Page 19 of Movers and Fakers

“Is this your subtle way of asking me to dance, Princess?” he asks. “I don’t usually, but I’d make an exception for you.”

I roll my eyes and push his hands off of me, ignoring the cascade of tingles that follows the touch.

“I already didn’t want to be here, but now I know I shouldn’t have come.”

“Why? Afraid you’ll have too much fun?”

Chapter ten

Looking For You

Hayes Rosewood

Aurora crosses her arms and glares at me. She’s taller than usual tonight, since she’s wearing heels. The sight of her long legs sends heat rushing through my veins. I don’t know who convinced her to come to this party tonight, but I’d like to personally thank them. Maybe buy them a gift in exchange for the one they just gave me.

“There’s nothing fun about standing in a crowd of sweaty, drunk people,” she states.

She’s got a point there. I glance around at our fellow students. The party just started, but it looks like most everyone pregamed before they arrived, because they’re falling all over each other. It wouldn’t surprise me, though, if they were less drunk than they were pretending to be. People excuse a lot if they think you drank too much.

“Why did you come, then?” I ask.

“My friends invited me. And then I lost them.” She cranes her neck as she looks around. The earrings she’s wearing shimmer in the light. I notice they’re gold and not silver like her necklace, making me wonder which she prefers.

“Do I know them? I can help.”

She eyes me with suspicion, but then her lips turn up in a smirk that makes my stomach swoop in anticipation.

“You know one of them. Marigold. She is the woman whose phone you stole last semester.”

It doesn’t take long for me to recall who she’s talking about. Not many people successfully sneak their phone into the Shadow Ring, and of those people, none are also dating a star hockey player.

“I didn’t steal her phone. I deleted the photos she took after going against the no-phone rule,” I correct.

“You know, if you have to hide something, it probably means you shouldn’t be doing that thing.”

I chuckle. “Do you really think I have to hide the Shadow Ring? It wouldn’t take much to make the dean look the other way.”

He likely knows about it. I doubt everyone who’s ever stepped inside has kept it quiet enough to not reach his office. But my last name is attached. The same last name on several big checks made out to the university over the years.

Aurora frowns. “Then why hide at all? Why make it a secret?”

With one step, I erase the distance she put between us.

“There’s an appeal to secrecy, don’t you think?” I keep my voice low enough that only she can hear me. “Right now, everyone is watching us, but if we slipped away?” My gaze dips to her berry lips. “Only the shadows would know what we said or did.”

Her throat constricts as she swallows, and I can’t help but smirk. She glances at my mouth and scowls.

“I would never go anywhere alone with you.”

A sigh leaves me. “Pity. I was going to offer an escape from the party.”

She shakes her head. “I’m sure wherever you took me would be much worse.”

I tuck my hands into my pockets and shrug.

“Suit yourself. But if you ever change your mind …”

“I won’t.”