around you, and I sense you don't want to be around me either. Let's just avoid each other for tonight, okay?"
He opens his mouth to speak, and some woman wearing half a top appears behind him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her bright red lipstick leaves an imprint on his cheek where she kisses him.
"Gabe darling. You didn’t tell us you were coming this evening. I would have brought all my friends."
"It was impromptu,” he says but makes no effort to remove her hand or seek space.
I scoff. Why would he? He's such a playboy and enjoys all the attention.
As though foreshadowing, as soon as I conclude my thought, several other women walk up to him. I don't know what keeps me seated, but I watch them come and go, with Gabriel promising to see them later.
"All of them?" I ask. "Have you no shame?"
But it tells me more of what I already know: I will never be on friendly terms with Gabriel Everhart.
Finally, I get down from the stool, ready to leave the club. I'm sure Mira can find her way home. If she doesn't, I trust Caleb enough that he'll take care of her.
"Where are you going?" Gabriel says.
"What does it look like?" I say without turning around. "Home. I'm done here. Tell your friend to return my friend when you guys leave the club."
Taking me unaware, Gabriel's fingers close around my wrist as he tries to stop me. On an average day, I'd have a better balance. But with the annoyance, the tipsiness, and the atmosphere, I end up stumbling.
Stumbling back and hitting a firm wall made of muscle.
"Are you okay?"
I don't hear Gabriel's voice. I feel it running down my arms like caressing fingers, making me ache for something more. I feel it in my chest and my stomach as my nostrils welcome the intoxicating smell of him—Woody, musk, a hint of leather, something light and breezy.
For some reason, it fits the mood of the night.
The atmosphere's allure gives people more reasons to dance with strangers, and the unspoken chemistry between two strangers or two lovers, knowing that the night is theirs.
"Dance with me," he says.
What? I spin around, but I cannot break free because his grip doesn't loosen.
"You like to dance, don't you?" Gabriel whispers, and I can hear him. "Well, show me. It's just one dance, and I'll let you go after that. I won't tease you again if you agree."
This is madness. I shouldn't agree to something this ridiculous. I should tell him to his face that he cannot pull my strings and walk away.
But I find myself walking away from the bar to the dance floor, my hand in his.
"How do you want to dance?" He asks me while stepping close. "Like that?"
I follow his hand to see that he's pointing at a couple who are going at it; her back to his chest, and her hips are working overtime while his hands are—
"No." I shake my head, with a smile.
Gabriel laughs. "Okay. Let's keep it PG between us, then. I'll keep some distance behind you but close enough that anyone coming knows we're together, okay?"
I don't have time to agree because he's already behind me.
The only problem becomes the fact that I can sense him. I can feel the heat of his body.
Also…I want him to touch me. To close the space between us and put his hands on my body. I want to know what it feels like to be touched by Gabriel Everhart.
Someone bumps into me just then, and I step back…into his chest. A protective arm wraps around my middle while his mouth nestles against my neck.
