Page 91 of The Love Wager

He raised an eyebrow. “Do I have to?”

“Oh, my God, you don’t know how to dance, do you?”

He smirked and said, “Actually, my nana made me take ballroom dancing.”

“Shut up.”

“Seriously.” He picked up his glass and said, “For three years.”

“So you can, like, waltz?”

He raised his drink to his mouth. “So hard.”

“You can waltz the crap out of me?” she asked, laughing.

“And then you’ll beg me for more, honey.”

As it turned out, he wasn’t lying.

When the DJ finally called for the wedding party to hit the dance floor, Jack led her around like he was Fitzwilliam Darcy at a Netherfield soiree.

“Dear God, are you literally Prince Charming?” Hallie said.

Jack put his mouth to her ear and said, “Yes, but don’t tell anyone. People lose their shit over royals.”

“My lips are sealed.” She laughed, squeezing the warm hand that held hers. “By the way, I love the feel of your mouth on my ear, in case you’re wondering.”

“Is that right?” he asked, his lips moving over the shell of her ear, clearly on purpose.

She shivered as he took his time to pull back his mouth from her skin. “Maybe I’m just sensitive, though. Tell me, does it do anything for you?”

She raised her head and brushed her lips against his earlobe, then nuzzled his neck with her nose, wanting to bury her whole self in him.

“Quit it.” He looked at her hotly, his eyes intense. “You know it does.”

“I can’t help myself.” She laughed again, thinking the couples of yesteryear might’ve been onto something with this whole dancing thing. “Making you look at me likethatis downright intoxicating.”

“You enjoy making me weak?” he asked as he guided her around the dance floor.

“I enjoy making you feel.”

“Sadist.”

The shots were kicking in. She didn’t feel fuzzy, or anywhere close to drunk. Just relaxed enough to say, “If I tell you something about feels on our last night of fake dating, do you promise to forget it later?”

He didn’t answer but just looked at her, and the heat of his hand on her lower back teased her skin through the dress.

She said, “It’s not going to change anything, and it’s not like I’m falling for you so don’t get all weirded out. But I’m pretty sure I feel something.”

“What?”

“It won’t affect our friendship, and I don’t want—”

“Say it again.”

“Jack—”

“All of it, Hal.” He pulled up and stopped so they were just standing on the dance floor. His eyes were unreadable. “Tell me.”

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