Enticing You (How to Marry a Billionaire #1)

Episode 9

EPISODE 9

DANCING QUEEN

Sienna

Running away from Alex Maxwell wasn’t my best look. He’s gorgeous—they all are—but he came on a little strong with the comment about the bourbon.

Now he’s busy with Ginger, who, frankly, is the most beautiful woman here with her dark hair and sparkling emerald eyes. I’ve never seen eyes as beautiful as hers.

Heather Hill, a hair stylist, links her arm with mine. “Come on. Let’s dance.”

The string quartet has been replaced with a deejay spinning dance music, but the portable dance floor is still bare.

Heather’s wearing a royal-blue mini dress the same color as her highlights. It accentuates every curve of her amazing body.

Evangeline dressed us all in clingy clothes this evening. My dress is metallic gold—so not me —with strappy stiletto sandals.

We’re all on display like the meat we are.

I sigh. That’s not fair or accurate. I chose to come here when Evangeline recruited me. It seemed as good a way as any to get over Leroy. He’s a former NFL running back turned sportscaster, and we had what I thought was true love…until he went home with a stripper who performed at a friend’s bachelor party.

Yes, my love life is that cliché. Dumped for a stripper.

One thing Leroy was good for, though—he was a great dancer, and he taught me some killer moves. I no longer have to be a wallflower, so I follow Heather onto the dance floor.

The deejay plays some contemporary pop. Leroy taught me how to isolate different body parts like the chest, hips, shoulders, and head, and then to move them in a fluid and controlled manner to create something visually striking. I intersperse the isolations with body rolls, smoothly rolling my body from my chest down to my hips.

Heather simply gyrates her hips, but she looks good doing it.

Soon we’ve captured the attention of a few of the women and the entrepreneur, Brett Dawson.

He joins us on the floor, bringing with him Ariel and Emily, who seem to have become friends despite the fact that they’re different as night and day.

The five us dance until the song is over. Ariel and Emily leave the floor, and the deejay plays “Love Man” by Otis Redding.

I recognize it immediately from my mother’s favorite movie of all time, Dirty Dancing .

I look up at the deejay and he winks at me.

Oh, God…

The body rolls I’m doing… They have that Dirty Dancing vibe.

Brett grabs my hand and pulls me toward him, placing one of my arms around his neck and then circling his hips and rolling his body the same way I was. Only seconds pass before we’re in complete synch, our bodies moving as one, and I instinctually gaze into his searing blue eyes.

“You’re an amazing dancer, Sienna,” he says loud enough that I can hear him over the music.

“Thank you.” I keep my gaze focused on his.

He wraps my other arm around his neck and then he places his hands on my hips. We continue to dance, flowing together, until the song ends.

Before the deejay fires up another song, applause rings out from the others on the floor.

“Where’d you learn to dance like that?” Heather demands.

From my ex.

Nope. Not going there.

“My mom. Her favorite movie was Dirty Dancing .”

“Can you teach me?”

“Later,” Brett answers for me. “She’s mine for now.”

The next song is slow, and Brett pulls me to him.

And then I feel it. His erection. He’s turned on…and so am I. My nipples chafe against the stretchy fabric of my dress.

Brett is a big flirt, though, so I don’t put any stock into his attention.

Just relax and enjoy it , I tell myself. He’ll be on to another woman by the next song .

I close my eyes and snuggle into his shoulder, inhaling the crisp scent of citrus and musk. He unloaded his tie a while ago, and the first two buttons of his shirt are open.

No more wallflower. It feels good to be noticed.

“I’m cutting in.”

I open my eyes. Misty Holmes, the hotel heiress, smiles through her full red lips.

“Uh…sure.” I move away from Brett.

“Where are you going? I’m not done with you yet.” He nods to Misty. “I’ll dance with you later.”

Misty’s light-blue eyes widen, and her cheeks flush. Then she composes herself. “I’ll look forward to it.” She saunters off the dance floor.

“I know there are only four of us,” Brett says to me, “but that’s no excuse for rudeness.”

I simply nod as we continue the dance.

Once the song is over, Brett brushes his lips over my cheek. “Thanks, Sienna. You’re a beautiful dancer.”

He leaves me on the dance floor and walks toward Heather.

O…kay.

Heather and I were the ones dancing in the first place. My moves are what got the dancing started.

