Page 73 of Sweet Temptation

“We should go dance.” Anna was almost dancing in her seat as she suggested it. It felt like we’d only just arrived. Our drinks had barely touched down on the table, but Anna had already knocked hers back. I had no idea how anyone ever kept up with her.

“I think I need to finish my drink first,” I said.

“Me too,” Wes agreed, sharing a smile with me. He hated dancing about as much as I did, so I knew he was eager to avoid it too.

“Fine, but you guys better come join us after a few songs, or I’ll come back and force you downstairs,” Anna warned. There was a glint of steel in her eyes, and I knew she was being deadly serious.

“Okay, okay, we’ll be down in a few songs,” I assured her.

“Good.” She grinned before dragging Cress and Sawyer down to the dance floor.

I slouched in my seat, somewhat relieved as they disappeared.

“Not in the mood for dancing?” Wes asked.

“It looks pretty crazy down there.”

“Yeah, these places aren’t really my scene either.” He took a sip of his whisky, and I tried not to focus on his lips. It was probably just the alcohol in me, but Wes looked damn hot tonight. He was wearing a dark button-down shirt and dress slacks. He was also sitting very close to me. He must have shifted when the others left because I could have sworn our knees weren’t brushing when we first sat down.

It was starting to feel really warm in the club, and I had a feeling Wes’s proximity was the cause of all that heat. I’d never really thought of Wes as more than a friend, but since Anna and Cress had put the idea in my mind, I couldn’t seem to look at him in the same way.

I was surprised by just how attracted to him I felt and how sitting so close made my skin tingle. A part of me wanted to get closer still, but another,saner, part of me wasn’t sure it was such a great idea.

I wanted to curse Anna and Cress for suggesting I get together with Wes earlier tonight. There was no way I’d be feeling this way if they hadn’t put these thoughts in my head. They’d continuously dropped hints about him liking me when we’d been getting ready, and they’d looked completely victorious when he’d arrived at the apartment tonight and told me I looked gorgeous.

Still, now that the thoughts were there, they were impossible to deny. I was attracted to Wes, but even just thinking that made me want to run away from him and the images that were popping into my head. I picked up my drink and finished it one go.

Wes chuckled as he watched me. “Thirsty?”

“I guess I was,” I agreed with an awkward smile. I could barely look Wes in the eyes. I was embarrassed by the thoughts about him filling my head, and I didn’t know how to deal with it. “We should probably go dance with the others.”

I hadn’t even lasted one song alone in the booth with Wes, but he didn’t complain as we started down to the dance floor. I wondered if he could sense how nervous I was? If he could tell my mind kept drifting back to his offer to kiss me in his room?

The girls jumped with excitement when we finally found them on the dance floor. “You actually came down!” Anna squealed while Cress grabbed my hand and started dancing with me. “I thought for sure we’d have to come up there and get you guys,” she shouted through the music.

I shrugged and gave her a smile. “I guess I finished my drink quicker than I thought I would.”

She didn’t seem totally convinced that was the only reason, and her gaze teetered between Wes and I. I refused to look at him. It felt like that would only feed her curiosity.

Song after song, we all danced together. The alcohol had loosened me up, so I was moving more than normal. I still had two left feet, so I probably looked like a total idiot, but I couldn’t deny it was fun jumping around the dance floor with my friends.

After a while, amid the throbbing crowd of people, I got separated from Sawyer and the girls, and I found myself standing in front of Wes. He gave me a timid smile and held out his hands toward me. I was wary of getting closer to Wes right now, especially given I’d been thinking about him in ways I probably shouldn’t. His smile was so genuine though, and there was a hint of hope in his eyes as I took his offered hand.

The music was still moving fast, but he held me close, and we slowly swayed together as though we were listening to a completely different tune. I suddenly couldn’t remember why I’d been so cautious. Dancing with him felt like the best decision I’d made all week.

I felt so safe being held by Wes, and his grasp on me was reassuring. I looked up and smiled at him when I realized neither of us had stepped on the other one’s feet so far.

“You’re not nearly as bad at dancing as I remember,” I said. I had to lift onto my toes and bring my mouth close to his ear so he could hear me over the music.

He lowered his head and leaned in close as he responded. “You too,” he said with a laugh. “It must be the alcohol.”

“Definitely. Although, I thought alcohol would make me a worse dancer.”

“Or perhaps it just gave you the confidence to unleash your inner ballerina.”

“Well, your inner ballerina is shining tonight too.”

“Thanks. I think...” His eyes were bright with amusement. I found it so hard to think straight when he looked at me that way. When he looked at me like I was the only person in the room.

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