Page 81 of A Duet of Darkness and Dreams

His gaze on me is too intense, so I look down at the journal and open it to the first page.

“I thought you could make a list of the things you want to achieve. That way you’ll always know you deserve your success.”

This man . . . if it weren’t for my bones keeping me upright, I’d be a puddle on the floor right now. “Thank you,” I say breathlessly. “I umm . . . I actually have something for you too.”

Nowhelooks surprised as I turn and head back toward the living room. I bend over and pick up the wrapped package from under the tree. When I turn around, he’s standing behind me by my makeshift sofa bed. I take a few steps toward him to close the distance

“Here,” I blurt out.

He takes my modestly wrapped box and unwraps it. Pulling the lid off, he looks up at me. “A tape?”

My skin flushes with heat. “It’s a mixtape,” I explain, stepping beside him to look at the cassette in the box. “Contrary to popular belief, I don’t just listen to Disco music, so I made a mix of my favorite songs across all genres.”

“You did?”

I shrug. “I thought, you know, a well-rounded music education is always beneficial, and you never know when inspiration will strike.”

He grins. “That’s true.”

“Who knows? Maybe something on there will influence a song on your next album.”

Picking up the cassette tape out of the box, he walks over to the stereo by the fireplace.

“What are you—”

Popping the cassette in, he adjusts the volume so it’s quiet and the sound of “Baby I’m-A Want You” by Bread fills the room with its groovy, quiet melody. Dave looks over at me and I think I probably really am as red as Rudolph right now.

“I like it,” Dave says, walking back to me.

“It’s a classic.” I smile.

“Why is it one of your favorites?”

I let go of a breathy laugh and wrap my arms around myself. “It was the first song I ever mustered up the courage to ask a boy to dance to.”

“Hmm.”

“It’s silly, I know—”

“What did he say?”

“Oh . . . he—well, he said no . . .”

“Dance with me.”

I blink. “What?”

He extends his hand. “Come on, it’s Christmas.”

This is a bad idea. It was hard enough to pull myself away in the kitchen when it was just his hand on mine. But in the light of the tree, his blue eyes are bright and sparkling as I step toward him and take his hand.

He closes the distance between us, his one hand grasping mine and the other gently weaving its way around my waist, pulling my hips against his. My face is close to his chest as I place my hand on his shoulder and he starts to move, the two of us swaying to the beat. He’s warm, and I sink into him a little more as he adjusts his grip on my hand. His smell is overwhelming and my stomach lurches when his hand on my waist tightens. This feels so right, so easy that I can’t help but sigh as I rest my forehead on his shoulder.

“What are you thinking?” he whispers in my ear as he lets go of my hand to wrap both of his arms around my waist.

I loop mine around his neck and look up at him. “I’m thinking about how glad I am that I took the advice of a girl I didn’t know, and came out to see her boyfriend’s band perform.”

He chuckles. “I heard they were ‘interesting.’”

---