Page 26 of I Survived and will rise again

“Wouldn’t be surprised if they tracked us,” Lupe replies.

I can’t help but notice Donnie's gaze is fixed on me. His eyes bore into me, emitting a possessive aura that sends shivers down my spine.

I shrug. "Who cares. Ignore them."

Donnie smirks, and I feel like he can hear my thoughts.

I pull my eyes away from Donnie and resume dancing with Tia, knowing he’ll be joining us soon.

With my eyes closed, I feel the music take over, my body responding to the beat, my hands reaching up toward the sky. The worries and fears that have been weighing me down these past few months seem to melt away as I lose myself in the music.

I am about to turn when a pair of strong arms wraps around me above my round belly. I feel a muscular chest pressing against my back, and I freeze until a familiar cologne scent engulfs me. Donnie delicately takes my right arm, wraps it around his neck, and holds me close to his body, his strong arms wrapped firmly around me. I can feel the warmth of his breath on my skin as he begins to sway us back and forth. "I've been watching you for the last ten minutes. Every time I look at you, I can't breathe,” he whispers against my ear.

"Maybe you should see a doctor about that," I say with a smirk, loving how he feels against me.

He lets out a lighthearted chuckle. "Nah. I already got what I need," he says, a hint of mischief in his voice.

"Oh, yeah?"

He leans a little closer, his voice dropping to a low whisper. "Yeah.You," he says, sending a charge of electricity through me.

"I wish I could help you, but I belong to someone else," I say apologetically, teasing him.

"He's a lucky guy," he replies, and I can hear the smile in his voice.

Unable to resist a little more teasing, I add, "Who said anything about one guy?"

"Are you trying to get me arrested?" His possessive tone makes my tummy clench.

I turn my head to face him, curious. “What do you mean?”

"I’m not a sharing kind of guy," he murmurs, playfully nibbling my earlobe and kissing the sensitive spot on my neck.

"Wait, are you jealous?" I let out a soft chuckle.

"Think of it this way." He tightens his grip around my waist. "You are like a priceless, classic car claimed by a lucky bidder at an auction. Men can't keep their eyes off you, but even though they can't have you, they still appreciate your beauty from afar."

As he whispers those words, my chest tightens, and my breathing becomes erratic. His warm breath on my neck sends shivers down my spine, and my skin erupts in goosebumps.

"So, you're possessive," I say, raising an eyebrow.

"No, I'm territorial. I protect what's alreadymine. There's a difference."

I draw in a deep breath and hold it as his words sank in, causing a sudden rush of warmth to course through my veins. My skin tingles with the sensation, and I close my eyes, savoring the moment. It is as if I have just swallowed a sip of hot cocoa, and the liquid is now spreading through my body, leaving me with a pleasant feeling of comfort.

The world around us fades away as we dance, lost in each other's embrace. It's a moment frozen in time, one I wish my camera could capture and preserve in a photograph that would last a lifetime.

Donnie grips my hand and spins me around until I face him. Tipping my chin up with his fingers, he flashes me a warm smile. As we continue to move to the beat, his arm rests on my lowerback while the other holds my arm in an L shape. Together, we travel across the dance floor.

With confident steps, he uses the hammerlock turn and adds a cuddle turn. Moving to the side, we stand hip to hip, his hand firmly on my lower back, pulling me closer to him. He gently grasps my hand and leads me into a graceful turn, guiding my arm with a firm yet tender touch. My body is drawn closer to his as we spin until we are pressed tightly together. My knee slips between his legs, and we move side to side, so close I can feel his body heat. It's as if I am sitting on his leg, and the moment's intensity leaves me breathless. From a distance, it must look like we’re doing the dirty with how close our bodies are. When the song ends, we are sweating and breathing heavily. He grabs my face with both hands and softly kisses my lips. Our friends erupt into cheers and wolf whistles, and I laugh against Donnie's full lips.

"Damn, boy. You can salsaandmerengue?" Tiny chuckles but is clearly impressed.

"There's nothing that boy can’t do when it comes to his girl," Lupe interjects with a grin. Just then, Seb pulls her close, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Donnie leads the way back to our booth, his grip on my hand as we navigate the sea of people. We slide into the booth, and the bartender appears, ready to take our orders.

Seb speaks up first, his voice carrying over the din of the bar. "I'll have a Corona," he says, lifting Lupe into his lap. Max follows suit, settling Tiny onto his lap and ordering the same.

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