"How about you, Beta Maya? Can I interest you in one of my specialties?", Keith offered, and Maya refused him while pointing at her drinks, saying how she has enough.
Accepting Keith's offer always comes with the danger of tasting something nasty, and Maya didn't want to risk it tonight.
Talia quickly finished her first cocktail and started sipping her second one while watching Keith who was mixing a concoction with expert moves. He was flinging bottles in the air and rotating them on his palms without spilling a single drop. Talia was impressed.
"You work here?", Talia asked when Keith slowed down his movements. He told her that he is in the gym almost every day, so she assumed that this is where he spends his evenings.
"I stop by to help Katya, but I wouldn't call it a job.", Keith responded.
Talia understood that Keith and Katya are in a relationship.. What kind of relationship? Their banter showed that they are close and now he said that he comes to help. Friends? Definitely more than just friends. Lovers? She was curious, but she was not sure if it's appropriate to ask.
This social setting was new for Talia, and she feared that she might mess it up if she is too nosy.
Keith started small talk, and Maya said that she is going to be back in a bit, leaving Keith and Talia on their own. Keith moved from behind the bar to sit on the barstool where Maya was previously.
Before she realized it, Talia finished her second cocktail and now in front of her was a tall glass with a clear liquid that had an amber hue, pineapple wedge on top, and a slice of lemon inside.
"Why are you still here? Didn't you say you are leaving?", Katya asked Keith grumpily when she approached that area of the bar.
"I was about to leave, but then I saw Talia and thought of giving her company. Instead of looking at what I'm doing, you should focus on the thirsty customers."
Katya glanced at Talia's drink before saying, "Don't let him turn you into his victim. Keith will force his concoctions on you until you get an upset stomach."
"Some of my concoctions are the best selling cocktails here!", Keith shouted after Katya and then turned to Talia. "Don't listen to her, Talia. This is good stuff."
Looking at his expectant expression, Talia wouldn't refuse him no matter what kind of a drink he made, even if it gives her an upset stomach.
Talia took a careful sip and citrusy flavors exploded at the tip of her tongue. It was very different from the fruity cocktail she had previously but no less tasty. Actually, this was very refreshing, and she took another sip before giving her praise, "Very good."
Keith beamed and his smile revealed two dimples, one on each cheek.
Keith directed his smug expression at Katya who was too far to hear him. "See? This girl knows what's good."
He spoke to Talia, "When you finish this one, I will make you something else."
Talia drank the cocktail happily, without realizing at what point she started loosening up. She even started moving with the music, alcohol helped suppress the ache in her muscles that she earned while exercising earlier that day.
Talia had never drunk alcohol before, so her resistance was very low and cocktails were expertly mixed to conceal the bitter taste, so Talia had them like juice.
Talking with Keith came easy, and Talia enjoyed that they were chatting about anything and everything like they are long-term friends.
At some point, Keith noticed that Talia was looking at the people who danced.
"Do you want to dance?", Keith offered.
Talia smiled happily. She was glad that he offered, but she shook her head. "I don't know how."
Keith's eyes flashed with amusement. He stood up and offered Talia his hand, palm up. "As your personal trainer, it is my duty to teach you."
Talia looked around helplessly, hoping to see Maya that could rescue her because Keith seemed determined, but Maya was nowhere in sight.
She wanted to refuse, but then she stared foolishly at his dimples, and her legs moved on their own to follow Keith away from the bar.
Talia noticed that people moved to make way for them. Keith didn't seem surprised by this.
When they were somewhere in the dancing crowd, Keith turned to face Talia and she didn't expect it so she bumped into him. Talia put her arms up to push herself from Keith and took notice of his firm pecs. Are all guy-werewolves so hard?
An image of a different werewolf flashed in front of her eyes, this one had raven-black hair and icy-blue eyes and Talia shook her head, to focus on reality.
Keith took Talia's hands by the wrists and lifted them higher, from his pecs to his shoulders.
"Put your hands here and relax. Follow me and let the music guide you."
