Free Speak (Witches & Warlocks Book 1) by R. M. Webb

on by looking at me. All this awfulness because of me. He shakes his head and turns away as Luke comes up and wraps his arm around my shoulders.
    What in the world am I going to do? How am I going to handle this? Does it matter how I handle this? I mean, Noah’s supposed to be bad news bears and it’s not like we’re dating exclusively or anything like that. Hell, he didn’t even ask me for my phone number the one time we accidentally ended up hanging out. We’re doing this at my speed, right? So, maybe my speed means that I get to play the field. Maybe it means that I can hang out with anyone I want to hang out with.
    So, then why do I feel like I’m being a major creep? Why do I feel about as small as a mouse and as ugly as a rat? A wet rat that’s been hanging out in sewers and garbage dumps? I offer Noah a weak smile and he turns away and the tiger thumps her tail and snarls in frustration.
    “What’s up, Zoe?” asks Luke. “You ok? That guy been a problem for you?”
    The weird, oozing, purple fog rolling towards my heart feeling is back and the tiger is pacing and panting and my pulse is skyrocketing. Noah glances my way and his blue upon blue eyes just like mine ignite a golden explosion of pressure in my chest and it’s like all the comfort and safety I’d felt for the first half of the night had been borrowed because I’m suddenly locked behind the obstacle in my throat and in my heart and in my head. I can’t speak and if I tried everything I said would be wrong and maybe I’m just overthinking everything.
    Luke unwinds his arm from my shoulders, like a boa constrictor retreating back into the trees. “Zoe?”
    “Did you lose her?” Becca kind of stumbles into me, tripping over her high heels. “You’ve gotta come back, babe. ‘Member? We can’t hear all the things you think you’re saying out loud.” She’s slurring like crazy. I’m not all that steady on my feet either and I seriously regret all the drinks I’ve let myself have.
    “Sorry,” I say and I mean it. Sorry for that awful look on Noah’s face. Sorry for making Luke think I’m anything close to normal. Sorry for letting Becca down, “Let’s play some pool.” I think I managed to hide the tsunami of an upset stomach that’s churning away inside me.
    Becca lurches towards the pool table and then abruptly changes her direction. “Know what? I gotta pee.” Wow. That’s blunt for her. Maybe drunk Becca totally works with Carter. I watch her stumble off to the bathroom before I turn back to find the guys setting up the table. Noah is nowhere to be seen and I’m just as happy not to see that look on his face again as I am disappointed not to actually see his face again. Luke and Carter are kind of muttering to each other, deep in some kind of conversation I don’t think I’m meant to see.
    Ugh. Whatever. I need a time out. This is over the top way too much for me.
    “I’m going to head to the bathroom as well.”
    Luke hits me with his super sexy beast man smile and I sigh a little despite myself. “Hurry back.”
    I don’t know if Luke saying that was corny or awesome and I’m way too confused to even begin to decide how I feel about that statement. Flannigan’s has never been so busy and I think I say excuse me at least a hundred times and reroute around people who won’t budge. It’s like I’ve gone invisible again and after an evening’s worth of being seen, it feels horrible. After what feels like a year of shuffling around people, I make it to the hallway that leads to the bathroom. I stop before I turn the corner because I’m pretty sure I hear Becca.
    “I thought I told you to stay away from her.” That’s definitely Becca and she’s sounding definitely not drunk.
    “So, what are you, her keeper?” And that’s Noah. I press myself tight against the wall. What in the world is this?
    “Actually, I am.” Becca sounds haughty and pompous and not at all like her sparkly little self. “I’ve been