The Wicked Kiss (Alexa O'Brien, Huntress #2)(65)

Zak crooked a finger to beckon us over. I was eager to get to the bar for a drink so I could see Shaz. I was dying to see how he was dressed. And, the last person I had words for was Julian. I still wasn’t sure if I should force him out of town or not.

“I’m going up to the bar. Do you want a Coke or anything?” I gestured toward the dark-haired Were that drew her attention. “I know you want to go over there. Feel free. I swear, I don’t mind.”

Impulsively, she hugged me tightly, and I almost lost my balance on the extreme heels. “You really are the best, Alexa. You’re so much more understanding about this than I would be.” Before I could reply, she was gone, flitting off across the bar to her brown wolf.

I shrugged and turned toward the bar. The large line-up prevented me from getting a glimpse of Shaz until I got closer. When at last I caught sight of his platinum hair, my heart increased in tempo. The anticipation was eating me alive.

I laughed despite my sudden speechlessness when I finally laid eyes on my white wolf. He was dressed as Billy Idol, complete with a badass leather jacket. A punk rock style chain hung around his neck.

As the people ahead of me received their drinks and moved aside, I could see that he wore jaw-droppingly tight leather pants. Holy crap! I don’t know what I’d been expecting but this wasn’t it.

Shaz’ white blonde hair was a mess of spikes and gel. Combined with the barest smudge of black around his jade green eyes, the look was so sexy on him that I was instantly flushed. I would have fanned my face with my hand if it would have made any difference. He had only minor bruising around his left eye from his scrap with Julian. He looked damn fine.

Though he had yet to see me, he knew that I was there. I was impatiently waiting for the four women ahead of me to get their drinks and get the hell out of the way. Knowing my wolf was so close yet out of reach was making me crazy.

All at once, the crowd seemed to disperse before me, and I sauntered up to the bar with a look that oozed sexuality. Our eyes met, and Shaz’ mouth literally dropped open as he took in my attire. The watchful wolf inside me did not miss the sudden increase in his heart rate.

I flashed him a playful smile and a wink. I was playing it cool, but my guts were twisting in knots. He looked good enough to climb over the bar for in front of all of the people waiting behind me. I couldn’t help but feel like I was staring at him stupidly.

“And, what can I get for you?” Shaz’ eyes roamed over my body, lingering on my fishnet-clad thighs. He swallowed hard, and my pulse raced. “Other than the extreme f**king I am dying to give you.”

His boldly uncharacteristic statement had me literally tripping on my own tongue. I couldn’t get over how delicious he looked. Punk rock was a really good look for him.

“You are so sexy right now. I could just eat you up.” I licked my red lips teasingly.

“Red wine, please. And, please tell me this is a joke. You can't be working now. I have to have you.”

He raised an eyebrow, and a mischievous grin spread across his luscious lips. “I love your costume. It’s so perfectly you. The wolf disguised as the innocent.” He turned away momentarily to grab a fresh bottle of wine and a glass. I gazed hungrily at his leather clad behind. “It really makes me want to bend you over one of these tables. I’m abandoning ship here as soon as Tawnie gets in. Don’t disappear on me.”

He pressed the wine into my hand, refusing to let me pay for it. What a sweetheart. I didn’t want to move, but the line of people pressing behind me gave me little choice.

“I’m not going anywhere, baby.” I blew him a kiss and left the bar.

The glow that filled me just from that brief interaction with my white wolf had me buzzing. Waiting for him to be free of his responsibilities was going to be torture. Every instinct I had as both woman and wolf demanded that I touch him the way I so desperately wanted to.

No sooner had I turned away from the bar than I both sensed and saw the tall, lithe leopard enter the Lounge. Jez looked gorgeous, dressed to kill as Beatrix Kiddo from Kill Bill. She looked deadly in the yellow outfit with black stripes, replicated from the film.

She even carried the notorious Hanzo sword on her hip. Impressive. Her golden hair hung long and silky straight down her back. I was instantly jealous.

She spotted me right away, and I moved to meet her. “You did the red lips like I told you to. It looks so hot.” The first words out of Jez’ mouth shouldn’t have been surprising, especially followed by, “I love those boots.”

The crowd continued to grow as the next wave of partygoers started showing up. So much freely exuded positive energy was more potent than the red wine in my hand.

She grabbed my arm and pulled me along to the nearest shooter girl. I assumed it was to hit on her, but then she thrust an oddly colored shot into my hand. Drinking was one thing but shooting drinks was another.

When I eyed the blue concoction, she leaned in close and said cheerfully, “Here’s to being carefree for a night. Happy Halloween, wolf girl. Bottom’s up!”

She tossed it back like a trooper, and I followed her lead, grimacing in response to the sour taste. I should have known. Leave it to a cat to choose a Sour Puss as her choice of shot. I preferred the wine.

We walked around the lower floor, from one side of the large building to the other.

Jez wanted to check out everyone’s costumes and send out her “single girl” radar. I was more than happy to take in the entire place.