Annie smiled. “Ooh, good idea. You both love to dance. Go ahead. I’m going to check out the food.”
I held out my hand to Olivia. She looked at it, biting her lip as if she wasn’t sure she should take it.
I wiggled my fingers. “Come on, Olivia. It’s not a snake.”
My teasing comment must have put her at ease because she smirked and put her hand in mine. It was warm and soft, and I immediately intertwined our fingers as we walked to the dance floor.
With ideal timing, the fast dance song that was playing came to an end, and the DJ switched to something slower paced.
I dropped her hand, and we faced each other, laughing awkwardly. I raised my eyebrows. “Shall we?”
Olivia smiled, slipping her arms around my neck. I set my hands on either side of her waist, above her hips. The warmth of her skin seeped into my fingers, even through the fabric of her dress.
Before I could stop it, a contented sigh escaped my lips. Holding her, having her this close, felt so right.
“Why didn’t you have a date tonight?” I asked suddenly.
She ducked her head and glanced away. “I don’t know.”
“I bet you had at least a dozen guys lined up to ask you. Why did you tell them no?”
She didn’t answer, just kept staring across the dance floor, leaning in so that her cheek rested against my chest.
I dipped my head so that my mouth was right next to her ear. “Olivia,” I said huskily.
She turned her head, tilting her chin up to meet my eyes. Her gorgeous green eyes that were so familiar to me harbored a timidness I’d never seen on her before.
“I didn’t want to go with any ofthem.”
My ears heard the words, my brain decoded them, and still, I couldn’t believe the implication.Did she … did she want to go withme?
My slack-jawed reaction seemed to give her confidence. She moved her fingers up my neck and played with the hair at my nape. Instantly, my whole body reacted. I felt every point of contact between our bodies and craved more. I shifted my hands off her waist and around to her back, pulling her even closer. She fit perfectly against me.
“What about you?” she asked softly.
“Hmm?” I answered, like an idiot. With the feel of her fingers in my hair and her body against mine, my brain was mush.
“I never see you dating.”
I forced myself to focus on her words. “I date some.”
“Do you?” She smirked at me.
I shrugged, holding eye contact. “I guess I was waiting for the right girl,” I said meaningfully.
Her cheeks turned an irresistible shade of pink. She tilted her head. “Why did you have to wait?”
“I didn’t think she felt the same way.” I was sure she could feel my heart pounding.
“But now you do think so?”
I brushed back a strand of hair that had fallen across her forehead. I let my hand linger, running my fingertips lightly across her cheek. She shivered.
“Yeah,” I finally answered. “I do.” For the first time, I felt confident that even if Olivia’s feelings weren’t as deep as mine at this point, she was feeling something more than friendship for me. It was a starting point.
I smiled down at her as the song ended and a high-energy dance song started playing. Instead of letting her go right away, I pushed her out and spun her, finishing in a dip. She was laughing when I set her on her feet again, and I reluctantly let her leave my arms.
But she stayed close, and we danced together through the fast songs, laughing and shouting to hear each other over the music.
