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The beat was fast, fun, and retro, and there wasn’t a chance she could boogie in these ridiculous heels, so she did a little side to side, swinging her arms and snapping her fingers. Basically, doing what she could to not fall on her ass. Meanwhile, buttoned-up Jaime danced like he was on a Broadway stage. She couldn’t believe a man of his size and musculature could move so deftly. He had loose limbs and the agility of a gymnast.
But then, he pulled her up against him, set their clasped hands on his chest, and started slow-dancing with her.
“What’re you doing?” She glanced around, self-conscious.
He lowered his mouth to her ear. “You’re gonna break your ankle in those heels.”
“Not untrue.” She breathed in the scent that would forever remind her of her time away from home.
“Did you just sniff me?”
“I did.” When he looked at her strangely, she said, “What? You smell good.”
“So do you.”
“That must be the hair product.”
“No, not that.You.”
“Trust me.” She pulled back. “I don’t wear perfume. There’d be no point. I’m in the kitchen all day, so I’m always going to smell like sugar cookies.”
“It’s not that. I noticed it on the plane. It’s something else. Something fresh. Sweet.You.”
“You don’t even know me, but since you’re not being moody, I can thank you for letting me come tonight. It’s been fun.”
“I shouldn’t have left you on your own so much.” His gaze shifted somewhere over her shoulder. “Shitty thing to do.”
“Not at all. This is your mom’s night. You don’t have to worry about me.” She had so many questions, but none she could ask without being nosy. He wasn’t here to be dissected by a woman he’d never see again.
Holding her close, he swayed gently. The heat of his body seared her, and the intensity in his eyes made her restless. She barely knew him, so why did she need his arms around her? What was this unbearable desire to crack him open and discover his secrets?
So, it made sense, when the song finished with a crash of cymbals, she was disappointed to lose her excuse to touch him.
Except…he didn’t let her go. He kept her locked in his embrace, in his gaze, and it was like the whole world disappeared. When the band launched into a slow, sultry song, she rested her chin on his shoulder. “Your mom said Kinsley’s giving you ‘a run for your money.’ What did she mean?”
“Just that I was a terrible kid. Constantly in trouble. I don’t think there was a day of my life I didn’t hear,Jaime.” He said it in a harsh tone. Well, come to think of it, it was more exasperated than aggressive.
That’s weird. That’s not how his mom or sister described him at all. “And Kinny’s like that? I didn’t get the impression she was so difficult.”
“She’s not. She’s the sweetest kid you’ve ever met. But she’s curious, so she gets into all kinds of trouble. You can’t be mad at her because she’s not sneaky or acting out. It’s that she wants to understand how things work. She wants to see it and experience it herself.”
“Give me an example.”
“Yeah, so, if we read about a magic treehouse, I know with absolute certainty she’s going to head outside and check every tree, looking for the one that’ll transport her somewhere.”
“That’s adorable.” Grace glanced up to see if his expression matched his adoring tone. It did. “I’ll bet you sleep with one eye open.”
“I do.”
It was the strangest thing, this current of excitement running between them. She knew he felt it, too. Knew from the way his grip tightened, and the way his body heated up.
Their chemistry was wild, and she loved it.
The band launched into a new song, but she barely noticed the change in rhythm. She didn’t care about anything other than being in his arms. “I remember when you found out about her. Didn’t her grandparents come to the ranch?”
“Yeah. That was…something.” He grew contemplative. “They showed up with a paternity test, said I’d gotten their daughter Jenny pregnant. I didn’t know anyone with that name, so I blew it off. But then, I wasn’t really asking for names at that point in my life.” He cut her a look that spoke volumes. He thought she’d judge him.
“Ian said you’d gone a little feral after the accident.” She said it with a smile to let him know she wouldn’t do that.
