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Zeke had gotten the very stark impression that this was something she excelled at. She mirrored people, made them feel comfortable with her, had them open up to her with her easy charm and friendly smile. He didn’t think she did it consciously, it was simply a habit. She wasn’t aiming to step into anyone’s space and claim it for herself, rather she stood back and allowed whoever she was speaking to, to shine even brighter from her undivided attention. He didn’t think it was entirely about people-pleasing either. She was engaged in listening, asking questions at just the right moment to keep whatever story she was being told unfolding for another few minutes. It was a skill.
“I’m sorry, but will you excuse us for a moment?” Zeke interjected before the Mayor could spout off about a different section of the already mentioned exhibition. “I would like to have a moment alone with this beautiful lady.”
“Oh, of course, of course. You go enjoy each other,” the Mayer winked.
Anna granted him one final smile before she turned her attention to Zeke. He slipped his arm around her, pulled her close, dipped his head down to speak into her ear.
“May I have this dance?”
He thought she sounded a little breathless when she said, “Yes.”
He leaned back, getting his eyes on hers, searching them for a moment before he gave her a smile that she immediately returned. His heart grew light as a feather.
She would let him kiss her.
He took her hand in his, led her out on the ballroom floor, pulled her close again. Her head tilted back, invitingly, lips slightly parted, even more invitingly. He waited for the next movement to start in the classical music piece that was being played by the live orchestra—they had set up an hour or so earlier and since then the chatter of the crowd had been accompanied by their perfectly rendered melodies—and then swept her out onto the dancefloor.
“Oh,” she said. “You’re good at this.”
He kept the self-satisfied grin down, even though he couldn’t keep it entirely off his face. He knew he was very good at this.
“Dance classes from the age of six,” he said.
“Six?” she asked, following his lead with perfect ease, letting him twirl her without a stumble. “I started at three. Ballet. Two times a week.”
He rolled his eyes but had to laugh.
“That’s actually impressive.”
“I quit when I was seven,” she shrugged. “Didn’t have the ankles for it.”
He made a show of glancing down at her ankles and it was her turn to laugh.
“Don’t worry, they’re better now,” she said, twirling once, twice, then smashing into his chest with a small smile on her mouth that set fire through his veins.
“You move like a dancer,” he murmured, breathless and more turned on for every passing second. The sequins on her dress made her look like she was covered in droplets of water, catching the light. The fabric was dark blue like she’d pulled some of the ocean with her onto the dancefloor. It was alluring in all the right ways, his fingers itching to roam.
“That’s only because you’re leading,” she murmured back, hands flat against his chest.
If she slid them up even an inch, he’d know she was game.
They were both out of breath but they smiled nonetheless.
She slid her hands up.
He placed his on top of them, gently.
“I have an idea,” he said. “But I’m going to need you to trust me.”
She turned her hands so that they were palm to palm, lacing their fingers together, saying, “I trust you.”
“We have to make them believe it,” he said.
“Believe what?”
He offered her a small smile, then leaned forward, catching her mouth with his.
She tasted of expensive champagne and chocolate truffles. And something underneath that was all her, making him part his lips to that taste, wanting it in his mouth. He’d let it fill him up, sweep him away. It had to look real, it needed to feel real. It was all an act.
