“Go ahead. I’m an open book.” A sexy grin spread across his face.
Lora leaned in closer as if they shared a secret. “Is your tattoo real?”
Blue laughed and seemed to be unable to stop. “Can you keep a secret?” Lora nodded eagerly, eyes wide. “It’s fake. It’s part of my costume. Scandalous, right?”
Indeed, everything about him screamed scandalous. She didn’t know if it was the alcohol or his smile that heated her skin and made her feel light-headed. She tilted her head back and looked at the ceiling, tracking the lights as they swept over her one by one. Bright, hopeful, bold, just as she wished to be. She reached out to try and catch the light, to bottle it up inside her. The movement made her feel dizzy and she swayed.
Blue was looking at her in amusement. “Are you all right, love?”
“Sure,” she replied seriously. Or at least that was her attempt. She took a step forward as she asked, “So about that crystal—”
Lora stumbled over her own feet and ungracefully steadied herself. When she looked up, she first noticed Blue’s amusement had vanished. Then she saw that the remainder of her drink was now all over Blue’s copper shirt.
“Shit, I’m so sorry.” She took in the stained shirt and its now weird-looking colour pattern. Lora couldn’t restrain the laugh that came out of her.
Blue looked like he was at a loss for words, but then he joined her laughter. “Well, I guess every star gets something thrown at them every once in a while. Although a drink wouldn’t be my first choice.” Then he surprised her by pouring the rest of his own drink on himself. Blue raised his empty cup and said, “To the sky,” as he met Lora’s eyes. “Wouldn’t want you to suffer from bad luck for a month.”
That made absolutely no sense to Lora, but it was ridiculous enough to make her chuckle. “Maybe we should go somewhere more private and you can tell me more about your crystal.” She tried to lean against the bar and almost missed the counter, fumbling as she tried to keep her cool.
Blue looked her over then shook his head. “Not this time, love. I think you had a little too much to drink. Until next time.” He gave her a little bow and turned to leave.
She grabbed his arm. “Come on…don’t leave yet.”
He gently removed her fingers from his arm. “You should go sleep it off. You’re pretty drunk.”
“And you aren’t?” How dare he judge her? From what she had seen tonight, he was the definition of a party boy.
“I am, but I can handle it. Take care of yourself and—”
“Sorry that I don’t have…some fancy crystal keeping me in the perfect drunken state…or whatever.” Anger fuelled her veins and the already warm room turned scorching hot.
“Lower your voice, love,” Blue whispered under his breath.
Something snapped inside her, the little hold she had on her temper ran free. “Oh, now you’re telling me how loud I can and cannot speak. The almighty Blue—what ridiculous name is that, by the way?—has spoken.” The laugh she let out wasn’t pretty but she didn’t care. She was on a roll. “What are you gonna do if I refuse? Throw money at me? You’re just—”
“I think it’s time to go,” Eyden said, suddenly appearing next to her. Lora was too surprised to say anything.
Blue looked taken aback too. “And you are?” he asked.
“A friend. We came here together, didn’t we, Lora?” Eyden’s eyes told her to agree.
“Yes, but I can’t leave yet. I—”
Eyden cut her off again. “Excuse my friend’s drunkenness. And if your shirt was caught in the crossfire, then sorry about that too. That’s a great outfit. Kinda looks like what that guy on this cover is wearing.” He pointed to the record wall.
Blue turned around. “Which one?”
“The one on the left.” Eyden put an arm around Lora, who was heavily leaning against the bar. “By Caelo, I think she’s going to throw up. We should go.”
Lora gave him a death stare. “Am not! I need to stay, I’m not done.”
“Yes, you are.”
“No, I’m not.” She kept arguing with him as he steered her away from Blue, who looked both entertained and puzzled.
“Hope I see you again when you’re sober, Lora,” he shouted after them.
Lora wanted to protest more, to get out of Eyden’s grip and run back to Blue, to the crystal, but the room felt so blurry. Her eyes couldn’t focus on Blue anymore—on anything. All she saw was a mix of colours and mist.
