“Maybe we could just be you and me tonight?”
Me and him. Not a witch with weak magic or the shark shifter she’d used. Not a pro athlete and one who had washed out. Just two people in the dark with good music and a warm hand wrapped around mine.
I let him draw me in.
The crowd swallowed us. Lights were everywhere—pink, then green, then a blue that turned everyone’s skin supernatural colors—and the song was all low end and a girl’s voice looping over the top. Chase settled his hands on my hips. I rested mine on his shoulders, and we moved. It came easy, like we’d done this a million times. Like he knew me better than anyone else ever had.
Then the beat dropped and sped up. His hands tightened, and he spun me.
All thinking fell away.
I let the music take me.
And surrendered to him and the dance.
Sand kicked up around my ankles and sweat pooled at my hairline. Somebody’s drink sloshed cold across our arms, and neither of us cared, just kept moving. He tugged me closer, our bodies pressed together in the throng. His thigh slotted between mine, but his hands stayed chastely on my waist. To my right,Tanner bounced toward us, two drinks in hand. Chase and I each took one, the red cup cold against my palm. Before I could thank him, Tanner bounced away again, hands over his head.
I laughed and took a swig of…something incredibly strong. I gagged, and Chase laughed, took his own swig, then made an identical face.
I laughed, and it felt good. Easy.
I danced in his arms, for once forgetting everything that had been weighing on me and just enjoying the music and the feeling of him surrounding me.
Chase pulled me in close, his mouth at my ear so I could hear him over the bass.
“There she is,” he murmured.
My heart skipped. I tipped my head back to look at him, the lights sliding over his face, and for one second I forgot every reason this was a bad idea.
Before my brain could catch up, I leaned in and kissed him.
His eyes went wide for just a moment before he raised a hand to the back of my head, tilting my face up and kissing me back like we were just two young people dancing on a beach. No complications, no excuses, just his lips on mine and the taste of saltwater on my tongue.
Then the music lowered, and we broke apart.
The crowd groaned, then perked up as a voice came over the speakers, way too pleased with itself.
“Party people! We’ve got a special guest in the crowd tonight?—”
Chase went still against me.
“—word is El Tiburón himself is out there. Get up here, man! Show these people how the shark spins a track!”
A spotlight swung across the sand, hunting.
Chase looked down at me, and for the first time all night the easy grin was gone, replaced with…embarrassment.
“Okay.” He held up his hands. “In my defense, I didn’t tell them I was coming.”
“Better get up there, El Tiburón. Your people are waiting.”
He frowned. “I don’t have to. I’d rather stay?—”
But I gently pushed away from him.
“Have to give the people what they want, right? And maybe I want to see you up there. Go on. I’ll be here.”
He glanced between me and the stage, then leaned down and kissed my cheek.
