Page 101 of Flirty Dancing

“Good. Fluffy scones are no joke.” Mateo unwrapped the butter and pulled a cheese grater out of a cupboard.

“And why do you have a cheese grater?” Archer fought the urge to slide his arms around Mateo’s waist and rest his chin on that broad shoulder while he worked.

“For the frozen butter, of course. Keep up, Archer!”

Their laughter filled the small kitchen as they worked, hips bumping when Mateo reached into the bowl to show Archer how to mix the butter into the dry ingredients. “You want it to be coarse like this, see?” The way Mateo’s hands squeezed the dough gave Archer ideas that were entirely inappropriate for the situation.

Archer studied Mateo’s face instead. “Got it.”

Eileen bustled around making the sandwiches, and Archer had no idea why she winked at him when Mateo took Archer’s hands to help him properly knead the dough.

The tea party was a smashing success. As Archer carried another loaded tray outside, he paused on the step to look at the scene before him. Sixteen happy faces, laughing, eating, drinking, bathed in the pink and orange sky and scent of primroses. Eileen threw back her head, giggling at something Dominik said, then she leaned over to murmur a few words to Betty. Even Beau and Ben were smiling broadly while Caleb chatted with Grace and Seta.

Amid the hum, Mateo looked up at Archer and smiled.

Archer smiled back, his heart thudding.

Just friends,he told himself.Just friends.

Fuck.

22All I Ask of You

“Archer!” Betty announced when he took his seat next to her again. “Eileen has a karaoke machine!”

“Okay?” Archer chuckled, helping himself to yet another scone. “And we’re excited about this?”

“I love karaoke!” Betty exclaimed. “And it happens to be my birthday on Wednesday.” She waggled her eyebrows. “Eileen said we could borrow it for a little party. And,” she turned to Eileen and gripped her arm, “you have to come! Wednesday night, after the second show. Please?”

“Of course, if you want an old woman—”

“Yes, I do! Definitely.”

“Very well.” Eileen’s face shone. “I’ll be there.”

Later, when they were back in Eileen’s tiny kitchen cleaning up, Archer mentioned Betty’s birthday to Mateo. “I think I’m going to head into town on Wednesday to get some stuff for a party. Do you want to come?” The invitation flowed easily from his lips, but sent his pulse fluttering.

“Sure,” Mateo said casually, rinsing off a platter. “Sounds fun.”

So that was how the two of them came to be hopping onto the Shady Queens shuttle together Wednesday morning.Just friends, Archer said to himself as he climbed on behind Mateo, taking in the curve of his butt and sculpted calves.Not a date. But God, he’s hot.

They waved to Mrs. C, who was driving, and sat together in the first row. When a large, sunburned man clambered on after them to grab the last seat, Archer had to scoot over to the middle so he was right up against Mateo’s bare arm, smelling his freshly applied aftershave. Then they were on their way, bouncing down the gravel drive.

“Do you like karaoke?” Archer asked, ignoring the jolts of electricity each time their legs bumped together. “Betty’s so excited for it.”

Mateo gave him a wry look. “I don’t really do karaoke.”

“Why not? You’re an amazing singer.” He felt like an idiot as soon as he said it. The man fucking headlined two Broadway shows. He didn’t need some schmo from Ohio telling him that.

Mateo’s eyebrow climbed even farther up his forehead. “When I get up there, people have expectations. Then they either think I suck, and I’ve let them down, or they’re impressed, and they want me to do ten more songs. Of course, sometimes people have no idea who I am, but feel the need to approach me and tell me I should be a singer, and then it’s awkward, like ‘Well, actually…’” He shrugged. “I’d prefer to avoid all that.”

“Yeah, that makes sense. Although I still hope you’ll sing tonight? With just your friends around?”

Mateo avoided the question with a shrug. “What about you? Do you like karaoke?”

“Sure, it’s fun. Lynn loves it too. I get up there withher sometimes. She always wants to duet ‘Paradise by the Dashboard Light.’”

To Archer’s delight, Mateo laughed at that. “Excellent song choice. That would be fun for karaoke.”

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