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Her lips formed an O, then she laughed but kept going through the steps as instructed by the woman moving around the dance floor, giving pointers.
When Ryder bumped into McKenzie a third time, he shrugged as if he didn’t know how it had happened.
“Hey, are you doing that on purpose?” She gave a suspicious look, but her eyes were dancing with delight.
Doing his best to maintain a facade of innocence, he asked, “Would I do that?”
Keeping in step, she arched a brow. “Two weeks ago, I’d have said no. That you’d have done anything to move away from me rather than closer. Now...”
She was right. He had avoided her. Because she’d been seriously involved with another man and when he was around her, he’d wanted to toss aside his common sense and make her his. He might have even been successful, but he didn’t go after women who had boyfriends. Or women who were on the rebound from a man they’d planned to marry.
He’d learned that lesson with Anna and wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.
His gaze met McKenzie’s. She looked at him as if she wanted to strip his clothes off and explore every inch of him.
Was it for show because her friends and family were there?
“Now?” he prompted, wanting to hear what she had to say, to see if she’d flirt back, even if only a little, as he rocked his hips forward and held, then shifted to the left, then rocked to the right, keeping time with the music.
“Now?” Her eyes twinkled. “I’m sure you would.”
He laughed. “You might be right.”
“Might be?” Her gaze was still locked with his.
“You sure you’re a beginner?” Reva called from the opposite side of McKenzie, interrupting their banter. “Because you’re picking that up awfully fast.”
“Hello?” McKenzie play scowled at her cousin. “Did you not just see him almost knock me down half a dozen times?”
Smiling, Reva shook her head and called, “I must have missed that.”
Ryder winked conspiratorially at the bride-to-be who was enjoying herself despite the medical drama at her rehearsal dinner. Probably because her husband’s uncle was expected to fully recover and might even be released from the hospital the following day so long as nothing unexpected happened between now and then.
“Okay, now, ladies and gentlemen,” the dance instructor said. “From the beginning. Let’s go.”
The music started over and they went through the motions to the decades-old hit about an achy broken heart. They danced and Ryder kept his body in his dance space, rather than invading McKenzie’s, although the temptation to bump her just for another touch was strong.
When the song ended, he was glad he had stayed focused on the dance, because, eyes sparkling, mouth curved in a big smile, she wrapped her arms around him in a hug and squeezed.
“That was amazing. You were amazing!”
Her arms around him was amazing. So amazing Ryder felt his resolve melting. In its place was happiness that he was relaxed, away from work, dancing with a beautiful woman who was flirting with him as if she planned other dances, more primal, in her mind.
“Never say you can’t line dance again,” she warned.
“Pretty sure being able to follow step-by-step instructions doesn’t qualify me to say that I can line dance,” he pointed out, wondering what she’d say if he just held her in the hug forever?
Her body felt that good.
Like he wanted to hold her body against his for a very long time. Ryder fought to keep his lower half from reacting in an embarrassing way.
Around them, everyone clapped and thanked the instructor. Eyes locked, he and McKenzie parted and did the same.
The band took the stage again and launched into a slow song. Next to them, Jeremy pulled Reva to him.
McKenzie’s gaze lowered and she started walking off the dance floor.
“I don’t think so,” Ryder said, reaching for her hand even as he acknowledged slow dancing with her would do nothing to stop the erection threatening to make itself present. “If I had to line dance then you don’t get to run away when I get an opportunity to show off that I don’t really have two left feet despite recent evidence to the contrary.”
