After washing my hands, I dab the paper towel along my face. I need a few minutes to collect myself before walking back out there. My friends will see his reaction when I head back to the table. Let’s see what they say.
The door opens, and someone walks in. I grab the door and head out as they pass. As I’m walking back to the table, phone in hand, it hits my thigh just right and goes flying. I freeze for a couple of seconds, watching my phone slide across the floor right to the table in the corner. Sucking in a breath, I watch as it lands right beside the handsome, broad-shouldered stranger. Of course, it lands right there within his reach. Before my brain and body connect the dots, he picks up my phone and holds it close so I have to walk right up to him.
“Thank you.” My hand reaches out, thinking he will just give it to me. But to my surprise, he holds it to his chest with a devious smirk on his face—a face that is even more handsome up close. His eyes are a dark caramel brown with eyelashes a girl would die for. They’re hypnotizing. With that jawline and neatly trimmed beard, I can barely resist touching him.
“Hey there, you dropped your phone. It doesn’t look to be damaged. Good thing you have a hard case on it,” he says, making a show of inspecting it, then stands up.
Holy shit. My head slowly tips upward to maintain eye contact. My throat goes dry as I try to swallow. I wave and barely croak out, “It’s me! Hi, I’m the problem, me. I do this almost every time I walk with the damn thing in my hand.”
“Are you staying for a while…maybe dancing?” he asks, rubbing his jaw as he drags his gaze up and then down my body, lingering a little too long on my breasts.
Moving closer to me, it feels like he is breathing down my neck; definitely in my personal space, and I’m not complaining. I can smell him—coconuts and palm trees. The scent. The closeness. The question. It all has my body zinging.
Stumbling on my words, I say, “Yeah…we are. It’s our first time here on a Friday. You?”
“We’ll be here. I’ll find you later…on the dance floor.” His confidence radiates from him. With his large, sexy body takingup so much space in front of me, his eyes roam my body and meet my eyes with such intensity that it makes me want to melt into a puddle.
“Okay, guess I’ll see you later then.” I almost walked away without my phone.
“Oh, here. You might need this.” He hands back my phone. As our hands glide over each other, sparks fly and my breath hitches. I’m taken aback by the sharp force that courses through my body with just a second of connection. He winks and turns on his heel, takes a few steps, and sits back at the table with his friends.
I’m left standing there, clenching the phone to my chest. Just trying to catch my breath. Once he sits down, those eyes are back on me, and my body wants to stay. I resist the urge to carry on the conversation. Playing it cool. I relax my arms at my sides, slowly turn, and sashay back to my friends. I’m trying not to run back to the table to dish the tea. It takes forever to reach the table. I can see their faces, a mix of shock and curiosity. Popping myself up on the stool, I open my mouth to talk, but my friends beat me to the punch.
“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.
