Page 25 of Hidden Hearts

"Hey." Her elbow nudges my side as she asks for the event’s signature drink: The Bee’s Knees, gin with honey and lemon. Avery’s sweet scent drifts over to me, and I inhale deeply. A mix of coconut and vanilla—exotic yet familiar.

I return her greeting and try to tame the hard-on pressing against my zipper. Her pink dress is killing me with every flirty swish against my leg, and despite the modest neckline, her breasts rise slightly over the top. It’s sexy and adorable and obliterates all rational thoughts from my brain.

Avery clears her throat, and my gaze lifts to see her features scrunched into a questioning expression.

"I asked if you wanted to dance? You've been alone over here for who knows how long when you should be enjoying tonight. It's not like these things happen very often."

I’m glad they don't occur more than a couple times a year. They're a bore when the purpose is fun versus business-related. Frankly, the informative lectures are more my style.

"No, thanks.” I’m not much of a dancer and don't feel like embarrassing myself in front of all these people and Avery, but she grabs my hand anyway.

"I'm not taking no for an answer.” Surprise, surprise. Her stubbornness knows no bounds, yet she says I’m the one who railroads people. “Besides, I'm doing you a favor. You need to loosen up."

A fast-paced song from the eighties plays loudly over the speakers. "Come on!" Avery steps side to side as if trying to teach me how to move, but I cross my arms and refuse to wiggle, gyrate, or shake anything to the tune of a Whitney Houston melody.

Pouting, Avery drops the lesson with a mock growl. “Fine, be that way. But don’t think that’s gonna stop me.” Her body undulates more freely, and she shoots a coy look over her shoulder as she twirls in front of me like a pretty fairy straight from A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

My blood heats at her teasing. Every so often, she inches close enough to touch then jumps out of reach before I can capture her. It’s a game, and Avery thinks she’s going to win.

She’s dead fucking wrong.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

AVERY

It’s fun dancing around Dominic. I’m free to be as bold as I please because it isn't like I’m really into him. Sure, we’ve kissed. Yeah, I might have ground against him like a cat in heat that day at his empty office. But those are anomalies. Anomalies brought on by dumb hormones.

Because it can’t be anything more.

Dominic frustrates me. Brings out my snarky side. And, apparently, doesn't like to dance.

That’s three strikes in my book.

Don’t forget you plan on ditching Suitor’s Crossing for opportunities elsewhere, too. Not that I want to leave town, but it’s most likely any new job I get won’t be here.

The upbeat song ends, and a slower one replaces it. Out of breath, I stopped in front of Dominic, prepared for him to stalk off the dance floor after my little show, but instead, he tugged me closer with two large hands clamped around my waist. Immediately, my palms go to his broad shoulders for balance.

"I thought you didn't like dancing. Now you have a change of heart?"

Confusing man!

"This is more my pace," he explains as the knuckles of one hand wander up and down my stomach, each time moving higher then lower as if he can’t decide what he wants to touch first.

I try forcing some space between us, but Dominic’s hold tightens. "You're too close." My voice comes out breathier than I'd like, revealing my inner turmoil.

We've been doing so well keeping things professional. I figured he'd given up and moved on to some other, more willing woman.

The thought causes a slight pang in my chest, but I shove that down deep. I don't want to feel anything more for Dominic than general friendliness.

That’s it. Period.

"I'm not close enough."

The rumbled admission has my body swaying forward, attempting to erase the distance between us, despite the warning bells in my head. His mouth hovers right above mine, and I study his five o'clock shadow, remembering the roughness of it against my own cheek.

God, I cannot be turned on by this man.

"I don't like you," I state, reminding myself as well.

---