“You thought I was letting you get away from me?” He wrapped his hands around my waist and led us out to the dance floor in the middle of the throngs of dancing patrons. I began swaying my hips from side to side, letting myself feel the rhythm of the music. I lifted my arms high in the air, still feeling Joshua’s strong arms holding me. It was as if his hold alone, not the music, gave me the freedom to let loose. I was safe with him.
I shimmied and wiggled my hips, eventually turning and letting my backside brush up against his front. Giggling, I leaned my head against his shoulder when I felt the bulge in his pants.
“I hope that’s for me.”
“As long as you know what to do with it.” His lips hovered just above mine.
“I can think of something.”
His lips met mine and before I knew it we were full on making out on the dance floor. One song melted into the next, and then the next, and we continued dancing. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt as free and uninhibited. Even before what happened to me on the West Coast, I wasn’t as free spirited as I’d been in my youth. Losing both of my best friends, albeit in different ways, had made everything seem less exciting, more dull. But that night, as I danced in Joshua’s arms, feeling his lips on mine before they began slowly trailing down my neck, all of that reticence was gone. And I craved more of it, and that called for us to be alone.
“Take me home,” I whispered in his ear.
“About fucking time.”
I think we hadn’t even been at the bar for an hour when Joshua’s tight grip around my hand was leading me out the door.
“Joshua, slow down,” I giggled, almost stumbling in my high heels. I had to get used to walking in six-inch stilettos again. “Oh, excuse me,” I stopped short to apologize to a woman I bumped into on account of Josh’s rushing. However, my heart caught in my throat when I glanced up and saw who the woman was.
“Mrs. Armstrong.” My eyes widened as I glanced next to her to see her husband staring between Joshua and I.
“Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong,” Joshua greeted the pair with a calm familiarity.
I couldn’t wrap my mind around it. These were Chelsea’s parents. I hadn’t seen them since I’d left town. That, among other things, left a thick feeling of guilt rolling around in my chest. I attempted to tug my hand free from Joshua’s hold but he held firm. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him look down at me.
“H-how are you two? It’s been so long.”
Mrs. Armstrong’s mouth dropped open and tears formed in her eyes. Blue eyes that reminded me so much of her daughter’s. Her mouth snapped shut when she glanced down and zeroed in on Joshua’s hand wrapped around mine. Again, I tried pulling away, but it was a no go with the hold he had on me.
“Kayla, we heard you moved away. Good to see you back in town,” Mr. Armstrong stated just before clearing his throat.
“Finally, decided to bring her practice back to the city that raised her,” Joshua stated with pride filling his words.
“Practice? You stuck to the plan, going into medicine?”
I nodded. “Yes, ma’am. Naturopathy.”
“That’s great. It’s a growing field.”
My heart squeezed at the sadness that was in her tone. Chelsea’s mother knew of my and her daughter’s plans to become doctors together.
“It was great to see you. We hope to see you around again. If you’ll excuse us,” Mr. Armstrong spoke up, taking his wife by the waist to leave us.
I lowered my head, not wanting to meet those emerald green eyes I could feel pinning me.
“It’s great to see them again.” I nearly choked on the lie and the shame.
Though he studied me for another few heartbeats, eventually we began walking toward the garage where he’d parked his car. The ride home was silent, mainly because I was in my own head about Chelsea’s parents and what they must be thinking of me. The one night I decide to let my hair down a little, literally and figuratively, I was reminded why it wasn’t such a great idea.
“I think I’m going to sleep in the guest room tonight,” I mumbled as soon as I crossed the threshold behind Joshua. I didn’t even bother to wait for his response, instead heading toward the staircase, when a firm arm snaked around my middle, pulling me back into what felt like a brick wall.
“I knew you were going to try and pull this shit,” he growled into my ear.
Chapter Fifteen
Joshua
“What the? Joshua, put me down! What the hell are you doing?” Kay wailed as I slung her over my shoulder like she weighed nothing. I proceeded up the stairs to my bedroom.
