“What do I get out of it?” I asked.
Richard held out his arms. “The safety of my embrace,” he deadpanned. “Now, let’s go.”
I groaned. This was not how I planned to learn how to dance.
Forty-five minutes later, I shook my head. “Forget it, Richard. Obviously, this is not my thing.”
He furrowed his brow. “You literally have no coordination. Or rhythm.”
“This doesn’t bode well for punching your V-card, Reid,” Aiden sang from the desk. “You need lots of rhythm for that.” He kicked up his feet on my desk and made a lewd gesture with his hips. “Becca is gonna expect some moves in the bedroom.”
Richard’s eyes grew round. “You’ve never? Really, I mean, no offense, but how can that even be possible?”
“It just is,” I said, feeling defensive. “Becca’s good with it. In fact, she finds it hot.”
He grimaced. “I don’t want to think of Becca and you . . . yeah, never mind.” He laid his hand on my shoulder, suddenly serious. “Treat her right, or you’ll deal with me.”
“Understood.”
“Do you need any, ah, pointers, in that direction?”
I held up my hands. “No. Just no.”
“Okay, simply asking. Back to business.” Richard huffed a sigh. “You got any ideas, Mad Dog? The kid has the rhythm of a block of cement.”
Maddox stood, draining his beer. He’d gone out, grabbed some pizza and a case of beer, and brought it back. He had returned to the office full time after his accident, and he was almost back to his old self. He and Aiden had been eating, drinking, and critiquing, while Richard did his best to teach me to dance. As with Aiden, it was a total failure.
“One,” Maddox drawled, and handed Richard and me each a beer. “You keep telling him, but does he even know what he’s trying to do? What it’s supposed to look like? It’s Reid, our computer boy. Graphics, games, code. He’s all about seeing. He needs a visual.” He indicated the monitors behind me. “And not like that. Live.”
Richard took a long swallow. “You’re right.”
Maddox chuckled. “You willing to take one for the team?”
Richard drained his beer and wiped his mouth. “Let’s go.” He tilted his chin. “Music.”
I hit the play button and grabbed my beer. The bottle froze partway to my mouth as Richard and Maddox began to dance. Richard took the lead, with Maddox following his steps. They were loose and relaxed, their bodies swaying, feet moving to the beat. I watched, actually seeing how they simply allowed the music to move them. I studied their feet, wondering how they didn’t trip over each other, but neither seemed to have that issue.
“You two look beautiful together,” Aiden mocked. “So in sync.”
Maddox flipped him the bird and kept going. “Do you see?” he asked me. “Concentrate on your partner, not your feet. Stop thinking. That’s not how it works. Feel the music. Guide her by pressing on her back, gently urging her in the right direction.”
I frowned.
“Like your game controller.” Richard smirked.
A light bulb went on.
“Yes!”
“Okay, you try.”
“Can I lead?”
“Yes.”
I took Richard’s place. I took in a deep breath, blew it out, and concentrated on the music. I ignored the fact that it was Maddox and someone was watching us. I didn’t trip. I didn’t stumble. I wasn’t very graceful, but I stayed upright, earning a round of applause.
“I think that’s as good as it’s going to get,” Richard observed.
I grabbed a piece of pizza and wolfed it down. “As long as I don’t maim Becca, I’m good. She’s graceful enough for both of us.” I sighed. “I think I’ve had enough lessons for tonight.”
“Thank God,” Richard muttered.
“What about up-tempo dances?” Aiden asked. “I’m better at those.”
I shook my head. “I can barely go slow. I am not trying fast. I’ll sit those ones out.”
Aiden scrolled through my music, pressing play. “No, really. You can do this. Watch me.”
Maddox dropped his head with a groan. “Not again.”
Aiden started to move.
Grinding, pushing out his chest, and thrusting to the heavy Latin beat. He circled his hips, popped his pelvis, dropped to his knees, and jumped up again. He rolled his shoulders, his pecs, and his hips. It was almost obscene. He grinned the whole time, stroking his chest and making lewd gestures with his hands. He grabbed the back of the chair, grinding against it.
“Usually, I have Cami for this. She loves it—she thinks it’s hot.”
I gaped, meeting Richard’s eyes.
“I can’t do that.”
He began to laugh. Big, loud guffaws that echoed in my office. “And I can’t unsee that. It will forever be seared into my brain.”
“Welcome to my world,” Maddox muttered. “He used to practice in the living room at the house we shared. Time hasn’t improved it.”
Aiden winked, and suddenly we were all laughing. He stopped dancing and turned off the music. “You guys have no appreciation for my talent.”
“Is that what you call it?” Richard quipped.
I chuckled. Aiden ignored him.
“I guess you won the bet, Mad Dog. I owe you a thousand bucks.”
“Yeah, me too,” Richard chuckled. “Worth it, though.”
“Promise me you won’t ever make me watch you dance like that again, Aiden, and we’ll call it even.” Maddox waved at Richard. “We can have a guys’ night out on you next time you’re in town.”
“Works for me.” Richard lifted his hand for a high five, and Aiden flashed a grin.
“Done.”
Reid
I fussed with the sleeves of my shirt, tugged on my suit jacket, and studied my reflection in the mirror. Maddox went with me to help pick out the suit, making sure I had it tailored properly. I wanted to look nice for Becca, so she’d be proud to have me as her date. Although we hadn’t made a big thing of being together at the office, and planned to be low-key today at the wedding, it was still a date for us. I was looking forward to spending the evening with her.
The suit was navy with a fine pinstripe. My shirt white, the tie and pocket square Maddox insisted on, red. The suit was the most expensive thing I’d ever purchased, although I knew it was a drop in the bucket compared to what Maddox or Bentley paid for a suit. Still, it looked good, and I had actually enjoyed the shopping trip with Maddox. We kept it between us in case Aiden decided to tag along. After the dance lessons, I wasn’t sure I could handle his input on my clothing choice as well.
I slipped on the new shoes Maddox claimed I had to purchase, and my phone buzzed, announcing the arrival of the car service I had hired. I grabbed my keys and hurried out the door, anxious to get to Becca.
I kept staring at Becca most of the evening. I couldn’t help it. She was always pretty and elegant, but today, she was stunning. Her hair was an intricate weave of curls and small glittery beads, wound together at the base of her neck with some long tendrils around her face and neck. Her dress was red, matching my tie, a simple cut that was off the shoulder and swirled around her knees as she walked. But when she had turned around to get a shawl, I gasped. The back was a deep cowl, showing off the creamy expanse of her skin. Skin that I could touch as I escorted her to the car. That I could stroke as I sat next to her, my arm draped across the back of her chair. Softness that had been driving me crazy all night in anticipation. All of a sudden, dancing had become something I needed to do with her.