SILAS

"We can leave?" Maya asked, her eyes searching mine with genuine surprise. "It’s only the first dance. The night has barely started."

"I think we've given them enough for today. It won't matter if we leave now." I pulled her closer, my voice dropping to a rough murmur. "But we have to make it look real, Maya. You need to look like you can’t wait to get me alone. Look frustrated. Look desperate for me. We need to look like two people so in love we can’t keep our hands off each other for another second.”

I reached out and touched her cheek. I watched the flush deepen on...