Unbreakable Bonds by Aliyah Burke, Taige Crenshaw

fine. Let me know if you want to leave.”
    “I’m looking forward to you doing this karaoke.” His hand covered hers under the table and he squeezed gently before releasing it.
    “Won’t be long. I believe we’re up after two more people.” She needed to focus or she was going to sound like a dying whale while her thoughts were solely on the man beside her, and what his touch did to her.
    He reached for his drink. “Is it always like this here?” This question was louder and more for the group.
    “Pretty much,” Rachel said, toasting him with her drink.
    “And even though they can’t sing, these people still get up there?”
    “I’m still shocked you’ve never been to karaoke before, man,” Jasmine said, finishing off her beer and waving for another.
    Ta-Mara kept her counsel. It wasn’t easy for her to imagine either, however, considering this man had just kind of appeared in the back of the shop—from another time—his not knowing karaoke didn’t seem such a big thing to her. She stifled a chuckle at herself. In this instance, she believed he was from another time. Her mind was so scattered on what was true about him.
    “Oh, oh, we’re next.” Rachel slid out first and the others followed.
    Ta-Mara started to slide around as well, only to find Levi had stood up to allow her out that way. Sort of. He remained close so she had to brush by him to get out. His gaze burned as he looked down into her eyes. She was so tempted to touch him, she had to dig her nails into the palms of her hands. This wasn’t the time or place for that.
    “Be right back,” she muttered, leaning back over the table for her drink. Another good-sized swallow then she was ready to go.
    They stepped up on stage to a thunderous applause. Thoughts of Levi slipped into the back of her mind and she focused on the time with her friends. The familiarity of standing up with them and putting on a show for the crowd was front and center.
    The music started and they began singing. It took her a moment before she realized they’d picked Survivor by Destiny’s Child. That wasn’t the song she’d been expecting. They did two songs then she hopped off and headed back while her friends were going to do a few more. She detoured to the ladies, then came out to head to her table.
    Rachel and Heather flanked her, stopping then taking her close to the wall. Ta-Mara figured it had been coming from the looks they had been giving her all night. She leaned on the wall, sliding her hands into her pockets. From where she stood, she couldn’t see Levi since there were people blocking her.
    “He looks better than when we saw him,” Heather said.
    Ta-Mara focused on her friends. “I let him rest as you stated. After his swoon—thanks for putting that word in my head, by the way—he was fine.”
    “He is fine.” Rachel wiggled her eyebrows.
    “He is that.” Ta-Mara clicked her tongue. “When we went shopping yesterday, women were all over him.”
    “And you wanted to punch them or snatch them bald.” Heather laughed. “I would be the same way with a man like that.”
    “Me too.” Rachel bared her teeth. “I’d tell them to back off, he’s mine.”
    “Levi isn’t mine.”
    “You look at him like he is.” Heather moved closer, pressing her shoulder against hers. “What about him being a time traveler? Do you still believe that?”
    “I have no idea what I believe.” Ta-Mara slid an arm around each of them and hugged them. “Thanks for earlier in the store when you acted like you didn’t know him.”
    “No problem. We said we’d act like that.” Rachel put her arm behind Ta-Mara’s back.
    Heather did the same. “He really is gorgeous. Jasmine about swallowed her tongue when she saw him earlier.”
    “Yeah. I saw how she was looking at him.” Ta-Mara frowned, thinking of her friend who would have no qualms about making a play for Levi. Heather and Rachel she didn’t have to think that about. “She needs to cool