“No,” the man chuckles. “I’m Derek. I wanted to ask if you want to dance?”
Surprise hits me like a freight train, and I simply stand there for a few moments. “Uh … well,” I stutter.
“Are you here with someone?” Derek asks quickly.
“Oh, no, not that,” I say. “I’m just not the best dancer.”
Derek grins, and I can’t help but notice how nice of a smile he has. Twinkling, blue eyes. Blond hair. He’s cute. “I get that. I’m not the biggest dancer either, I just figured it was a smooth opener. Or—at least as smooth as I can come up with.”
I find myself grinning. Yeah, Derek is definitely cute.
“What’s your name?” Derek asks.
Oh. I guess I hadn’t told him that. “Delilah,” I answer.
“Well, Delilah, how about I teach you the limited steps I know, and we go from there?” he suggests.
And as self-conscious as I am about stepping out on that dance floor, the way Derek makes it sound doesn’t seem all that bad.
“Okay,” I agree with a smile, and Derek holds out his hand.
I take it, and together we head to the dancefloor. Our moves are definitely awkward and stilted, but eventually we’re able to somewhat keep up.
“I think you’re a natural at this,” Derek quips when I step on his foot, and it sends me into a fit of laughter.
As the night wears on, I notice Cora and Theo join the dancefloor, along with Harrison and his new … girlfriend? I’m not sure if they’re official yet, but she’s here. At one point, I peek a glance at Graham, sitting alone at the table, clutching a beer and scowling.
I frown. This seems like his element. Are there no pretty women for him to go flirt with?
Derek spins me into him as the latest song ends, his lips pressed against my ear as he murmurs, “Delilah, can I get your number?”
Grinning, I spin around, holding out my hand for his phone. He gives it to me, I put in my contact, and I hand it back over.
It’s only now that I realize how late it’s gotten, especially as I notice Harrison and his girl exiting hand in hand.Without even a goodbye to your sister,I think with a roll of my eyes.
“I have to use the restroom,” I tell Derek. “I’ll be right back.”
I head toward the corner of the now much less crowded bar, dipping into the women’s bathroom and doing my business. I take a moment to check my reflection on the way out, running my fingers through my hair, smoothing the skirt of my short, black dress. And with a quick grin, I’m back out the door—and running right into the large, broad chest of … Graham?
“What—?” I sputter.
“Having fun?” Graham asks, but his tone is … odd.
I take a small step back and look him in the eye. “What do you mean?”
He looks annoyed, but I can’t figure out why. “Are you having fun with that guy, or is he bugging you?”
I narrow my eyes, his tone, his question, the way he’s been acting all night slowly settling over me. “I’m allowed to dance,” I eventually say.
“Didn’t say you weren’t,” Graham shoots back.
I cross my arms over my chest. “Then why do you look like you want to start a fight?”
Graham stares me down, clenching his jaw. He takes an imperceptibly small step toward me, his gaze boring holes through my skull, and I think he’s going to say something, do something—but then he looks away, huffs. He takes a deep breath, then brings his gaze back to me. “Just wanna make sure that guy’s good enough for you.”
I blink. “Really?”
“Yeah.”
