“Is she really going to hook up with Westwood?”
“Luc… If you care, do something about it,” Devin declares, and that’s when I realize I said it aloud.
I blink and shake my head. “No. I know. It’s just…” It’s just what? Last night I dry-humped her on the dance floor with my tongue in her mouth. Yeah, I can’t say that. I mean… I could, but I shouldn’t. “Never mind.”
Jessie slides away from Jordan and closer to me. She pours us two shots and hands one to me before wrapping an arm around my shoulder. We clink glasses and both down the fiery liquid. This is my last drink of the night. I’m not going to let alcohol drown my problems. I know for a fact that doesn’t work.
“Luc Charles Richard,” she says my full name with a wink. “You should dance with me.”
“I should?”
“Yeah.”
“What about Jordan?”
“Jordan who?” she asks blankly. I see my best friend roll his eyes behind her but he’s smiling.
She slips out of the booth and grabs my hand and pulls me with her as she moves toward the dance floor. She shuffles and nudges her way in what appears like no particular direction, until I realize she’s looking for Rose and Callie. She finds them and turns toward me and starts to dance.
I dance too, my eyes on Rosie as Avery holds her hips and moves with her. She looks almost as good as she did last night. The difference is she’s not responding to Avery the way she did to me… even when she didn’t know it was me, but especially when she did. That makes me smile. Jessie sees my smile, glances over her shoulder at Rose and Avery and turns back to me. “That makes you happy?”
“Yeah, because she’s not interested in him,” I reply. “I can tell.”
“Really?” she questions.
I watch Avery as he moves as close as humanly possible to Rose’s back, his groin pressed up against her. Rose keeps moving, unfazed, but she doesn’t acknowledge him either—doesn’t reach for his hand, doesn’t push back into him. I spin Jessie so her back is against my front.
“See,” I say into her ear. “She’s not responding to him at all.”
Rosie looks up and our eyes lock. Avery’s arm snakes all the way around her abdomen, holding her against him. She blinks and her eyes widen. I move around my future sister-in-law and take her by the hand, pulling her with me. We’re about a foot away when Callie whispers something in Theo’s ear and he turns and leaves the dance floor. She also moves toward Avery and Rose. Suddenly we’re one big group.
“Sent Theo for a round of drinks,” Callie announces and playfully hip-checks Avery.
Avery loosens his grip on Rose’s waist and I take her hand and pull her to me. She wraps an arm lazily around my neck and moves to her tiptoes for a second to whisper “thank you” in my ear.
“Always,” I respond gruffly and slide a hand down her side to her hip.
She looks absolutely amazing in a pair of snug jeans and a one-shouldered tank. She has pretty white feather earrings hanging in her ears and her dark hair is half up and tousled like she’s been running around the beach on a windy day.
We’re moving together with ease, and although it’s not quite as erotic as last night, it’s not far off. She’s responding to me way more than she was to Avery a few moments ago. I look over and see Avery’s now dancing with Callie. Jordan has shown up and is attacking Jessie’s neck with his lips. I want to roll my eyes at that, but who am I to judge? I did that with Rose less than twenty-four hours ago. I look back down at my dance partner and she’s staring at me. Her dark eyes look timid.
“So last night,” I say softly, moving my hand up from her waist and brushing her hair off her shoulders.
“Yeah.”
“Pretty out of control, huh?” I ask because I don’t know what else to say. She nods.
“Do you regret it?” she asks.
What does she want me to say? Does she want me to say, Yes, I’m not what you want me to be. I’m only going to disappoint you and ruin my career at the same time. She doesn’t want me to say that and… it’s the God’s honest truth but I don’t want to tell her.
Theo comes back with a waitress carrying a tray full of drinks. Beers and martinis. He starts handing them out and everyone stops dancing. Rose grabs a martini and I take a beer even though I have no intention of drinking it. Callie wraps an arm around Rose, finishes her drink in three big gulps and declares, “Bathroom break!” as she pulls her away.