Page 64 of Silver Fake

Wyatt chuckles heartily, shaking his head. "Oh, you know me, John. Always the last to leave a party. I wouldn't want to miss any of the fun," he retorts, his eyes twinkling with humor. Then, stepping forward, he envelops John in a brotherly hug, patting his back in a quintessential display of masculine camaraderie.

Pulling away from John, he then turns towards me and offers the same type of relaxed, friendly hug.

"Take good care of this one, Lisa," he says, his voice low but full of fondness, his gaze flickering towards John as he steps back. "I'm counting on you."

With those parting words, Wyatt gives us a wave and then he's gone, disappearing into the cool night. The energy in the room seems to shift a bit as he exits, but the music continues to play, a slow, sweet melody filling the space.

As the last echoes of Wyatt's laughter fade away, John's arms tighten around me, pulling me flush against him. The heat of his body seeps into mine, a comforting warmth in the suddenly quieter room. His hands rest on my lower back, fingers pressing lightly through the fabric of my dress. The familiar scent of him, the feel of him so close, it all makes my heart race.

"Dance with me," he murmurs into my ear, his voice a low rumble that sends shivers down my spine. And we do. We sway together to the slow rhythm of the music, lost in our own world, a serene bubble amidst the remnants of the party.

He brushes a loose hair back out of my eye and kisses my forehead. "Thank you for coming with me," he says.

"It was a lot of fun." I glance back at his mom and dad. "And I'm glad I got to see your parents again."

He grins. "Yeah, I guess they are pretty great."

"They are," I say with a smile. "How about you? Are you glad you came?"

"I am. Even though I know he will miss it here and miss my parents, just like they will miss him, I could see how excited he is for his new opportunity. Whenever someone asked him about it, he lit up like a kid in a candy store."

"Good. In the end, it's all going to work out."

He rubs his hand up and down my back. "I think you're right."

"I usually am."

We spin around on the floor a couple more times, and I rest my head against his chest and close my eyes. I can hear his heart beating, tapping out our very own music because it feels like he is moving us to the beat of his heart.

Maybe he is without realizing it.

He has been so sweet tonight. If his parents weren't sure about our relationship before, they probably are now. The party might have been for Wyatt, but I had most of John's attention all night. He rarely left my side; if he did, it was only a few minutes before he returned.

Tonight, I have felt like his real girlfriend all night, and I want that. I want to put aside my fears and finally have the conversation I've been avoiding this last month, and for the first time, I'm less afraid we aren't on the same page.

I move my hands to his chest, enjoying the way he feels under my hands. His eyes lock on mine, and I must take a second to compose my scrambled words. "When we go upstairs, I want to talk to you about something. Really, it's a couple things."

His eyebrows draw together, and his smile drops. "Is something wrong?"

I reach up and smooth the lines forming between his brows with my fingers and smile at him, hoping it will offer him some assurance. "No. Nothing's wrong. Quite the opposite."

A sly smile slowly crosses his face, and he pulls me tighter against his body. He takes my chin between his thumb fingers and tilts my face closer to his. Our lips are barely a breath apart.

"I care about you so much Lisa Thomas." John's voice is barely above a whisper.

I gaze into his eyes, feeling a rush of emotions. "I care about you too.”

He smiles the kind of smile that reaches his eyes, causing them to crinkle at the edges. "I'm glad," he says, his hands cupping my face lovingly. "We'll figure things out with the firm. We're in this together."

I nod, feeling a sense of relief washing over me. "Yes, we will," I agree, my voice steady, my heart sure. "Together."

He kisses me, and his lips linger against mine, and I start to forget all the things I need to talk to him about. I just want him in bed, showing me all the wicked things I see dancing behind his eyes.

"Let's go," I whisper as soon as his lips leave mine.

His hand runs down my arm, grabs my hand, and turns to leave the ballroom. We'll see his parents in the morning. We can spend more time with them, then. Right now, we need to be alone.

"John, Lisa, can we talk to you for a second?"

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