Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 22364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 89(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
After we'd skillfully stacked leaning piles of snacks, we made our way to an empty corner to eat. Gavin snagged us a couple of glasses of champagne from a passing waiter, and we sipped and munched on all the deliciousness until everything was empty.
“Oh, you've got a little…” Gavin didn't finish his thought, or point anything out as I would expect. Instead, he lifted his hand and gently grazed his thumb across my bottom lip. It should not have been erotic; he was wiping food off my face for fuck's sake. But something about the effortless care he gave me sent a shiver down my spine.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” a voice called, drawing everyone's attention to the front of the room. There stood a DJ behind his deck, which was surrounded by stacks of speakers. Until this point, he'd only played gentle tunes and had yet to speak.
“On behalf of Mr. Barron Seagraves and the Holzer Group, I'd like to officially welcome you to the festivities this evening. Now that everyone has had a chance to say hello and get something to eat, let's really get this party started!”
The DJ turned up the music, which was now a faster song with a thumping bass line. I'd never heard it before; I didn't listen to much current music. But this particular song had a good beat, and I nodded my head along to it.
“You gonna show me your moves?” Gavin asked as he motioned his head towards the dance floor.
“Are you gonna drive me to the hospital when I throw my back out?” He laughed even though I was only half joking. This was the first time I truly felt our age difference. Based on the stories I'd heard from Wade, he and Gavin went out dancing at bars or clubs often. I'd put all that behind me years ago. “Why don't you show me your moves?”
He gave me a sly smile. “My moves aren't appropriate for this crowd; especially if I might be working with some of them one day.”
My mouth went dry. Was he only joking, or was his dancing so salacious it would shock the crowd? There wasn’t much I wouldn’t give to find out. As the songs thumped on, I pictured him tearing up the dance floor; his slim hips gyrating to the beat, and his pert ass swishing from side to side.
I swiped another drink from a passing tray and downed it to cool off. I let the mental images continue in my mind, but I didn’t focus on them too closely. I didn’t know how much my suit pants would hide if something suddenly came up beneath them.
Imaginary Gavin was the only one dancing. The DJ apparently didn’t know his audience. Most of the people here were stuffy corporate types, not party animals. Some attendees were giving the DJ side-eyes, while some were actually holding their hands over their ears.
It didn’t take long for him to turn down the funky beats and choose a slower, more peaceful song. It worked like a charm; several couples shuffled to the dance floor and swayed in one another’s arms.
“This song wouldn’t require a trip to the hospital,” Gavin pointed out. Just as I was piecing together his meaning, he asked, “Would you like to dance?”
I should have declined. Given the things I was imagining about him, and how much I was enjoying his company, it was dangerous to agree. My head knew it. My heart knew it. My mouth didn’t cooperate. The bastard answered, “I’d love to,” before I could stop it.
But any ill will faded away when Gavin once again offered me his elbow. I took it happily and walked with him to the middle of the dance floor. I took one of his hands in mine and placed the other on his hip. His fingers gripped my hip as well, so that neither of us was leading the other. We were on equal ground and totally in sync.
Some couples around us were breaking out the fancy moves, making intricate circles or full-on waltzing. But we kept it simple, slowly rocking back and forth. We were practically the same height, and it was easy to look into Gavin’s eyes. They were warm and inviting, and didn’t skitter away from my gaze. He looked right back into mine so intently, as if looking into me.
I wondered what he was thinking, but I was too afraid to ask. I feared he would find the moment between us awkward, or that he was enjoying it as much as I was. I didn’t know which thought worried me more.
Though we were barely moving, and our hands rested on acceptable places, this dance was just as intimate as the one I was picturing earlier. We were close enough that I could feel the rise and fall of Gavin’s chest every time he breathed. His body was firm against my softness, and our curves fit together like a puzzle. And his beautiful chocolate eyes never budged from mine.