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My stomach clenched. What was the night going to hold if my insides were already doing somersaults over this small gesture? Lately I was more nervous about our charade than knocking people unconscious.
We walked out and into the gathering that was already in full swing, music playing and the smell of food filling the air. For the first time since the lake incident, I was getting more smiles than frowns as I walked through the crowd. Some of the people seemed towantto say hello. We did a round or two together, and then Kaden found a bench. He tugged at my arm, pulling me down onto his lap and then wrapping an arm around my hips. There were glances from the crowd, as if finally their world was making a little more sense.
He handed me a bottle he’d been drinking out of, and I took a swig, adjusting to the harsh burn. Then I took another gulp. I might have to drink half the bottle to lose my awareness of sitting here, on his lap.
He leaned close to my ear. “You need to stop acting as if you’ve never touched me before.”
I forced a smile and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, letting myself lean into him. “Better?”
“Almost,” he said, then grazed my jaw with a feathering of light kisses, making me shiver.
Jennie and Luanne, a couple of the people I’d practiced with today, walked over. They were talking about mock attacks we could try to set up, using some of the abandoned buildings. The whole time they looked at us as if Kaden and I had made a complete one-eighty in their eyes. A few others were lingering around the perimeter of our group before slowly edging in closer and joining the conversation.
There was a call that the roast was being sliced up, and suddenly we were alone again. By the time they walked away, I was biting my lip.
“What’s wrong? You want to call it quits already?” Kaden asked.
He was grinning, but I could hear the seriousness underlying the question.
“No. It’s just hard to see the way they’re all so happy about our being together. Our situation makes them hopeful.”
“I know. We’re the first piece that gets laid into place that all the other pieces form around.”
“This is…” It was like having a herd of elephants sitting on my chest. I’d known our mating was important to them, but seeing it in their eyes…
“I know.”
His arms had tightened around me, and I wasn’t sure if he realized I didn’t mind. Right now I sort of wished we really were a thing and I could stay wrapped like this forever. It was easier than facing the truth.
“We’re a fake,” I said.
He didn’t say anything, but he rubbed the side of my hip. How natural the gesture felt made this situation all the more confusing.
I’d stolen his bottle again, taking another long swig, when I heard the commotion. I leaned over to see what was going on and saw Cookie walking through the crowd, saying hellos as she headed toward us.
I was on my feet before she could get to us. She was smiling, but it didn’t hide the tension around her eyes.
“It’s so good to see you,” I said, barely restraining myself from hugging her.
She lifted her arm, and I thought she might’ve actually gone in for a hug. Luckily, she gave my shoulder a light punch instead. Things might be bad, but she hadn’t cracked yet. If she’d hugged me, it would’ve been a different story.
“Look who showed up,” Luisca said, walking over, Tiber right beside her.
Cookie glanced around. “Didn’t mean to crash your party.”
“As if you care,” Tiber said.
We all laughed, because everyone here knew Cookie was the last person to worry about crashing a party.
The laughter didn’t last long as she looked at me and Kaden. “As much as I’d like to join the party, we’ve got some things to talk about.”
“Maybe we should go have some tea inside, away from the crowd,” Luisca said, motioning toward the house.
Cookie nodded but looked like the last thing she wanted was tea—perhaps something a little harder. As we walked back to the house, I grabbed the bottle Kaden and I had been sharing and handed it to her. I didn’t know what exactly it was, but my throat was still burning from it.
She took it like I’d just handed her a priceless jewel. Her look said thank you clearer than any words as she took a long swig.
Tiber turned to Luisca as we walked in the house. “Did you see the kids?”
