I scowled at him. “And you can?”
“Yes.”
I huffed. “That’s sexist! How come you get to drink when you’re all upset and I don’t?”
He stared into my eyes, a desperate look on his face. “You’re upset?”
“You’re not the only one who’s freaked about the Narco situation,” I said, accepting my drink from the bartender. “I don’t like it any more than you do. But I know whining about it won’t change a thing. I just want to try and have fun at my birthday celebration.” I took a sip and nearly choked.
Jace screwed up his face. “Give me that.” He attempted to snatch my drink. I turned, sloshing a bit from the glass but keeping it in my hands.
“No,” I drawled. “And you never answered me. How come you can drink and I can’t?”
He released a heavy sigh. I barely heard it over the music. “Because, no one tries to take advantage of me if I get drunk. I’m not a hot chick that has to worry about some guy trying to get into my pants.” He looked me up and down. “Or my bustle.”
I stretched my eyes wide, amused. “So, I’m a hot chick?” I smiled. “And you’d probably look pretty cute in a bustle.”
He opened his mouth, then shut it. “Did you miss the point of that sentence?”
I rolled my eyes. “Whatever, Jace. If I get a little messed up, I’m sure you’ll watch my back. Right?”
Lana fanned her hand between us. “Chill, guys. We’re trying to enjoy ourselves, remember? God, you’d think with the drama between you two you were dating.” She gulped her drink down in three long chugs while Jace and I glared at each other. Then she rushed me to finish mine, herding me toward the dance floor.
I glanced back once to see Jace staring after me. He looked like a kicked puppy. I’d have to try to force him to have a good time. At least for the time being, before…if the Narcos showed up.
Lana giggled next to me, putting her hands above her head and flinging her long waves of blond. She was the hottest girl on the dance floor. With her tight leather pants and short mini-corset, she was the one Jace would be guy-deflecting for. It wasn’t that I wasn’t pretty. I mean, I’m okay. But she had a presence about her—playful—that just attracted guys like a magnet.
I laughed as she danced up beside me, wrapping her arms on either side of my hips. She’d soon make every guy in the place have a heart attack. I watched us in the mirror for a moment. In the reflection, I saw Nick getting his own action with a tiny blond girl half his size. The effects of the drink were making me giddy, and I couldn’t stop laughing at the sight of him trying to squat low to dance with her.
I spun around and noticed Jace still at the bar, watching me. My heart sank. No matter how we were acting toward one another tonight, he’d been one of my best friends my whole life. I waved to Lana, and she shrugged as I bounced off the floor.
Jace whirled and faced the bar. He took a swig of his beer. “You’re drunk already, huh? Girls. You’re such lightweights.”
“No,” I said, stretching the word out. “I’m just happy. Come on.” I tugged on his arm. “Let’s go dance. It’ll make you feel better.”
He drew his arm back, bringing me with it. “I’m perfectly happy getting my drink on right here. Go back to Lana before she gets mauled.”
I glanced at the dance floor to see that, sure enough, two guys had sandwiched her. I laughed. “Please,” I begged, giving Jace my best puppy dog pout. “It’s my birthday…sorta.”
He hung his head. “Fine.” He finished his beer and set the empty bottle on the bar. “But only so I can keep an eye on your drunk asses.”
Walking Jace toward the dance floor, I grabbed his hand and laced my fingers through his, ignoring the urge to release his hand immediately. I’ve danced with him before, I told myself. It’s no big. But when he slid his hands along my waist and cupped my hips, my chest fluttered wildly. A small pain ached in my chest, and I pressed my hand over my heart, urging it to calm.
Trying to hide my unease, I twirled and danced with my back to him. His hands lingered on my hips as he inched closer to me. I bit down on my bottom lip. Dancing with Jace felt too strange—foreign, as if he was suddenly someone who had never touched me before.
I caught Lana watching us and gave her a weak smile. She waggled her eyebrows and grinned as she hooked her arms around one of the man-breads. I’d kill her later for making my stomach lurch. How could she joke about this? Jace was her brother—practically mine.
My thoughts drifted away from executing her as Jace’s arms slid around my midsection, holding me tighter and bringing me closer to him. I had to close my eyes so I wouldn’t see Lana’s reaction. The music changed, switching to a slower beat, and Jace rested his chin on my shoulder. I laid my arms over his and swayed, nearly motionless, as steam swirled around us. Just for a moment, I tried to envision Jace as someone other than my best friend.
As I became comfortable in his arms, he turned me around to face him. I finally opened my eyes, and he stared at me so intensely my breath caught. We stayed looking into each other’s eyes—my arms wrapped around his neck, his arms locked around my waist—for what felt like an eternity. Then he cupped the back of my neck, his thumb resting against my cheek. My lips parted as he guided my face toward his. I closed my eyes in anticipation. But at the last second, he brought me cheek-to-cheek. “I’m going back to the bar,” he said into my ear. “Happy birthday, Rug Rat.”
My heart plummeted into my stomach. But I recovered quickly and nodded, averting my eyes from his as he backed away. A brief, pained expression washed over his features, but it was quickly replaced with a simple smile. Then he headed off the dance floor.
I’m an idiot. What am I doing? Was I really crushing on Jace? Ridiculous. I scolded myself as I weaved through the crowd toward Lana.
Her eyebrows furrowed into the middle of her forehead, but my expression must have said “not now” because she just wrapped her arms around me and began dancing.
I was finally enjoying myself, laughing with Lana as Nick attempted a dance move that involved jumping over his leg and falling on his backside. I felt flush, so I stepped off the floor and moved away from the steam pipes. As I leaned against the wall, I spotted Reese walking in from the side entrance. My insides knotted. But instead of turning around and avoiding him like I’d done the night before, this time, I met his challenging gaze.