Page 78 of The Quit List
“I came the second I was done with my shift.” His hands tighten protectively on my back as someone to our left busts out an over-eager dance move, jostling us. Next to the rest of the club-goers in their fancy shirts, he stands out in his black t-shirt and black jeans… in a good way. “When you said it was a bust, I thought you could use the company.”
“That’s sweet.” Really sweet. And thoughtful, too.
Speaking of thoughtful…
I lean in closer so I don’t have to scream over the noise. “We better go tell Aaron where I am. He promised Aubrey he’d look after me.”
Jax puts his lips to my ear. “All good, I already talked to him. He knows you’re with me.”
You’re with me.
Those three little words, coupled with the tickle of his warm breath on my neck, send a shockwave through my body.
I turn my head to search for Aaron, and sure enough, he’s looking our way. Offers me a grin and a salute, before turning his attention back to the very sexy strawberry-blond he’s currently dancing with.
A distraction from Olivia, perhaps.
“Do you want me to take you home?” Jax asks. And he means this as taking me to my house and dropping me off there before he goes back to his own house. Obviously.
But I shake my head. And keeping with my resolutions, I tell him what I really want, at this moment.
“I want you to dance with me.”
A flicker passes through his eyes, but he slowly nods. “Okay, Holly. Let’s dance.”
And then, he begins to move. His hands begin to move, too, trailing up my spine as he moves his body in time with mine.
He can dance.
Jaxon Grainger, the tattooed, barbed-mouthed bartender can freaking dance.
And I am here for it.
Boldly, I circle my hands around his neck and rest my head against his chest, breathing in his addictive smell as I move my hips in time with his. We’re pressed close together, our movements sweaty and slow, his hands moving lazily along my back, my shoulders, my arms, my hips. And though his touch is light, almost careful, it sends a fire licking through me.
I breathe in shakily, totally lost in this moment. Totally powerless to the insane heat gathering low in my stomach as I begin to move my hands along his shoulders. I marvel at the feeling of the corded muscles tensing below my touch.
He shudders slightly, and I suddenly feel a burning need to kiss him.
Because those fireworks and sparks I’ve been craving for so long? They’re currently exploding, crackling, all over my body. And I don’t want to fight it tonight. Can’t fight it.
Drunk more on Jax than on liquor at this point, I tilt my head up. Meet his eyes. His pupils are dilated, black inking into the glittering slate gray surrounding them.
He then reaches a hand up, tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, and his fingertips set my skin alight. My breath catches as our eyes lock and time slows right down. I start to move towards him…
And the music screeches to a stop. The lights come on, flooding the dancefloor.
“That’s it for tonight, folks!” The DJ calls into his mic. “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.”
There’s a mix of drunken cheers and boos as the crowded dance floor begins to slowly empty, and I close my eyes for a moment, dazed and confused.
I can’t believe I almost just did that.
When I open them again, Jax is looking at me with an almost pained expression. “I’d better take you home, Holly.” His voice is pure gravel.
I want to protest.
Want to rewind thirty seconds and live suspended in that moment forever.
