Page 114 of Pick Me This Time

54

DAPHNE

Sterling held me close, the masculine scent of his cologne enveloping me as he led me gracefully around the dance floor. I relaxed into his arms, still amazed at how perfectly I fit against him. My eyes closed as I rested my head against his strong chest, intent on just relishing the moment while it lasted.

“I’m glad you’re here,” he murmured, his arm banding tighter around my waist. “I wasn’t expecting you to be.”

“I came with Eric,” I explained. “He got a few offers from women back when the date was first announced, but he didn’t want to accept any of them, so he told everyone he was bringing me instead. Mom was thrilled since it meant I could keep an eye on the proceedings tonight at the same time.”

A low chuckle rumbled in his chest. “That sounds about right. How was the drive over?”

“Awkward, but good,” I replied, tilting my head back to look into his eyes. “I told him to back off and get over it.”

Sterling’s eyebrows inched up. “How did he take it?”

I shrugged. “I’m not sure. We got here before he could say much of anything, but I think the message went through. He knows now that I won’t have him making my decisions for me.”

“That doesn’t mean he’s going to accept them.” He exhaled heavily as he navigated us around the crowded dance floor, not once easing his grip on me.

I held his gaze intently. “It doesn’t matter what he accepts. He doesn’t ask my permission to date someone and I don’t expect him to. The least he can do is extend the same courtesy to me.”

“That seems fair, but I don’t blame him for being protective of you. I haven’t exactly always been a model boyfriend.”

“Neither has he,” I said, lowering my head back down to his chest.

With the steady beat of his heart against my ear, I allowed my eyes to flutter closed once more. One song melted into another, and we stayed on the dance floor until finally, dinner was served. He released me reluctantly, but when we checked the seating chart, we found out we were at the same table.

With Rachel and Jake—and Eric. Some others were with us too, Cameron Adams with his girlfriend and a couple more people who used to be on the football team. Thankfully, they carried the conversation at dinner, not even picking up on the tension between Eric and Sterling.

I was seated between them, and I felt the glares my brother was sending at us as he tore into his dry chicken. Sterling chatted to the others while Eric glowered, and Jake and Rachel seemed to be torn between joining the conversation and trying to appease my brother.

Dinner felt like it lasted an age, but when it was done, it didn’t take long at all for people to start mingling once more. The Garrisons took off to go home, but not before Rachel gave me a tight squeeze. “You guys looked good together on the dance floor before. Get his ass back out there and don’t let your brother stop you from doing whatever it is you want to do tonight.”

I nodded against her hair and smiled as I released her. “I’m going to do my best. Bye, babe. Give Lizzy a kiss from me.”

“Will do,” she promised, sliding her hand into Jake’s and leading him to the exit.

Once they were gone, I looked around for Eric, but he’d practically run to the bar and Sterling came to stand next to me. Those dark eyes blazed into mine when I looked up at him. “Would you like to dance some more, or should we just get out of here?”

“Let’s get out here,” I said without even giving it a second thought. “As long as you’re sure you’re ready to leave?”

“I came. I mingled. I’m done.” He slid his hand into mine and held it firmly. “There’s no one here that I’d rather spend time with than you. Do you want to go tell Eric that we’re leaving?”

My heart skipped a beat. Sterling was willing to leave the reunion he’d come home for, for me. To spend time with me. I nearly swooned, but I managed to smile up at him. “Have you always been such a smooth talker?”

He winked. “It’s one of the things I do best with my mouth.”

Heat raced through me, making my breasts feel heavy and everything south of my hips ache, but I shook it off as I glanced at my brother at the bar. He’d struck up a conversation with a cute little blonde and I shook my head as I looked back at Sterling.

“I’ll text him. At this point, I think it’s better if I just get out of his hair. The formalities are done, so I can tell my mom that it went well and leave him to enjoy the party.”

He nodded, and it was a welcome change when he started leading me to the door without arguing that I should at least go talk to my brother. “He’s going to think that I’m just taking you home to have sex with you.”

“Isn’t that exactly what you’re doing?” I asked playfully, wishing I had at least one demure bone in my body.

Sterling didn’t seem to mind, though. He chuckled and tightened his fingers around mine as we reached the exit. “Actually, I was thinking we could just go for a drive and see where the night takes us, but I wouldn’t complain if you just wanted me to take you home.”

“A drive sounds nice,” I said.