Page 34 of Conner

Just then Sven joined the group with a loud whoop pulling their focus and they all cheered. They continued to dance, but from that moment Sasha felt Conner close, dancing with her, and it was everything.

As the song ended a slow song started to play. Wes immediately wrapped Kate up in his arms and held her close as they started to dance together. Much to her surprise, Ethan did the same with Frankie. Evie and the rest of the group cleared the dance floor.

She turned to leave with them, but Conner took her hand and every nerve in her body lit up.

“Dance with me,” he said with a sultry glance.

She gave a slight nod, and he pulled her close to him. His hand slid to the small of her back and he pulled her close. The feel of his hard body pressed into her felt like a cosmic shift. Any defense she had put up to fight her feelings for this man were blasted away in this embrace. She slowly looked up at him and once their eyes met, she could see it was the same for him.

An involuntary gasp escaped her lips. Conner's eyebrows cocked up, and he tightened his hold on her. Nothing in her life had ever felt like this. She had never been this turned on in her entire life, but she had also never felt as safe as she did right there in his arms. That was a feeling she sank into as she did the same into his embrace.

The entire world fell away until it was just the two of them existing on the dance floor. She could stay like this in his embrace forever. She laid her head on his shoulder. He shuddered and pulled her closer. The two of them held each other, barely aware of the music they were swaying to, only aware that something important was happening between them right now. Something that would change both of their lives.

The music changed and the people around them changed their rhythm, but she was still there, lost in the haze of Conner McPhee. He stopped them and pulled her chin up until their eyes met. Then he smiled. It was a kind smile she had seen many times, but right now it settled in her a bit differently, and she smiled at him right back.

“Come with me?” he asked close to her ear, the slight brush of his lips set her on fire.

She pulled back and nodded. He guided her off the dance floor and took her out to the patio.

The patio was something out of a fairytale, just like the ballroom. There were fairy lights strung over their heads giving a warm glow. A few scattered benches with beautiful greenery on either side, while the patio itself overlooked downtown Glendale. The air had a chill with the sun long gone, but she didn’t feel cold. She was still on fire from whatever was taking place between her and Conner.

Conner turned to face her. Her hand was still in his and she had no desire to change that.

“Sasha,” he said her name like a prayer.

She couldn’t take her eyes off him.

“I have to tell you something, and if you don’t feel the same way, pretend I didn’t say anything, but I think you are the most incredible woman I have ever known.”

“What?” she asked breathlessly.

“I have been trying to stay away from you and focus on hockey, but I can’t do that anymore. If you’re okay with it, I would love to take you out.”

“I would like that,” she said, trying to remember this moment for the perfect moment it was. The air seemed to shimmer between them.

His hand reached to her face and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, and he leaned in closer. Time stood still. She was going to ignite. His hazel eyes pinned her in place, she had never been this turned on in her life. But this moment was so much more than mere arousal. She felt like a princess, like she was the main character in a fairytale about to get her happily ever after. Her logical brain knew to pump the brakes there, but whatever it was that was happening between them right now overpowered her logical brain.

Her lips parted and she wet her bottom lip. Conner’s gaze flicked down to her lips and then back to her eyes. Had it been a minute or an hour? She didn’t know. All that existed right now was her and Conner.

“Can I kiss you?” he whispered.

“Yes.”

His hand slid back cupping her head and his other came around and settled in the small of her back pulling her close. Every nerve in her body lit up with desire for this man.

Then his lips met hers. It was a small kiss at first, then he pulled her closer and she opened to him. His tongue swept into her mouth and just like that her world rearranged. She had never felt this on fire from one kiss in her entire life. She needed more.

He broke the kiss but stayed close. Resting his forehead on hers. “That was even better than I thought it would be.”

“You’ve been thinking about this?” she said, pulling away just enough to look into his hazel eyes.

“I’ve been thinking about this since I saw you sitting on the bench outside of Hillary’s office that first day.”

“Really?” There was no way she could stop the smile that was spreading across her face.

“Oh yeah, all the time.”

She shivered and she wasn’t sure if it was from the chill in the air for the magic dancing between them. Conner noticed and rubbed her arms.

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