He’s so tall and broad, his body effectively shelters me from Eleanor’s beady stare.
“Thanks for the save,” I murmur, hot embarrassment flooding through me.
“You’re welcome. And I’m not even a goalie.”
The dumb joke makes me giggle and my body uncoils a bit as we move side to side together.
“Consider us even after the beach run.”
“Deal.”
Bennett skillfully moves us around the dance floor and I follow his lead. He’s a good dancer, moving in time with the music and carefully avoiding my feet.
“Where’d you learn to dance?”
“My mom made me and my brothers take classes at the local dance school the summer after fifth grade. Not like ballet or anything. They had a crash course in ballroom dancing for kids and she said it would be good for us to know how. She pitched it as a bonus for hockey, but now I’m wondering…” He grins down at me and the tightness in my chest disappears.
The bad boy of hockey is twirling me around the dance floor and cracking dumb jokes to make me smile. Not what I expected from him.
Not even close.
Fuck Preston.
“He was a dick, you know.”
Bennett laughs. “Well, his mother’s lovely. Can’t imagine where he gets it from.”
He spins me in a circle, bringing me back in with a flourish. Warmth rolls through me, replacing the despair from Eleanor’s news.
The band transitions to Sinatra’sThe Way You Look Tonightand I start to ease away from Bennett and exit the dance floor. But he squeezes my hand and stops me.
“May I have this dance?”
“You don’t have to keep dancing with me.”
“I know.”
He pulls me in closer, locking his gaze on mine. I never noticed how long his lashes are, framing those deep blue eyes. His large fingers splay on my back and I’m acutely aware of the heat from his body, his clean scent. My heart flip-flops in my chest as we sway to the beat, the rest of the room falling away.
This is very dangerous.
When Bennett Steele’s not being his usual cockyasshole self, he is aggressively charming. And even more attractive.
The kind of guy who makes you forget your rules.
The kind of guy who ruins you.
And he doesn’t even have to try.
It’s a very good thing I’m only doing this for my father and the franchise.
CHAPTER 9
BENNETT
When the music shifted from fast to slow, Tori almost walked away. I stopped her.
And I’m glad I did.
