“My pleasure.” But he doesn’t take off just yet. “This your first time at Hearts?”
“Nope.” Not only had I come here looking for Frosty the night after Kat first appeared to me, but I’d also come here thanks to Anima—to pretend to fight and at last hand over Ali. The night my secret came to light and my brother disowned me. “But I’m kinda glad you missed my debut.”
“Why?” His grin grows wider. “Did you trip and fall?”
“Hardly.” I burp discreetly into my hand. “I’m so graceful and ladylike it’s scary.”
McCutie laughs out loud. “Did you drink too much and projectile-vomit on your boss’s Italian loafers?”
“Please. That kind of thing only happens in books and movies.”
“Honey, it happened an hour ago. And last night. And the night before.”
An endearment. One he probably uses on every girl he encounters, but I don’t care. I’ve found a person who doesn’t hate me, or suspect me of wrongdoing, and I gobble it up.
I crave more.
“You’re cute,” I tell him.
“Thank you.” His grin returns as he twines his fingers with mine. “I’m Jason, by the way.”
“You’re about to be dead.” Frosty grabs Jason by the wrist and must apply enough pressure to hurt because Jason flinches and jerks back. “She’s off-limits.”
My anger is so sharp it feels like glass shards are riding a tide of acid inside my veins. “What, I’m your bodyguard, so I can’t have a special friend?”
Ali jumps in. “No. You can’t.”
“Do yourself a favor and keep your opinions to yourself,” I tell her.
Jason gapes at me. “You’re the big guy’s bodyguard?”
“Leave,” Frosty tells him. “Now.”
He scurries off.
“Rude,” I say.
“No more so than you.” Frosty leans toward me. “You owe me, remember. More than that, you agreed to do a job, so stop screwing around and actually do it.”
“I thought you didn’t need a bodyguard.”
“Don’t tell me you’re dumb enough to believe everything I say.”
We glare at each other—we glare and we don’t look away. We’re both panting, our tempers high, our minds fogged with alcohol and adrenaline. The tension thickens between us until I almost can’t breathe through it. But I know I’m breathing, because I smell the musk of soap embedded in his skin.
I lean closer, until I see the flecks of gold sprinkled through the navy in his eyes. His lashes are longer and spikier than I realized, and if I didn’t know him, I’d accuse him of wearing falsies.
He’s so beautiful right now it hurts to look at him.
His lips part, drawing my gaze—holding it captive. They are full and soft and I wonder how they’ll taste.
Taste?
What the hell is wrong with me?
“Come on, princess.” Gavin stands, takes my hand and pulls me to my feet. “It’s your lucky day. I’m going to be your special friend.” He drags me downstairs to the dance floor, and despite the frantic pulse of music, he wraps me in his arms and moves slowly, purposely.
“I’m not sleeping with you,” I tell him.
“Good to know. Now listen up, buttercup.”
Ugh. “Before you turn on the charm to change my mind, you should know the answer will forever be no. You’re not my type.”
“You don’t like perfection? That’s okay. I don’t like girls with bad taste. Now zip your lips. I’m not here to throw a party in your pants.”
Oh. I peer up at him, my brow furrowed. “How are you going to be my special friend then?”
“By giving you a bit of advice.”
Advice. Gross. “I’d rather let you throw that party.”
“Too bad. My boy, Frosty, he’s stubborn.”
I snort. “That’s not exactly a news flash.”
But Gavin isn’t done. “You’re trying to squeeze good milk out of a rotten cow. I see that. I get it. But he’s never going to drop Kat. Just ain’t gonna happen. And if you try to win him away from her, you’re going to end up hurt.”
My mouth goes dry. “I’m not interested in him that way.”
“You sure about that? You looked like you wanted to eat his face. Granted, he looked like he wanted to eat your face, too, but even if you managed to get him into bed with you, you wouldn’t be able to keep him there.”
A lump grows in my throat. “I don’t want to talk about this.”
“The truth isn’t always easy or pretty, but it’s the truth.”
I don’t know how to respond. Not that it matters. Ali and Cole come up beside us to dance. Or, more accurately, to dry-hump.
I’d be embarrassed for them, but my world is currently spinning off its axis. Faster and faster... My stomach threatens to rebel. Violently. I close my eyes and swallow a moan—and the burn of bile.
“I’ve got her, Gav.” Frosty’s voice, his warm breath suddenly tickling the locks of hair pressed against my dampened skin. “Let her go.”
“Are you sure? I can—”