Page 59 of #Starstruck

“A wedding painter?” I’d never even heard of such a thing. “How does that work? Does everyone just hold super still for four hours straight?”

“Come on. It’s just like having a photographer. Only more pretentious.”

We laughed and watched as Marisol shared the first dance with her father. Austin came to claim her as soon as the song ended. As they swayed to the music, I realized it had been a long time since I’d seen two people so blissfully in love.

“They look so happy,” I remarked.

“Too bad it won’t last.”

“Why would you say that?” I leaned over to smack him on the arm. “Don’t be such a cynic.”

“It’s not cynicism. It’s reality. The majority of marriages end in divorce. It’s a fact.”

“Nobody gets married thinking it won’t work. They get married because they have hope that it will.”

I could tell I hadn’t convinced him. Other couples began to join Austin and Marisol.

Chase stood up and held out his hand. “Dance with me.”

I didn’t have much experience dancing, Especially not the slow variety. “I’m not very coordinated. I would probably trip over your feet.”

“Zoe. I’d never let you fall.”

As I slipped my hand in his, I knew he was wrong. It was too late.

I was already falling.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Chase took me out on the dance floor and wrapped my arms around his neck. He slid his hands around my waist, squeezing me gently as he did so. I took advantage of the situation, pressing myself tightly against him as we swayed to the music.

He didn’t seem to mind.

His mouth stirred the hair next to my ear, and the sensation on my earlobe nearly made my eyes roll to the back of my head. “Do you know,” he murmured, a dark roughness edging his voice as he spoke, “that you’re the most beautiful woman in here?”

As if.“I thought we were going to tell each other only the truth.” It was somehow easier to talk to him when our eyes didn’t meet.

“That is the truth.” I felt his lips brush against the top of my ear, and my stomach did flips as my knees went hollow.

I struggled to speak. “You, uh, probably shouldn’t say that in front of Austin or Marisol.”

“If they ask, I’m not going to lie.” One of his hands slid up to the top of my back, and he held me close against his chest.

Feeling inspired by his declaration, I said, “The actual truth is that you’re the most handsome man here.”

“Even better than James Cruz?”

His touch, his voice, mesmerized me, putting me into a foggy haze. The name James Cruz sounded familiar, but I was having a hard time remembering who he was. “He’s the short, dark-haired one who looks like a jerk, right?”

Chase’s hands pressed into me as he chuckled. “You could have pretended you didn’t know who I was talking about.”

I didn’t. The only man I saw was Chase.

Right then, right there, I had to know if he felt the way I did. “Are you attracted to me?”

“What?”

I was afraid, so I’d said the words too softly. I cleared my throat. “Are you attracted to me?”

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