Page 71 of Save the Last Dance
He pointed to the band, but never took his eyes off her. On cue, the music started for an old song that she’d always loved, “Sea of Love.” The strains of the music—with that uncanny power music always had—cut right to her heart along with Mack’s over-the-top gesture. Coming from a mannot given to demonstrative displays, the gesture touched her deeply.
Speechless, she stepped toward him, allowing him to turn her into his arms. The warmth of his hand on her back anchored her swirling emotions. He guided her through familiar steps, reminding her she’d learned to dance with him. For him.
The lyrics talked about love and her breath caught. Had he chosen the song on purpose, or just because it was a favorite?
Before she could ask Mack’s mouth found hers. He covered her lips with a kiss that made her forget the steps until she shuffled in helpless harmony with him. Locked in the moment of torchlight and music, the cool night air making her lean into his warmth, Nina felt a timeless connection to him. Her heart cracked wide-open and she prayed they could find a future together.
They were still kissing when the music faded to an end. And instead of them clapping for the musicians, the musicians clapped for them. And wolf-whistled.
Shaking off the spell while Mack smiled against her lips, she stepped away from him.
“Thanks, guys,” Mack called, tucking her under his arm and turning her away from the band. “Great job. You can set up any time after four tomorrow, okay?”
“Gotcha. See you then,” someone shouted back.
“Sorry,” Mack murmured in her ear. “I didn’t mean to let that kiss get so carried away.”
“You do have a way with a surprise.” She dragged in deep breaths of cool air as she followed him deeper into the fairgrounds.
“There’s more.” He spoke into her ear through the veil of her hair, his lips catching on the strands.
A shiversnaked up her spine. Her skin was alive with sensual awareness.
“I can’t imagine what sorts of surprises you could be hiding back here.” She peered around in the dark as they left the soft glow of light from the fairway. “The pond is that way,” she pointed to her right when they were heading toward the left. “The straw maze?”
“I’ve got something a little more private in mind than the pond.” His arm tightened around her waist.
Her imagination started running wild at the wordprivate.The possibilities got very interesting.
“I hope it’s close.” She needed another kiss. Wanted to show him how much she appreciated his thoughtfulness. For arranging something special just for her.
She hadn’t gotten a lot of that in her life.
“Watch your step,” he warned as the gravel ended and the dark grew deeper. “It’s over here.”
They were behind the straw maze, the walls huge in the shadows. As Nina’s eyes adjusted, she could see the El Dorado parked nearby. And three hay wagons from Spencer Farm.
“I don’t know, Mack.” She slid her arm around his waist, her fingers grazing hard abs just above the waistband of his jeans. “It’ll be tough to top the last surprise.”
Steering her between the wagons, she could see the middle one was open. A side panel had been removed for easier access and was now acting as a ramp of sorts. From within the hay—the wagons were still full of leftover bales—Nina could see a glow of light.
“Go on,” he urged. “Climb up, unless you want me to carry you.”
“In there?” she clarified, peering around at howisolated they really were back here. She couldn’t even see the fairgrounds.
“Only if you want your surprise.”
Securing her purse under one arm, she gripped the wooden slats of one wall on the wagon and pulled herself up. She had to climb a couple of hay “steps” before she could look down into the wagon and discover what Mack was talking about.
One layer of hay bales covered the wagon floor, but other than that, stacks of the bales made privacy walls six feet high the whole way around. Down in the center of the straw room, there was a big quilt spread out like a picnic blanket. A few stray pillows and blankets had been tossed to one side, and a small cast-iron lantern set on the low setting. A strand of small white lights rimmed the hay bales and they glowed with a softness that suggested they were solar powered. A champagne bucket rested beside the blanket with what looked like a bottle of sparkling water inside.
“I hope it’s not too cold for you out here.” Mack stood behind her, staring down at the blanket with her. “I figured the hay would cut the wind.”
“I trust you to keep me warm.” She shivered again, but not from the cold. Carefully, she climbed down into the clean, sweet-smelling hay, her nerve endings hyper aware of him as he followed.
There was so much she wanted to say to him. So much she wanted to ask. But right now, with the memory of their dance playing in her mind, his body grazing hers as they moved, she found she couldn’t hold a thought in her head long enough to have a conversation. She wanted Mack with a fierceness that surprised her.
“I adore it,” she said simply, setting aside her purse and sliding out of her jean jacket. For a moment, she stared upat the stars where more white lights winked at her. Then, she met Mack’s gaze again as he joined her near the blanket. “From the song and the dance to this…incredible place. I love everything about tonight.”
