Page 24 of Lovers' Dance

He didn’t say anything and I leaned back to gaze up at him. He licked his lips slowly, then twisted his head in Nathan’s direction. His friend had exited the car and was watching us curiously over the top of Matt’s car.

“Go get a ticket,” Matt ordered, before turning back to me. “I’m going to kiss you, poppet. I think I’ve earned it.”

I stayed absolutely still as he lowered his lips towards mine. Then we made contact. And the world disappeared as he ravished my lips with a kiss so intense it took my breath away. Man, he could kiss.

“Wow,” I whispered when we broke apart.

“Wow, indeed,” he agreed. I struggled in his arms and he let me slide back to the ground. I checked him out. In his expensive suit, he looked every bit the wealthy, successful business man I suspected him to be. It was unnerving to think I had been swapping saliva with him.

“You’re overdressed for a pub,” I teased, trying to affect a casual demeanour. My body was shaking. How could I be light-headed from a kiss?

Matt’s gaze ran over me, taking in my sleeveless t-shirt and khaki shorts, complete with brown knee-high cowboy boots.

“I like your top,” he finally said, eyes lingering around my boobs. The t-shirt had a picture of a cupcake with the words ‘eat me’ underneath. He stroked my mouth with his thumb. “I hoping to do exactly that.”

I shuddered. An embarrassing shudder went straight through me when he said that.

“Got the ticket,” Nathan said on his return. I hadn’t noticed when he left. Matt kept staring at me. I couldn’t hold his piercing glance with my eyes, so I slid my hands under his jacket to slip it off. He didn’t stop me, and why in the heck was I touching him so freely? As if he was mine? I tugged the jacket off, then started on his tie. He stood next to his car on the busy street and let me do as I wished. I tossed his jacket and tie into the car. My hands were shaking from his kiss.

“Am I presentable?” he mocked. I cocked my head, lips pursed, then undid the top buttons of his shirt and rolled his sleeves up.

“You are now.” I looked him up and down, satisfied he didn’t look like a corporate banker anymore.

“Are you going to partially undress me, too?” his friend joked from the other side of the car.

“Sod off,” Matt replied with a laugh, but there was a hardness to his jaw as he regarded his friend. Nathan held his hands up and shrugged in good humour. I didn’t think Matt was finding him amusing at this moment. I reached back into the car to get my cell and wallet, then Matt locked up. He linked arms with me and we started walking towards the pub.

“God, I’d forgotten how tiny you are,” he said, as I walked between him and his friend.

“She is quite small, Matt,” Nathan agreed.

I jerked to a stop and pouted at them. “Hey, I’m normal sized for a ballerina.”

They exchanged an amused glance over my head. I sighed in an exaggerated manner, having come to terms with my small stature years ago. Who didn’t want to be a tall, leggy goddess? But variety was the spice of life, and the world would be a bland place if we all looked the same.

We went into the pub, getting a few looks from patrons. Matt led us over to the corner seats by the window and muscled me in so I ended up with him on one side and Nathan on the other. He smiled at me as his leg brushed mine under the table.

“What do you guys want to eat?” I asked, grabbing a menu and trying not to show how much that little contact with his leg had affected me.

Matt and Nathan took a menu each. I observed them as they perused their menus. Nathan had a derisive curl to his lips while scanning what was on offer. I peeked at Matt out of the corner of my eye. His head was bent over the menu, but he was watching me. We grinned at each other and his leg brushed mine again. Why was he sitting so close?

“The roast chicken baguette sounds fine,” Matt said. His tone indicated the opposite.

Nathan shot him a disbelieving glance.

“What are you going to order, Madi?” Matt asked, closing the menu to give me full attention with his startling grey eyes.

“A burger with everything,” I replied, setting the menu down. “And a pint of Carlsberg. After the day I’ve had, a pint is a definite requisite.”

Matt turned to Nathan. “And you?”

Nathan looked at his menu again and winced. “I remain undecided at the moment. Who can decide from such a gourmet on offer?”

There was definitely a truckload of snooty scorn in his posh British voice. My gaze travelled over the blonde man in his fancy business suit. It was obvious he thought this place beneath him. I chewed my lower lip, wondering what the hell I was doing here with these privileged type of men.

“If nothing appeals to you, then starve,” Matt said succinctly, then leaned back against the worn upholstery to regard me with interest. “You own a dance studio?”

I nodded, still a bit peeved over his friend’s snootiness.

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