Chapter 21 #3
My arms went around his shoulders as he smiled down at me.
His suit jacket and tie long gone, his white dress shirt was now untucked, several top buttons undone, sleeves rolled up, exposing his forearms dusted with dark hair that was unfairly distracting.
But what caught my breath in my throat was facing the thicker patch of hair on his chest. I’d gotten a glimpse of it before, but being up front and personal was something altogether different.
His forearms were attractive enough, but his chest was clearly overachieving.
Great. I could now add ‘swoons over chest hair’ to my list of life’s developments.
The DJ started a new song when he saw us, and the familiar jazzy sound of Etta James’ At Last filled the air. As we started swaying together, my new husband started singing the words to me. He was slightly off-key, but it was doing strange things to my heart.
“At last my love has come along, my lonely days are over, and life is like a song,” he crooned, his deep voice overpowering Etta’s raspy one.
“Il mio cuore…” I breathed.
“Hm?”
“My heart. You singing to me is making me dizzy,” I said, unable to hide the smile in my voice. I felt his deep chuckle more than I heard it, making the dizziness worse.
“Lean on me then, I’ve got you,” he said as we swayed together. Another slow song followed, but I was too caught up in the moment to notice.
A few songs later, the DJ switched to familiar dance songs that had the girls up on their feet, pulling me away from Mike and singing along with the words at the top of our lungs. We made so much noise, I was sure Luke’s neighbors would call the police.
We paired up again when a song that must’ve been called “Gasolina” started playing, because that’s all they kept saying over and over.
It was a fast Latin song with a deep beat that had us all doing an impromptu dance-off, and we declared Niko and Leyla the winners.
I had no idea the quiet scientist had it in him.
Mike, Luke, and Miles were goofing off, trying to top Niko, but they had nothing on the ‘Turkish dance master’ as we had dubbed him.
Stopping only to grab a sip of water, the girls and I started screaming when Usher’s “Yeah” came on.
We started dancing together in a circle while the guys looked on, cheering us wildly as we gyrated around, making a scene.
When the chorus came on, I crooked my finger toward Mike, beckoning him to me.
His smile was wickedly wide as he danced toward me, the guys egging him on.
I heard Niko say, “Oh boy, we’re in trouble now,” as he watched his friend step up to me.
I’d barely had a second to react before Mike reached for me, a knowing grin tugging at his mouth, the kind that said he’d been waiting for this.
We moved easily at first, shoulders rolling, hips catching the beat without thinking. I tried not to show how much it affected me, but he made it impossible as he stepped closer, then back, making me breathless.
His hand hovered at my waist before settling there, steady and sure, guiding me into a turn, then bringing me back against him, making my heart forget its rhythm.
He leaned in, close enough that I felt his breath near my ear, our movements syncing. It was effortless now, like we’d done this a hundred times before. My husband knew how to dance, and I was so there for it.
Hours later, when we were all sweaty and exhausted, the crowd of us poured out onto the front yard, whispering so as not to wake the neighbors, as if our yelling and singing hadn’t. Mike, Vicky, and Miles were talking about getting together to cook dinner soon.
When Niko and Leyla hugged me, she whispered conspiratorially, “Don’t let him fool you. He only knows how to make stir fry.”
Niko shook his head. “Hyatim, he’s going to get you for that.” I wasn’t sure what they meant, but I filed it away.
With hugs and promises to meet again soon, Mike and I thanked them all for everything. He held my hand as we walked to his truck. My heels dangled from his other one.
“Did you have a good time?” he asked, a warm smile on his face, his hair disheveled just the way I liked it. His forehead was covered with curling strands that I wanted to touch.
“The best. This has been my favorite wedding ever,” I answered, as he lifted me up by my waist into my seat.
He chuckled and handed me my shoes. “You need to rephrase that, wife. This is your only wedding, if you meant that in first person.”
“Ah, well, my English failed me then,” I said. He pushed my out-of-control curls out of my face. They had become a wild mess from sweating all night. I took the opportunity to do the same for him, making him close his eyes at my touch.
“You’re so beautiful,” he said quietly, making me blush.
“So are you.” He leaned in and kissed my nose, then one by one kissed each cheek, then slowly moved to leave one on my forehead.
When he pulled back, my eyebrows high, I said, “I see you’ve finally watched Pride and Prejudice.”
He snickered as he stepped back. Before he closed my door, he said with a shrug, “Maybe once or twice. Research, you know. I am a scientist, after all.”
As he drove us to his house, I closed my eyes, picturing Mike in a long coat walking through the morning mist toward me, and sighed. Matthew MacFadyen had nothing on my husband.
Husband. I’d made a vow to him that I intended to keep, but my fear of not being what he needed had me confused. If I couldn’t fall in love, how was I going to let that incredible man go?