JOSEPH
Watching Katherine bounce around the dance floor to Rod Stewart’s “If You Want My Body” made Joseph smile. Her family life seemed to have been filled with abuse and isolation, so it made him happy to see her enjoying herself. Not to mention, she looked like a goddess in the tiny red dress that hugged her womanly curves.
“Can I get you anything else?” a waitress shouted over the music.
With hesitation, Joseph diverted his attention from Katherine to the woman standing over him.
“Anything at all?” she inquired with a raised brow and lustful gaze.
Joseph smiled. “Yes. You can get me another beer and a glass of red wine for my lady.”
With a newly sour expression, the waitress nodded and walked away.
Joseph returned his attention to Katherine to find her dancing with a man in a loud, shiny suit. Not wanting to ruin her fun, he had no intention of interrupting. They were just dancing, and dancing was harmless. Still, he watched the man like a hawk to make sure it remained harmless. And it did until the man in the greasy suit slipped an arm around Katherine’s waist. It must have made her feel uneasy because she stopped dancing and stepped out of his grasp.
Joseph was already on his feet when the man reached for her again. When Katherine slapped the man’s hand away, he smirked and moved to close the distance between them. Joseph covered her with an arm and guided her out of the man’s reach. He had to look down to stand nose to nose with the shorter man.
“You got some kind of fucking problem?”
The man grinned. “No, man. I got no problems,” he responded with a condescending chuckle.
“You’re about to,” Joseph warned, staring the man down.
The man in the pimp suit threw his hands up in surrender and slithered away.
Joseph turned to Katherine. “You okay?”
“Yep,” she answered with a smile. She slid her arms around his neck and pushed her body against his. “He got you on the dance floor.”
Joseph laughed and shook his head. “Oh, no, lady. I told you, I don’t dance.”
Katherine locked him in her grasp and swiveled her hips. Joseph relented. He held her around the waist and humored her with a two-step. Maybe it was because she was in his arms, but he wasn’t as put off by dancing as much as he thought he’d be.
Katherine’s dark hair bounced around her face as she danced. She seemed light, carefree, and at peace, which gave him a feeling of peace.
“I thought I’d never see the day,” said a familiar voice.
Joseph stopped dancing and turned, coming face to face with Nate, who was grinning from ear to ear with Cynthia Nichols tucked under his arm. Cynthia, however, was not smiling. If looks could kill, Joseph couldn’t tell if her hateful glare was deadlier for him or Katherine.
“What’s up, Joe?” Without waiting for a response, Nate’s eyes skipped over to Katherine. “Hey, Katie. Fancy meeting you here.”
“Hey, Nate. It’s good to see you,” she greeted cheerfully. “Cynthia, hi.”
“Katherine,” Cynthia dryly acknowledged.
Joseph looked over just as the waitress placed their drinks on the table. “Drinks have arrived,” he announced.
With his hand pressed to the small of Katherine’s back, Joseph ushered her toward the table.
“We’ll join you!” Nate shouted over the music.
Joseph didn’t mind his company; Nate was a friend. Cynthia, on the other hand, was in a foul mood, obviously brought on by jealousy.
“I didn’t know you two were a thing,” she remarked accusingly.
Joseph pulled out Katherine’s chair then waved toward them. “I didn’t know you two were a thing,” he threw back at her, causing her to look away quickly.
After all, she had just recently called him, no doubt with a proposition.
