28 #2
“Yep, Jerome cut me short last time and I’m determined to get my full money’s worth.” He was still holding her hand, making sure there was no escape. He cocked his head to one side and winked at her.
“Okay, just one, but then I really need to go.” Dani relented. She knew he wouldn’t let her go and to be honest, she didn’t mind his harmless flirting.
“We’ll see.”
Arsenio could dance. Not just the usual rocking to the rhythm kind of dancing, he actually had moves, serious moves.
Kuch knew how to dance but it was fun, light and just him having a good time.
With Arsenio it was definitely more intense, he took total command.
Dani had first hand witnessed his dancing skills at the charity dinner, but that was more sedate and graceful.
Tonight his movements were fluid, precise and totally seductive.
Dani felt like a helpless marionette in his hands.
It wasn’t quite dirty dancing but it was as close as you could get to flirty dancing without crossing the line.
By the beginning of the third song Dani was breathless.
She was glad that the music was loud, so she didn’t need to speak, and that the lights flashed around them, disguising her flushed appearance.
There was enough body language emanating loud and clear from Arsenio for Dani to realise she needed to get away.
If Jerome had been rattled at how she danced with Kuch he’d be positively apoplectic at this display.
Fleetingly, she wondered why she should even worry about what he thought.
It was Arsenio who’d asked her, if he had a problem with him openly flirting with her, he needed to take it up with him.
“I really need to go Seni.” Dani leaned over so Arsenio could hear her, breathing heavily. God, she really needed to get some exercise.
“Really? I can’t convince you to stay? It’s been a while for me to have such a worthy partner,” he drawled, his intent unmistakeable.
“Really. Thank you though, for the dance.” Dani pulled away from his grasp, Arsenio’s hand drifted over her arm down to her hand as she furthered the distance.
“Thank you.“ He winked at her playfully and she shook her head.
“You’re a terrible flirt, Seni.”
He laughed loudly. “Yeah, I am. But you love it.”
Dani huffed at his arrogant but truthful remark but decided not to comment. “Bye, Seni.”
“Bye Bella!”
Dani chuckled and blew him a kiss. Arsenio immediately clutched his chest as if he’d been shot. “You’re killing me,” he called after her.
Jerome stood by the bar gripping onto his drink, his brooding jaw set hard as he clenched his teeth.
He’d spotted Dani’s white jumpsuit when the ultraviolet lights flashed onto the main dance floor as he walked along the walkway.
Once he’d realised who she was dancing with he descended down to the main bar so that he could get a closer look.
A few regular customers came over to talk to him, so he couldn’t keep his eyes focused on them the whole time but he’d seen more than enough.
He was going to have to have another word with Arsenio, he thought swallowing back a large gulp of his drink.
Throughout all his life Jerome had never been jealous of either one of his brothers, not of Cosimo’s extreme intelligence and his perceptive skills or of Arsenio’s easy-going nature and patience.
That was until just now. The sight of Arsenio and Dani bumping and grinding on the dance floor was something he knew he’d never be able to do.
Jerome threw back the rest of his drink, excused himself politely and headed towards the entrance.
Dani said her goodbyes and kissed and hugged everyone, then headed to the foyer where the lifts would take her to the underground car park where her car was parked.
She rummaged in her bag to find her cloakroom ticket for her jacket and stepped through the door, which was instantly opened by security.
“Leaving already?”
Dani turned to find Jerome standing behind her along with two of the security team. He stepped forward and took the cloakroom ticket from her hand and handed it to the girl behind the desk.
It took Dani a second to recover from the shock of seeing him out in the foyer. She’d never seen him out there before. “Um, yes. I’ve a lot on tomorrow.”
The cloak room girl handed Dani her biker jacket but Jerome took it, opening it out for her to put on.
Jerome pursed his lips together and waited for her to come closer.
Dani turned slightly so she could slip in her arms and Jerome helped her shrug into it, resting his hands on her shoulders for a second.
“I didn’t realise you were such good friends with Seni,” he said breezily, hoping there were no signs of sarcasm in his tone. He saw her shoulders stiffen at his comment. She waited a beat and fumbled with the zip before turning around to answer him.
“Well, I’m not actually, but it’s your fault I had to dance with him,” she answered.
“My fault? How so?” Jerome raised his brow intrigued by her answer.
“Well, you cut short our last dance together so Seni figured I owed him one.”
Jerome chuckled placing his hand on the small of her back, guiding her to the lifts. “Ah, I see. A very clever argument from a lawyer.” Jerome pressed the call button for the lift. “Well, I think the debt has been well and truly paid off now, don’t you?”
The lift doors opened and Dani stepped in. “That’s not for me to say really, is it? You’ll need to take it up with Seni.” Dani shot him a questioning look and then the lift doors shut, but not before Jerome’s jaw dropped.
Recovering from her quick witted remark he snorted to himself and shook his head. She really enjoyed playing with him, didn’t she? Thought Jerome, and boy did he enjoy being played by her.