As one – except for Sam, who smirked – the crew turned to Brent and Cole and me.
Glowering.
Mr. Fresby’s eyes danced over all of their faces, landing on ours last. He studied us with quiet intensity. I tried to look innocent of any carnal acts, as did Cole and Brent with their relaxed poses. It didn’t work so much. Mr. Fresby’s lips twitched. Then he chuckled with the biggest grin spreading over his face. “Did you three have an interesting evening last night?”
I blushed beat red. Cole groaned. And Brent sighed.
“You could say that,” Ally muttered, glaring harder, her eyes still exhausted.
Mr. Fresby’s laughed out-and-out.
The crowd around us turned to gawk at their big, mean boss man who was chortling, tinkled pink.
Luckily, Mr. Fresby calmed quickly enough and threw us a bone by stating politically, “I’m glad you enjoyed the passes to Firestone Live. I’ve heard it can be very entertaining.”
Cole grinned. “Thank you for those. It was very…entertaining.”
Brent smiled. “Yes, very.”
I elbowed them. Hard.
Mr. Fresby grinned like a teenager, and then swept his arm out. “Please. I’d like you to meet a few colleagues of mine that are interested in your services.” He paused. “You’re professional services.” He chuckled and walked away, expecting us to follow.
We did.
We met tons of different CEO’s and CFO’s and all other kinds of acronym big dogs. They were all interested in Lion Security’s services. Apparently, Mr. Fresby had been raving about them, even with their more “personal” touches that had occurred so far on the job. He just plain liked ‘em, I think.Plus, their reputation had preceded them; so many already knew about their excellent work history.
Sensations employees were all around, either dancing or eating at the tables or consuming drink from the open bar. Everyone seemed to be having a wonderful time. Boisterous voices and tinkering voices and booming laughs surrounded us. I stared at the dance floor as pairs twirled around, the woman’s dresses reminding me of a swirling rainbow as the beat picked up and they glided faster. The black tuxes were the only breaks in the kaleidoscope’s vibrancy.
Cole bent down and whispered, “Dance with me.” A demanding statement. Not asking.
I stared at the swirling masses longingly. “I’m not very good at the classical numbers.” Un-der-state-ment. I could pass muster in the masses, when all you had to do was swivel, but add in my feet and I was a walking – dancing – disaster. The bastard had made me learn, but it hadn’t been pretty. Still wasn’t.
“You’ll be fine,” he rumbled in a deep, throaty voice, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me into the twirling couples before I could blink.
And then we were moving. Dancing. I felt like I was floating as he expertly maneuvered my body, so I naturally placed my feet where they were supposed to land. I stared down at my normally two left feet in shock as I glided across the dance floor in time to the music and everyone else.
Oh. This was fantastic. I threw my head back and laughed. I guess you were only as good as your teacher.
Cole watched me with a quiet smile. His eyes roved over my face. “You are absolutely stunning.”
I blushed and rolled my eyes. I was so anything but.
He pulled me tighter, our body aligning perfectly. My short to his tall, and somehow it was just right. He leaned his head down so that our faces were very close and he whisperedtenderly, “You are perfect, sweetheart. You’re beautiful and smart and sassy and sexy and feisty. And even a little shy and you get flustered and prattle, which is adorable. You somehow manage to bring out a side of me that I didn’t know I even had. My eyes are wide open when I’m with you. You are perfect…and…and I love you, Ember.”
My breath caught as he said those last words for the first time. I stared at his flushing cheeks and proud, earnest eyes, knowing that – other than with Brent a few days ago – he probably hadn’t ever spoken those words to anyone. I knew his pain. The “L” word was so hard to say when the other person may not reciprocate in kind. Especially, in our situation where another man was vying to win me over.
I didn’t take them lightly either. I had never said them to anyone. The situation had never been right. It still wasn’t. When I said them for the first time, I wanted them to be with my “forever” and be for those ears alone.
But, I did love him. And although it wasn’t enough, I gave all I could, and whispered, “Ditto.”
I pleaded with my eyes for him to understand the importance in that little word and forgive me for not saying it back as honestly as he had. He blinked for a moment and I worried that I had hurt him deeply.
But then, he appeared thoughtful. He chuckled softly as the music started to die down.
My eyebrows rose in surprise – not the reaction I thought I would get - and he murmured, “I just remembered Ally griping that first night about how she loved your drunken butt, even if all you ever said was ‘ditto’. I didn’t know what she was babbling about then, but now I understand.” His grin shot straight to my heart as he wrapped his arms around me, cocooning my small frame in his large sheltering heat. He kissed me right there onthe dance floor with enough warmth and passion that I was afraid we would light the place on fire.
Our mouths were still meshed together as a fast song began, and Brent’s was suddenly there, asking, “May I cut in?” Without waiting for an answer, his arm slid between Cole and I, wrapping around my waist.