Stop it, Sienna. He’s just sampling the merchandise. Getting to know all of us. None of this means anything.

I wander toward the bar.

“What can I get you?” the bartender asks.

He’s handsome in his own right, though Evangeline’s rules were very specific. Hands off the staff.

“Pappy Van Winkle’s.”

“Good choice.” The bartender—his name tag says Zion—pours a shot into a lowball glass. “Neat okay? It’s kind of a crime to put ice in Pappy’s.”

“Neat is perfect.” I take the glass from him. “Thank you, Zion.”

He curls his lips into a dazzling smile. “My pleasure.”

I walk along the edge of the courtyard, watching a movie that I’m not a part of. I was…until Brett ditched me to dance with Heather.

That’s me. The woman who gets ditched.

I’m a wallflower again. The wallflower who was dumped by her hottie ex-football player fiancé for a stripper he met one time.

I take a sip of the bourbon, let its caramel smokiness warm my throat.

My heart rate increases, and my neck feels tight, like my muscles are knotting up. The dance music becomes increasingly louder, and my palms sweat, nearly causing me to drop my glass of bourbon. I hold it tight and take another sip.

But still, I’m back there…

Back at that horrid balloon-filled gymnasium where I’m plastered to the wall in my light-pink number with braces on my teeth and no tits to hold up the front of my dress.

I’m an observer—an observer whose anxiety is triggered by feeling out of place.

I take another sip of bourbon and then down it all. I only had two sips of champagne plus the Pappy Van Winkle’s Alex got me earlier. With all the food I’ve consumed, I’m not even close to buzzed.

Get a grip, Sienna.

I’m not the wallflower of years ago, and I’m sure as hell more than Leroy Robinson’s ex.

I’m Sienna Costello, damn it. I’m a bitch who can dance.

I place the empty glass on the table and march toward the dancefloor. I’m tempted to cut in on Heather and Brett, but Brett didn’t like it when Misty did it to us.

Who cares? I bust a move better than any of these people. Thank goodness Evangeline didn’t bring a professional dancer to the island, or I’d be sunk.

Emboldened, I grab Alex when he strays across my path. “Let’s dance.”

“Sure thing.” He smiles.

The music is hopping now, and I execute my best moves while Alex watches me with his wide hazel eyes. In a more subtle way, he’s better-looking than Brett. Brett is flashy—he looks like a billionaire with all the charm and charisma you’d expect. Alex isn’t quite as polished, though he’s not rough around the edges like the rancher, River Barrett, is.

I ran away from Alex once tonight. I won’t make that mistake again.

“I saw you dancing before,” he says loud enough that I can hear over the music. “You’re the best out here.”

“Thank you.” My cheeks are warm, and electricity surges between my legs at his praise.

I glance around. Brett is still dancing with Heather, his arms around her waist even though it’s a fast song.

Ginger and Misty are dancing, and Sebastian Tate and Emily Kensington are at the edge of the dance floor, but they’re not dancing. They’re talking—or rather she’s talking, and she doesn’t look happy.

Are any of these men for me? Am I even ready after being so recently jilted?

Evangeline knows about Leroy, but I assured her I wanted to come to the island and meet the guys. I’m out of practice, though. Leroy and I were together for four years. Four freaking years…

Wasted time.

But maybe not. Maybe it was all leading me to this moment.

To this island.

To these men.

“I want to apologize,” Alex says.

“For what?”

“For earlier. For freaking you out. I don’t know why I tried to come on strong like that. It’s not me.”

“Then why’d you do it?”

“I don’t know. You’re so beautiful, and I remembered the comment Ginger made about the bourbon not being the best thing you ever put in your mouth.” He sighs. “So my words weren’t even original, but I was thinking I could pull it off.”

I wrap my arms around Alex’s neck when the music slows. “It’s okay. I’m sorry I ran away.”

“Hell, I’d have run away too if I were you.”

We laugh together then, and my soul lightens.

He leans closer to me. “How’d you like to go on a walk?” he whispers, his breath hot against my neck.

I pull back, meet his gaze. “A walk?”

“Yeah. On the beach.” He pushes a strand of hair behind my ear. “We’ll get a couple drinks, take off our shoes, let the sand squish between our toes, and…”

“And what?”

“And…whatever you like…dancing queen.”