The song ended, and “Touch” by July Talk started playing.
As the majority of people on the dance floor headed for the bar, Faye tried to pull away from him, but Adam pulled her back and looped her arms around his neck as he swayed back and forth to the intro. When the beat picked up, he took her hand again and moved her into a faster step, spinning her around just to hear the sweet sound of her laughter.
The deep gravel baritone of the male singer rumbled through his blood, the lyrics about letting a woman in hitting Adam in a certain kind of way.
He, too, wanted to slice open his skin and pull her inside. It was the only way he’d ever feel close enough to her. He wanted to feel her blood race with his. Hear her heartbeat in his ears…
The song ended way too soon. Faye was breathing hard, her chest rising and falling deliciously against his own. Adam inhaled, breathing her into his lungs, allowing the scent of her to absorb into his cells. She stared up at him for a long time, and Adam didn’t need her to tell him what she was feeling in that moment, because he was feeling the same thing.
Another song came on, breaking the spell.
“You never answered my question,” she said as he led her over to Lex and the two cold beers waiting for them.
Adam handed hers to her and took a long drink of his before asking, “What question is that?”
“What brought you two here,” she reminded him, glancing at Lex with a smile.
“Lex, this is Faye. Faye, Lex.”
Lex gave her a nod. “Nice to meet you, Faye.”
“You, too,” she told him.
“Work,” Adam told her.
“Work?”
“Yeah,” he said. “We’re here for work. Specifically, to help out our friend Riko with some things.”
“Oh, I know Riko. He grew up here, but he moved away right after high school. He was a few years ahead of me, but my brother graduated with him. He comes into the coffee shop sometimes with Addison.” She gave him a quizzical look. “Does that mean you aren’t staying?”
“I hadn’t planned on it, no,” he told her honestly.
Her face fell just a bit, but she hid it so fast, he almost wondered if he’d imagined it. Still, his wolf growled at the thought of her being unhappy. “That’s too bad,” she said softly, her eyes on his.
“Faye! Come dance with us!”
She smiled and waved at the group of girls on the dance floor, but hesitated to join them. Adam tore his eyes away from her and took another drink. He needed to get his shit together. He wasn’t here to make eyes at a pretty girl. “Go on,” he told her. “Go dance.”
She glanced nervously in the direction of a rowdy corner of the bar where Jeff was leading the toasts. Adam hadn’t missed the way he’d been keeping one eye on Faye the entire night. “You don’t have to worry about him,” he told her. “Me and Lex here will cut him off if he tries anything tonight. Right, Lex?”
“Sure,” he said as he waved Greg down for another beer. “I’m always up for a fight.”
“No,” Faye told him. “No fighting.” Then she backed off a bit. “Although I appreciate the gesture. But I can handle Jeff.”
Adam caught her eyes with his. “I know you can, but you don’t have to. Not tonight, at least.”
She gave him a smile that made his chest hurt. “Thank you. You’re the best fake boyfriend ever.” And with that, she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek near the corner of his mouth.
Adam turned his head on instinct, but she was gone before he could capture her lips with his, hurrying out onto the dance floor to join her girlfriends. His wolf pushed at his ribcage, eager to taste her. Gritting his teeth and wondering what the fuck was wrong with him, Adam forced himself to let her go.
When he turned back to the bar, Lex was staring at him. “What?” he growled.
“Nothin’,” his friend told him with a smirk. “Not a goddamn thing.”
Chapter 4
Faye
