She was so fucking gorgeous. And I was determined to make her mine.
Bryn and I chatted with a few of the other guests during the ride. I’d met a couple of the guys earlier as I’d made my way around the resort, and they’d all seemed nice enough. Some of them were hockey fans, and they touched briefly on the upcoming season. But after that, everyone treated me like I was just like anyone else.
After a relatively smooth ride, we arrived at the beach bar. Bryn and I hung toward the back of the group. The place was poppin’, and the live band had drawn a crowd. It was clearly a favorite spot of both locals and tourists.
Our group found a large table and ordered food and drinks. I kept an eye on Bryn, loving how carefree she seemed. And I could tell from the way her smile stretched to her eyes that she wasn’t pretending for the sake of her family; she was genuinely having fun.
I ordered a drink, but I took my time sipping it. After a few drinks, everyone was singing along to the music. Allie and a few of the girls dragged everyone out onto the makeshift dance floor,which was really just a square of sand with colorful lights strung between the palm trees.
I watched on from the high-top table, nursing my drink. Bryn had always loved dancing, and she had this natural ability to move her body. I was in awe of her, as always.
She came over to the table, eyes bright and cheeks rosy. “Dance with me?”
I chuckled, allowing her to lead me out to join the others. The salty air was warm, the music had a sultry beat, and I glided my hands down her arms, guiding her hands to my shoulders. She watched me with rapt attention, draping her arms around my neck.
I hated that I had to question if what she was doing was all for show. But when I slid my hands down her back, I reveled in the way her pupils darkened in response. That was real, and I clung to the idea that her desire for me wasn’t an act.
I placed my hands on her waist, guiding her, letting her feel the beat as I swiveled my hips. She followed along, arching one brow, clearly surprised that I was not only a willing participant but a skilled partner.That’s right, angel.
She leaned in, her lips brushing my skin and sending a shiver of pleasure down my spine. “Where’d you learn to dance like this?”
“Lost a bet with Gabe.”
She laughed, the sound light and full of happiness. “I think you could have a real shot at winning the Mirror Ball Trophy if you’re ever onDancing with the Stars.”
Now it was my turn to laugh. “Yeah. That’s never happening.”
I’d enjoyed dancing more than I’d expected. I liked the challenge, of course. I loved anything that required me to be physical or challenged me mentally. But there was no way I was going to dance on live TV in front of millions in a tight-fitting sequined costume.
“Really?” She pouted.
“Angel,” I chuckled, the endearment slipping out before I could stop myself. “You’re the only partner I want to dance with.”
She grinned. “That’s sweet. But seriously? I would love to go on that show someday. The costumes. The talent. Ugh.”
I chuckled. “I’ll stick to the ice. It’s enough that I learned a lot, had fun, and improved my agility.” I did a maneuver to demonstrate.
“Clearly,” she said. “I mean, damn, Bear. You’ve got some moves.” She had no idea. Her cheeks were flushed, and I was dying to kiss her.
Shoot your fucking shot.Gabe’s voice rang in my head.
I brushed Bryn’s hair aside, meeting her gaze. Blue eyes full of trust and desire. The tension between us pulled taut. I leaned in. She licked her lips, and I wanted to taste them. She looked like she wanted me to taste them too.
But maybe what I’d mistaken for desire was actually just the effects of alcohol. She was buzzed and loose, her inhibitions lowered.
Regardless of the rum and our fake relationship, I knew she was attracted to me—last night had definitely shown that. But I needed to tread carefully. We might be pretending we were dating, but the last thing I wanted was to fuck up my chances with her and ruin our friendship. Because more than anything, that’s what I feared. Losing Bryn for good.
“Bride tribe,” Allie called out, waving her white top hat in the air, the veil fluttering behind it.
I leaned down and whispered, “Bride tribe?” in Bryn’s ear.
She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling the entire time. “Oh yeah. I’m lucky Allie didn’t make us wear the matching sashes she got us. Unfortunately—” Bryn adopted a sad expression,though I could tell she was trying hard not to laugh “—nobody could find them at the hotel.”
“That is unfortunate,” I said in a solemn tone.
She gave my arm a playful shove as we waited for the others to gather around for whatever announcement the bride was about to make.
“Okay, gang,” Allie said. “The bus is here to take us back to the hotel.”
