He turned us in a slow circle. “Let’s keep them guessing. Next time, we’ll say we met on a serial killer podcast forum.”
“Wow. You really know how to sweep a girl off her feet.”
Dean smiled, slow and wicked. “Who says I haven’t?”
My heart hammered in my throat.
A couple of songs passed. I was giddy, spun out on alcohol and his closeness, and the way he never got bored of making me laugh. The crowd seemed happy to let us exist in our own little bubble.
The next song was a ballad. Dean drew me closer, my chest pressed to his, my cheek brushing his collar. I felt the steady thump of his heart. He smelled of sweat, salt, and aftershave, and I was in danger of being completely, pathetically lost in it.
In other words, it was the perfect time for Aunt Carol to materialize, martini in hand, her smile beaming and intensely curious. She didn’t circle like a shark. She floated over, inserting herself into ourbubble with the cheerful entitlement of a beloved relative.
“Well, look at you two!” she chirped, her voice carrying over the music. “Brynn, darling, I haven’t seen you this happy in ages.”
I tensed, but Dean just smiled, never breaking our rhythm. “She has that effect on me. I’d like to think the feeling is mutual.”
Aunt Carol’s smile didn’t waver, but her eyes sharpened. “It’s all so sudden, though! How long have you been keeping this handsome man a secret from your favorite aunt?”
The question was a direct hit, designed to catch me off guard. My cheeks heated.
“Oh, it’s… it’s pretty new,” I stammered, the lie feeling flimsy on my tongue.
“New is right!” Aunt Carol said with a little laugh, patting my arm. “Poor Todd was so surprised. But it must be the real deal if you’re already this inseparable.” She took a deliberate sip of her martini, her gaze flicking between us. “You two just look so in love!”
The words hung in the air, a challenge disguised as a compliment. I felt the eyes from nearby tables on us. Dean tensed beside me, the steady rhythm of our dance faltering.
Dean’s expression shifted. He stared directly at me, his gaze serious, intent. “I think we can do better than justlookingthe part.” His voice was just loud enough for our audience to hear.
Then, without warning, he spun me, caught me at the waist, and dipped me low over the sand. I yelped, unprepared, arms windmilling until I found his shoulders and clung for dear life.
The world tilted. Torchlight and stars above, Dean’sface so close I saw the flecks in his light-blue eyes. My hand moved down to his chest, settling above his wildly beating heart. Everything stilled—the music, the chatter, the crash of the surf.
He waited, searching my face. His eyes stopped on my mouth. My brain was all static.
Then he kissed me.
When the heat of his mouth hit mine, the bottom dropped out of everything. His lips were gentler than I expected, cautious at first, giving me an out. I didn’t take it. I pressed up to meet him, and he deepened the kiss, his hand at the nape of my neck.
He deepened the kiss, his fingers tangling in my hair as he tilted my head back. His thumb traced slow, maddening circles on my skin while his other arm held me against him. A soft groan rumbled in his chest, and then his tongue traced the seam of my lips, a hot, wet demand for more.
I opened for him without a second thought. He swept inside, tasting of IPA and salt and something that was justhim. Mindful of where we were, he withdrew to a more proper but still head-spinning kiss. His stubble scraped against my chin, and I wanted more.
I wanted everything.
My fingers, which had been braced on his shoulders, twisted into the fabric of his shirt, clutching him closer as if I could pull him inside me.
I forgot where we were. I forgot the music, the crowd, the tiki torches. There was only the slick heat of his mouth, the possessive grip of his hand in my hair, and the stunning realization that this felt more real than anything I had felt in years.
Then the world roared back all at once—conversation, laughter, the music. Our lips parted, but Dean didn’t let go.Not until I opened my eyes and he smiled like he’d just solved the world’s most impossible equation.
He righted me gently. Aunt Carol was nowhere to be seen. The moment was ours.
Dean ran a thumb along my cheek, his smile softer than I’d ever seen it. “Are you okay?”
I was not okay, but I nodded. I wanted to do it again.
Instead, I leaned my forehead against his chest, letting the music carry us a little longer.
