Page 120 of The Quiet Witness

Kate settled for the easier answer of the two. “I’ve never danced before.”

He nodded, as if it made sense. “You know,” his hand started drawing circles on her lower back. Tingles sparked to life everywhere he touched. “Dancing is like fighting, seeing as fighting comes so naturally to you…”

“Ohh, what are you insinuating here? That I… should be good at dancing?”

He sent her a wink, eyes glittering. “Ohh, I wouldn’t dream of the suggestion.”

She lifted her hand to smack him across the ribs, right where she’d elbowed him when they first met.

He winced. “Attacking someone, especially while dancing is a punishable offense.”

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes, instead asking, “But you were saying before?” At the raise of his eyebrow, she added, “Zorro.”

“Hmmm, let’s see… my next move was rescuing some chickens, I may or may not have brought them to a sanctuary. With a bike.”

“A bike?” Disbelief colored her expression.

“Yes, Katherine, a bike. I didn’t have my driver’s license at thirteen you know. They sat huddled together in the basket up front, clucking at each other.”

A snort escaped her. “You’re an enigma, you know that?” She shook her head. Fully engrossed in the details. “Chickens in a bike basket, I would have loved to see it.”

He went on. “That one got me into quite some trouble.” He flashed a soft smile, a tad rueful. Like it had cost him something. “It made me realize animals never hurt you. Not without a reason, anyhow.”

Lucien had kept her distracted. By now they’d fallen into an easy rhythm, song after song passed in a blur, hands still entangled. He’d been right, the flow now came easily to her. But perhaps that was because it was him guiding her, with unfaltering steps, a steady hand when she stumbled, always there to support her.

It shouldn’t matter as much as it did.

Before she could double-check her decision she moved closer to her dancing partner, leaning in to rest her head against his chest, he stiffened for a second. Their flow interrupted, like a heart skipping a beat.

Much like had happened in the car he recovered quickly, feet moving again before anyone had noticed they’d halted.

I shouldn’t have done that.

Her cheeks flamed, but just as the thought announced itself Lucien’s chin lowered, resting lightly on her hair. He let go of her hand, trailing it over her shoulder to end at her neck and cup her gently. “Happy?”

The word nearly went lost in the strokes of the piano.

His pounding heartbeat thrummed underneath her ear. “Yes.” She admitted, desperately trying to hide the tremble in her voice.

“Good.” How just that one word could betray the smile in it.

“Everybody, your food is ready!” Marianne shouted over the shuffling feet of the slow dancing couples, her voice easily dwarfed the music and tripped up the musician as he skipped a note at the sudden intro of the hostess.

Kate jumped in place again. Laughing against Lucien as she said. “Gods, that woman has a way of doing things.”

“Hmmhmm.”

She lifted her head, moving to break away from their closeness. But his hold lingered on her, unwilling to let go. Kate slyly tilted her head, raising her eyebrow toward the people reaching for their chairs. “The music has stopped you know.”

Lucien regarded her, a knowing glint in his eye as he sighed, letting his hand fall away from her. “I know.”

Dread pooled in the depths of her stomach, unable to shake the feeling that she was missing something. She was about to ask when Marianne passed them by, their plates balanced in her arms.

Too late.

Lucien broke away, making his way back to their table that was chock-full of dishes. Pinto bean steak, hummus, bruschetta’s, a brightly colored salad.

Taking a bite of the pinto bean steak she couldn’t help but blurt out. “Yours is better.” While she waved a hand in front of her mouth, desperately trying to cool the food. What is it with me and burning myself?