She began to move, and I fell all the way.
Dee Gallagher didn’t just dance; she commanded the floor.
Her feet tapped and kicked in perfect rhythm, her movements sharp and fluid, like the music had been written for her. I did my best to keep up, trying to match her steps without looking like a completeeejit.
She spun under my arm, laughing as she came back to face me. “Not bad, Yank,” she goaded, her voice breathless. “But you still have work to do.”
I grinned, stepping closer. “Maybe I’m just waiting for you to take the lead.”
She laughed again, and I didn’t care about the stepsanymore. I just wanted to hold her, be close to her, to keep her in this moment where she wasn’t scowling at me or pushing me away.
The music slowed, shifting into something softer. Without asking, I slipped my hands around her waist, and she put hers on my shoulders.
She looked up at me, her eyes searching mine. I could see her vulnerability and her fear of getting hurt, and I tried to soothe her by breaking the moment and whispering, “How did I do this time?”
“You’re not terrible at this,” she whispered.
Then, she rested her cheek against my chest, and I held her like she was the most precious thing ever.
We swayed there as if we were alone.
“Dee.” I nuzzled her.
“Yes.”
I looked at her and stopped myself from asking her to be with me, come to bed with me, because she was nowhere near ready for that. She didn’t trust me yet. I’d have to build it, and I didn’t know if I would be able to, considering I was just passing through.
“I’m starving,” I confessed.
She laughed. “Come on then, let’s feed you.”
Later, when the crowd thinned and the music softened to a slower tune, Dee and I found ourselves sitting on one of the benches near the edge of the room. She was nursing a pint of cider, her legs crossed and her gaze fixed on the dancers.
“You’re good with people,” she said suddenly.
“A compliment from Dee Gallagher.” I placed a hand dramatically on my heart. “That’s…wow!”
She punched my shoulder. “Stop it. It’s just that the regulars at the pub…the villagers, they like you. You don’t seem like someone who’d be at home in a place like Ballybeg, but you fit in better than I expected.”
“You don’t know the half of it, Wildcat. I’m pretty surprised at how much I like being here.” I felt like we were on a precipice, and it was time to take the leap. “I should’ve left a week ago.”
Dee smiled shyly. “You mean when Paddy fixed up your car?”
“The son of a bitch told me he’d keep it a secret.”
“This is Ballybeg. There are nosecretshere.” Dee chuckled. “So, why did you stay?”
“Lots of things. Ronan’s food. I love the room. The view. The people.” I paused and stroked a finger down her cheek. “But mainlyyou.”
She licked her lips as tension bloomed in her face. “I’m not your fuck and forget kind of…I’mnot.”
“I know.” A woman who stayed engaged to a man like Cillian O’Farrell and only left him when he cheated on her was the kind who didn’t believe in one-night stands.
“I can’t give you what you want.” She sounded as if she was desperately trying to not only convince me but herself.
I tilted my head. “And what do I want, darlin’ Dee?”
She met my gaze, her expression somber. “Whatever it is you’re looking for, Jax, I can’t give it to you.” Her voice was laced with quiet finality, which saddened me more than I thought possible.
