Ethan pulls her close, one hand at her waist, the other holding hers. They sway slowly, foreheads touching, completely lost in each other. Aria’s dress sparkles with each turn. Ethan looks down at her as if she’s his whole world. When the song swells, he dips her gently, and she laughs brightly before he brings her back up and kisses her softly.
Sienna slips back into the seat beside mine, her skin still flushed from the dance floor. Without a word, she reaches under the table and threads her fingers through mine. I give her hand a gentle squeeze, and in return, she answers with one of her own—tighter, more intentional.
We sit in comfortable silence, watching Ethan and Aria move together in the shifting light. Their laughter occasionally drifts over the music, but we don’t speak. Even after the song ends and the next few wash over us, we remain that way—hands linked beneath the table, in our own little pocket of stillness while the world celebrates around us.
Only when the next song begins to fade out do I finally push my chair back and stand. I turn toward her and offer my hand.
“Dance with me?”
Sienna raises an eyebrow, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. “I thought you weren’t the dancing type?”
I chuckle. “I’m not, but I want an excuse to hold you close without everyone questioning why.”
Her smirk softens into something warmer as she places her hand in mine. I gently pull her to her feet and guide us both to the dance floor just as “Can I Have This Dance” starts to play.
I slide one hand to the small of her back and draw her in until there’s almost no space between us. My other hand holds hers, fingers laced. She rests her free hand on my shoulder, looking upat me with those honey-colored eyes that always make my knees weak.
She fits against me perfectly.
“You’re better at this than I remember,” she murmurs after a moment, her voice teasing but soft.
“I’ve been practicing in my head all night,” I admit, smiling down at her. “Watching you out there gave me motivation. Plus, I figured if I embarrassed myself, at least I’d get to hold you while doing it.”
She laughs, the sound vibrating against my chest. “Keep talking like that, and I might forget you’re usually allergic to dancing.”
“I’m allergic to a lot of things,” I say, letting my thumb trace slow circles along her lower back. “But not you. Never you.”
Her cheeks flush that pretty pink I love. She presses a little closer, her fingers tightening around mine. “You’re dangerously good at sweet-talking tonight.”
“Not sweet-talking,” I murmur, brushing my lips against her temple. “Just honest. You make me want to do things I never thought I’d do, like admit I’ve been thinking about kissing you again since the second we sat down to eat.”
She pulls back just enough to meet my gaze. “You’ve been thinking about kissing me?”
“Constantly,” I confess, my voice low. “But I’m trying to be a gentleman. At least until I can have you all to myself tonight. Maybe we could sneak away while no one is watching...”
She smiles until her dimples show. “A gentleman who wants to sneak away with me later? Ilovethis version of you.”
“Good,” I whisper, resting my forehead against hers as we continue to sway. “Because this version is completely gone for you.”
Sienna bites her lower lip but doesn’t answer. We keep swaying through the rest of the song, the next one, and the oneafter that—our bodies pressed close, hearts beating in sync, the rest of the world fading into soft background noise.
Every once in a while, she looks up at me and smiles, and every time it hits me all over again how lucky I am to have met her.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Sienna
The villa doorbarely clicks shut behind us before the rest of the world fades away.
Milo turns to face me, his tux jacket already gone, tie loosened, and sleeves rolled up to reveal those strong forearms. Moonlight slices across his face, turning his eyes dark and hungry. My heart kicks hard against my ribs.
“Hot tub?” I ask, my voice a little breathless from hours of nonstop dancing and from how utterly hot he looks right now.
His mouth curves into that slow, devastating smile. “Thought you’d never ask.”
We step out onto the deck. Steam already rises from the bubbling water, glowing soft and silvery in the moonlight. I reach for the zipper at the back of my dress, but Milo gently catches my wrist.
“Let me,” he murmurs, his voice low and rough.
