Chapter 1 #2
“What just happened?” Faith asks, then covers her mouth in shock.
“He wanted to know if I was going to be around later…dancing,” I say, as I bite on my lower lip, imagining his broad body up against mine. His strong arms holding me, and his hands roaming my body.
“When he stood up, we all were like, ‘What kind of man looks like that?’ He towers over you. That suit, though, is definitely custom because his body is not average by any means,” Lane says, throwing air quotes around ‘average,’ and leans further in. “Did you get a good look at him?” She winks.
“Of course I did.” With a huge smile spreading over my face. “And damn, he’s a fine male specimen making my lady parts hot and tingly.”
The table erupts in ohs. They crack me up.
“Alright, alright…what are we eating tonight? We’re going to need some calories if we’re dancing.” I wiggle my eyebrows.
“Yeah, we do.” Addison moves in her seat. “We haven’t been out dancing in a while. Tonight’s going to be fun.”
The waitress comes back over and takes down our order, which consists mainly of appetizers and a couple of full meals to split. It’s like we can’t decide on what to eat, so we order and share everything. Thankfully, none of us are picky eaters.
The next hour is filled with our catch-up session and filling our faces with a ton of food and drinks, not to the point of being stuffed, but just enough to soak up the alcohol.
I guess we’re deep in conversation because I didn’t even see the DJ setting up on the other side of the room.
I can still feel the guy’s eyes on me the whole time.
I do my best to avert my gaze as much as possible; every time our eyes meet, it feels hotter in this room.
Keeping my attention on my friends has allowed me to be present in our conversation, and deep down, I know that once the lights dim and the music gets louder, I’ll be on the dance floor.
When music plays, I have no self-control; I’m dancing.
“It’s almost time.” I swing my head around to watch as people swarm into the room. They heard the music and are now ready to have a good time. I don’t blame them.
I’m surprised by the number of what appear to be couples. It will be fun to watch—will the guys dance or just hang out at the bar and watch? Only time will tell.
And within a few minutes, the lights dim, and the music is loud. The tab we have going will continue once we give up our table, but I’ll probably only have one more, cutting myself off early to keep a clear head on the dance floor. I know I need it.
As the first one jumping off the stool, I stand with a hand on my hip, waiting for at least one of my friends to join me. “Come on…someone, anyone? There’s plenty of people dancing. We’ll just blend in.” I know they love to dance, but they need a little warming up.
Addison and Faith slowly slide off their stools, while Lane shrugs her shoulders and takes another sip of her drink. “I’ll be out in ten minutes.” She points at her glass. “I need to finish this first, and then I’ll join you.”
I point to Lane. “You have ten minutes and then I’m coming to get you.” Then I swing to grab both Faith and Addison’s hands and drag them onto the dance floor.
Addison yells at the top of her lungs, “I’m hitting up the bathroom. Be right back.”
I shake my head, knowing even if I scream, with her back toward me as she walks away, she won’t hear me.
Faith moves her hips like we’re back in college. I mouth ‘Yeah.’ She practically goes down to the floor and comes back up. I love watching her relax and have fun.
It feels like forever, but the next thing I know, Addison is back with Lane in tow.
All four of us dance our hearts out song after song.
Our hair is wet from sweat, and I pull them with me to the bathroom.
“We need a breather.” I’m not sure any of them even heard it, but as I turn to walk to the ladies’ room, there he is, eyes on me.
I blow him a kiss. Why not? And scurry to the bathroom with my friends.
“Oh. My. God. I’m having so much fun. We have to do this again,” I say as I dab a paper towel around my face and on the back of my neck.
Addison fluffs her hair. “Geez, yeah, we haven’t had this much fun on a girls’ night in a long time. I’m glad it’s Friday…no work tomorrow.”
I whip back. “Lucky! I have to work, but I rearranged my clients so I don’t have to be at the salon until ten o’clock.”
We all wipe down and decide to head back out for a bit longer.
Strutting out of the bathroom, I know he’ll be watching, so my hips sway a bit more than necessary.
The girls are following me back to the dance floor.
It feels like there are way more people now than when we went to the ladies’ room.
Nothing stops us from squeezing our way through the crowd to the middle of the floor.
As usual, there are way more women than men, but we don’t care. It’s all about the fun.
My hands are over my head, my hips moving, and when I turn my head, I notice someone is really close.
I feel their presence. It’s the guy from the corner…
right behind me. Not touching, but just inches from me, I’m already sweating.
Still, the heat and electricity that shoot through my body—it’s sensual.
Making me hyperaware of every move I make as he moves even closer.
I turn around, and our eyes connect. We dance in sync like we know each other’s rhythm.
He doesn’t touch me; it feels like he’s waiting for me.
So I move my hands to his shoulders, and that’s his invitation; his eyes light up.
Within a second, his hand rests on my hip, searing through the fabric of my dress.
The music fades into the background, and it’s just us on the dance floor.
My hands slide from his shoulder to his biceps.
Holy hell, I realize now that he took off his suit jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and unbuttoned a couple of buttons.
I can’t help but squeeze his biceps. The smell of coconuts and palm trees radiates from him.
It invades my nostrils, and I can tell I’ll smell him for days.
With a smile on his face, he winks at me. He knew exactly what I was doing.
He leans down to my ear. “Want to get a drink?”
I nod and hold up a finger. Turning to my girlfriends, I say, “I’m going to grab a drink. I’ll be back.” The music blasts through the speakers; I’m not sure if they heard all of that, but they smile back at me.
When I walk a few steps back to him, his hand is on the small of my back, guiding me through the crowd to the other side of the restaurant.
There’s a full-size bar with dark wood surrounding the center where the bartenders are hard at work pouring drinks.
The music slowly fades, and I start to hear the chatter of the people at the bar. It’s muted compared to the dance floor.
“What can I get you?” he asks, leaning down so I can hear him better.
I laugh. “Right now, just some water. I never did get your name.”
“Dane. And yours?”
Pondering for a split second whether to go with a new name, I opt for my real one, “Kendall.”
“It’s nice to officially meet you. How’s your phone?”
“You too. No damage, thankfully.”
We slide onto a couple of stools at the bar. My leg grazes his, and we both stare at each other. He felt the jolt too.
The bartender breaks the tension that’s building. He puts down a couple of napkins and hands us the bar menu. “Can I start you guys out with a drink?”
“Water would be great to start,” I say, wiping sweat away nonchalantly.
He glances over at me and smirks. “I’ll do the same.”
I look up, and there’s a large mirror behind the liquor shelving. I’m completely disheveled—my hair is flat, my cheeks are red, and my dress is sticking to me. Wonderful.
My attention moves to Dane as I see he’s pulling his hand back up.
I can only assume he was adjusting that impressive bulge I got an up-close and personal glance at on the dancefloor.
Otherwise, he looks put together, but I guess that’s the difference between men and women when dancing.
We move way more than the guys do. Hence, the pouring sweat that’s dripping between my breasts.
I wonder if he’d notice if I swiped down my cleavage with a bar napkin.
I grab the napkin and dab along my face and chest. When I look over at Dane, his eyes are on me.
Well, my hand that’s holding the napkin.
His eyes tracking every movement. There’s no way he wouldn’t see me swipe my cleavage. Yet, it might be fun to watch.