Lor wasn’t kidding, the ballroom is an entirely different place when we walk into it. The lights are low now, with roving streaks of colored light highlighting the dance floor, and it seems more like a club than a ballroom. The benefit of that is no one even notices that Adam and I walk in hand in hand. There’s a crush of people on the dance floor and Lorraine is right in the center.
Dancing has never been my thing, but I’ll do it for Lor. And the thought of dancing with Adam leads me to dirty places in my mind. Places I definitely shouldn’t be dwelling on in public. “Ready?” he asks.
I nod and he pulls me into the crowd, helping maneuver us to where Lor is already completely one with the music. Her smile is brilliant, and she cheers when we reach her, pulling me into a hug and then spinning me back to Adam. “I don’t know how to do this!” I shout at him so he can hear me.
“Don’t worry,” he shouts back, and then he leans down so his voice is in my ear. “I’ve got you.”
Grabbing my hand, he spins me out and pulls me back so that my back is against his chest. The way he’s moving with the rhythm is smooth and easy, and his confidence makes it feel easy for me too. One of his hands holds mine, and the other is wrapped around my waist, holding us close so that we move together.
I like the way I can feel the fabric of his clothes against the bare skin of my back, and I like the way his fingers spread across my stomach, confident and a little possessive. I can feel that he’s still hard, and the thought that he’s hard because of me makes my heart beat faster.
Adam’s lips find my neck and god I’m glad that it’s so loud because I moan. His mouth feels like fire and pleasure and now I’m wondering what his lips will feel like everywhere. Everywhere. His hand slips lower on my dress, and it’s like every little inch of me he touches is shooting need straight into my gut. I’m going to get lost and forget where I am.
“Adam,” I say, but my voice is lost in the music. I turn to face him, and our movement takes on an entirely different feeling. Face to face, hips locked together, and I’m so aroused now that I can’t really move. He’s the one who’s moving both of us.
I lean forward to whisper in his ear, “I don’t want to stop.”
“We don’t have to.”
“If we don’t,” I say, “I’m going to have a moment more embarrassing than prom.”
I watch his eyes go dark and everything about him hardens more, and he holds me more tightly against his body. It doesn’t help the problem. The music changes then, to a slower song, and it’s like high school all over again. People who haven’t paired off suddenly do, and Adam and I blend in perfectly with the other couples. I glance to my left and see Lorraine with Joey Lancaster—honestly I should have seen that coming.
Adam’s hand falls on my lower back, and he takes my other hand in the traditional waltz pose. “I wanted to dance with you that night, you know.”
“Did you?”
“I was as surprised as you were that night, and when it seemed like you had won, it was too perfect. But I should have realized something was wrong earlier. I had just told Sasha that I liked you. But I was so happy…” Adam looks embarrassed now. “I’m glad I have the chance to do this now.”
“Sorry I’m not a better dancer,” I tease.
He shakes his head. “You’re perfect.”
I duck my head, because it feels like too much. I’m having a hard time believing that any of this is real. It feels too good. “I’m waiting for the shoe to drop,” I say. “For this all to be one big ten-year-long joke.”
“It’s not.”
“I know. I just—” I stop, trying to think of what I mean. “Things like this don’t happen.”
We spin slowly in a circle, and it’s effortless following his lead. “Consider this the dance we should have had that night.”
“I think for that I’d need a tiara.”
He chuckles, and I feel the vibration through his body. “This is the Plaza, I can see what strings I can pull. If they were willing to set up a basketball hoop, I’m sure there’s a tiara around here somewhere.”
“That’s okay,” I say. “If it’s all right with you, I’d rather have this dance be who we are now, not who we were.”
“That’s fine with me,” he says softly.
With these heels on I can just see over his shoulder, and Lorraine is behind him now, watching us and grinning like an idiot. I bite down on my lip to suppress my enormous smile.
We dance in silence, and it feels so good, so comfortable. His thumb is stroking softly on my back and his lips rest gently against my temple. I close my eyes and let him guide us, reveling in the moment. I know that I said I didn’t want this to be a dance to make up for prom, but it still feels significant, like there’s a measure of healing in this for both of us.
The song comes to an end, and for a moment the ballroom is quiet. There’s a spell cast over it, everyone caught in the nostalgia of the moment. And then another upbeat song comes on and it’s broken, and people start to dance again. “Drink?” he asks, already helping me through the crowd toward the bar.
He’s right, I’m thirsty. There’s a bunch of people near the bar, including some of the guys that swarmed us earlier. Adam spots a table and asks, “What would you like? I’ll grab it.”
“Vodka cranberry.” I need something stronger than wine.
He nods. “I’ll be right back.”
As soon as he’s gone, I feel hands on my shoulders. “Oh. My. God. OLLIE.” It’s Lor.
“I admit,” I say, “you were right and I’m forever indebted to you, et cetera.”
“Girl, you don’t owe me a thing.”
I smile. “All the same, I think I’m going to buy you some chocolate.”
“The good kind please.”
“As if I would ever get anything less than the best for you.” I fake a gasp. And then I glance toward the bar. Adam is still waiting for the drinks, so I’ve got a couple minutes. “I need help.”
Lor makes a face, “From what I saw you don’t need any help at all.”
“I think I—” I swallow. “I think I want to invite him home.”
“So do it. You deserve it.”
I sigh. “Yeah, but remember the last time I asked a guy home? That ended pretty badly.”
“You can’t possibly be comparing Adam Carlisle to douchey Tinder guy.”
“Well—”
Lorraine leans forward and grabs me by the shoulders. “This isn’t the same. You guys have known each other for years. He’s the one that approached you, I saw it. And the way you two were dancing?” She fans her face. “There’s no chance that he says no.”
“But if he does, I’m going to be an absolute mess.”
“If he does,” she says, “I’m going to punch him in the nuts.”
I start to giggle, because it’s so ridiculous and I have no doubt whatsoever that she would follow through. I see Adam step up to the bar. “Okay, he’s going to come back now.”
“You can do this, just breathe, and good luck.”