I don't have to turn around to know who it is; I'd recognize that deep voice anywhere. Instead, I watch Addy, terrified she'll notice how close we're standing and put two and two together, but she's too busy dancing with Jesse.

Bravery sets in, and knowing it's dark and crowded enough not to be obvious, I lean into Noah's chest. His fingertips trace a delicate path along my waist, skimming over the smooth fabric of my dress. I'd promised myself tonight was about rediscovering the old me, but even the old me wasn't this brave.

"I'm surprised you're not downing shots somewhere," I say, thinking back to the shirtless Calbear I'd seen. While Noah has been on his best behavior as of late, I'm under no illusion that he's an angel.

"I'm surprised you even came," he says in a low, even voice, "but I'm glad you did."

"Yeah, well, Addy didn't give me much choice." It's my attempt at acting casual, but it's hard with him standing this close. Scratch that – impossible. "What's going on with you and Jesse? Looked like you were having a lover's spat earlier."

As though we're not in the middle of a public venue, Noah slides his hand from my waist to my thigh with tantalizing slowness. "I save those just for you."

The sudden hitch of my heart betrays me, and I can no longer convince myself I have things in control. Noah's presence, as always, has turned me into putty, which is no doubt the reason I'm contemplating turning around and wrapping my arms around his neck. In public.

His voice, low and intense, comes sudden in my ear. "What about you and Pax? I noticed you looked cozy."

Heat spreads through my body when I feel his mouth because it's so familiar. It shouldn't be – I can count the times we've kissed on one hand – but the softness of his lips feels like a reprieve from the mayhem.

I fix my gaze on Addy, watching her rhythmically grind on Jesse's waist, her hands suspended high above her head as she seductively cradles his neck. If I had half the confidence of that girl, life wouldn't be so complicated. "Addy is trying to set us up."

"Tell her not to waste her time."

I feel the slightest shiver run through me. We're in uncharted territory here, not just because we've never been this close in public but because I'd previously admitted to things I had no business admitting to. Now any illusion I'm in control of this thing has been well and truly shattered.

Nervous, I scan the club again. It's not like I'm committing a crime by talking to Noah, but I can't get over the feeling that any second now, Addy will look over and instantly know what's up.

Not that it would be the worst thing in the world, but with tryouts coming up and things with Noah complicated enough, having other people involved will only increase the chances of something going wrong.

It always does.

Noah is in my ear again, this time with a slight pleading tone that heats up my stomach. "Turn around, Blue."

My throat suddenly feels dry. I'm acutely aware of how fast my heart is beating, but I can't seem to get it to slow down. His face is so close that I can smell the cologne on his neck, can feel the spicy mint of his breath as it brushes my collarbone. So close, I'm in trouble. "Someone will see us."

"They won't. It's dark, and everyone's too drunk to care."

I scan the club and realize he's right: most of the Calbears are nowhere to be seen, and Addy is too preoccupied with Jesse to notice who's behind me, which is why, with little reluctance, I cave.

"Two minutes," I warn, and then slowly, as if still not convinced I'm not making a mistake, I turn in his arms, moving in time to the music. Noah looks down at me, the glint in his eye a reminder he's up to no good.

I tighten my arms around his neck, pretending to use him to steady myself, but really, I want to be closer. Closer – to Noah Atterwood. My past self would be horrified. Present self, however, is very much enjoying this, and what's worse is Noah knows it. His eyes are dark, and the corner of his mouth is tilted like he's got me hook, line, and sinker.

He pulls me closer, lifting his hand to push back my hair. The song changes to something a little more seductive, and I feel his other hand inch further down my waist, bordering on inappropriate, but I can only pull him closer. Noah is touching me in public, brushing his nose down the side of my neck, and I'm eating it up.

My gaze scans the room again, pulling apart the crowd. It feels dangerous being this close in public. What if Addy saw? Natalia? I'm sure she's here somewhere, and seeing me dancing with Noah would send her over the edge, so why can't I stop?

I'm about to pull away when his touch finds the small of my back, guiding our movements. I catch glimpses of his gaze, locked onto mine as his hand gently slides over my ass. "I thought you were going to keep your hands to yourself," I remind him, but I'm not exactly pulling away.

