Page 10 of Burly and Honorable

I smile at her, thinking of all the things I’d love to give her. Breakfast in bed. Laying under the stars at night, snuggling under a blanket and watching shooting stars. Giving her so many orgasms that she wouldn’t walk properly for days. Calling her mine forever.

“What do you want?”

“To dance!” Hanna’s eyes sparkle, and the knowledge crashes over me anew. I’d do anything and everything to make this woman happy. I could never say no to her, just like the man at the gas station and his wife.

“Deal.”

“Gotta say,I didn’t see that coming.” I’m in awe at how smoothly Hanna played me and won the prize at the game stand. I put my hand lightly on her back as we make our way through the crowd. Even though I could spot her in a crowd, I want her to know I’m by her side.

“No excuses. I won fair and square,” she says, her eyes darting to me. “You’re dancing.”

“I don’t dance,” I protest, even as she tugs me toward the crowd.

“Then you’re learning.”

The music pulls us in next, a lively tune spilling from the band playing under a canopy of string lights. Couples are dancing,their movements easy and carefree, and I hesitate for a second before Hanna grabs my hand.

She pulls me close, and we start to move. It’s awkward at first—my boots feel clunky, and I’m too aware of every step. I haven’t danced in a long time. But then she laughs again, and her fingers tighten around mine, and suddenly, it doesn’t matter so long as Hanna is in my arms and enjoying herself.

The music slows, the rhythm shifting into something softer, and I rest a hand on her back, the curve of her waist fitting perfectly against my palm.

Her head tilts up, her breath brushing against my neck as she says, “You’re different tonight. Lighter, somehow.”

I glance down at her, my heart hammering. Her gaze meets mine, and the space between us feels magnetic.

“That’s because of you,” I say.

Her breath catches, and I swear her grip on my hand tightens. The way she’s looking at me—it’s like she’s daring me to close the distance. I hold her close to my chest, savoring the way her soft curves press gently against my body. Her heart races in her chest, and it makes me think I have a chance with her.

I want to kiss her so much, I’m blinded to everything else in the world.

The music swells around us, and the rest of the world falls away, leaving her in my arms and me hoping this moment could last for a million lifetimes. The band begins another slow song, and I thank them with every atom of my being for the chance to keep Hanna in my arms a little while longer.

I hesitate for a beat before sliding my hand to the small of Hanna’s back. My fingers splay across the curve, my palm warming at the contact.

She doesn’t pull away. Instead, she leans into me, her body matching my rhythm. Dancing with Hanna is natural, too easy, and it scares the hell out of me. She fits perfectly in my arms and against my body.

Her head tilts up, her eyes meeting mine. The flickering string lights above reflect in her eyes, but there’s something deeper there, something that makes my chest tighten.

“You’re a pretty decent dancer,” she teases, her lips quirking into a faint smile.

“Decent?” I arch a brow, letting my fingers press a fraction harder against her back.

She laughs softly, and the sound is enough to send heat rushing through me.

The soft sway of her body against mine is both a comfort and a torment. The curve of her hip brushes against my thigh, and every nerve in my body screams at me to pull her closer.

I lean down, my breath skimming her temple. “Am I doing okay now?”

Her lashes lower slightly, and she tilts her head just enough for her cheek to brush mine. “You might be getting the hang of it.”

The music fades, applause breaking around us, and she steps back, breaking the spell.

“You’re not half-bad, Jordan,” she says with a grin, her cheeks flushed. “You said you didn’t know how to dance.”

“No. I didn’t say I didn’t know how to dance, just that I don’t,” I say, pulling her into a turn. “There hasn’t been anyone I wanted to dance with in a very long time.”

Hanna’s blue eyes meet mine, and her pretty lips form an O. I like that I can surprise her.

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