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John chuckled at the face she made. “Too strong?”
“A bit. And I need to drive to the hotel later.”
“I’ll help you out.” John took a long sip from her cup. “Can you top this off with some more pineapple juice?” He handed it to the bartender. “I rode up on the shuttle bus but planned for us to ride to the hotel together. How about I drive your car back?”
Other than a glass of champagne at dinner and a swig of her drink, John had stuck with water. Not what she expected, considering the open bar. Even if she didn’t have to drive, she still needed to stay sober to keep from saying anything that would out their relationship as fake. Or to keep from stepping over the line with John in selling them as a couple.
They’d only sat out one song when Elizabeth noticed the teen who had been the junior bridesmaid slowly approach their table. The girl’s gaze locked on John. “I think someone wants to dance with you.”
“Again?” His eyes widened in alarm until he looked over his shoulder. He broke into a big smile and motioned the girl to join them. “This is Cecilia’s younger sister, Katie. You did great today. This is my friend, Elizabeth.”
“Nice to meet you, Katie.” Elizabeth held out her hand.
The girl made fleeting eye contact and gave a weak handshake.
“Will you dance with me, Katie?”
Her face lit up. “Uh, huh.” Katie took John’s hand and pulled him to the dance floor.
Despite her developmental delays, Katie didn’t appear afraid of John or his size. Elizabeth’s heart melted, and she couldn’t keep her eyes off them as John held Katie’s hands and they danced in a circle.
Why hadn’t she met a guy like him years ago? How different would her life be today if she’d known someone like John, who would have stood up to her father back in her high school days? Or before Adam had scarred her so badly.
John and Katie stayed on the dance floor through the next song. After Linc cut in, John made his way back to the table wearing a dopey grin.
“What’s with that look?” He sat and slid his chair closer to Elizabeth’s side.
“It was sweet watching you dance with her.”
“Took a little while for Katie to warm up to me last night. She hid behind her mom when she first met me at the rehearsal.”
“Because of your size?”
“I’m not that big.”
She chuckled lightly. “The women keep referring to you as Big John.”
“It’s how Nate introduced me on the show. Army nickname. Come on, we know this dance.”
They joined the crowd. Somehow, Shelby and her blonde friend ended up on the other side of John. After a series of line dances, the DJ slowed things down with another love song.
John pivoted to face Elizabeth and slid a hand to her lower back. He squeezed her hand and stared into her eyes as he softly sang along with Ed Sheeran about how a touch of a hand could make people fall in love.
Desire like she hadn’t experienced in nearly a decade had been building. Now it flowed, unchecked, through her. She couldn’t let him see it, so she broke eye contact. “Do you not know the lyrics, or do you just not care?” She forced a lightheartedness into her voice.
“A little of both. It’s not in my favorites playlist, but I like it.” He kept smiling at her.
Near the end of the song, he dipped her. She froze. His face hovered just inches from hers. Strangling powerlessness made her chest ache.
“Shit,” he whispered under his breath, quickly righting her. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
“It’s okay. You just surprised me.” The tightness eased enough to draw in a ragged breath.
“Do you need to sit?” He removed his fingers from her lower back and loosened his grip on her hand.
“I’m fine,” she lied, putting her free hand back on his shoulder.
“You sure?” His eyes narrowed, but he swayed with her.
