A lump forms in my throat. Could it be?
“Thanks,” I say cautiously. “It’s a family name.”
“Interesting.” She grins under the curtain of rhinestones hiding her face. “Have a good night… Hazel.”
I force a smile. “You, too.”
I turn once again and hurry out the door. Mirabel falls in step beside me and asks, “Do you know her?”
I shrug off the uneasy feeling. “I don’t think so. I was just being polite. She could be a customer from the café, but it was hard to tell with the mask she was wearing.”
“I thought you looked familiar,” Lindsay says, coming up beside me. “You own Café by the Bay, right?”
“Yes.”
“Grayson and I hang out there sometimes after class. It kind of reminds me of the coffee house on Friends, and Grayson loves the chocolate chip muffins.” She giggles.
“Thanks. Be sure to say hello next time you stop in.”
“I will.”
The guys are waiting at the bar, and I assume the third man perched on the barstool between Levi and Troy is Grayson. Levi snakes his arm around my waist and presses a kiss to the side of my head. “I missed you.”
“Hey, Levi,” Lindsay chirps. She steps between Grayson’s parted legs, leaning her back against his chest. Grayson wraps his arms around Lindsay’s waist and props his chin on her shoulder. “I didn’t realize you were here as Hazel’s date. Gray, this is Hazel.” Lindsay gestures to me. “She owns that café we like to go to on Thursdays.”
“Really?” Grayson grins. “I love that place. Best chocolate chip muffins I’ve ever had. Do you make those?”
I nod. “I do.”
“Dude,” he drawls, smacking Levi on the arm. “Do I get the family discount?”
I look up at Levi in question.
“Grayson is my cousin,” he explains.
“Oh.” I grin. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Levi drops his arm from my waist and takes my hand, clasping our fingers together. “We’re gonna walk around a bit.”
“Go check out the balcony,” Lindsay says. “There’s a piano player out there and a little dance floor. It’s very romantic.”
Hazel looks up at me and smiles as she squeezes my hand. “That sounds amazing.”
9
Levi
* * *
A man dressed in a tuxedo sits behind a piano, which is set up in the far corner of the balcony. A woman wearing a black ball gown and a black feathered mask is crooning into a microphone beside him.
Tugging our clasped hands, I lead Hazel to the middle of the dance floor, and we dance to a jazzy version of “I Put a Spell on You.”
When the song ends, we stroll down to the other end of the balcony, away from the crowd.
“It’s pretty out here,” Hazel says, leaning with her elbows on the concrete railing. The balcony faces the well-maintained park the hotel shares with the university. “This would be a nice place for a wedding.” She sighs.
Leaning forward, I place my hands on the railing on either side of hers, caging her in. “Are you proposing?” I joke.
Hazel lets out a soft laugh and sinks back against my chest. “I’m just saying there’s a very romantic vibe to this place.” Turning in my arms, she leans with her back against the railing, and I take a step forward, closing the space between us.
Tilting my head, I cover her mouth with mine. She lets out a small gasp and parts her lips, and I slip my tongue into her mouth, sliding it along hers. She moves her hands up the front of my jacket and curls them around my neck, her fingers toying with the ends of my hair.
Running a hand over her bare thigh, I hitch up her leg, bringing her knee to my hip as I grind into her.
“Feel that, Hazel?” I growl into her ear as I rock my hard cock against her center. “I want inside you so bad.”
“Wanna get out of here?” she pants.
I’m not entirely sure I can wait that long. Looking over my shoulder, I scan the balcony. We’re at the farthest end, and we’re alone. It’s dark. I could fuck her right here, and no one would be the wiser.
My gaze snags on a set of french doors identical to the ones on the opposite end of the balcony where we’d come from earlier. My attention moves to the high window beside it. There’s no light, so I’m guessing it’s an empty ballroom.
Releasing my hold on Hazel’s thigh, I take her hand and pull her toward the door. Grabbing the handle, I push down and thank fuck when it opens.
Stepping inside, I realize I was right. It’s a ballroom, dark and empty, much smaller than the one next door. Moonlight pours through the tall floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the balcony with thick, heavy drapes hanging on either side. Tables sans tablecloths are arranged around the room, and against the far wall are stacks of chairs.
Hazel walks over to the window while I lock the door, then move to stand behind her.
Gripping her waist, I press a kiss to the top of her shoulder before trailing my lips up to her neck just below her ear. There’s just enough moonlight for me to notice the tiny butterfly tattoo just behind her ear, and I wonder how I’d never noticed it before. I press a kiss there, too, inhaling the sweet scent of Love Spell that is driving me out of my damn mind.
My hand moves between the slit of her dress, sliding up the inside of her bare thigh until I feel the delicate fabric of her panties. Her breath hitches as I cup her pussy over her panties, and she stops my hand.
“What if someone comes in here?” she rushes out in a panic, her chest heaving.
“No one is going to come in here. I locked the door.”
She looks over her shoulder. “But there’s still the main door. I don’t want to get caught.”
Clenching my jaw, I scan the room. She’s right. Anyone can walk in from the main hallway. I look over at the heavy curtains hanging down on either side of the window and puddling on the floor. They’re thick and wide and could easily hide us and at least four other people.
I move over to the curtain on the right and pull it back. “Here.” I gesture for her to get behind it.
She giggles as she slips behind the curtain.
“I feel like a fucking teenager,” I admit as I join her.
“You gotta admit, this is kind of hot.” She snakes her arms around my neck, and I dip my head to kiss her.
Movement over her shoulder pulls my attention to a couple standing in the exact same spot Hazel and I had just been only minutes ago. The man has the woman pressed against the railing. Her head is thrown back as he kisses her neck, his hand moving under her dress.
Breaking our kiss, I turn Hazel around to face the window. She chokes on a gasp when she sees the couple going at it on the other side.
I lean down to her ear, my lips brushing gently against the outer shell. “I guess they don’t care about getting caught.” I chuckle. “Put your foot on the ledge.”
“Can they see us?” she asks as she props one heel-covered foot on the ledge, her dress falling open at the slit.
“No.” I bite gently on her shoulder. “Put your hands on the window and keep them there.”