As much as alcohol gave her courage, now that she was facing Keith, Talia's will faltered. His hands were on her waist, and she glanced at the people nervously.
Talia's breath hitched when she noticed that not everyone was dancing. Some were grinding on each other, and some were outright making out, and the fact that Keith leaned close so that they can talk without shouting over the music didn't make the situation more comfortable.
Talia thought how this was silly. Why was she so stiff? It doesn't matter what others are doing. Keith and she are here for dancing and there is nothing more to it.
On several occasions, Talia was completely glued to Alpha Damon and that didn't feel awkward. Why can't she relax with Keith?
Objectively speaking, Keith is a good-looking young man, caring, consistent, a gentleman. Keith reminds Talia of a breeze on a warm spring day, while Alpha Damon is overbearing and unpredictable like a hailstorm on a hot summer day.
Why did standing close to Keith feel wrong, while being with Alpha Damon came naturally? Talia wondered if she has self-destructive tendencies.
Keith touched Talia's chin, making her look at him.
"First lesson on dancing, you can focus on the music or on your partner. Preferably both.", Keith said seriously. "Second lesson, you need to have fun and that means you should not think if someone is watching or what they are doing. This is about you and your partner, in this case, me. No one else matters. Got it?"
Talia nodded earnestly.
She repeated in her mind Keith's lessons, and it didn't sit well with her that he said how he is her partner.
She wondered if Alpha Damon would care if he heard Keith's words. Probably not. He must be busy with Miss Mindy. Is he giving her his breathtaking half-smile that goes great with his icy-blue eyes? Is she enjoying his scent of the forest and dark chocolate?
Talia pushed those thoughts to the side. She shouldn't think about Alpha Damon because it can't bring anything good. She needs to forget about him.
Damon found his Luna, or maybe his next toy, and Talia is out of the picture. Even Stephanie confirmed what everyone knows how Alphas are toying with girls until they find their Luna, and Talia was just one more in the lines of girls that brought Damon temporary entertainment. The sooner she accepts it, the faster the pain will subside.
But there was another variable in this whole almost-dancing situation, "Is Katya OK with this?"
Keith cocked an eyebrow with slight confusion on his sun-kissed face. "OK, with what?"
"With us, dancing.", Talia clarified.
"Why wouldn't she be?"
Talia was not sure if she spoke too much. But she knew that werewolves are very possessive and jealous and how can Katya be OK when her important person was dancing with some other girl?
Talia didn't say more, but Keith could guess her thoughts.
"You see, Talia…", he made a dramatic pause and licked his lips that were lifted into a smile by the time he spoke again, "Katya is my sister."
Talia released a breath she was holding. It's not that she had any intention of hitting it off with Keith, but a jealous she-wolf might be a problem and Talia's face fell when she realized that maybe Keith misunderstood her. What if he thought that Talia has romantic thoughts that include Keith?
But how can she explain this without making it more awkward?
Keith was watching her with amusement in his eyes and she had to say something.
"I didn't know Katya is your sister. She is impressive. Do you mind telling me about her?"
Keith's expression softened. "Katya is impressive. When she finished high school, she was eligible for the scholarship, just how I was. I took mine and went to college in human town while Katya asked to convert her scholarship into a loan to buy this place."
Talia blinked. "Katya is the owner?" Well, that explained why everyone made way for him. If he's the owner's brother, he is kind of an owner also.
Keith moved closer so that he can talk to Talia without yelling. They were so close that Talia could feel the heat emanating from his body and the earthy scent of his aftershave.
"Katya bought this place and spruced it up. It was a decent nightclub with previous owners, but since Katya took over, it became the best in the area. I come here when I get a chance to help her out, and she lets me experiment with drinks. My kitchen is well equipped, but I don't have thirty varieties of scotch…"
Talia listened with interest, and she completely missed the fact that her legs were moving how Keith guided her. Compared to the people around them who danced vigorously, they moved much slower, but it was still dancing. It was her first dance and she missed it.
