Ain't Shady Baby, I'm Hot

36

I rose my head to meet Rafe's eyes. His face far too close to mine, yet I wasn't pushing him away. Instead, I was looking at the small specks of grey. The same grey that swirled in the blue waves that I'd see behind a navy blue mask on nights where I'd dream. His eyes that weren't rimmed with red like they usually are. I could call them stunning.

Recognition wove its way onto his face as he slowly pulled me upright, the opening beats following. His hands slowly slipping from around my waist and back.

"One more." I ordered grabbing tightly to his hands so he wouldn't leave. "One more and we can pretend this never happened." My chest rose and fell as I spoke, my heart rate trying to balance out.

"What if I don't want to do that." I wasn't allowed to be shocked for long as he gathered me back in his arms and we both got swept in the music. People cleared the floor for us as he took the lead.

"What the hell do you mean?" He said nothing. Our feet moving to the music as our bodies moved together.

No disguise could cover your movements that are so unique to you.

"Did you know? At the ball?" I asked as he spun me around him several times.

"No. Not until this song." I narrowed my eyes at him and pushed away, spinning on my own before coming back. I wasn't letting him off this dance floor until he told me.

"What do you mean until this song?"

"You are the only person I know whose eyes glow when they get— passionate." My hands waterfall down his back before he captures my wrists and spins me. A glare setting on my face.

"Deny it all you want." Rafe started, his arms pulling until my back met his chest, his mouth at my ear, "but your eyes are glowing now. And they were glowing during our fights. You glow when your adrenaline races, when your heart sings, when your mind stops thinking." His observation sent a shiver through my body as I pushed myself to keep moving.

I swung my left leg high and out as he lifted me from my hips, his hands spinning me back around to face him. That devilish smirk resting on his lips.

"I have half a mind to ram my fist into that pretty face of yours. That passionate enough for you?" I ground out as Rafe dramatically dipped me low in a circle. My hands loose to his forearms, trusting him not to drop me.

"Guess it's my luck you think my face is pretty." I didn't hide the snarl as I brought my hands around his neck and rose my legs. My right bent and tight to his hip as my left was straight out behind him. His hands held me below my thighs close to my ass as I kept my eyes locked on his.

We spun, his eyes and mine locked. The tension thicker than an ice wall of a glacier. The song was winding down meaning I didn't have much time.

"Why did you say you didn't want to pretend this didn't happen?" I asked as he set my feet down, my hands now on his as he spun me like a puppet. My arms high as I twirled for him.

"Give me another time when you aren't actively trying to rip out my throat or knock my ass out to protect your Pogues, but instead trusting me. Listening to me. Giving me the illusion of control. Even if you don't think so, if we were anywhere else you wouldn't have let me get a step closer than you felt comfortable." His voice was low as he pulled my back to his chest. His hand raising my left hand up to cup the back of his neck as he returned to holding my hips. The position leaving me vulnerable yet proving his point as he breathed on my exposed skin along my right shoulder and neck. "And I know you only wanted to dance to give JJ a chance at getting out of here."

We were at the edge of the dance floor, staring out out into the grassy plain we weren't inhabiting. The party and people behind us. As the final notes to the song played out, I seemed to only just remember how to breathe. The cool night air finally made its presence know as the heat behind me remained.

"You have no idea, Xena Tallen." His voice was a whisper as he stepped away from me, back towards the party. Away from the self-anointed Pogue and towards the Kooks.

I closed my mouth before turning around. The shock still running through my veins as I tried to process what he said.

When I turned, he was already gone. I scanned the crowd but all I saw was his retreating back. His crew circling him like bodyguards while he walked inside the building. No doubt trying to find JJ.

I couldn't help but let my mind drift from our mission. Kie and Pope were blinking dramatically as I finally moved off the wooden floor. My heels sinking into the soft grass as I made my way over.

"What the hell was that!" Kie shrieked grabbing my arm pulling me towards her faster than I was going.

"I— I was giving JJ more time." I was too out of it to tell a lie like it was the truth, my hesitation and spaciness was certainly noted by the two of them.

"Sure. Well you did a great job of distracting everyone. Because damn, I knew you could move in a ring but I had no idea you could dance like that." Kie slapped the back of Pope's head for me as he rose his hands innocently.

"Let's just get back to the mission. Where are they?" I saw Kie mock me in reference to refocusing but I didn't care.

I had too much racing through my mind.

He knew I was trying to distract him and he still danced with me. He knew that it was me at the ball and still danced with me.

It was him.

Rafe Cameron was my secret partner from the ball.

You have no idea, Xena Tallen

He was right. I had no idea. And part of me didn't want to find out in fear of what it could be.

But I had so many questions. And sue me for wanting to get to the bottom of things.