“Yeah.”He did know.A thread of sexual attraction wove between them.He was a warm-blooded man, and she was a lovely, brave woman.“What are the other three reasons?”
“I’m not really dressed for it.”
He felt a smile tugging at his mouth.And she was biting her lower lip.“You’ve given me a lot of excuses, yet you haven’t said you don’t want to,” he pointed out.
The song ended and another took its place, this one a bit more uptempo.
She continued to look at him.Another few seconds ticked away.How long had it been since he’d asked a woman to dance then waited with this kind of anticipation?College?Maybe he had once or twice in the couple of years after, before everything changed.
“I think I’m more concerned because I do want to,” she admitted softly.
Her admission slammed his libido into overdrive.“A two-step,” he offered, to put her mind at ease and to put some boundaries up for himself.“I’ll be a gentleman.”
Her eyes darkened.
From her reaction, he couldn’t tell whether she liked that idea or had hoped he’d misbehave a little.
“Yes,” she said.“I’d like to dance, Mr.Donovan.”
He raised her hand a couple of inches and placed his left palm just above the small of her back.She hesitated only for a moment before lightly touching his biceps.
Cade moved them into the dance, and she effortlessly followed his lead.Once they’d found a natural rhythm, he guided her into an outside turn.Her movements were flawless, but she hesitated as she came back toward him.“Well done,” he said.
“It’s been a while,” she replied.“But I took some lessons a couple of years ago.I was at an event, and the DJ was having a difficult time getting people out onto the dance floor.And I didn’t know enough line dances to try to lead one.I figured it was a skill that could come in handy.I’m not an expert, but I know enough to encourage people to get out of their seats.”
He took a chance and raised his hand slightly, signaling an upcoming inside turn.
She executed the move perfectly.
He brought her back to him.It jolted him how right it felt to have her in his arms, so close that he could inhale her scent, something light, fresh—a direct contrast to the emotions churning in him.“You are good.”
“Thank you,” she said.“But a two-step isn’t that difficult.”
Cade looked down at her, scowling.
“And what I mean is, you lead well.Is your ego soothed now?”
“It would have been if you had stopped talking after your first sentence.”
Her smile was quick and a bit sassy.“I’ve heard that my whole life.”
“Have you?”It had been years since he’d enjoyed this kind of easy exchange with a woman.He appreciated it more than he expected.
“I would never have suspected you were such a good dancer,” she told him, jolting him from his thoughts.
“More preconceived notions?”
“Maybe I should have worn boots.I keep stepping in it, don’t I?”
“I spent some time on the rodeo circuit.I learned very young that girls like to dance.So my aunt taught me how.Wait until you see me line dance.”
She raised her eyebrows.“Really?”
“I’ll show you at the party.”
“Is that one of the ways you’re hoping to entice me to take the job?”
“I don’t know.Would it work?”
