Page 77 of Healing the Heart

Champagne corks popping served as a timely distraction. As glasses were poured and passed around, Fiona leaned into Noah and said for his ears alone. “I’ve moved on from all of that. You don’t have to warn anyone off.”

“This is a night for celebration, not sad thoughts. If you want to share with Esme some other time, it’s up to you.”

She settled against him, her arms around his waist. It was forward for a submissive, but she couldn’t resist. He was unfailingly kind, staunchly protective, but the epitome of dominance at the best of times. The question of how destiny brought them together without her mucking it up kept repeating in her head.

Master Eric, beside her, passed them two fizzy glasses. Then he raised his own. “A birthday toast to Fiona. We’re happy you came back to the fold, little one. Here’s to many more birthdays celebrated with us at Decadence.”

A round ofhere-heres,many mores,andto Fionasechoed through the group as she took the tiniest sip. Champagne was much too dry for her taste, but she wasn’t about to be rude and turn it down.

Noah relieved her of her glass and set it on the table. Then he took her hand and left their friends celebrating without them.

“Where are we going, sir? Shouldn’t we stay for a few minutes at least?”

“I need to work off some of my hostility on the dance floor.”

Looking up, she noticed the tightness in his jaw and the lines of strain around his mouth.

“I’m sorry if I upset you. And after you went to so much trouble.”

He stopped and frowned down at her. “I’m not angry with you, pet. It’s your mother.”

“Oh...well...yes...” Relieved, much of her own tension melted away. “She has a tendency to tick people off.”

“An understatement, I’m sure,” he muttered as, with his usual confidence, he led her onto the dance floor.

When he took her into his arms, her tension came roaring back. “If I stomp all over your toes, remember I warned you.”

“Relax,” he whispered, his warm breath brushing her ear. “All you have to do is follow my lead.”

Having done that for several weeks, she couldn’t see why now should be any different.

Fiona thought they’d grind to a slow song like most of the couples, but the soulful Hozier tune was faster paced than she expected. Noah fell into the rhythm easily, taking her along with him.

His hand splayed across her lower back molded her body to his, chest to chest, hip to hip, with one of his legs between hers. They swayed to the music, even grinding a little, but he also spun and dipped her, gently guiding her body through the motions with his own.

Following his lead was the easy part. Relaxing, not so much. Still, as he moved effortlessly around the floor, and she didn’t smash his toes or lose her balance and topple everyone around them like bowling pins, she started to.

As the music transitioned to a slower, haunting melody, he seamlessly adapted to the altered tempo. Pressed so close it was difficult to distinguish where he ended and she began, theyswayed and turned, completely lost in each other through a second and third song.

“My kitten is a natural,” he remarked in a hushed tone.

“I’m not, but it’s nice of you to say. You make this seem effortless.”

He twirled them in a circle and dipped her low over his arm. When she was upright, her hair swirling around her and across his chest, she laughed, breathless with delight.

“That was fun. Can we do that again?”

His deep laughter surrounded her as he slid his hand over her thigh, pulled it high on his hip, and bent her so deep, if her hair didn’t touch the floor, it came close. Noah held her there, gazing into her eyes for several pulse beats.

As she stared back, the lyrics penetrated.

Surrender to me...

Confess your desire...

I’ll make you feel things you’ve never dreamed.

“Is this about—”

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