Page 46 of Love on the Run

“What is this?” the instructor asked at their side.

Beau glanced from the instructor to Anna. What was the question? His brain was in the process of a malfunction, and nothing made sense.

Anna rested a hand on Beau’s chest. “We’re first-time dancers, and he’s shy.”

Shy, scared, terrified—something like that.

The woman poked her slender finger at his shoulder and pinned him with her unwavering stare. “Hold her like you love her!”

No. No, no, no, no. Was it too late to make a run for it?

“It’s okay. Just give him a minute to get used to this,” Anna said in a sweet, neutral voice that would have made even him obey.

The instructor’s gaze could have pinned him to the wall. “I need you to get into it soon. We’re moving through these steps quickly.”

Beau stretched his neck from one side to the other, still holding Anna’s waist. “You don’t have to defend me.”

The instructor clapped her hands and shouted to be heard throughout the room. “Now, let’s get comfortable. I want you to slowly sway with your partner. Move as one from side to side, getting closer as you go.”

Great. Getting closer to Anna was as dangerousas getting closer to the sun. Beau closed his eyes and focused on evening his breaths.

Anna slid her arms from his chest over his shoulders to his back and her hips moved slowly beneath his hands.

“Is this okay?” she whispered against his ear.

“You better not tell anyone about this,” he said slowly.

She chuckled softly. “What happens in Freedom stays in Freedom.”

“No one would believe you,” Beau added.

“That’s one hundred percent true.”

Beau opened his eyes and promptly closed them after catching sight of the couple next to them rubbing against each other in wild movements. “We are not doing any of that.”

Anna laughed low in her throat and rested her forehead against his chest. She was doing a good job of making their movements casual instead of “intimate.”

“Just keep moving together,” the instructor said. “You’re becoming one.”

“I’m becoming nauseated,” Beau whispered.

Another laugh from Anna, and a new idea took shape. Maybe they could laugh through this like Anna had said earlier, instead of taking it seriously.

The music lowered as the instructor said, “Now, I want you to whisper sweet things into your partner's ear.”

Beau leaned down to press his lips against Anna’s ear and turned on the deepest, sexiest voice he could muster as he whispered, “Fruity Pebbles.”

Anna’s laugh was instant, gaining them looks from the nearby couples.

“Shh. You’re making a scene,” he whispered, holding her closer. Man, her hair smelled amazing. The soft vanilla scent tingled in his nose.

When her laughter died, he tensed his jaw and leaned in again, brushing his nose against her temple, breathing in her intoxicating presence. Her breath hitched as he slowly whispered, “Belgian waffles.”

There it was again, her larger-than-life laughter that vibrated throughout his entire body. She relaxed against him, and their swaying became more natural—more fluid as they moved together in sync with the music.

“What’s so funny?” he asked, leaning back a fraction to look her in the eye. “She said to whisper sweet things.”

Anna bit her bottom lip, but her smile refused to be stopped. Man, she had a radiance about her that lit up the entire room.

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