“Does that line work for you?” I ask, not even trying to hide my smile.
“I’m not sure. This is my first time. How am I doing?”
“Meh.” I tilt the bottle of beer to my lips, trying not to smile.
“Okay. All right.” He chuckles. “I admit I need to step up my game. It would help if I spent less time working and more time doing… this.” His eyes roam around the bar.
“You’re not the only one,” I confess. “This is the first time I’ve been out in, well… I don’t really know how long. Too long, let’s just leave it at that.”
“Special occasion?”
“Kind of. I passed my state boards, so I am officially a licensed occupational therapist.” It’s the first time I’ve said those words aloud to anyone other than Shelby. I can’t believe college is over, and I did it. I graduated, and I made something of myself. For me, life is just beginning, and for the first time in a very long time, I’m excited for what’s to come next.
“That’s incredible.” He leans in and gives me a hug. His scent’s something woodsy, mixed with the alcohol on his breath. It’s intoxicating. “Congrats.”
The hug surprises me, but I find myself accepting his arms wrapped around me and hugging him back. “Thank you. It was a long four years, but I’m done and ready to start my new career.”
“So what’s next?” he asks.
“I have a job lined up. It’s local. I did my internship with them, so I already know most of the staff.”
He nods. “I know you said you don’t do this scene often, but what do you like to do for fun?”
“Well…” I can feel my face start to heat as embarrassment coats my cheeks. “I’m not much for spontaneity. If I wasn’t in class or studying, I was working or sleeping.”
“Ah, so this really is a celebration for you.”
“Pretty much. I know I’m probably the most boring human on the planet, but my life… it’s not been the easiest, and I was determined to make something of myself.” I have no idea why I just told him all of that, but it’s too late to take the words back now.
“Drink up,” he says, taking a long pull from his bottle of beer. “We have some celebrating to do.”
“Do we now?” I smile at him, and he winks. This isn’t me. I’m not the girl who flirts at the club. My life has been hyper focused on graduation and my career. Now that I have all of that, I’m left feeling… unsettled, which is not how I thought I would feel at this stage in my life. Although I’m not much of a flirter, the easy banter with this handsome stranger seems to come naturally.
No harm in enjoying his company, right?
“Hell, yes, we do. You can’t just sit at the bar all night. You need the full experience, and I’m going to give it to you. You and I are going out there.” He points to the dance floor.
“I don’t even know your name.” It’s my lame attempt at stalling. This man is too gorgeous and too damn tempting. My experience with men is limited at best. My first and only priority was to graduate from college. Now that I’ve done that, I’m not exactly sure what to do with myself.
Maybe this handsome stranger is a good place to start.
A slow, sexy grin pulls at his lips as he slides off his stool and steps in close to me. He’s so close I can see the flecks of green, gold, and brown in his eyes. Maybe even a small amount of blue. They are the most mesmerizing eyes I’ve ever seen. Add in his dark hair, the five o’clock shadow, and the obviously toned body under that tight black T-shirt, and he’s absolutely mouthwatering. “We’re working on your spontaneity here, gorgeous.” He smirks. “Come on. Time’s a-wasting.”
I don’t know what the night holds, but I’m suddenly eager to find out. I quickly finish my beer and hold the bottle out for him. He takes both of our now empty bottles and places them on the bar, lacing his fingers through mine and leading us through the throngs of people to the center of the dance floor. It’s a bold move, one that I’m not opposed to. He seems to have that effect on me.
We stop in the middle of the floor, and he moves to step in behind me. His hands grip my hips, and together we begin to move. I’m hesitant at first, which is odd because I love to dance, but this sexy stranger, he’s got me off-kilter. It’s not until Shelby and Matt appear in front of us, and she smiles, giving me a thumbs-up, that I start to loosen up.
“Feel the music. Feel me,” his deep voice whispers into my ear. My eyes dart to Shelby, and she’s swaying her hips against Matt as they stand in our same position. I mimic her movements. Closing my eyes, I let the beat of the music flow through my veins and just feel.
The beat.
His hands.
His hard chest.
Desire.
“That’s it, beautiful. Let go for me.” His voice is husky, and from the bulge in his pants, he’s just as affected by me as I am by him.
I lose track of time as our bodies grind together on the dance floor. We’re both sweaty, but we don’t let that stop us from our hands roaming over each other. I’ve never been this turned on in my entire life. I can’t believe I’m here with this Adonis of a man, and he’s into me. Me, Cadence Wade, has all of his attention, and it’s a heady feeling.
Across from me, Shelby motions for me to come closer. “We’re going to go. You going to come with us?” she asks.
I’m not ready to leave yet and to be honest, I’m tired of being the third wheel on nights like tonight. “No.” I turn to look over my shoulder to find smoldering hazel eyes. “I’m going to stay for a while.”
“I don’t want to leave you here on your own.”
“She’s not alone. She has me. I can promise you that I’ll get her home safely,” my sexy hazel-eyed stranger speaks up.
“No offense, but we don’t know you,” Shelby challenges him.
“I’m a man of my word.” There is something about the conviction in his voice that makes me believe him. He’s just one of those people that you can read, and I know that he’s not going to hurt me or force me into anything. My gut tells me that this is okay. I can’t explain it, and I’m not sure I’d want to if I could. There’s something to this being spontaneous. Then again, it’s all him. The man standing behind me with his arms wrapped around my waist, holding our sweaty bodies tethered to one another. He’s the spontaneity, and yeah, I’m not ready to give that up.
“I’ll call you when we leave,” I tell my best friend.
She surprises me when she pulls out her phone and snaps a picture of us, then points her phone at my companion. “I’ve got this as proof as to who she was with. Take care of her.”
“Without question,” he replies.
Shelby studies him for a few moments before nodding. “Call me,” she says, and I nod. I wait until they are out of sight before turning in his arms and locking my hands behind his neck. I don’t say anything as we stare into each other’s eyes. I allow myself to not think about what’s next. Instead, I live in the moment, the feel of his tight grip on my waist, and when his head lowers and his lips hover over mine, I, Cadence Wade, do something I’ve never done.