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I hung my head as I laughed openly. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had so much fun with anyone, never mind a woman I wanted to drag under my blankets. “Pass me one of those,” I said.

Amina gently tossed me a cookie. “Thanks for arranging all of this. I was a little put off by the situation, but... I’m grateful I went through with it.”

“You say that like you might have backed out.”

She gathered herself, then looked out at the crowd. Her smile was melancholy. “I was afraid I was going to.”

“Well you didn’t. So, stop wearing that guilt around your neck. It’s pointless.”

Her surprise was written on her face. “Wise words from the self-proclaimed fuck-up.”

“I have my moments.”

She pursed her lips. “I like the advice in person better than in note form.”

My smile inched bigger. “I’m glad you got that.”

“Me too. It really helped. But next time, don’t send it to me by way of boob-cleavage.”

Shaking my head, I popped the macaron in my mouth. “I did what I had to.”

“Mmmhmm. Sticking something down a pretty lady’s breasts is such a sacrifice.”

She was teasing me, and I knew it, but I didn’t like what she was implying. “I didn’t touch her, Amina.” I advanced slightly, my voice dropping. “I wasn’t interested in her.”

Amina stared up at me with wide, glowing eyes. Her voice caught, giving her an alluring, raspy edge to her words. “Even with how beautiful she looked?”

“I didn’t notice.”

“How could you not?”

“Because,” I whispered, leaning in, studying the groove of her bottom lip. “There was someone else filling up my head.”

Amina backed into the table, rattling the glasses. She spun around, fumbling to adjust the things that dropped. “Oh, shit,” she mumbled, avoiding my eyes. “Let me... I’ll just clean this up, sorry.”

Heat collected on the back of my neck. “Forget that. It doesn’t matter.”

She gave me a sidelong look. “It’s fine, I’ve got it.”

Why did her reactions get to me so much? I adored watching her fall apart. “Let me help,” I said, finishing standing the glasses back up. Before I got far, a waiter came over, ushering the both of us away with a polite smile.

Crossing her hands behind her back, Amina gave me a weak smile. “Time for more of that tour?”

“Great idea.” I strode through the open air, and she stayed nearby. The gardens spread before us, the entrance flanked by two huge lilac bushes. A stage had been placed inside, round lights dangled above on strings as a DJ played nearby.

There was a silent auction arranged on one side of the stage, but most people were ignoring it, choosing instead to pack the floor. All of them were dancing; a wall of stiff suits and glittering gowns. There were plenty of young people here for the gala. Some of them probably not old enough to drink, but that wasn’t stopping them.

Amina looped her hand in mine and pulled me deeper. “Do you like dancing?” she asked.

I swallowed thickly. “Depends on who it’s with.”

Shooting me a grin over her shoulder, she guided me into the fray. “I used to go dancing with my friend, Korine.”

My attention was fixated on her one hundred percent. “What about with your boyfriends?”

Amina released my hand. “They never wanted to.” She tucked her chin, watching the DJ, but not really looking at anything in particular. Then she twirled so that her dress floated like a jellyfish under the ocean, her eyes getting darker, playful. “This isn’t what you think it is.”

My eyebrows arched as I smiled. “And what’s that?”