Page 41 of Fake It For Glory

MERIDA

The evening had been a whirlwind of elegance, dancing, and laughter. But as the night wore on, the ballroom became stiflingly warm, and I found myself in need of a breath of fresh air. I loved dancing. I always felt so alive.

I didn’t care if I wasn’t the best dancer. I just loved music and letting it take over my body.

The crowd had thinned out a bit but those that remained were taking full advantage of the band and the bar. I was genuinely surprised by how fun Jensen was. I expected him to be a real stick in the mud, but he seemed to be enjoying the dancing as much as I was.

We received plenty of compliments about how much fun we appeared to be having. At least, I was having fun, and I didn’t think Jensen was faking it. No one could act that well.

“I need some fresh air,” I said while fanning my face.

“Me too,” Jensen said, smiling.

His hand slid to the small of my back where it had been most of the night. We made our way outside, the cool night air a welcome relief after the warmth of the crowded ballroom. I took in a deep breath, feeling the gentle breeze against my skin as we stood on the balcony once again. The night had been amazing. It was much better than I expected. I had convinced myself it was going to be a miserable evening with Jensen being a total pompous dick all night.

It was just the opposite. It was easily one of the best nights I had had in a long, long time. I was almost able to forget it was all pretend. Jensen was attentive and kind of funny when he let go of that cool façade he wore. He let himself have fun on the dance floor. It was nice to see him come out of his shell a little. No one was going to bully him. Not anymore. He was free to be exactly who he was.

“It’s nice out,” I said.

“It’s a little cold. Do you want my jacket?”

“It feels good,” I said, smiling. “Thank you.”

After a few minutes, he turned to me. “I think we’ve made enough of an appearance. It’s late. I never intended to stay out so long. Are you good if we call it a night?”

“If you’re ready, I’m ready,” I said, nodding. “But don’t think I’m asking you to leave. I just wanted some fresh air.”

“No, no.” He shook his head. “I’m ready.”

We went back into the ballroom and casually made our way to the exit. Jensen was stopped a few times but managed to extract himself from any more conversations about his tech or what his next project would be.

As we stepped out of the building, the street was dark and quiet. The only sound was the click of our heels against the sidewalk. We walked in silence toward the parking area, enjoying the cool night air. The city was beautiful at night.

“I’m so ready to get out of this get-up,” Jensen complained as he loosened his bowtie, leaving it hanging around his neck. “We stayed a lot longer than I planned. How are your feet?”

I laughed at the question. “Pinched.”

“I bet you’re craving some fluffy slippers, right?”

“It’s like you read my mind,” I teased.

“You do wear slippers, don’t you?”

I was a little embarrassed. But considering he already knew my preference for sensible shoes, I didn’t think it could get much worse. “I do. You don’t?”

“No,” he said, laughing. “Not my thing.”

“You think I’m an old lady,” I said, sighing.

“No, I think you like to be comfortable and could care less about fashion.”

“I think that’s an insult,” I joked.

He shook his head. “No, I like when someone isn’t afraid to do what pleases them. I like that you don’t feel like you have to conform.”

“Because you were always an outsider,” I said.

“Maybe a little. I didn’t conform and it’s worked out very well for me.”