All I wanted to do was walk right back out.
But Kasey had intertwined my fingers with hers and was pulling me toward the group dancing. I pulled away, shaking my head and telling her I was going to find Trevon first. Maybe I’d dance later, when everyone was too drunk to remember me from last year.
I shuffled through the crowd, careful not to get too close to any guys that might actually be Eros dressed in a costume. Someone grabbed my hips, but I pushed him away and continued towards Trevon’s office in the back of the bar.
“Hey Dani!” Samantha, the bartender, called from behind the bar. She pushed a drink toward someone, collected money from a woman that looked like she had already had one too many, and smiled at me. “Didn’t think you’d come back after last time.”
God, everyone did remember.
“Yeah, me either.” I rubbed Mom’s necklace.
“Can I get you anything? White sangria? I know you like those.” She tossed her chocolate-colored hair over her shoulder and smiled.
“Water,” I said. “Please.”
After she poured me a glass, she slid it toward me. “Have fun tonight.”
This was going to be a long night. I could already feel it. I sipped my water and looked at her. “Do you know where Trevon is?”
She leaned against the edge of the bar, gaze lingering on my lips. “I think I saw him walk back through the crowd.”
I scanned the room for Trevon, wanting to show him that, yes, I did show up. But my gaze fell on the one man that I didn’t want to see tonight. Eros was pushing his way through the throng of people, walking in my direction. Some girl dressed in a sexy nun costume trailed her black manicured fingers across his chest, but he continued walking. Not sparing her a single glance.
Go find Trevon, Dani. Don’t just wait for Eros to get here.
Yet, I didn’t move. Even in a crowd of a hundred people who reeked of sweat, bad perfume, and spilt drinks, I could smell his sweet scent of cinnamon.
He shoved through the last group, and when finally he saw me, he stood still. His eyes grew wide, and he stared at me like I was the only person in the entire room.
Large, white wings hung off his back, a silver chest plate covered half of his bare chest. An angel. A seductive, sexy, sinning angel.
Moments passed, and I still didn’t move. My heart was racing in my chest at the way he was staring at me.
A woman brushed her hand against the back of his neck, whispered something in his ear, and grabbed his bicep, trying to pull him to the dance floor. But he didn’t budge. Instead, he started walking forward again—each step dreadfully slow—until he was mere inches from me. I gripped the glass in my hand.
I should’ve been terrified that Trevon would appear at any moment and see me this close to Eros, but all I could think about was how I had never seen his eyes this soft. They were always fixed on me with such intent, always so intense. Never so gentle.
“Wow,” he finally said. His gaze traveled across every inch of my face. “You look… amazing.”
My breath caught in my throat. I didn’t expect a compliment from him. I expected one of his flirtatious remarks. Mom’s pendant rested in the center of my chest—its usual cool feel now burning my skin—and I had the urge to tug on it.
His fingers trailed up my jawline and grazed against the horns in my hair. “I’ve never seen someone look so good in these.”
“I-uh…” What do I say to something like that? “I’m a demon,” I said.
My cheeks burned. What the hell was that? Way to state the obvious.
He chuckled, lips curling into a tender smile. “I know. Me too.”
I took a deep breath, trying to brush off my embarrassment. “You look more like an angel to me.” He had the whole costume—except a halo on his head. My gazed traveled down his bronze abdomen to the white-skirt-like material that hung loosely off of his hips. It was so small and thin.
Don’t think about it, Dani.
But it was too late.
“Dani!” Trevon yelled from somewhere in the crowd. I snapped my head in his direction, stepped away from Eros, and sipped my water—hoping to cool off the parts of my body that were burning.
Trevon curled an arm around my waist, pulled me to him, and pecked me on the lips. “You actually came.” He smelt of booze, and his tie was off-centered.
“For you,” I said.
He took my hand, stepped back and looked me up and down. “I’m glad. You’re the sexiest witch here.”
I furrowed my brows together. “I’m not a witch.”
“She’s a demon,” Eros said, clenching his jaw.
Trevon grinned. “Well, you’re the best-looking demon here.”
Neither Eros nor I said a word. For some odd reason, I felt offended. Did I look like a witch? Was Trevon just too drunk to even realize what I was? I smiled tensely at him and readjusted his tie. And what was with his—
“Trevon!” Samantha shouted from the bar. “Can you come here? I need your help with something?”
After quickly kissing my cheek, he disappeared through the crowd and reappeared a few moments later at the bar. Chatting with Samantha for longer than I wanted. I hoped that it wouldn’t be like this the whole night.
Eros grasped my elbow. “Come sit with me and the guys.”
“I’m here with a friend,” I said, looking for Kasey. If I spent one more minute with him, I would rip off that tiny costume and—
“It looks like you’re alone,” he said. “Come on.” He nodded to the corner of the bar where I saw his roommates and Maria sitting in a booth. And—only because Kasey had disappeared and left me by myself—I followed him.
CHAPTER 10
Dani
Eros took my hand and led me to Javier, Zane, and Maria. I scooted onto the very end of the booth, next to Maria who was smirking at me.
She was wearing a sexy mermaid costume—a skintight green sequin skirt with two colorful seashells covering her breasts and a lilac-colored starfish pinned in her hair. “Girl, you look so sexy,” she said.
I adjusted the horns on my head and sipped my water.
Zane leaned against the table—his green elf hat nearly falling off—and raised a brow. “Is that water? How are you supposed to have any fun with that?”
Heat crawled up my neck. Truth was that I wasn’t planning to have any fun tonight. Not after last year—especially if people remembered.
Maria wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer. “Dani’s going to have the time of her life tonight—with or without alcohol.” Her breath smelled like beer, but I was grateful for her. At least she didn’t tell them what had happened.
Throughout the night, I watched Maria flirt with Javier and Zane who each had a girl that I had never met before tucked under their arms and were whispering to them. The two girls and Maria were giggling at Zane’s vaguely pointed elf ears and trying on Javier’s plastic golden cross that was a part of his priest costume.
Eros, on the other hand, didn’t pay attention to any of them. He didn’t even try to flirt. Instead, he was gently tightening and relaxing one of his hands into a fist on top of the table. His ring glistened under the dim light, giving it a slight pink tint against his tan skin.