Page 34 of Embedded
“We did.” Mia agreed.
“You have that fire that we all have and that they all want. We,” she waved around the table, “push because we know it can work with you two. Of course, there’s more to it than that, but it’s worth giving it a try, though, right? I mean, life is too short not to take a chance.”
I looked down at my drink and absorbed what she said. I had put my life on hold and put myself second for the sake of my job. Maybe it was time to have a little fun and see where life would take me next. The only problem that stood in the way was I loved my profession. I lived for the challenge of digging up clues that helped me piece together a master puzzle. In the perfect world, I could do both, but sadly, that didn’t often happen.
Suddenly, the music changed to Austin by Dasha, and the place went wild. Mia’s face lit up as she grabbed Savannah’s arm.
“Do you know the dance, Nicole?” Mia beamed at me. She positively vibrated out of her chair.
I wondered if I should fib, but she looked so excited. “If I say yes, are you going to pull me out there?”
“She does!” she shrieked, and before I could protest, I was dragged onto the dance floor and into the straight line that had quickly formed. It took a few minutes for everyone to find their rhythm in the dance, but we soon had it and fell into sync.
The lights flashed, and the beat pulsed through me as I kicked and swayed and stomped. The laughter from everyone was infectious. I tossed my hands up and tilted my head back, soaking in the normalcy that flooded my chest like a drug. Someone grabbed my arm and pulled me toward them.
“Look at you!” Mark grinned at me. He added an extra step to the dance and raised a brow in a challenge. I seriously loved this guy. He was just so damn fun. I apparently missed having fun.
“Oh, you think you can outdance me?” I added an extra step, and his smile grew wider. Then we were off, both showing off our skill. He tipped the cowboy hat he stole off Mia’s head and grabbed my arm and sent me into a double hand twirl. I spun right into someone else’s arms. When I stabilized myself, I looked up to see I was in the arms of a stranger.
“Howdy.” He slapped his hand around my waist. “Let’s see how you do with a real dancer.” I glanced at the girls, and Savannah gave me a slight nod to let me know they had my back if needed. I could see Ivy’s eyes on me as well.
It felt wonderful to know they were there. I’d seriously underestimated how much I needed people like them in my life. I’d pulled back from the happiness of having friends for so long that I almost forgot what it was like to have that kind of comfort. Someone who genuinely cared about my well-being.
“All right, stranger, let’s see what you got.” The song morphed into She’s Country by Jason Aldean. I let him spin me around the floor, and we fell into step when the chorus came. I’d never tell a soul, but Ben and I used to hit up the local bars in Mexico, and that’s where we learned these steps. Moments like this made me truly miss that country.
My dance partner slipped an arm around my mid-section when I had my back to him and pulled me closer.
I glanced around the room and saw Paul’s pissed off stance. His arms were crossed, his jaw seemed to be locked in place, and his eyes shot to mine like the opposite side of a magnet.
I wanted to look away, but I couldn’t seem to do it. That irritated me. I wasn’t the type of woman who could be swept off her feet. Over the course of my career, I’d worked with a few men who’d tried, but I’d never felt that spark, not until Paul.
The man’s hand on my waist tightened as I missed a step, still lost in thought. I wondered what it was about Paul that made me feel the way I did. We were like Cheerios and milk in a bowl, nice at first, but if left too long, we’d go off.
“You still with me?” The guy turned me again.
“Yeah, sorry.” I smiled at him then felt my eyes drawn right back to Paul. He leaned his head to the side and held up three fingers then started to do a—countdown! What the hell. When he got to zero, he started toward me.
“He your boyfriend?” My dance partner asked in my ear, and I shook my head no. “Brother?”
“No.”
“Husband?”
“No.” I kept dancing.
“Bodyguard?”
I rolled my eyes. “Something like that.” The song switched to a slow melody. “What’s your name?”
“McGray.”
I tapped a finger against my chest. “Hanna.”
“All right,” I heard Paul’s voice, “that’s enough for tonight.”
McGray lifted his chin and stepped toward Paul, but Paul simply leaned down and said something quietly to McGray and his face fell.
“Sorry, man, I didn’t know.” McGray held up his hands, shifted his gaze to mine, then stepped back and disappeared into the crowd.
