Page 18 of Tiger Bitten

“How are you, Ren?” he asked softly.

She thinned her lips into a straight line and put a few dollar bills into the tip jar and then grabbed her drinks.

“Hey,” Abe said, brushing her elbow with his fingertips.

“I’m great,” she lied, turning for him with a forced, polite smile.

He looked wary, and like he wanted to say something, but changed his mind. “You look real good.”

Her smile was turning into a grimace, so she ducked her head, and said, “See you later.”

“Who is the beer for?” he asked.

“For Bart-Bart,” she said without turning around. Not that it was any of his business, and also that was a weird and mildly inappropriate question. And then she made her way to Bart-Bart, handed him his beer, gave him a kiss on the cheek, and then walked carefully toward the table near the DJ that would have her name tag on it. She needed to sit down and possibly chug this wine. Why was she shaking so badly? They’d broken up a year ago. Sure, she’d thought he was the one, and sure, she’d thought she would have Mars here tonight as a buffer, and sure, she felt so awkward being this single person in a room of couples, but everything was okay, and here was why. Uncle Ronnie was dancing with the love of his life right now, and it was such a beautiful thing to focus on.

She sipped her wine and hated that her eyes kept drifting to Abe as he walked toward a table two down from hers. Taryn was smiling at him as he handed her the plastic cup of red wine. She looked beautiful. Dialed from head to toe. They were a striking couple and Ren got it. She hadn’t looked like that on Abe’s arm. She was more wild-hair and tattoos and booty shorts and snarfing down three chili dogs at a baseball game.

She puffed air out of her cheeks and then looked away quickly when both Taryn and Abe looked her way. She felt busted, so she stood and looked around awkwardly for something to do. She had to get out of here.

The DJ was announcing that the dance floor was open and inviting all the couples to join in a slow song. Shoot her in the eyeball.

Ren bolted as best as she could in three-inch high heels, and as she saw that sweet daylight outside, someone stood in front of her and froze.

She skidded to a stop.

Mars was standing there, eyes hidden by a pair of sunglasses, wearing dark gray slacks, a white button-down shirt that hugged his arm muscles and accentuated his V-shaped waist. He wore dress shoes, and a tie that was a dusty pink, the same shade as her dress. He lifted his chin higher into the air as he dragged his gaze up and down her curves, and a wolflike smile curved his lips as he dipped his chin to his chest and looked at her over the upper edge of his sunglasses. His eyes were blazing a frost blue.

His dark hair had product in it, and looked perfectly model-messy, and he’d faded his beard down his jaw, showing off that chiseled jawline.

“I…I thought you stood me up,” she said in a small voice.

“I can explain.”

She crossed her arms and looked around quickly, making sure no one was listening in on this conversation. “You didn’t text me all day.”

“I’ve been in emergency meetings.”

His voice held truth, but she wasn’t ready to forgive him yet.

He gestured to the dance floor. “Do you want to?” he asked in that deep, sexy voice of his.

“Do I want to dance?” she asked, staring at the couples, most specifically Taryn and Abe, the latter of whom was staring at Ren. “Um, sure.”

“You look good,” he said, offering his hand.

“Hmm. That’s what Abe told me too,” she said primly, wanting to punish him for being late.

A growl rattled straight through his chest, and he cast her a glance. “Careful, Ren.”

“I don’t like to be careful,” she muttered recklessly. “I like to be dangerous. And un-boring. And exciting.”

A dark chuckle escaped him as he turned on the edge of the dance floor and twirled her slowly out, then back in.

“Oh,” she squeaked as she hit the solid wall of his chest. “This is like dancing with a statue.”

Mars snorted, and slid his hand against hers, lifted it in the air, and then waited as she slid her other hand to rest on the back of his shoulder.

“Uh, your cologne smells very…good,” she complimented him.