“No,” he said simply.
My heart thudded away dangerously as I gazed into his eyes. What was it about this man that he could pierce my heart and soul with a glance and leave me aching with want and need at just one touch?
“Please leave,” I said softly. “This night is for Alice and me. I don’t want this headache, Xander.” I rubbed my forehead as the beginning of a headache was about to set in. “I can’t have you showing up like this. It isn’t fair to me.”
“Just one dance,” he said, his eyes never leaving mine.
“What?”
“One dance, and I’ll leave and take Aiden with me.”
“Why do you want a dance?”
“Who wouldn’t want a dance from a sexy siren like you?” He winked at me.
“I’m not a siren.” I shook my head with a blush.
“When you were dancing, I couldn’t stop myself from looking at you. I think that makes you a siren.” He pulled me toward him. “Dance with me, Liv.”
“What about Aiden and Alice?” I nodded toward them next to us, and he shrugged.
“What about them?”
“Fine, one dance.” I sighed. “Don’t try any funny stuff.”
“What funny stuff would I try?” He looked at me innocently, and I laughed.
“Don’t try and slip your hands up under my skirt,” I whispered in his ear.
He laughed and pulled me closer to him. “I can’t make any promises.”
His arms went around my waist, and we started dancing together. It felt nice and warm and oh-so dangerous as his hands moved up and down my back and ass, until they settled on my lower back. We danced in silence, our bodies moving together in harmony, as if we’d danced a million different times to a million different songs.
His body against mine felt like home, and I allowed myself to relax into him. I put my arms around his neck and rested my head on his shoulder.
We moved slowly, as if at a ball; our dance was totally out of place in the packed club, but neither of us cared. We were surrounded by people, but in that moment, there was only us.
I was surprised that he didn’t try to touch me sexually again. His hands remained where they were, and his lips never ventured toward mine. I could feel his heart beating in his chest,steady and solid, reminding me that he was only a human, just like me.
I pulled back slightly and looked into his face to see if I could figure out what he was thinking. He stared back at me with intense eyes, no smile on his face. We just studied each other as we moved, as if we were trying to remember every single detail of each other’s face. I felt as if he were my husband going off to war and this was the last dance we were promised before he shipped out.
We stared at each other, just taking each other in. It felt like it was the first time we were actually seeing each other. It was the first time we were in each other’s presence without fucking or arguing. This moment was for us—for the people we could have been in different circumstances. In different circumstances, this moment could have felt magical, but instead, it was tainted. It was tainted by the fact that we weren’t just two strangers getting to know each other. We were already tied together, in ways that we’d never be able to erase or forget. We were each other’s dirty little secret, and as I continued to stare at him, I felt a wave of crimson shame ripple through me.
What was I doing, dancing with this man I could never have? How many times was I going to put myself through this?
“The dance is over.” I stepped back and gave him a short smile. “You should leave now.”
“What if I don’t want it to be over?” he said as he gave me the most drop-dead smile I’d ever seen on his face.
“Then I’d say I’m sorry.” I shrugged and hurried over to Alice before he could stop me. I pushed my way through the crowd and grabbed her arm. “Let’s get a drink.”
“I was wondering where you’d disappeared to,” she said and sighed.
I saw that Aiden was standing there with a disapproving look on his face, and I knew their conversation hadn’t gone well.
“What happened with Aiden?” I said as we made it to the bar, where it was quieter.
“He told me he was disappointed in me. And that I hadn’t shown common sense by dancing with a man who looked like he could bench-press three hundred pounds.” She made a face.
