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Chapter Fourteen
When she was near, even with the news Jenae had shared with him, his body buzzed, and he didn’t know where the off button was. “Why don’t you put down that wine and dance with me,” he said, extending his hand to her and leading her to the dance floor.
Gently lifting her right hand, he put his left arm up for her. “Put your hand on my arm.” He smiled. “Perfect two-step song.”
“Warning.” She leaned in. “I don’t know how to two-step.”
“What? Okay, well, it’s literally two steps. Just follow me.” His eyes sharpened on her. “Forgot who I was talking to…try, just try to follow for once.”
“I think I listened pretty well Tuesday night,” she said suggestively, her eyebrows arching.
“You did, Ms. McCarthy.” He growled, shaking off the picture of her ass arching up, hands on the window, as he pumped her from behind. “Okay,” he whispered, more to himself as he started moving his feet to a George Strait song, “Amarillo by Morning.” He sang softly as he guided her body.
“Sweets, relax…seriously, let me lead.”
“Trying, trying.” She took a deep breath; she wasn’t good at that.
“Whoa.” He slid his boot out of the way after she stepped on it. “Watch it; these feet only have a few months to heal before I’m back on the field.”
“Hey, just learning.”
“Nice to find one thing you’re not good at. Maybe I can teach you.” He winked. He wanted to lean down and take her mouth, pierce it with his tongue, fuck the hell out of it.
“Maybe,” she shot back as the second song started. She recognized it as a Garth Brooks song, but she wasn’t sure which one.
Jake led her off the dance floor as the song finished, thinking he needed to get a break from being this close to her.
“Was I really that bad?” she asked with an overly pouty look.
“No, well, just need some training.” He laughed as he felt her hand playfully hitting his arm. “I’m going to grab my mom for a dance. Be back in a bit,” he said, guiding her to her chair.
Jake and his mom tore the dance floor up, Rakell thought. As she watched the two of them, it struck her then that his attentiveness, his physical affection, came by him naturally. His family was open and super comfortable with affection, both giving it and receiving it. She’d had that with her father, but once he died, she hadn’t experienced that until Matt and his family. Seeing it come so easily from Jake’s family was refreshing, but it also made her a little sad about what she had missed out on.
Rakell watched as Annette spun around the floor with Jake like a pair of professional dancers. “Care to dance?” A voice came from above her. She looked up to see Jake’s dad.
“Not a very good two-stepper”—she stood—“but I’d love to, just watch your feet.”
“Do you know any ballroom dances?” he asked as they walked to the dance floor.
She’d had to learn some because of the formality of the events she’d attended. “Waltz, foxtrot, and tango, but it’s been a while since I’ve done those last two.”
“Let’s go with a waltz. I can slow it down or speed it up. I’m not as good as Annette, but I have learned over the years. You can’t be in Annette’s world without being a dancer.” Admiration overtook his words when he talked about Jake’s mom.
As Jake spun his mom back to him, he said, “So, Mom, were you ever going to mention you knew Jumbotron Girl?” with a pouty tone to his voice.
Her knowing grin paired with her disapproving eyes met his stare. “Jake, she’s a student, so I wasn’t going to have you questioning me about her. I figured it would come out when the time was right or not at all.” She spoke as she slid her feet backward as if dancing was as natural as walking to her.
“What about your boy?” He gave her his little boy hurt look.
“Dear Jake”—she always addressed him that way when she was making a point—“I’m not really concerned about protecting my boy when it comes to women.”
Laughing, he said, “Glad to hearma mèrealways has my back.”
“I do, Sweetheart”—her eyes went stern—“when it’s warranted.” She twirled out from Jake’s long arm.
From his side view, Jake saw Rakell dancing with his dad, waltzing perfectly like she’d done it a million times.
When he finally came off the dance floor with his mom, he saw Rakell at the bar, talking and laughing with his Uncle Joe, who was pouring her another glass of wine. His uncle’s animated expression matched his hearty laugh, clearly finding Rakell engaging and probably enjoying the view too. That thought…tainted by new picture he had of her, and he could feel his jaw instantly tighten watching the two of them. He approached the bar with his empty glass. “I’ll take another too, Uncle Joe.” The look on his uncle’s face told him he was a bit disappointed to have the back-and-forth with Rakell interrupted.
