Page 24 of Inked Persuasion

He met my gaze, and my shoulders slumped. “Why are you being so nice?” I asked as he led me to the dance floor.

“Come on, Annabelle, dance with me.” He put a hand around my back, the other holding mine, and I swallowed hard.

“Why are you doing this?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” he said as if unaware that he was saying the words. “I saw you, and I wanted to dance. It’s probably the most idiotic thing I could have done, but here we are.”

“Here we are,” I repeated.

“So, those are your brothers these days, huh? How are the twins doing?”

“They are just fine. As is Archer. The other two guys, the ones that walked away, are Archer’s and Paige’s boyfriends.”

“Who are the girls with Paige?”

My gaze shot up. “You remember what Paige looks like? After all these years?”

“She looks like you, though a little younger, a little more innocent.”

I narrowed my gaze. “Did you just call me a not-so-innocent, aging woman?”

Jacob winced. “I meant to say that I like the looks of you, and it came out weird.”

“Oh,” I said, not exactly sure what to say to that. “Well, it was weird. You don’t need to call me old or experienced.”

Jacob winced again. “I’m trying to be nice. Because I want to, not because I said I would. It’s coming out as me being a jerk.”

“Well...” I said, trailing off.

He snorted. “I see.” He sighed. “I am a jerk,” he repeated.

“You don’t have to keep calling yourself that. You apologized. And now look at us, nearly acting civilized except for the fact that you called me ancient.”

“I did not.”

“I’m pretty sure you did.”

“Anyway, who are the other two girls?”

“My friends, Eliza and Brenna. Brenna is single, but Eliza’s married.”

Jacob narrowed his eyes. “And why are you telling me that?”

“I don’t know, you seemed interested.”

“Only in dancing with you, darling Annabelle.”

I nearly tripped over his feet, but he kept me steady, the pressure of his hand on the small of my back firm. “What are you doing, Jacob?”

“I have no fucking clue.”

The song ended, and he looked at me, swallowed hard, and nodded. “Good night, Annabelle.”

I let out a breath. “Bye, Jacob,” I whispered.

And then he walked away, leaving me standing on the edge of the dance floor near Brenna, Eliza, and Paige.

“What was that?” Paige asked, coming to my side.

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