Conceal

We continue to drink, and with each sip, my inhibitions dissipate. I feel light and happy, and before long, I’m standing and dancing. Arms in the air, I face Maggie. We sway together, enjoying ourselves and letting loose.

Jax is at the table, his eyes watching me. Like a voyeur. And while it should upset me to have him gawk at me after everything I’ve been through, it doesn’t. No. Instead, I like it.

I like the way he watches me. The way he stares. The way he undresses me with his gaze. I close my eyes so I don’t hear what he’s saying without words. With my vision turned off, I continue to move, I feel him. I don’t need to see to know he’s near.

I can smell him.

His hands touch me. His front to my back as he sways our hips together.

The way he feels behind me intoxicates me, and I can only imagine what he would feel like on top of me. I allow myself to get lost in the moment, to believe this is possible. I let the music engulf me.

I let the scent of him filter in through me, and I let myself let go completely.

The songs come and go, changing time and time again. Hours must pass, but we don’t move; we continue to dance, swaying our bodies, and we don’t pull apart, and neither one of us turns. We don’t look at each other because we both know the moment will be lost if we do. He knows as well as I do that there’s nothing for us.

At least not now. Not with so many variables up in the air. Maybe later. Maybe in the future, but right now, right here, I ignore that and let myself be.

Out of nowhere, I’m bumped from the side, and we lose the moment. I shake my head, allowing the world to rush back in. The colors and sounds hit me with a force I’m not ready for, but what I’m mostly not ready for is how he stares down at me and how I wonder what this means. Nothing. So I shake my head and smile brightly, pointing at the table.

“I’m gonna get some water.”

He laughs at that, and I raise an eyebrow.

“You find that funny?”

“I find it funny that you think there’s water at the table.” With the lights now adjusting in my eyes, I notice there is, in fact, no water at the table, only vodka and tequila and mixers.

“Don’t worry about it. Go back to the table, and I’ll grab you a water.”

“Do you mind?”

He smiles at that but doesn’t respond. Instead, he turns on his heel and makes his way to the bar. I sit back down, but I’m not alone at the table. There’s a girl I don’t know, and I recognize his friend from the poker game. Maggie is still dancing, and it looks like she might’ve found entertainment for the night.

“Why are you here?” the girl I don’t know says to me.

“Jax invited me.”

“Are you fucking him?” She sneers in obvious jealousy.

“Not that it’s any of your business, but we’re just friends.”

“Please, Jaxson Price doesn’t have friends.”

“Well, that is all this is, so apparently he does,” I retort.

“If you say so.”

I shake my head as the girl glares at me. I’m not sure who she is, but it’s obvious she has a thing for Jaxson. As I’m about to open my mouth, Jaxson steps up, holding the bottle of water out to me.

“Here.”

“Thanks,” I respond, and I’m not just talking about the drink. I think he knows that whoever this girl is, she was giving me a hard time.

Jaxson then sits beside me and places his arm around my shoulder. I know what he’s doing, but I wish he wouldn’t because while he’s trying to protect me, he placed a giant bull’s-eye on me. If this girl could kill me with stares, I’d be dead already.

You’re a minnow swimming in a pool of sharks.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Jaxson

We spend another hour drinking, but not dancing anymore. The night is winding down, but I’m not ready for it to end. I know I have work tomorrow, but I don’t care. The lights of the club turn on, and the music lowers. Once again, I close the bar down. It’s been a while since I’ve done this, but I don’t regret it even if I’m tired tomorrow. I turn to my left and look at Willow. She’s lifting a glass of water to her mouth. She must notice me staring because she turns in my direction.

“Looks like it’s time to go.” When I say that, she looks around the room. She’s searching for her friend, and when she spots her, her cheeks turn red. I see why. In the corner of the room, her friend Maggie is kissing one of Trent’s friends.