Page 14 of Embracing Trust

Ryan shakes his head and grins. “Always so sassy.”

“If you’re inviting me to dance, then yes. I’d like that.”

Ryan raises one brow.

Damn, quit doing that.

“What if I’m just wondering if youwantto,” he challenges.

Now he’s flirting. Two can play this game.

I laugh. “Which is it?”

“Come on, I’m being serious now. Dance with me.”

The time has come. This is what you’ve been waiting for.

Ryan rises and I suck in a breath. He’s like an incoming storm—all-encompassing and huge, yet soothing and peaceful. He looks so powerful and confident as he offers his hand.

I stand and allow him to lead me to the dancefloor. His hand is warm and perfectly encases my smaller hand. The familiar calluses brush across my palm and send a shiver through me. I sigh. This brings back the sweet memories of all the times when I felt protected and cherished in his arms. When we reach the dancefloor, the current song ends, and we hesitate for a moment as we listen for the DJ’s next selection.

I press my palm to my heart at the familiarity of the first few strums of the guitar. The sweet melody embraces my senses and draws me back to football games, bonfires, and beach parties. High school camping trips, cruising the main street, and a simple time with my friends.

Ryan turns to me. “This brings back a few memories, huh?”

I swallow hard and nod.

Without hesitation, he easily pulls me into his embrace and rests his fingertips lightly on the bare skin of my back. Like it’s been done a thousand times before, I smoothly wrap my arms around his neck, my hands resting on his nape. We lightly rock to the beat of the music. I close my eyes and inhale his familiar scent. This is safe and it feels like coming home after being away for a long time. It’s light and easy.

But isn’t that how it’s always been with him? It was until somehow, we lost that.

Every inch of my skin tingles and sends a slight shiver down my neck. My core is enthralled with every touch, every breath, every whisper of his presence.

His chin brushes my cheek, and his voice is soft, almost wistful. “This feels like old times.”

I rub his shoulder. “It does.”

“You gotta cut me a little slack here. My dancing hasn’t improved.”

I lean back and gaze into his stare. “No judgment. We’ll just blame it on your tight shoes.”

He laughs. “Works for me.”

He reconnects me in his solid embrace and although our steps aren’t smooth and elegant, they are natural and mundane—solidly familiar.

Time is irrelevant. Everything else simply falls away and I want this dance to last forever—being safe in his strong arms. I wish he would kiss me.

As my fingertips lightly inch up the back of his neck, I gently caress the edge of his hairline, fascinated by the short haircut.

He grins. “What do you think of the hair?” He winks and adds, “Go ahead…give it a rub. I know you want to.”

Oh, the sexual innuendoes. That hasn’t changed.

“Always the flirt.”

For once, instead of stifling everything that builds up inside of me, I give myself permission to get lost in this moment—to enjoy the feel of his arms around me.

He lightly grasps the end of a loose tendril of my hair and rubs it through his fingertips. Never taking his eyes off mine, he gently tucks it behind my ear. He pulls me closer into his embrace and his fingertips, barely a murmur, draw tiny circles on the exposed flesh of my back.

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