Page 19 of Forever Fascinating

“It’s nice to meet you both,” she said lamely, waving, and holding her cup. Looking up, she saw a few of the airmen were watching her and felt a rush of anger at her brother.

Had he done this to keep the single pilots away from her?

She wasn’t interested in X-Ray at all… but by removing the other men from her vicinity? It literally took any shot of talking to anyone except Emily from her. It also took away any possible communication, stolen glances, or chances to talk to Matthew again.

This wasn’t going to happen – and she wasn’t going to let it.

If her brother thought he was going to control who she talked to or bully her around, he had another thing coming. Instead, Jana walked over to the reception table to take her seat, thinking, and moments later?

She had an idea.

* * *

“No,”Caboose said flatly, looking up at Jana. He looked supremely irritated and peeved at that moment, nursing a glass of bourbon, and sitting there at the table.

“… And not just ‘No’- but ‘Heck NO’. I’m not going to ruin my friend’s wedding by having him attempt to lay me out cold on the dance floor for even looking at his sister.”

“Are you serious?” Jana hissed in disbelief, causing the man to look up at her.

“Completely. Look, today’s been a bad day already. I,quite literally, ran into my ex-girlfriend, got a speeding ticket, have to deal with my rental car now having damage… and I would like nothing more to sit here,alone, pouting in my booze,” Caboose said bluntly, looking up at her. “If you want to go dance, find some other sucker with a death-wish.”

Jana looked around the room, realizing nearly every person here was married – and she didn’t want to dance with a married man. That left X-Ray, Caboose, and Matthew… and Caboose just turned her down flat.

Her initial thought was to dance with each of the single pilots so her brother couldn’t say a word about her singling out Matthew… only to find that he’d literally removed her chances of dancing withanyoneat his wedding.

Tears of frustration stung her eyes as she prepared to walk off, taking a seat again, knowing deep down inside that she would never even make it onto the dance floor today. Her secret, stolen dance with Matthew outside would be all the enjoyment she had during the reception… only to see Matthew rise to his feet across the room.

Stunned, she hesitated, and saw him looking directly at her.

He stood up tall, straightened his jacket, and tugged his sleeves down, adjusting his uniform. She saw Firefly rise to his feet – and then Alpo, but not before Glory caught her husband’s arm, saying something to the man.

Jana felt her heart hammer wildly.

Matthew had this hard, business-like look on his face, making her wonder if this was what he looked like in the throes of battle or on a mission. It was incredibly sexy… and possessive. He strode across the dancefloor towards her, boldly, making her knees weak.

If she could purr like a cat – she would!

She felt like he was coming to claim her… and she wanted this with every fiber of her being. Her heart was fluttering in her chest at his unflinching gaze as he stopped in front of her, standing there, unmoving.

She felt several sets of eyes on them in that moment, but couldn’t look away, nor fight the excitement thrumming in her veins. She was tempted to look around to see if Jace was watching them, yet immobile in that warm, hazel gaze that held hers.

“Vapor… don’t even…” Caboose cautioned from behind Jana, his voice practically a growl.

“Miss Sorensen, I noticed you haven’t danced yet,” Matthew began politely, holding out his arm towards her formally. “Would you do me the honors?”

“It’s your face, flyboy…”

Jana heard Caboose mutter but couldn’t pull her eyes away from Matthew standing before her, watching her. He looked almost resolute, determined, and a little confrontational… as if he was daring someone to say something or pull him away.

She liked a guy who rose to a challenge!

“Thank you… Vapor, right?” she began, not bothering to lower her voice, remembering that they were supposed to be acting like they’d just met. “I appreciate it. I was hoping to have at least one… maybe two dances at my brother’s wedding. Today is a special day for Jace and Karen – and I’d love to celebrate it.”

“Yes, it is,” Matthew acknowledged, smiling slightly. “I believe that I can accommodate a single dance just so you aren’t sitting at a table by yourself the entire time. Every woman should dance at a wedding at least once. Don’t you agree?”

Jana was speechless.

He held out his hand towards her, not his arm, and she placed her fingers in his, feeling that surge of warmth again from earlier. She met his eyes and felt herself smile openly, realizing that he was doing this for her.

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