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I tweaked that lesson with my children, I tried to tell them hurting anyone else wasn’t a good thing, even if Ma believes differently.
Regina goes on to talk about the various programs and projects they’re hoping to fund with tonight’s donations, and I turn to look at my family. Even Iris looks engaged despite not wanting to come tonight. I’m proud of them. Including Mike, because he’s as strong mentally and emotionally as he is physically. Not everyone would’ve had the strength to confront their parents for hiding their queerphobia behind their worry, but he did.
“Now, I hope you enjoy the dessert which will be served shortly, and you have a wonderful time the rest of the evening.”
We do enjoy our Crème Brûlée’s, Mike more than anyone else. I gave him half of mine when he looks mournfully at his empty plate.
“You done?” I ask Tris when he puts his spoon down, and I get a nod in answer.
I stand and button my jacket then prompt him to do the same with my outstretched hand. He looks at it and swallows hard, but he takes it.
I lead him to the now-empty dance floor and slide my right hand around his waist slowly, pull him close to me maybe with more force than necessary, but the gasp he lets out as our bodies come into contact is better than dessert was.
I take his right hand with my left and bring both of them up almost at shoulder height, then bring them between us. I want us like this, not a single particle of air between us. And it’s not just for show, though I can’t deny I’m relishing just imagining people whispering about the display we’re putting on.
But I’m focused on Tris, on the way his breaths have sped up, on the way his mouth stays slightly open. “Don’t worry, Tris,” I whisper, then pull him even closer until we’re cheek to cheek. “Just relax and let me lead. I won’t let you trip up.”
Satisfied when he takes a deep breath and I feel his back muscles soften, I take one step forward when a new song starts.
SIX
Tristan
If anyone had toldme this morning I’d finish the day pressed close to the infamous Harrison Crawford and biting my tongue to stop myself from begging him to kiss me again, I would’ve laughed in their faces. For hours.
I have no idea what it is about me Harrison finds appealing enough that he feels the need to seduce me, I’m clearly easy prey at this point, but he is.
Seducing me, I mean, and I have no doubt he’s doing it on purpose after he asked me to tell him to stop if I was uncomfortable.
This whole show of taking my hand and leading me to the dance floor pressing me indecently close to him in front of all his rich as fuck peers, yeah, he could be doing it only to sell our fake relationship as genuine, but I have a sneaking suspicion the extra contact, the whispered words, the strong hold on my waist and slow glide to my back, all of it is just for me. Just for us.
And it’s fucking working.
Like Theo said, his father is an amazing dancer.
Before Harrison told me straight up that he wanted me in his bed, I thought he was just toying with me. He obviously knows he’s gorgeous, and knows the effect he has on anyone who’s attracted to men.
I don’t think that anymore, and I’m pretty sure I’ll follow him to his bed if he’s not put off by my horrible dancing skills. He’s great at leading me so I don’t look like a newborn Bambi, but it must be obvious to him how inept in ballroom dancing I am.
I never took lessons or had many opportunities to learn, I don’t come from a long line of real estate moguls, after all. My dad is a construction worker, and my mother is a teacher. We lived in Brooklyn all my life and still do. Even though we’re out of the house, both Zoe and I chose to live close to our parents because they’re the best, and we want them to be a big part of our lives.
That’s maybe the one thing Harrison and I have in common. We both love our families and we’re determined to keep them being a part of our lives.
He kisses my neck again, right under my ear, and I don’t even bother berating myself for the inevitable shiver that courses through my body because seriously, what would be the point? I don’t think I’ll ever be able to control my body to that degree.
“Thank you for the dance, baby,” he whispers even though the song is not finished yet, and I’m speechless. The term of endearment should throw me off, I mean, we haven’t known each other for twenty-four hours, but it doesn’t. It’s just another weird feels-inevitable thing, I guess. Just like him calling me Tris. The fact that it doesn’t feel weird is what’s throwing me off. “I wish we could just keep dancing the rest of the night,” he continues after I stay silent. “But I have to get my dance with Iris in before I let her go to her party.”
His words get a genuine smile out of me, not that he can see it. After her jaw-dropping suggestion back at their home, I didn’t know what to think when he dished out her punishments, but the fact that he’s letting her go to the party after all just warms my heart.
I mean, many queer men wouldn’t hesitate to call Harrison Daddy, he’s got it written all over him, but I can’t picture myself calling him that. Icanpicture him giving me orders and me not hesitating to follow them, but the Daddy thing has never done it for me even though I’ve always been attracted to older men. Well, older than me.
“I get it,” is all I can think to say as he leans back and looks at me. His blue eyes shine in the dim lights moving over the room, and I really can’t stop myself from leaning up and kissing him.
Not a peck this time, and not for show. I don’t shove my tongue down his throat in front of everyone and their mother, obviously, and I could very well do that considering who I’m kissing. It takes restraint, but I just give him a slightly deeper kiss, a teaser of what’s to come if neither one of us backs down.
He smiles brilliantly at me, and yeah, I guess there aren’t many things I wouldn’t do to earn one of those smiles. Lowering our hands, he intertwines our fingers and leads me to the table where his mother and children are. Damn, I forgot they’re part of our audience as well. They have no idea this isn’t as fake as it was this afternoon.
Will he hide it from them? Should he?
