AllFreeNovel
Share Us
How many eligible women were there in Manhattan? And how many of them had Wynn dated?
She wasn’t sure she wanted to know.
They grabbed hors d’oeuvres and found a spot near one of the floor-to-ceiling windows. The view of the city at night was spectacular.
Wynn took her tiny purse and slid it into his pocket. “Do you want wine?” he asked.
She leaned into him. “Don’t leave me,” she whispered, joking. “I might never find you again.”
“Whatever you say.” He grinned at her. It was such a lighthearted, happy smile her heart jumped.
They ate in silence. The food was amazing. A well-known celebrity chef had provided the elegant smorgasbord.
Suddenly someone began clearing the space in front of the band who had been playing a wide range of upbeat music rich with rumbling bass. A dance floor appeared, and a murmur swept through the crowd.
The lead vocalist took the mike and waved a hand. “Grab your best guy or girl and let’s get into the holiday spirit.”
Wynn brushed the backs of his fingers over Felicity’s hot cheek. The room was packed, and it was stuffy. “Shall we, Fliss?” His eyes were warm and mesmerizing.
“Sure.” She knew it was a bad idea, but what else could she say? She yearned to dance with him.
Wynn got rid of their plates. They shared a glass of champagne, and then he held her hand and pulled her into the middle of the floor. In less time than it took to breathe his name, they were locked in each other’s arms.
The music had changed. Now every pick was a slow song. Ed Sheeran, Adele, Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift...even a little Tony Bennett. But the one that threatened to bring her to her knees was a Jason Mraz number. The chorus touched every vulnerable nerve inside her. I’m yours.
It was true. She belonged to Wynn in a way that couldn’t be explained. He didn’t own her. He didn’t even want her forever.
None of that mattered. She was his.
She gave herself a mental shake. Now wasn’t the moment to fret about the future. She would cherish this time with Wynn and make it count. When she wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her cheek against his shoulder, she heard a hitch in his breathing, felt his arms tighten.
They swayed to the music, oblivious to the other dancers. One song melted into the next. Wynn’s presence surrounded her—his familiar touch, his hard, warm body, his masculine scent.
Because they were so close, she felt the evidence of his arousal pushing against her. Desire accelerated her heartbeat. She pressed her fingertips into the fabric of his jacket.
“I love you...” She breathed the words in a whisper, knowing he couldn’t hear. Her chest hurt. How could he not feel it, too? He held her so tenderly. Didn’t he believe they could find their way back to a love that was real? Or better yet, forge a new path?
Wynn Oliver and Felicity Vance made sense together. They were two parts of a whole. Cut from the same cloth, formed in the tiny mountain community that still influenced them both at some level.
His fingers caressed the nape of her neck. “Damn, I want you,” he growled at her ear.
She pulled back and looked up at him. “How much longer do we need to stay?” She wanted things, too. Dancing with him like this was seductive and wonderful. Only once before had they come close to such an experience.
It had been spring of their senior year in high school. Neither of them could afford prom tickets. Instead, Wynn had taken her out in the woods with a boom box and slow danced with her until they tumbled to the ground and found the connection they craved.
Now Wynn’s cheekbones were ruddy with color. His eyes seemed not quite focused. His harsh breathing made his chest rise and fall. “I’ve seen everybody I need to see,” he said hoarsely. His gaze cataloged her features.
“Two more songs?” she said. “And then we’ll go?”
He kissed her long and hard, seemingly unconcerned they were in a crowd of people. At last, he pulled back from the kiss but didn’t release her. “Two songs,” he said, his eyes glittering.
She nodded slowly, seeing the frustration in his gaze but feeling the tenderness in his touch. He felt something for her. But was it enough to change his mind about love and relationships?
Felicity lost herself in the music. Her body hummed with arousal. Dancing with the all-grown-up Wynn was an erotic dream she hadn’t known she craved. Halfway through the second song, she knew she couldn’t wait. “Let’s go,” she said.
Wynn frowned. “Why?”
She searched his face, wishing he could read her mind. She wasn’t brave enough to tell him the whole truth. She couldn’t voice the real reason she was here. So she settled for the only truth he would accept. “Because I want you,” she said. “Now.”
