Unfiltered & Undressed (The Unfiltered Series) by Payge Galvin, Meg Chance

wasn’t paying attention to me anymore. I watched him work for several seconds, trying to figure out why I was so confused by him. Everything about him exuded confidence and magnetism, and every girl here wanted a piece of him. But he also had an aloofness, a coolness in his demeanor, that made it clear he didn’t let anyone get too close.
    I’d recognized it right away, maybe because I understood it. It was exactly how I’d always felt—never wanting to let anyone in. It was the same thing that made me think he was a jackass that first night when I’d demanded my keys and he’d all but ignored me.
    I guess that was the thing, part of the appeal. Most girls wanted what they couldn’t have.
    But there was that other side to him, too. The side I’d seen at the beach, when he’d rescued me, and again at the pool, when Gracie had been too afraid to come down off the step. I doubted that was a side he showed here at The Dunes, at least not all that often, and definitely not on purpose.
    He looked up then, and our eyes locked. I didn’t want to blink or breathe, and all I could think was, I know you’re in there . And when he didn’t look away I thought maybe, just maybe, he was letting me know I was right.
    Then Zane was there, his breath too hot against my ear. “Ready?”
    Will’s jaw clenched and his shoulders stiffened, but even that quick flash of emotion only lasted a second before the other Will—the indifferent one—was back. He spent extra time on his next customer, a leggy brunette who leaned all the way over the bar, practically spilling out of her dress. Like I was one to judge .
    When she ran the tip of her acrylic nail across his forearm, along the veins that bulged over his muscles, he shot one more look my way, and I knew he meant for me to notice.
    “Ready,” I told Zane, and reached for his hand again, and this time it was me dragging him through the crowd as I downed my Corona and hauled him toward the dance floor.
    ‡
    Three shots and who knew how many beers later, the floor was wobbly beneath my feet. Somewhere along the way, I’d lost track of Emerson, or she’d lost track of me, and now I was all alone with Zane. He did his best to pull me away from the dance floor so he could get me someplace quiet—and presumably dark—so we could “talk.” But I kept shooting him down. I needed to keep moving to stop the world from spinning.
    “One more song,” I insisted. “This one’s my fav’rite.”
    “I thought the last one was your favorite.” He laughed when he said it and let me drag him between the crush of dancers.
    He gave me the most indecent smile, which I knew was meant to convey the promise of things to come. The night wouldn’t end the way he wanted it to, but I didn’t stop him when he wrapped his arm around my waist and pressed himself to me, because it made me feel steady. We danced for almost a full minute like that, with his hips grinding against mine, while my alcohol-infused brain tried to keep up with the song, even though I was pretty sure we were way off beat.
    “You’re beautiful,” he muttered against my ear.
    I rolled my head away when I felt his tongue clumsily attack my earlobe, and I tried to laugh it off. “All right, I think we’re done here.”
    He ignored my protest and his grip on my waist tightened. Immediately, my head cleared. I needed to put the brakes on before he got the wrong idea. I couldn’t let him think he had a real chance.
    “My turn.” An unfriendly voice interrupted us, and I jerked when I heard it, bumping Zane’s chin with my forehead.
    “I don’t think so, pal. We’re a little busy here.” Zane took an abrupt step away from me, and when I saw the scowl on Will’s face and his hand gripping Zane’s shoulder, I realized that Zane hadn’t stepped away willingly.
    “I wasn’t asking,” Will told Zane, his jaw tense. “Either you walk away now, or I’ll have you bounced.” He tipped his head toward the entrance, to