"I know." His fingers press harder as he pulls me toward him. "You make it exceptionally difficult."

He lowers his head, and I swear he's about to kiss me right here in this club when the song ends, switching to something much harder to dance to. Panicked, I glance at Addy, knowing that any second, she'll snap out of the Jesse bubble she's in and start looking for me.

Noah must know it too, because he reluctantly pulls away before leading me through the crowd. Before I know it, we end up sandwiched in a booth with the Calbears, followed by Jesse and Addy.

For the next few minutes, winning against the Tigers is all anyone can talk about. Everyone's still on a high from the meet, and paired with the copious amounts of alcohol I'm sure they've consumed, things are getting loud.

It's why, when Noah rests his palm on my thigh and elicits from me a squeak, no one notices. I shoot him a look, one he conveniently ignores as Pax hits everyone with another round of shots.

Meanwhile, never have I been more grateful for the dark. I lean forward a little, resting my elbows on the table as I try not to think about his hand, which slowly draws patterns on my skin.

It's strange – it's like I'm both happy and sad listening to them talking about the meet. Happy because being surrounded by the Calbears reminds me of how it felt on the swim team, and sad because I'm not on one. But if anything, the latter only makes me more determined to smash tryouts.

As though he can sense my shift in mood, Noah squeezes my thigh. I risk a glance at him, the kind that warns him he's on thin ice, but he only grins in return.

"You reckon Coach will ease up a little after this?" Pax asks. "The guy has had a stick up his ass for weeks. Pax, quit fooling around in the pool. Pax, take your dumbass back into the locker rooms. Pax, quit snacking on carbs all damn week. The guy is out to get me, I swear."

"God, let's hope so," Carter – at least I think that's his name – says before turning to Noah, "Not so sure about you, man. No offence, but your first race was weak."

Every fiber in Noah's body hardens. I glance at his profile, watching him contemplate whether beating Carter to a pulp would dampen the Calbear mood. He's nothing if not considerate. Finally, he leans back in his seat, cool as a cucumber, and says, "Happens to the best of us."

Drama evaded. At least until Addy, four shots in and none the wiser about where Noah's hands are, tries to change the subject in the worst way possible. "I told Ever I'm going to help her find someone to hook up with, so if anyone has any ideas, let's hear 'em."

Jesse's eyebrow arches. I don't look at Noah – I'm too afraid of what I'll find – but I feel the slight change in pressure on my skin as he slides between my legs. "And I told her she's insane."

Ignoring me, Pax raises his hand with delight. "I volunteer as tribute."

Addy laughs, and I can tell from the slightly slurred tone of her voice that she's had a shot too many. "Don't you have a blonde somewhere?"

A wide grin spreads across Pax's face as he shrugs. "Nah, her boyfriend found us."

"Of course he did."

Beneath the table, Noah's hand has found its way to my underwear. I feel myself tense, scanning the faces of those sitting opposite for signs they've clued on, but no one has noticed a thing.

So light I barely feel it, his finger brushes the material. I feel hot. Hot and on fire, but the idea of pulling his hand away stays just that – an idea. If college isn't the time for public indecency, then I don't know when is.

"I'm thinking more of a hook-up with the potential to become serious," Addy says before hiccuping. "Ooh, maybe a handsome guy from Cabo. Long distance relationships are so romantic."

Barely able to think straight given Noah's wandering fingers, I'm about to protest that we end this conversation when Jesse looks straight at me, a wicked glint in his eye. "What about Noah?"

I feel Noah turn to me, no doubt with as much intrigue in his eyes as the rest of them, but all I can do is take in Addy's look of sheer disgust.

"As if," she slurs.

Another second of this topic and these heart palpitations will turn into a full-blown panic attack. I pretend to laugh it off, looking as horrified as Addy at the prospect of hooking up with Noah, and deep down, part of me still is.

"You don't think we look good together?" Noah asks, shifting his hand from my thigh to throw it around my shoulder. I shoot him a glare, trying to determine just what he thinks he's doing, but he grins in return, tightening his grip around me. In my ear, he says, "Relax, Blue. It's called hiding in plain sight."

