Chapter 28
Twenty-Eight
Henry
Tabitha’s grip is warm on my forearm.
She’s pulling me over to where people are dancing to the music of Dragonlock.
Normally I enjoy dancing, and I enjoy rock music. But I haven’t danced since…
I should yank my arm away.
But I don’t.
I’ve treated Tabitha terribly, and she deserves better. Our two quickies were amazing. Already I’m getting hard again just being this close to her. Which isn’t a good thing in front of my entire family.
My boots clunk on the portable dance floor.
It’s a gorgeous evening out here. Stars shining above.
I used to love the stars.
Now, I—
“Come on,” Tabitha says, moving to the music.
She’s a beautiful dancer.
The air around her seems to pulse, matching the beat of the bass. Her body twirling, hips swaying, creating a rhythm that’s arousing to watch. Her eyes glitter under the lights. Those beautiful warm brown eyes…
“Dance with me, Henry,” she whispers.
I hesitate for a moment, looking at her outstretched arm. She’s giving me a chance, a chance I don’t deserve. I swallow hard, my heart pounding.
What is it about this woman that makes me so unsure? That makes me want to be better? I don’t know if it’s her smile or her spirit or her gorgeous eyes or just the way she moves, but she does something to me.
I take a deep breath and put my hand in hers. The moment our palms meet, a jolt of electricity runs up my arm. The crowd around us fades away, and all I can see is her.
We move to the beat, our bodies swaying to the rhythm of Dragonlock’s song. As we dance, everything else fades away. It’s just Tabitha and me under a blanket of stars.
Her laughter rings out as I twirl her around. For a moment, I allow myself to forget about everything else and just enjoy this instant with her.
She pulls me closer and rests her hand on my shoulder. Her breath is a breeze across my cheek, and I inhale the scent of her hair—raspberry and coconut.
The song changes, slowing to a softer rhythm. She leans into me. The heat radiating from her body contrasts with the cool night air, and…
Yeah.
And…
I want to tell her how I feel in this moment, how sorry I am for everything I’ve done. But words fail me. Instead, I pull away.
“Tabitha,” I begin, but she places a finger over my lips.
“Not now, Henry,” she whispers, her voice barely audible over the music. “Just dance.”
I nod. She’s right. This isn’t the time or the place.
The song continues, Jesse’s smooth baritone blending with the strumming of the guitars. Tabitha lays her head on my chest. The world falls silent around us. It’s just us and the music.
I close my eyes and try to etch this moment into my memory. The melody of Dragonlock playing softly in the background, the feel of Tabitha against me, our bodies moving together.
Until she pulls away slightly. My eyes flutter open to find hers staring back at me. Those bright eyes hold a thousand questions that I don’t have answers to. She traces her fingers down my arm, her touch sending a jolt through me.
“What is it?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady over the music.
She doesn’t respond right away. Instead, she reaches up and brushes my hair off my forehead.
“I just…” She pauses then, bites her lip. “I want to know if this—us—is real.”
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. The truth is, I don’t know. All I know is how I feel when I’m with her and how hollow I feel the rest of the time.
I’m only good for quick fucks right now. That’s all I have the mental bandwidth for until I can wrap my head around my actions in Angie’s townhome that horrible day.
And Tabitha deserves more.
She deserves better.
She deserves a man who will cherish her, who will take the time to court her, take her to dinner, make her feel loved. I used to be able to feel that, but my heart has turned to stone in the wake of last winter’s events.
There’s a crack or two, but not enough to let Tabitha’s light in.
So I’ll dance with her for tonight, and then I’ll move on from her until I’m healed.
The music shifts again, the beat picking up, pulsing beneath our feet. It’s almost like the universe itself is pushing me to make a choice. To pick a path.
So I make my decision. Firmly and without any wiggle room.
Tabitha deserves to find a man who will treat her like a queen, and I can’t expect her to wait around for me to get my shit together. So I’ll do the right thing.
I take a step back, disentangling myself from her. She looks startled but doesn’t protest. Instead, she just watches me with those wide, impossibly hopeful eyes that make me ache with longing.
“Tabitha,” I finally say, “I can’t give you what you need.”
Her expression changes then, from surprise to hurt to acceptance in the blink of an eye. Her small nod is the only indication that my words have sunk in.
I let go of her and leave the dance floor.