Page 305 of Well Played

As he watched her lead a line dance with a few of the wives, Andy Rodrigo, one of the team captains, came up, handing him a beer. “I see your girl found my wife’s weakness.”

“The Electric Slide?” Nando laughed, taking the bottle from him.

“The DJ played that damn song three times at our wedding reception, and I had to drag my ass across the dance floor the whole time.” Andy shook his head. “Better her than me.”

Nando clinked his bottle with Andy’s.

“She seems like a nice girl.”

“She is.” Nando watched her shimmy across the floor with Andy’s wife.

“How did you meet?”

“She’s a vampire.” At Andy’s confused expression, “She was one of the phlebotomists at the blood drive. She kept me from passing out and we just kind of hit it off.”

“You did look a little green that day.” The music changed to the Cha Cha Slide, and more folks went to the floor. Andy’s wife caught his gaze and waved him over. Andy swigged the last of his beer and set down the bottle, then clapped Nando on the shoulder. “Come on, rookie. We’re being summoned.”

Nando set his bottle on the table and followed Andy to the dance floor, taking his place next to Lila. “You weren’t kidding about dancing, were you?”

“Nope. What about you, ‘ney?”

Smiling, he waited for a beat then continued the next set of steps, moving along with her. They danced a little longer before he took her hand in his and led her back to their table. Handing her a drink, he asked, “ Did you call me Knee?”

Her giggle was soft. “Ney, short for Honey. You’ve been calling me babe and angel; I can’t keep calling you ‘poseur…’ unless you deserve it.”

The beat changed again, and he pulled her into him, his lips barely brushing hers. “I like it, angel.”

She shifted against him, pressing her warm body against his. “When can we blow this popsicle stand?”

“Soon,” he promised. “The team always rents the top floor rooms for an after party. As a rookie, I need to make an appearance and say my hellos and goodbyes to the guys that are leaving the team.”

“Then after that?”

“Dessert.” He kissed her, nibbling her lip. “Then maybe gelato, if you’re good.”

“Baby, I’m always good.”

He smiled widely then. “I’m sure you are.”

The pleasant alcoholicbuzz he had going from the party faded as they arrived back at his place. In its place was another kind of energy that had him wanting to keep touching her, keep her close. Her perfumed warmth made him impatient to get her home and into his arms.

He grabbed a few peppermints from the afterparty and crunched on them as he helped her out of the limo and into his building. His apartment was on the fourth floor; he guided her into the elevator and pressed her into the corner as the doors closed.

“So, dessert,’ he purred, pressing kisses along her neck.

“Am I dessert, Nando?” she sighed, leaning into him.

He couldn’t get to his door fast enough.

Once they were inside, he pulled her into his arms again, kissing her with an urgency he hadn’t felt with any of the other girls he’d been with. Her hands slid into his coat and slid it off his shoulders, the heat of her palms warm against his body. He pulled impatiently at his tie as she slowly unbuttoned his vest, sliding it off his body.

“I thought you wanted gelato…” he murmured against her skin, his hands skimming over her body.

She nibbled his lip as she toyed with the buttons on his shirt. “I want my dessert.”

His mouth was on hers as he carried her into his bedroom.

9

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