I hugged myself. This was definitely a look-and-don’t-touch situation for me.
Blue Ridge Mountain cabin rentals and other vacation packages. Works of art. Jewelry. Autographed sports memorabilia. Rare first editions.
Each and every one was well out of my price range.
I smelled Malone before he spoke. Bourbon, vanilla, spice, and everything nice.
“Wanna dance?” he asked, his voice rumbling through my body.
I whirled around. “Depends. Are we doing the Macarena?”
“Nope.”
“Cha Cha Slide?”
“If only.”
“The Wobble?”
“In this crowd? That I would pay to see.”
We reached the dance floor as the last strains of Kool and the Gang’s “Celebration” launched into a slow song. This was both good and bad. My body hummed in anticipation, but our night was far from over.
Also, how were we going to play this? Formal slow dance or lock my hands behind his neck and sway like teens at prom?
Malone put one hand on my waist and took my hand with the other. I put my left hand on his sturdy shoulder. Maybe he was keeping it formal because his body was humming, too.
“You’re a good dancer, Stark.”
“I took dance lessons when I was younger,” I said as the singer crooned about a lady in red.
Then I did a double take as Nana danced past with Lucius Malone. Were they fox-trotting? Bold choice at such a slow tempo.
Malone leaned forward so we were cheek to cheek just as the singer uttered those words. I forgot about Nana or grandfathers, foxtrots or duplicitous cousins.
For a moment it felt as though it really were just him and me.
“You look gorgeous tonight, Stark,” he whispered. “But I think I’m going to like that dress even better once it’s on the floor.”
“You look 007 yummy yourself.”
That earned me a chuckle, just as I had hoped it would.
“I think purple is forever my favorite color.”
“I’m not sure I’m kitted out well enough to make your ex jealous, though. Faking it until I make it, Malone.”
“Stark, your smile is as genuine as your, ahem, assets. And when I went to the restroom just now, she asked if we could catch up sometime soon.”
I stiffened in spite of myself. “Oh?”
“I told her I had a lot on my plate right now. Really busy.”
Enjoy the moment, Stark.
And so I did, closing my eyes and swaying with a handsome man, enjoying the anticipation of an even better night to come.
“Just so you know, I plan to keep you very busy this evening.” His baritone reverberated through my body.
