Page 79 of Her Wolf

She tilted her head. “Is there something you’re not telling me?” She searched his face, but he looked away. “Bailey?”

Instead of answering her, he took out his radio and checked in with Finn.

No sight of Lars yet.

“Bailey, it’s okay,” Cora said, trying to lighten her voice. “I don’t care if it’s a—”

“Let’s dance,” Bailey cut in. He turned to the crowd, and then grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the booth. “I think I see Ana!”

He dragged her onto the dance floor, and maneuvered through the crowd until he stepped aside and tugged Cora up alongside Ana.

The girl was oblivious; she had her arms around a man’s waist, the two of them dancing close, eyes shut and bodies glued together.

Cora watched for a few seconds, and then had to look away.

Damn, that was just what she needed. She turned to Bailey, and bumped into his chest. Laughing, she grabbed him to keep her balance, and he drew her flush against him.

The track booming through the ballroom’s impressive sound system switched to something hard and primal.

Bailey dipped his hips, gripping her tight against him, and began moving to the rhythm.

She had no idea he could dance so well. Cora grinned up at him, her hands on the back of his neck as their bodies moved fluidly against each other, matching each heavy thump of bass pounding through the speakers.

Bailey slid his hands down her back, grabbing her ass and forcing her harder against him. Then he ducked his head for a kiss.

She surfaced minutes later, when an angry warble came through on Bailey’s radio. They extracted themselves from their passionate embrace, Bailey taking a step back, and then holding up a finger to her. “Be back in a sec,” he said. “You stay with Ana.” Then he worked his way out through the crowd.

Cora watched him go. But when she turned, Ana’s blond head was moving away from her.

“Ana!” The bass vibrated through her as she took a few hurried steps after Ana. But, a few seconds later, the crowd had closed over the woman.

Even wearing stilettos, Cora wasn’t tall enough to see over the crowd.

“Shit,” she muttered, spinning back to see if Bailey was headed back yet.

A shiver broke out over her skin. It could have been her cooling sweat—the dance and Bailey’s kiss must have ratcheted up her core temperature by several degrees—but somehow she knew it wasn’t.

Eyes were on her again.

Familiar eyes.

Cora spun around, gaze darting furiously from face to face.

She shouldn’t be here. Not alone, not like this. If she moved to the outside of the frantic, dancing crowd, then she’d find Bailey and she could stick with him. Or even Ana.

Damn it, she hated being scared.

Inhaling a deep breath, she pushed back her shoulders. Then she closed her eyes, and began to dance.

She’d only just lost herself in the tribal thump-thump-thump of a new track when something brushed her bare arms.

Flinching, Cora’s eyes popped open.

No one was watching her.

She pivoted on her heels and would have toppled over as she lost her balance had it not been for the stranger standing behind her, ready to catch her.

Cora staggered, found her balance, and completely failed to pull herself free from the man who’d steadied her.

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