Page 12 of Icing the Enemy

Brooke folds her lips into a tight smile. “Yeah, but Reed told me that management is upset with him over the press lately.”

Lettie jumps to Corbin’s defense. “Why do they care if he leaves the bars alone? That’s ridiculous. Why do they have to portray professional athletes as sex-starved, cheating assholes.”

A man as cut and handsome as Corbin leaves bars alone?

Brooke scoffs, “Because a few ruin the reputations of many. Bryce used to be one of them.”

Although I want clarification, the guys return, and Dane informs them, “Kids are all fine.”

The bride and groom have spared no expense on the food, serving steak or fish. I notice that this time, Corbin eats steak. Maybe he heeded my warning. I’m not kissing someone with fish breath. He’s made a few innuendos today that he may be thinking about me as more than a charity case but other than holding hands, he’s been a perfect gentleman.

As the clinking of heavy silverware ends, the announcer’s voice echoes through the ballroom. “Mr. and Mrs. Bryce Wynward, and their children, Jolie and Jax are ready for their first dance.”

Bryce holds Jolie in one arm, and Emmaline holds their baby Jax, but Bryce’s other hand is touching his wife’s hair, then it slides down her arms as he leans in for a kiss. Their little girl is in an ivory dress with a lavender satin bow and a headband to match and threatens to steal the show. She wiggles away, and alittle boy her age comes to the dance floor, grabbing her hand, and they dance wildly.

Afterwards, the bride dances with her dad, then they ask the guests to dance. Dane and Lettie are the first ones out of their seats. Brooke and Reed follow. Corbin swallows and asks, “Would the most stunning woman in the room care to dance?”

I look over my shoulder to be funny. “Nah, I’m waiting for someone who isn’t a kidnapper.” I burst out laughing.

His brown eyes brighten as they round. Holding his hand out, my fingers curl around the tips of his.

“I think you’re right where you’re supposed to be… with me.”

My heart skips several beats so much that I may have arrhythmia. What if I inherited it from my mom?

Corbin leads me to the dance floor, and his touch sends shivers through me, pricking every nerve in my body. And at this moment, I believe him—I’m right where I want to be.

CHAPTER FIVE

corbin

When we touch,a tornado full of butterflies circles through my stomach. Oakley is unlike any woman I’ve ever met. We stake out a small spot on the dance floor full of my friends, but I can’t see them because I’m too busy looking at the woman wearing a borrowed dress and tennis shoes and rocking it like it’s a fashion statement.

“When’s the last time you danced?” She asks.

“I went to a club last week and moved around a little,” I say, not knowing if she reads the gossip sites.

We dance in the traditional pose, holding one hand with my other hand around her back and she folds her fingers over my shoulder.

“Do you like to dance?”

“I do. It’s onefunway to burn calories.” She wiggles one eyebrow and giggles. “By the way, are you staying for the 5K run? Brooke asked me earlier.”

“I was planning on it but if you need to get home, I can skip it.” Subconsciously, I find myself rubbing her back with my thumb. It feels intimate as our eyes collide.

The song changes twice while we stare at each other, and I pull her closer. Her hand slides from my shoulder to my chest. As I inch closer and closer to her lips, my heart pounds. I wonder if she can feel it because to me, it sounds like a drummer in a heavy metal band.

She whispers, “I’d love to stay. It’s for a good cause.”

“Good,” is all I say. It’s raspy and full of desire. This is a completely new feeling for me. Not the desire but what’s behind the desire. Is this what my grandmother was trying to tell me?

I let go of her hands and let my fingers graze her naked shoulder, then cup her jaw with my fingers cradling her head. It seems like hours have passed since we started dancing like we’re in our own little bubble. My mouth ghosts hers until we connect with a featherlight touch. Our lips overlap until they find their home. As I swipe my tongue through the seam of her lips, and she grants me entry with the taste of champagne bubbles coating her mouth. And when Oakley moans into my mouth, my dick takes notice. We part a few seconds later, at least I hope it was only a few seconds because I’m not one for overt public displays of affection. In this case, I had to taste her lips, and I didn’t care where we were or who saw the unbelievable kiss.

Bryce and Emmaline dance over next to us, and Bryce says, “He’s a pretty good guy for a kidnapper.”

“You thought she was a serial killer, not me,” I scoff at Bryce and shake my head.

“Not a serial killer, at least not yet,” Oakley teases. “Thanks for letting me crash your wedding. It was breathtaking. And your children are adorable.”

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