Page 71 of Triple Play

I’m about ready to head back to our table when they spin my way, closer, closer, until Shira grabs my hand. “C’mon.”

“I don’t know how to dance,” I say.

“Everyone knows how to dance.” She nods to Blake—is she looking for permission? Or just an acknowledgement?—then steadies her hand in mine.

We dance together, the three of us. Or I attempt to dance, even if my feet are sudden weights, my arms hanging awkwardly at my sides.

Awkward except for Shira holding my palm to hers. I’ve felt her all over. Fuck, I saw her naked last night. Neither of those beats the simple press of her lifeline to my own.

“I could’ve just watched you two,” I say to her.

“Nah, I think you want to be out here with us.”

I step and step wrong. Somehow my toes land on Blake’s. “I’m not as good as him at this.” A fact I can’t seem to escape, even if I can’t bring myself to resent him for it.

“And yet here you are”—Shira winks—“trying anyway.”

My arm finds her waist, tucking her close to me. Her hair smells like rain, like a field right before a thunderstorm. I close my eyes, inhale. The music hasn’t gotten any slower, but maybe time has. This, something inside me demands, this is how it’s supposed to be.

She pulls back. Blinks up at me. Swallows. I want to kiss the delicate line of her throat, to feel the power in her slim strong body. Run away with me, I push down. She’s already taken all the parts of me that matter.

“Did I step on your toes?” I ask.

That gets me a smile. “Slow dancing is cheating.”

I dart a glance to Blake, who is mostly just swaying to the music as if he doesn’t have a care in the world. “Uh.”

“Not like that,” she whispers. Then, louder, “Okay, we’re gonna try this again.” She stands so that she and I are facing the same direction. She does another step, something so complicated I get a little lost just watching her.

I shake my head.

She does the same pattern of steps but slower, counting off as she goes.

I try again.

And get one foot tangled over the other.

“Aren’t you a professional athlete?” she asks.

“Not a very good one.”

She tuts and slows her steps even more until finally I’m able to track them. One-two-three, one-two-three, one-two-three. Maybe it’s the mezcal hitting my system or maybe it’s just Shira’s encouragement in my ear, but something clicks.

I take her hand again, spin her to me, motion for Blake to join us. Dancing with three people should be strange—I’m always a second from stepping on either of their feet. But it isn’t. Not when Shira shimmies and twists and forgives me when my hand knocks into hers. Her fingers twine with my own, a brief flash of sensation.

“Can I borrow her?” Blake doesn’t wait for my response as he pulls Shira away. As he twirls her once, again, until she’s a blur, a high peal of laughter. He dips her, low, low, her back a graceful arch, her hand held above her head with shivering intensity. She goes limp—or seemingly, a practiced surrender that must take complete control.

They’re beautiful together, breathing each other’s air, bodies attentive to each other’s movements, held in the other’s gaze. Kiss her. Please. Kiss her for me if I can’t.

And my heart beats a little faster when they return to where I’m standing.

Shira interposes herself between us, motioning for Blake to slide closer at her back. Tomorrow, we’ll have to get into whatever car Blake’s brother is bringing us. Tomorrow, I’ll have to face the team and either accept a demotion or quit.

Now, though, now my only responsibility is the confidence of Shira’s hand in mine and Blake’s fluorescent smile.

Shira’s aww a minute later pulls me back to earth. I follow her gaze to the edge of the dance floor where a little girl no older than three has toddled over and is now twirling with childish abandon, vigorously enough that the small pink flower on her headband is coming loose.

“Hey,” Shira says, “I’m cutting out.” She plucks her hand from mine, leaving my arm hovering, the narrow space between Blake and me unoccupied. On the other side of the dance floor, the girl spins again. Shira approaches her and does a matching twirl and earns the girl’s high giggle.

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