Page 81 of Mutual Discord

“So do you,” I breathed, and I wished, with a fiery passion, that we were back at my house. Alone.

Before I could say anything else, a server maneuvered past Alex to place a tray ladened with drinks on the table. Alex grabbed a glass from the collection and handed it to me. I blinked, realizing it was a mojito.

“Salud,” Alex murmured, clinking his glass with mine.

“Salud,” I echoed, beaming up at him. My smile died an abrupt death, however, when my gaze shifted to Denise’s narrowed eyes.

Oh no.

When I instinctively moved to step away from Alex, he grabbed my elbow. “Let’s dance.”

A La Mákina song reverberated through the club, and already the beat thrummed through my limbs. But Denise’s stare felt like a weight upon my skin.

Alex must have noticed my discomfort because his expression clouded. “What’s wrong?”

The urge to tell him that we needed to be more careful with how we acted around each other because I didn’t want any negative attention on our last night together was strong. But truly, I didn’t want anything to distract from this night with Alex. Not my friend’s judgment, and not my own guilt.

I had plenty of time to feel terrible tomorrow.

So instead, I jerked my head toward the stairs. “Let’s go.”

Without a word, Alex grabbed my hand and escorted me downstairs. We weaved through the couples stepping and twirling on the dance floor until we arrived at the center of the action. Alex spun me out, teasing a gasp from my lips, before twirling me back into his arms. With one hand wrapped around my back and the other grasping mine, we moved to the beat, spinning together and twirling apart. I laughed, smiling up at Alex as we raised our joined hands, our hips swaying in unison. The crowd around us was electrified, every couple engrossed in the music and the collective energy, but I only had eyes for Alex.

For the song’s ending notes, Alex swooped me into a dip, his grin bright as he looked down at me. Impulsively, I yanked his head down and kissed him. It was a short, flirtatious kiss, but God, it felt good to taste him again. Alex broke away with a chuckle and whirled me into another song.

Fifteen minutes later, Alex and I returned to the booth, sweaty and out of breath, but grinning like idiots. He offered to flag down the server to request water and drinks, so I turned to slide into a chair…but instead came face-to-face with an irate Denise.

Gripping my arm, she hauled me behind a collection of plants, her expression a thunderstorm.

“Are you sleeping with Alex?”

Chapter Twenty-Two

I reared back so fast, I lost my balance and grabbed a chair to steady myself.

Smoothing down the skirt of my dress, I glared at her. “What are you talking about?”

“You know damn well what I’m talking about,” Denise snapped. She took a step closer to me. “I’ve been watching the two of you all night, and there’s definitely something going on between you guys.”

“There’s nothing going on between Alex and me but friendship.” I crossed my arms over my chest and steadfastly avoided her eyes as I craned my neck around her to see if Alex had returned.

“Bullshit.” Denise jerked my arm until I was forced to meet her gaze. “Alex looks at you like…” She paused, slowly shaking her head. “Like he’s in love with you.”

I despised how my heart lurched, but I especially hated how my tongue couldn’t form words to reply.

Denise clenched her jaw and turned to stare out over the crowd. “You can deny it all day, but I saw you kiss.”

“What?” I choked.

“Yeah, I saw your little kiss on the dance floor.” Denise pivoted, her dark eyes capturing mine. “He’s dating Caitlin, or did you forget?”

“Of course I didn’t forget.” I angrily swiped my hand through the air. “It’s a fact that’s haunted me incessantly.”

Her mouth was a firm line. “Then what are you doing? Why are you getting involved with him? Do you like being the other woman? Why would you possibly want to be with a guy who would treat his girlfriend so cheaply?” Denise suddenly tilted her head. “Are you trying to hurt Caitlin?”

My mouth fell open, and it took me several seconds to recover. “Why on earth would I want to hurt Caitlin?”

Denise looked at me as if I had sprouted a horn from the center of my forehead. “Because she’s lived a charmed life? She’s smart, wealthy, blond, and beautiful. Guys have used you to get close to her in the past.” My friend arched a brow. “And now she’s dating your dream guy.”