Page 110 of Unbidden

“Thanks. It has pockets.” I beam while showing him the pockets, causing the girls to giggle.

Reed smirks. “So I can’t offer to hold the shiny shit on your lips or your phone for you?”

“I mean, you could, but I think I have it under control for now,” I tease.

“Can’t blame a guy for trying.” He sighs. “What about a dance?”

I notice a familiar face in the crowd.

“How about you hold that thought. I owe someone else a dance first.” I reach out and squeeze his arm as I pass.

“Who?” I hear him ask from behind me, but I choose to ignore him.

I walk up to Jared and tap on his shoulder.

He turns and looks at me. “Hey, Sage,” he says happily.

“Hey, Jared.” I look at his friends. “You guys don’t mind if I steal him for a sec, do you? He promised me a dance.”

“Go ahead,” his buddies say in unison, giving him a look of wonder.

I turn to Jared and find him looking slightly bashful.

“You still up for it?” I ask softly while holding out my hand.

“It would be my absolute honor, Sage,” he tells me while grabbing my hand. Jared flips my hand right side up and holds it while leaning forward and laying a kiss on it.

He leads me to the dance floor, placing his left hand in my right and his right on my upper back with my left hand resting on his shoulder. “Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be,” I tell him with a smile.

We move around the dance floor slowly and quietly.

“Thank you,” he randomly says.

“For?”

“Remembering to dance with me. You didn’t have to actually do it, but you did. You came to me.” He shrugs.

“Well, if there’s one thing to take away from tonight, Jared, it's that I keep my promises. I told you I would, and I am. You took a shot with me when you didn’t have to.”

“It was the right thing to do,” he says before sighing. “I just hope I live through the night to remember it.”

“Why wouldn’t you?”

“A certain Yates is giving me a death glare,” he tells me with a raised brow.

“Eh, he’s harmless,” I tease.

“Either way, it was worth it.” He blushes slightly as the song wraps up.

He leads me off the floor and towards my friends, but I stop and tug on his hand. Jared turns to me. “Everything okay?” he questions.

“The best. But you don’t have to walk me over there. Your friends look ready to talk to you anyways.”

“Are you sure?”

“Definitely. Thank you for everything, Jared. I wish you nothing but the best,” I tell him honestly before stepping up to him and placing a soft kiss on his cheek. “Have a good night, and dance with another girl. She would be lucky to be led around the dance floor by you.” I squeeze his arm and then step around him, heading towards my friends.

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