More Than a Mission by Caridad Piñeiro

energetic beats, trying not to think about the man sitting at the bar, possibly watching her. Every now and then, as her dancing and the crowd shifted her into a different position on the floor, she would catch a peek of him. Still lounging there, sipping his beer.
    She wondered if it was his second bottle or if he was still nursing the first. Then she wondered why she cared. She wasn’t one for meaningless involvements of any kind, especially with someone like Aidan who wasn’t the kind to linger for long.
    Faltering to the beat, she forced her mind away from thoughts of Aidan and back to the playfulness of the music. She was just loosening up a bit when the song ended and the band announced that they had a request.
    Suddenly, Aidan was at her side, holding out his hand. Samantha was moving back to the table where Kate and Natalie sat, watching with extreme fascination.
    The lead singer crooned the opening bars of Gloria Estefan’s “Words Get in the Way.”
    â€œI’m not interested,” she said, glancing down at his hand before shooting her gaze up to his face.
    â€œIt’s just a dance,” he replied, the tone of his voice low. A bedroom voice, perfect for whispering endearments. Lush with sensual promise. A well-rehearsed voice that had likely worked for him on many an occasion.
    â€œI’m your boss,” she hissed back and peered around to realize they were starting to attract attention, which was the last thing she needed. She liked her privacy and didn’t need the village gossips wagging their tongues over her.
    â€œI promise I won’t claim harassment.” He grinned and wiggled his fingers, again urging her to dance and rather than risk a scene, she snared his hand and joined him in the slow dance.
    Bad boy that he was, he took advantage of the opportunity to come close. Inclining his head, he whispered in her ear, “Relax.”
    Hard to do when she was so aware of him physically. Close, but not as close as he maybe wanted. She would give him credit for that. He wasn’t a total cad.
    His chivalry didn’t stop him from keeping his hands at her waist for the longest time while she slipped both of her hands to his shoulders—those broad, leanly muscled shoulders she remembered from the other day.
    Finally, he exerted just the tiniest bit of pressure to urge her closer until she barely brushed his chest as they moved to the music.
    An annoying tingle of awareness awoke again. A little shiver danced through her when he bent his head and asked, “It’s not so bad, is it?”
    No, it wasn’t. If anything, it was a bit too good. She found herself pressing her cheek to his and moving an inch closer. Which brought a shudder and made her fight her way back from him to avoid her attraction.
    She hated how she responded to him and took to mentally counting the seconds that passed in an effort to distract herself.
    â€œRelax,” he urged again, smoothing his hands up and down her back. Pressed her to shift nearer.
    Reluctantly she went, still counting. Finding that ineffective, she opted for another tack. “Gloria doesn’t strike me as your type, either.”
    He chuckled. “Eclectic, remember? Besides, her music soothes me.”
    She jerked away and eyed him dubiously. “Soothes you?”
    Aidan smiled and cradled the side of her face. “Yes, soothes. As in, to relax. To let yourself go.” As he said that, he stroked the side of her face and then eased that hand to the nape of her neck and pressed her close once more.
    Once there, he continued, gently whispering in her ear. “Listen to the words. What she’s trying to say.”
    Despite her best efforts, she found herself doing as he asked. She let the words slip into her, let herself finally relax against him, moving her body to those sensuous beats, and he did the same.
    When the song ended and the band abruptly resumed with a loud and fast number, it