Free Your Eyes Don't Lie by Rachel Branton Page B

gun.”
    Brette blinked. “You have one?”
    “Yeah. Makes me feel better, too.”
    “Maybe you can teach me. But truthfully, getting back with my boyfriend sounds easier.” She sighed. “Unfortunately, it was a promise I made my mother a week before she died. She hated him, and I have to admit that she had reason.”
    Be grateful someone cared who you were dating. But Makay didn’t say the words aloud because she really liked Brette and the girl had enough on her mind. She stepped around a knot of women and opened the door. Music from the club blasted them in the face.
    Brette squealed. “I love this song!”
    “Well, that guy’s gone.” Makay looked around. “I don’t see anyone else I really want to dance with.”
    “Look! There’s Tessa and Gage. Let’s go dance with them. Gage is man enough, don’t you think?” Brette giggled. “Can’t miss this song.”
    Why not? It didn’t seem to matter if you even had a partner, and dancing with friends meant no awkward moments or making up excuses not to give out your number. Makay was not looking for a relationship, after all. Still, she understood where Brette was coming from regarding their conversation about her ex-boyfriend. It would be nice to have someone around who understood—who wanted good things for her. While Makay had dated a few guys, she’d never had that. Most had just wanted to sleep with her, and when they found out she had a child, well, they lost even that urge.
    Makay forgot her thoughts as she danced to the song. It was a popular one she’d heard on the radio recently, but for the life of her she couldn’t remember who the artist was—or even understand half the words. But the beat was perfect and her body swayed of its own accord. Tessa didn’t mind dancing with them, and Gage’s green eyes seemed rather pleased with all the attention.
    Another song began and she kept dancing. The beat was everything. She let her frustrations slide away—school, Lenny, the fact that she’d have to do another blackmail pickup. For the moment there was nothing but the music. Brette and Tessa laughed as Gage dipped Tessa in an exaggerated movement that clashed with the beat of the music. Tessa was in fine spirits; at night she always came alive, evolving into some sort of vibrant alter ego. Makay laughed with them.
    She became aware of someone behind her and turned slowly, wondering if her previous partner had found her. The music ended just then, and there were several loud thunks! as cans of some kind of food fell to the ground and rolled to her feet. She followed their path back to their origination and found herself staring into the eyes of the man from the Albertsons parking lot. His dark blond hair shone under the flashing lights, and his blue eyes looked black. On his face there was a little scruff, partially hiding a small cleft in his chin, and she suspected he disliked shaving. He wore dark slacks and a gray and black shirt that fit his wide shoulders perfectly while narrowing to a slim waist. Maybe clothes weren’t just to cover nakedness after all, at least not the way he wore them. He was the best looking guy in the entire room. And he was alone.
    She arched a brow as he stepped toward her. “Are you stalking me?” she asked with a smile.
    “Kind of seems that way, doesn’t it?” His grin was infectious, revealing two deep dimples in his cheeks that she hadn’t recalled before. He squatted down and scooped up the two cans.
    Brette and Tessa had gone behind him and were making faces at her. Hot, Brette mouthed. Tessa made a pushing motion with her hands.
    “Actually, I’m stalking your car,” he said. “I saw it outside and wondered if you’d be here. And since you like throwing cans, I thought I’d give it a try.”
    Makay’s heart flip-flopped. He’d come in here looking for her! What did that mean? “Do you always carry cans around?” she asked. “I mean, you have to admit, that’s kind of weird.”
    He grinned again,