I don't know where to look, but I know it can't be at him. If I look at him, he'll see the way the heat has swiftly risen to my cheeks, betraying my inner thoughts, so all I can do at this moment is pretend to look inconvenienced.

Addy leans across the table and scoffs. "Ever is way too smart to hook up with a Calbear."

Beside her, Jesse stiffens. He downs the rest of his drink and turns his face until it's inches from hers. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She shrugs, completely unaware of Jesse's change in demeanor, but I can see the argument coming a mile off. "It means Calbears have a certain reputation around campus, and Ever deserves better than that."

The shift in the atmosphere is immediate. Everyone seems to simultaneously find somewhere else to look except Jesse, whose icy gaze burns straight through Addy. "And you don't?"

I close my eyes, wishing I were anywhere but sitting in this booth, which feels seconds from imploding. Noah's grip around my shoulders tightens, but no one seems to care at this point. Everyone is back to looking at Addy.

"That's different," she says, reaching for the tequila bottle, but she misses and nearly spills it on Pax. "Whoops. It's not like a Natalia and Noah situation with us. We're using each other. I'm smart enough to know Calbears are the guys you sleep with, not fall in love with."

The weight of her words hangs in the air, casting a silence across the table. Jesse's expression remains unchanged, but I notice his fingers tightening around the tequila bottle. As Addy reaches for it once more, he swiftly moves it out of her grasp. "I think you've had enough."

"Why?" Addy says as she pulls back to look at him. "Because I'm trying to protect my best friend?"

"Because you're drunk," he says flatly, getting to his feet, "and it's time for you to go home."

Her eyebrows draw together as if the words aren't making sense. Given the amount of alcohol she's downed, they probably aren't. "I thought I was staying over tonight."

"Nah." He shrugs on his jacket without giving her a second look. "I'll use someone else tonight."

An awkward silence befalls the rest of us as Addy stares after him. Her eyes water, which I take it as my cue to jump to my feet, needing to save her from saying or doing something she'll regret in the morning. "Come on," I say, walking around the booth before taking her arm. "It's getting late anyway. Let's go."

Without hesitation, Noah gets up too. "I'll walk you out."

We each loop an arm around Addy, helping her regain her footing before leading her through the club. Once outside, Noah arranges an Uber for us while a still-confused Addy spends the next few minutes asking if everyone hates her.

I sigh and glance at Noah, who's leaning against the wall with his phone in his hand while giving me this I'm staying out of it look. I shoot him my own look – thanks for nothing – and he grins.

God, that grin.

"Look, nobody hates you, Addy," I say, stroking her hair. "You're too cute to hate."

Despite the fact I can see why Jesse got pissed, I feel bad for her. Alcohol aside, her comments tonight were because she's scared of getting hurt again, which is why she'd tried to convince Jesse she didn't care. She does care, probably more than he does; I know the feeling.

"She going to be alright?" Noah asks.

"I think so." I glance at her head, currently buried in my cleavage, and see nothing but curls. "She just needs to sleep it off."

"Looks like she's found a good place to do it."

I roll my eyes, fighting the smile that tugs at my lips, but it's impossible. Instead, I turn my head in the hopes he doesn't see it. Noah thinking I find him funny is the nail in the coffin.

When the Uber arrives, Noah promptly opens the door before stepping aside. Addy pulls away from me, her makeup smudged and patchy where it's rubbed against my dress, leaving me covered in brown residue.

"You don't have to come back with me," she hiccups, wiping my dress. "If you want to go back to Jesse's with them, you can."

I shake my head. Even if Addy didn't need me right now, going back to Noah's on a night like tonight would be dangerous for both of us. "No, I'll come home with you," I say and hook an arm around her waist, helping her into the Uber. She slides across the seats, haphazardly fastening her seatbelt as I risk a look back at Noah.

His eyes soften, and he walks toward us before leaning against the door frame. "Message me when you're home so I know you both got there safe." His gaze shifts past me to where Addy is curled up by the window, asleep. "And conscious."

I smile a little, my heart still doing somersaults from earlier. Despite tonight's abrupt ending, I actually had fun, and I know a lot of it had to do with Noah. "I will. Thank you for the Uber."

"No problem, Blue." He closes the door and, with a typical Noah wink, steps back as the Uber speeds off into the night.

A/N

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