"There's always the outliers, right? Plus, I thought you said you didn't read much." I swallow another swig of my bourbon, the heat of it warming me on the way down.
"Well, definemuch. You check my Goodreads and I'll have to kill you."
"Afraid I'll find your fairy smut stash?" I nudge her with my elbow and her eyes bulge.
Cora laughs. "You didnotjust say fairy smut."
"I did. And I'll do it again, don't tempt me."
Seemingly satisfied with my book selection, she continues on her journey of my apartment, stopping next at the record player. "How does this thing work?"
"Here." I push a few buttons and once the record starts to spin, I lower the tonearm until it makes contact.
My apartment fills with a soft piano melody, blurring out the sound of my thudding heart. It's strange that I'm equal parts completely calm and yet so nervous around her. I'm a strong, feared man, why am I feeling like a thirteen-year-old boy looking for validation from a pretty girl?
"That's beautiful," Cora murmurs over the music. She closes her eyes and rocks her body slowly.
"Would you like to dance?" I ask her before I completely chicken out.
Cora's bright eyes open, and she grins. "I would love to."
"Let me have that." I take her drink from her and place it on the coffee table next to mine, extending my hand toward her, palm upward.
She places her small hand into mine, and I surprise her by spinning her toward me.
Cora giggles and lands firmly against my chest, right where she belongs.
With one of my hands resting above her hip and hers on my shoulder, we sway around my living room. Her grip on me tightens and for a small moment, the only thing is her and me and nothing else. Not the jobs, the crime, the money, the endless pursuit of the meaning behind it all...
"Where did you learn to dance?" Cora asks me, breaking my train of thought with her angelic voice.
"Believe it or not, I took ballroom dancing lessons."
"You're right, I don't believe it."
I break away from her slightly to spin her in a circle and then dip her back. She goes along with it, my hands guiding her body as it doesn't question, just accepts my lead. Holding her there, her delicate frame in my grasp, dangling horizontally to the floor, I wonder if anything could get more perfect than this moment.
She darts her gaze between mine and if I'm not mistaken, glances to my lips. "I changed my mind, I believe you."
Bringing her upright slowly, I say, "Good girl."
Cora smiles. "Did you learn that term in one of those reverse harem novels?"
"No." I hold her inches away from me and stare down at her. "Why? Do you have a praise kink?" I clench my jaw the second the question leaves my lips, knowing damn well how inappropriate it was to ask her such a thing. I don't know her, she doesn't know me, why would I think it would be okay to ask her about her fucking kinks?
But instead of making things weird, Cora winks. "Maybe."
We continue to dance—neither one of us bringing up the kink question again—for a few minutes. Cora lays her head against my chest with her small body pressed to mine. Spread across most of her lower back, my hand holds her to me and memorizes the very sensation of her.
Finally, Cora pulls back and looks up again, this time, something serious written across her face. "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course." I hold my breath.
"Do you think I'm pretty?"
"What?"
Cora releases me and steps back. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said anything. That was stupid of me."
