Page 91 of Fish out of Water
A man with salt and pepper hair caught her as I closed in, snagging her by the hand and pulling her into the mass. Julia laughed as he swung her around the floor, sending the light fabric of the dress floating around her legs, teasing me with peeks of creamy skin as she spun away from me.
I watched through narrowed eyes as the man’s hand slid lower than was decent.
Julia lifted her brows and yanked his palm back where it belonged.
Where it would stay if he knew what was good for him. I wasn’t above knocking out an old man.
I glanced around, looking for an unattached partner.
A woman who was probably the same age as my Nonna stood at the edge of the floor, watching everyone else dance with longing in her eyes.
Two birds. One stone.
I reached a hand her way. “Would you like to dance?”
Her eyes went wide and her head bobbed in an excited nod, sending the tight red curls there bouncing around.
As soon as her hand was in mine I pulled her close, holding her tight enough she was forced to simply move with me.
“Oh my.” Her cheeks pinked under the coral blush brushed over her skin as she held on for dear life.
It took me less than thirty seconds to work my way to where Julia was being swung around by a man who clearly spent his share of time at the Arthur Murray studio. Julia shot me a pointed look as I edged closer. In one smooth move I took ginger granny’s hand in one of mine and reached for Julia with the other.
Julia didn’t miss a beat. Her palm hit mine instantly. I twisted her away as I sent the buxom redhead into Julia’s partner’s empty arms.
The second she was close I relaxed, fitting her against me as I leaned into her ear. “I’m revoking your dress-choosing privileges.”
The music slowed to the heavy beat of Pink’sWalk me Homeand I held her tighter, using the slowing rhythm as an excuse to edge the line of indecent.
Julia’s arm looped around my neck as I moved her far away from red and her new partner. “I didn’t choose this dress.” She leaned back to give me a devilish smile. “I think I’m going to let your grandma dress me from now on.”
Knowing my grandmother was the one who picked the dress took the edge off a little. “She’s getting wild.”
“I think that’s fantastic.” Julia’s eyes held mine. “Women should be a little wild.”
I didn’t disagree. I’d grown up surrounded by wild women. Women who did what they wanted when they wanted.
Women like Julia. It was probably why she fit into my life so easily.
Her brows came together as the next song started. “The music is better than I remember it being.”
“Better is relative.” I clasped her hand in mine, pulling her off the dance floor as the music sped back up.
We reached the table right as the waiter returned with the raspberry spiked seltzer my grandmother requested. She snagged the two cans from his tray, setting them down before digging into her purse. A second later she pulled a neoprene sleeve free.
“Did you bring that with you?”
She shoved the can down into the glittery tube. “I take one everywhere. I don’t like when my drink gets warm.” She popped the tab and tipped back a long swallow. “Damn that’s refreshing.”
I leaned closer. “Does that say—”
She held it up, wiggling her brows at me. “Ain’t no laws when you’re drinking Claws.”
It was a little too fitting. “Where in the hell did you get that?”
“Had ’em specially made.” She pulled another one from her bag. “Give ’em to all my friends.” She shoved the other can into the second sleeve and passed it Julia’s way.
Julia’s face went serious as she took the drink my grandmother offered. “Thank you.” She tucked it tight to her chest, looking down at it before looking back at my grandmother.
