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He wanted that level of comfort with a person. He wanted someone to know everything about him—all of his flaws and issues—and love him anyway. He wanted someone to love.
“All right, folks,” a man said. “Please join the couple on the dance floor.” Another slow song started, and Cord tucked his hands into his pockets to hopefully wipe off some of the sweat. He felt like he was back in junior high, with the boys on one side of the gym and the girls on the other.
If he’d ever gone to a junior high dance, that was. Which he hadn’t. He’d spent his time doing much less savory things, and that alone kept his feet rooted to the spot. Trav led his wife out onto the dance floor, as did all of Mike’s uncles, his daddy, and his brother.
Keith danced with Jane, and Cord swallowed back the urge to go swat his hands away from her waist. Keith hadn’t dated anyone in a while either, and one look at him and Jane told Cord they were nothing more than friends. Nothing electric flowed between them, and in fact, Keith seemed to be looking for someone else.
Cord only had eyes for Jane, and after the song ended, he worked up his nerve to get closer to her. He did, and as another song started, he reached out and caught the tips of her fingers in his. “Hey.”
She faced him and slid her fingers further into his when she saw it was him. “Hey.” A shy smile filled her face, and she ducked her chin. “I wasn’t sure if you were really going to ask me.”
“It’s the second dance.” Someone bumped into Cord from behind, and he took that as a a sign to stop taking up so much space. “Do you want to dance?”
“Yes, sir.” She folded herself easily into his arms, and all the tense parts of Cord relaxed.
“It was a nice wedding,” he murmured. His eyes drifted closed, and he took in a long inhale of Jane’s hair and skin. She smelled soft and floral, with a hint of something crisp among the more powdery notes.
“Yeah,” she said. “It was.”
Cord wasn’t great at small talk, but he’d learned a few things over the years. “How’s work?”
“Oh, work is work,” she said. “I’ve actually been thinking about getting a new job.”
Cord frowned, but he didn’t open his eyes. He could almost feel his way around the dance floor, what with every sense on such high alert. “You have? Why?”
“My life is just so…boring,” she said.
“Mm.” Cord leaned his head closer to hers, though he was practically touching her already. “I bet we can spice it up.”
“Yeah?” she whispered, the word still plenty challenging. “How arewegoing to do that?”
Cord smiled, glad to see her sassy side hadn’t died in the past several months. “I think we can start with dinner.”
“Are you asking me to dinner?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Jane pulled back, and Cord opened his eyes as he let her. She searched his face, and Cord didn’t like the open scrutiny. He ducked closer to her again, skating his cheek along hers. “Stop it,” he whispered.
“Stop what?”
“Looking at me like that.”
“How do you want me to look at you?”
“Like you’re not judging me.”
“I wasn’t,” she started, but her defense pretty much died there.
He chuckled softly, his mouth right at her ear. He wanted to taste her skin so badly, but he told himself he wouldn’t do it here. This was date zero, and he absolutely would not kiss her now, in public, though the wedding was small.
“Are you going to say yes?” he asked.
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Good,” he said. “So this next weekend.” He pulled back and looked at her again, his eyebrows up in the silent question mark he hadn’t included in his tone.
She nodded, and then flinched mightily when Gray barked, “Cord.”
Cord dang near jumped out of his skin too. He switched his gaze to Gray’s. “Yes, sir.”
Gray frowned like it was the only thing he knew how to do. “Can I talk to you for a second?” He looked back and forth between Cord, Jane, and back to Cord, his displeasure only deepening as it boiled and rolled into near-tangible thunder. “Now.”
* * *
