I grinned, telling myself that my enthusiasm was all about protecting my friend and not about the fact I was about to get to hold her in my arms.
NINE
TALLY
I placed my hand in Alec’s and let him lead me onto the uncovered wooden dance floor adjoining the restaurant. A surge of something like electricity zapped between us and I bit my lower lip to stop myself from gasping.
My fingertips tingled as he firmed his grip on me, as if they were desperate to touch more of him. They wanted to journey up his muscular arms and discover all of the parts of him I’d never experienced before.
This is a dangerous game you’re playing.
I hoped like hell that I wouldn’t come to regret it. If I lost Alec, I’d be crushed. He was more than just a friend. He was the most important person in my life.
The song changed to something upbeat with an acoustic guitar and a rapidly beating drum. Alec guided me around until I was standing chest-to-chest with him. Or close to it, considering I was quite a bit shorter than him.
We began to move. We’d danced together many times before, so I knew he had good rhythm, but we’d always maintained a certain level of distance between us. Now, he erased that space, moving closer to me each time we swayed until his hand came torest on my hip and my breasts brushed against him each time we moved.
My nipples tightened and I sucked in a breath, hoping he wouldn’t notice. I was wearing a strapless bra beneath the dress, so fortunately, my reaction shouldn’t have been obvious.
It’s just friction, I told myself.Friction causes a physiological response.
It was easier to believe that than to admit to myself that my best friend’s touch turned me on.
I closed my eyes, trusting him to keep me safe and hoping that the visual barrier would stop my unwanted physical reaction to him. But not being able to see him merely amplified the current between us, causing the hair on my arms to stand on end with each accidental caress.
Heat pooled low in my core as Alec twirled me. He smelled of lemon, sea salt, and man. Delicious and unique and so tantalizing that I wanted to bury my face in his chest and breathe him in.
Opening my eyes, I blinked up at him hazily while my vision cleared. His dark gaze stared back at me, never wavering. His tattooed arm flexed ever so slightly around me and his hold on my waist tightened.
“Tally, I—”
The song ended and, suddenly, Thad was standing beside us.
Alec turned to him and growled, “What do you want?”
Thad puffed his chest out. He looked ridiculous, trying to posture in front of the wall of muscle that was my best friend. While Thad wasn’t a limp noodle, he could never match Alec in size or sheer intimidation power.
“Stop embarrassing yourselves,” he said snidely. “You’re obviously faking this whole thing so that Tally doesn’t look like a loser, but we can all see through the act.”
I froze. My stomach hardened and my chest constricted as I temporarily forgot how to breathe.
Was it true?
Did everyone know we were pretending?
Were they gossiping behind my back?
I never should have gone along with this. It was a stupid idea. Alec had meant well, but I was the one who would end up paying for our bad decisions.
Coral appeared behind Thad and yanked on his arm.
“What are you doing?” she hissed, flashing me an apologetic look.
Thad folded his arms. “I just want Tally to admit the truth.”
“Why do you care?” she demanded. “It isn’t any of your business.”
But Thad didn’t budge.
