Page 7 of Dandelions and Smoke

“Are you by yourself?” His eyebrows draw together, and he leans in closer. “Where are you staying?”

“Now that seems like a personal question,” I tease to distract from the obvious concern in his voice. “You hardly know me. A woman can’t go around handing out her address to total strangers.”

“Now wait a minute,” he replies, his head tilting as he scratches his knuckles against his scruff and strong-looking jaw. “I wouldn’t say we’re total strangers.”

“Oh, no?” I cross my arms playfully.

“No, of course not. Let’s look at the facts.”

I flip my palm out in front of me, wordlessly encouraging him to give them to me.

“I know you don’t like the cold. You don’t drink or fall for games that most other women go crazy for.” He nods his head to where Playboy is making out with some random girl in the middle of the dance floor.

I laugh despite myself and nod my head. “That’s fair.”

“You don’t conform to the order of what others believe you should do or be. You’re wildly passionate, self-motivated, and driven. There’s a spark inside of you, unlike any I’ve ever seen before, and something tells me you’ve fought all your life not to let anyone put it out.” He taps his chin as I try to steady my breath. “And you have a thing for movies. So, how’d I do?”

My mouth opens and closes as I blink up at him. “How did you come up with all of that?” I ask, feeling like I’ve been laid bare before him. The idea spreads a wave of heat over my whole body until it reaches my toes, making them curl.

Ah, get it together.

I’m used to being the one to have everyone around me figured out within minutes, but no one has ever turned it back around on me before, not like this. I’m left unsettled but not uncomfortable.

“I heard everything you didn’t say.” He shrugs before looking away. “It’s something I’ve been working on.”

Seen.

Is this what it’s like to feel seen?

A slow song comes on over the speakers, and I’m on my feet before I can think better about it.

“Dance with me.”

“Trust me, you don’t want me dancing.”

“I wasn’t asking, Mr. Fire Chief.” I stick out my hand to him, and his eyes narrow slightly before a slow grin creeps onto his face.

“Fine,” he sighs. “But if I step on you, I get to say I told you so.”

He stands up, taking my hand, and with a smile, I pull him onto the dance floor. He pretends to fight me while I ‘drag’ him directly into the middle, wearing a grin the whole way.

The lights shine softly on us, catching the salt-and-pepper specks that shine throughout his hair. The soft lines at the corners of his eyes tell me their own story of years he’s spent smiling with his whole face, while the creases between his brows tell me that he might not be doing much of that lately. Still, he’s the most handsome man I’ve ever laid eyes on.

He keeps his grip on my hand as the other one gently wraps around my waist. It settles on my bare skin, exposed by the crop top I’m wearing, and my whole body breaks out in goosebumps. I look up to see if he’s noticed. The corner of his mouth lifts, telling me he has, and it’s unfair how good a simple smile looks on him.

I try to hide my grin and look away, taking in the rest of the bar. Most of the couples that were on the floor before have cleared out, choosing this slow song as their opportunity to refill their drinks, so other than a few people, it’s only me and the chief. Fred, of course, watches as we sway and fall into a perfect rhythm. Standing before him, my head falls just below his shoulders, making my face the perfect height to admire his strong, wide chest.

A thought crosses my mind, and I chuckle.

“A penny for your thoughts?” he asks, noticing.

“I was just thinking.” I laugh again. “If you step on me, I’m not sure you’ll have the chance to say I told you so because I think you’d crush me.”

He laughs, shaking his head, as he tightens his grip around my waist to lift and spin me around, sending flutters through my belly.

“You might be right,” he muses, setting my feet back on the ground.

After some more dancing and feeling as if I’ve officially entered an alternate universe where meeting a good guy who sweeps me off my feet is a real thing, and not just something I’ve watched in movies, we decide to return to our seats.