She accepts and stands up, confused by our conversation, and follows him onto the floor. I keep an eye on them to make sure that Nick keeps his hands to himself or I swear I’m going to kill him with my own.
“Are you sure about this?” Ryan asks over my shoulder.
“I think it’s time to trust him a bit, don’t you?”
“Are you serious?”
“Nick made a mistake.”
“A mistake…”
“People screw up, Ryan. But life goes on and we hope to be forgiven.”
“Are you still talking about me and Nick?”
I don’t answer him.
“You’re going to lose her.”
I sigh in resignation. “I know.”
Ryan decides not to push it any further and I decide to let go of the weight I’m carrying for a second and to concentrate only on what’s happening on the dance floor.
Nick takes Riley in his arms and I squeeze my glass tightly in my hands.
Nick puts his hand on her bare back and I feel something dangerous bubbling up in me.
Nick spins her and makes her laugh.
“You’re an idiot,” Ryan says to my shoulders. “What the fuck are you still doing here? You don’t want to make the same mistake twice.”
Fuck, no.
I storm over to the dance floor. Riley freezes when she sees me, while the music keeps going. Nick realises something’s wrong and turns around.
“Listen, I was just—”
“It’s not about you. It’s about me.”
Nick gives me a crooked smile and bows to her bending his arm at his waist and giving me her hand.
I take it and pull her in to me, as she slams up against my chest.
“I thought you didn’t dance,” she smiles cheekily, running her hands slowly down my chest.
“I let you go once before. I’m not going to make the same mistake.”
She sighs onto my lips.
“Well, at this point I could say you’ve repaid me your debt.”
“I’ll always be in debt to you.”
I don’t believe that an entire lifetime would be enough for her to forgive me, for me to pay her back and give her what she deserves.
I caress her bare back. “Have I already told you that I don’t like this dress?”
She looks at me with one eyebrow raised.
