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That seemed to be the right thing to say, and Marina's posture lost some of its rigidity. "I hope you are right." She looked around at the people crowding the bar. "It's probably all in my head."
"Here is your mojito, mistress." One of Bob's hands put the drink in front of her while his other three served three other drinks.
Jay leaned against the bar and scanned the room. "Who is that redhead over there? The one balancing a tray on her shoulder."
"That's my roommate, Larisa."
Jay grinned. "Can you put in a good word for me? Perhaps she would like to be my date for tomorrow's wedding."
The smile that bloomed on Marina's face was priceless. "I can do that right now. Do you want to come with me to say hello?"
Jay glanced at Peter. "Is it okay with you?"
"Sure." If it made Marina happy, he would gladly watch her introducing his friends to hers for the rest of the party.
Well, not the entire time, of course.
He wasn't done dancing with her, and he wanted her sitting by his side, eating dinner and chatting with his table companions. And once the party was done, he wanted her in his bed, screaming his name.
Simple wishes of a guy with simple needs.
It was the simple things in life that made him happy. He didn't need status or riches or even the admiration of his friends to feel good about himself, and he hoped the same was true for Marina.
They might not have a future together, but they had the present, and not everything was about tomorrow. If more people lived for today, the world would be a happier place.
Marina's friend almost dropped her tray as Jay introduced himself, and Peter could see her blush across the room. But she nodded and smiled, and judging by Jay's corresponding grin, he had a date for tomorrow.
"Success?" Peter asked when they returned to the bar.
Jay nodded and turned to Marina. "Just don't introduce any more of your friends to mine, or there will be no one left to serve dinner tomorrow."
"Don't worry. Larissa is the only single one other than me. All the rest are older and in relationships."
Jay's smile got even wider. "Thank the merciful Fates for putting me in the right place at the right time. If I came over a moment later, you might have introduced the lovely Larisa to someone else."
"Lucky you." Marina took another sip from her mojito and then put the half-empty glass on the bar before turning to Peter. "Do you want to go back to the dance floor?"
She was in a much better mood now than she had been only moments ago, and he had Jay to thank for that.
"Let's go." He poured the rest of the tequila shot down his throat and put the empty glass on the bar next to Marina's.
As they returned to the dance floor, it was like he was with a different lady. Gone was the hesitant and unsure woman from scant minutes ago, and in her place was a confident vixen who danced like she owned the dance floor.
Peter was captivated by the grace and energy of her movements and the vibrant spirit that seemed to radiate from her. He couldn't take his eyes off her.
How had Jay known what Marina needed to feel comfortable among his friends and family, to feel like she belonged?
His friend must have an empathic talent he hadn't fessed up to.
Dancing with renewed spirit and free of inhibition, Marina was a sight to behold, and Peter wasn't the only one paying attention. From the corner of his eye, he could see his mother watching his date with a smile tugging on her lips, and if that didn't constitute one hell of an achievement, he didn't know what did.
45
ARU
As Aru led Gabi to the dance floor, he observed the mass of writhing bodies, each with their own unique flair. Some were spinning and twisting across the floor, others were incorporating dips into their routines, and some were simply swaying on their feet and waving their arms around, but as long as they were moving to the rhythm of the music, the skill level didn't matter.
It was about having fun, which he was, but he wished his teammates were with him.
