The crowd erupted and Ren laughed hard behind her.
She spun in his arms and planted a hand against his chest, giving him a mock seductive look, continuing to change the words. “Better change your direction. Point it that way.”
He grinned wide, stole her boa, and then started singing the female portions. Ren sang about needing a man to keep him satisfied as she hijacked his leather jacket. He chased her across the stage and they continued to sing their switched parts.
By the time the song ended and they set their microphones down, the crowd was cheering and singing along. And Cora was blitzed on the high of it all. Ren wrapped his arms around her and picked her up off her feet to spin her around. The world blurred around her, sounds blending, and all she could see was Ren’s face in front of her, that handsome face and laughing eyes. She couldn’t stop herself. She hooked her legs around his waist, clasped his face in her hands, and kissed him.
It started out playful, a little more show for the performance, but it quickly went from fun to something altogether more heated. Ren’s hands gripped her ass, presumably to keep her from falling, but the contact made her groan and soon their tongues were twining and she was kissing him like a starving thing.
The people in the club egged them on and finally the deejay spoke over the loudspeaker. “Now who’s going to follow that performance?”
The stranger’s voice broke Cora from her lusty haze and she pulled away from the kiss, panting. She stared down at Ren with wide eyes. “Shit.”
“I second tha—” His gaze shifted over her shoulder, his words hanging unfinished, like he’d caught something shiny in his vision. The heated look from a moment earlier disappeared and his mouth sank into a frown. “Let’s get off this stage.”
“Is everything okay?” She glanced over her shoulder, but all she could see were the bright lights and the happy crowd.
Ren stared in the same direction for a moment longer then shook his head. “Yeah, it’s fine. I thought I saw— Never mind. Time to give the spotlight to someone else.”
She nodded. “Yeah. Sure.”
She unhooked her legs and he set her on her feet. Her knees wobbled a little beneath her, the adrenaline and the alcohol a little too much for her system. They dropped off the boa and jacket with the deejay, and then Ren put a hand to her lower back to guide her toward the stairs that would get them off the stage. Her friends were there, clapping and offering praise.
Grace gave her a big hug and whispered in her ear, “Holy shit, girl. You better hit that and then tell me all about it.”
Cora snorted and gave her a playful swat on the hip. “You’re terrible.”
She leaned back and fanned herself, glancing at Ren. “Whew, you guys are going to be a tough act to follow. Carlos, you gonna come up there and make out with me?”
“You wish,” he said.
“God, do I.” But she just grinned and jogged up on the stage to grab the microphone. “Who wants to hear some P!nk?”
The crowd seemed down for that and Grace started a rousing rendition of “Slut Like You.”
Cora and Ren walked toward the edge of the crowd, both needing air and something to drink. Josh and Carlos could cheer Grace on. But when Cora and Ren broke through the thickest part of the spectators, Cora pulled up short. Leaning against the wall near the side of the stage was Hayes, expression darkly sexy and gaze solidly on them.
Something tightened in her belly. Hell, she’d just made out with this guy’s boyfriend right in front of him. But he looked anything but offended. Instead, the head-to-toe perusal he gave the two of them could’ve set their clothes on fire.
Ren still seemed distracted, though, peering over his shoulder one more time before asking Hayes, “Is that water?”
Hayes lifted the unopened bottle in his hand and Ren took it from him. “Thanks.” Ren took a long swig from it and then held it out to Cora. “Drink. You’re flushed.”
She almost told him her pink cheeks had nothing to do with lack of hydration, but she grabbed the bottle and drank. She caught Hayes watching her. When she was done, she handed the water back to him. “How bad were we?”
“I was highly entertained. Too many clothes on the both of you, though.” His mouth kicked up at the corner, smug. That’s when she saw the glimmer of it. Dmitry. The man with a wicked side and a sense of humor. That sent a little thrill through her. A thrill and nerves. She’d barely been able to handle that guy on the phone. “So, um . . .”
“We should dance,” Ren declared.
Cora looked to him. “What?”
“Come on. Grace actually sounds pretty good, and they’ll play something after she’s done.
We’ll dance and then get out of here.”
“I— Yeah, okay,” Cora said.
“Have fun,” Hayes said, voice even.