Page 120 of A Very Merry Enemy
“What?”
“Yeah, I have eyes.” He pulls me toward the reception tent entrance. “Come on. Time to remind Lucas Jolly that he’s not the only one with options here.”
“This feels petty and ridiculous.”
But my brother is absolutely relentless. “It is petty.”
Sammy doesn’t sound bothered. “Sometimes you have to make a man a little crazy to motivate him to finally do something about his feelings. Trust me on this one.”
He links his arm through mine and marches me toward the reception tent with the determination of a general leading his troops into battle.
We walk inside, and the first thing I see is Lucas on the dance floor with Lindsay. His hand is on her waist. They’re swaying together to a slow song. She’s smiling up at him and saying something animated that makes him laugh and nod. Seeing that makes something inside me snap.
“Okay,” I say, and my voice is more determined than it was before. “Let’s do this.”
Sammy grins at me like I just declared war. “That’s my sis. Follow my lead.”
We find Dylan near the bar, talking with a group of guys. They’re all tall and athletic looking, clearly former athletes, alllaughing about something. Dylan is probably the most attractive of the group with his dark hair and easy smile.
He looks up as we approach and his eyes slide over me. There’s definite interest there.
“Hey guys, this is my sister, Holiday,” Sammy says with a smile. “My single sister.”
“Hi, I’m Dylan,” he says with a grin that’s friendly.
“Hey, nice to meet you,” I offer.
“I remember seeing you earlier. That is definitely your color,” he offers.
“Thank you.” I take a breath and just go for it. “Would you like to dance with me?”
His eyebrows raise in surprise, but he recovers quickly. “Um, sure. I’d love to dance with you.”
He offers his hand, and I take it, letting him lead me toward the dance floor. I’m aware that we’re moving in the direction of where Lucas is dancing with Lindsay. I glance back at Sammy, who gives me a thumbs-up.
Dylan pulls me into his arms with one hand on my waist and the other holding one of my hands. He’s a good dancer, keeping the movements smooth and comfortable. He smells like expensive cologne, and his suit is probably designer.
“So, how do you know Jake and Claire?” he asks as we start to sway to the music.
“I grew up with the Jollys.” It’s close enough to the truth without getting into the complicated history. “What about you?”
“Jake and I know each other from the farm. My family owns a ranch close to Big Bend. We became really good friends and keep in touch.” He smiles. “Best guy I know. Claire’s lucky to have him.”
“They’re lucky to have each other,” I offer.
“True.” He pulls me slightly closer. “Am I allowed to be happy I got to dance with the most beautiful woman at this wedding?”
Under different circumstances, I might be flattered. Dylan seems like a genuinely nice guy. He’s attractive and charming.
I giggle. “Thank you for saying that, and sure.”
Dylan twists me around, and over his shoulder, I see Lucas watching us. All of a sudden, I’m transported back to prom, when he watched me dance with Theo.
His jaw is tight and tense. His hand has moved from Lindsay’s waist to a more appropriate and distant position on her upper back. He’s barely looking at her anymore, even though she’s still talking to him.
He’s staring directly at me with an intensity that makes me want to jump out of my skin.
Our eyes meet, and the heat in his gaze makes me lose my train of thought. He looks like he’s about three seconds from losing control.
