She sidled up to Blake like she’d been planning it all night, all soft curves and glossy lips. Blake, however, didn’t acknowledge her at all. He didn’t even glance her way, ignoring her completely as she bit her lip like she was thinking really hard about something she was about to say.

My jaw clenched at the sight.

Rachel leaned in closer, twirling a strand of hair around her finger as if it was some kind of spell she could cast.

I gripped my cup tighter, my pulse quickening with each passing second. Her voice was low, too soft for me to hear, but I didn’t need to catch the words to know what she was saying.

Hey.

You’re Blake, right?

You come here often?

God, you’re so tall.

Are your eyes real?

I knew I had no right to feel anything about this.

I was the one who told Blake not to come. I was the one who danced with another guy, all while knowing he was watching.

So why did my chest feel tight? Why did my skin feel hot? Why did my fingers curl around my cup like I wanted to throw it straight at her head?

Blake gave her the tiniest shake of his head, a dismissive gesture that momentarily eased the tension in my chest.

For a moment, I let myself breathe.

That should have been the end of it.

Blake wasn’t interested.

But then, to my horror, she settled into his lap as if she belonged there. Blake’s whole body went rigid, his fingers twitching like he was considering physically removing her.

I stopped breathing, my gaze glued to the scene unfolding before me for far too long. Long enough for something hot and ugly to settle under my ribs, twisting into a knot of rage and disbelief. Long enough for my blood to boil. Long enough to notice how his hands clenched at his sides, as if he didn’t know what to do with them. Long enough to see the tick in his jaw, the slight flicker of discomfort in his green eyes.

My nails dug into my palm.

He didn’t want her there. I could see it in the way his hands didn’t move to her waist, in the way his jaw clenched as if he were enduring something instead of enjoying it.

I wasn’t thinking when I started moving.

I slammed my drink down onto the counter, ignoring the way it sloshed over the rim and onto my fingers.

Blake’s eyes flicked up, already watching, already waiting.

Rachel was still whispering sweet nothings against his ear when I reached them, her lips curved in a little smile, as if she had already won.

That was enough for me.

“Let’s dance,” I said.

Rachel was still trying to get his attention like she was the only one in the room worth noticing.