Page 69 of Fake Out Hearts

“Yes.”

Chapter 21

Theo

Something inside me roars at hearing Becca was jealous—the more possessive side of me. So I pull her closer, taking her by surprise, and stare into her eyes.

“Good. Because I was jealous of seeing you dance with another man.”

A hint of a smile appears on her face, but she keeps it under wraps while we continue dancing. I’m still not the greatest at it but being so focused on her helps me stay out of my head and justfeelthings rather than think about them.

She’s so close to me that her racing heartbeats pound against my chest, and it drives me wild thinking about what’s causing it. The song has a slower pace, and we aren’t moving very quickly, so I doubt it’s exertion. But if it isn’t the physicality, then that means it can only be one other thing: me.

It’s unlikely anyone is paying attention, but in the moment, it feels like everyone in the room is watching us. And how couldn’t they be? I don’t have words to describe what’s going on between us, but it’s electric. Primitive. Primal. From the way she’s looking into my eyes with an intense expression to the way she seems to be testing me with her steps, it’s like we’ve started a game, trying to one-up each other.

She should know by now that I never shy from a challenge. If anything, it makes me feel more confident because this is my element. Competition is something I understand better than anything else. And if she wants me to fight for her, then that’s exactly what I’ll do.

But the song ends, abruptly breaking the spell between us. Becca and I stand there, staring into each other’s eyes, and I can’t bring myself to let her go. My entire body screams at me not to, like it’s afraid it’ll go into withdrawal or something. But being around her really is like a drug sometimes.

Fuck, I’m losing my mind here.

“You’re getting better. I’m gonna go freshen up,” she says as she disentangles herself from me. But her eyes linger, and she takes a few deep breaths before she tears her gaze away and snakes into the crowd toward the restrooms.

She’s not the only one who needs a cool off after that. I’ve got to get my mind right and off her, so I decide to find some of the other Aces. It doesn’t take long for me to spot Sawyer, who’s almost as tall as I am and twice as wide. He’s lingering along a far wall talking to Grant, and both look like they’d rather be anywhere else.

I make my way over to them and walk into a conversation about a babysitter, which sounds like the perfect distraction. “Dude, I’m telling you, you need to hire a full-time nanny,” Grant tells Sawyer, who sighs.

“I don’t know. I’m not sure Jake would like that.” People would never guess from Sawyer’s serious looks and personality, but he’s intensely devoted to his son and being a father. The only thing that comes close for him is hockey, but even that is a distant second.

“Well, it doesn’t sound like the babysitter you hired for tonight is gonna work out either, so you might as well try,” Grant insists. “Besides, wouldn’t that be better than having to findsomeone new every time you want to step out? It’s not like you can’t afford a nanny.”

“Kid troubles?” I ask as I butt in.

Sawyer nods. “Yeah. I’m worried about the sitter I hired for tonight. She’s not very experienced.”

“Jake’s a good kid. I’m sure it’ll be fine for one night.”

Grant nods. “He is, but it still seems like doing this all the time is getting too hard for you.”

Reese and Noah must have seen the three of us talking because they appear out of nowhere. “I think Grant’s on to something,” Reese says as he claps Sawyer on the shoulder.

“Agreed,” Noah says. “This has really been weighing on you lately. And it’s probably hard on Jake having different people come and go all the time.”

Sawyer sighs again. “Yeah, you’re probably right about that. Okay, okay. I’ll give the nanny thing a shot.”

Satisfied, Reese turns his attention to me. “So how are things going with Becca?” I follow his gaze and find Becca standing and talking with Callie, Margo, and Violet, Reese’s sister who’s visiting for a few days for the gala. Becca’s holding a half-empty glass of champagne. I watch her tip it to her lips and groan.

“I don’t really want to talk about it.”

Reese grimaces. “That bad, huh?”

I shake my head, maybe a little too hard. “Not. It’s not bad at all. And that’s the problem.”

Reese raises his eyebrows at me. “What do you mean? Are you falling for her?”

“No, it’s not that either,” I insist, but is it true? I can’t help wondering. There’ssomethinggoing on between us, but I don’t know what to call it. Or if it even matters. Because even if I am feeling something for her, we have an agreement, and I’m not about to break that. People could call me a lot of things, but I’m a man of my word at the end of the day.

“Isn’t it about time for your speech?” I ask Noah, desperate to take the focus off me.

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