if she would have been the one to ask him to compete. He grinned. “I do have to admit you and Vic looked good out there.”
Breaking eye contact, she scanned the room. “We did some competitions together.”
He let out a light chuckle. “It shows.”
Trying to ignore the coconut scent that seemed to magnify whenever he turned her in or out, he did what he shouldn’t have done. He asked how she was feeling, “How are you holding up?”
A wall the size of East Germany instantly shut out her emotions. “I’m fine.”
He knew the opposite was true. He also knew she wouldn’t admit it. After yesterday, he had thought he would probably never get to see that vulnerable mess of a woman again. He’d kind of liked her. He pulled her in a little tighter. He noticed how even though she was only wearing a little make up, the mascara made her eyes look bigger and her lashes seemed to go on forever. He’d never liked women that made too much of a fuss and wore layers of make up. He could tell she wasn’t one of those women.
“What?” Her eyes flashed to his.
“Nothing,” he answered too quickly, spinning her out and back in. He tried to think of more dance moves to impress her.
Holding his gaze, she squinted. A confused look crossed her face. “You seem like you’re having fun tonight.”
Unsure if it was a question or a statement, he mimicked her confused look and leaned closer, whispering, “It’s confusing, isn’t it, that Legend James could actually…drumroll, please…have a heart?”
Rolling her eyes, she smiled. “Okay, maybe I was a bit too harsh to call you a cold-hearted snake.”
He gave her hand a light squeeze and laughed. “You’re wondering how come, after all the months of research, I’m not that arrogant, cocky jerk of a guy,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows, “At least, not all of the time.”
She watched his eyebrows and then laughed. “Wow, I think this is the part of you that the public is missing, your talented eyebrows. I have never seen anyone lift them separately like that.”
A laugh jerked out of him. He felt completely silly and like he was back in junior high trying to impress a girl.
After he laughed, she laughed and his heart nearly burst. It sounded amazing.
The song ended, and he stood there, holding her in his arms. His heart was pounding and his mouth was turning dry.
Carefully, she extricated herself out of his grasp. “I better get going before…” she looked around and then back to him.
“Before Victor asks you for another dance,” he stated.
Her cheeks flushed red, and she rolled her eyes. He realized how much he loved watching her get embarrassed. She backed up and then flashed him a smile. “I will say this about you Legend James, you’re a better dancer than I thought you’d be.”
He watched her find Rosie and give her a quick hug. Then she quietly moved for the door.
There was no way to stop himself he discovered as he did the exact thing she’d done. He pulled a fifty out of his pocket and handed it to Rosie, wanting to be known as a good tipper, too. Then he let her kiss both of his cheeks. “Thank you. This was the best party I’ve been to all year.”
Clearly delighted, she laughed. “You come back and see us.”
“I will.” He rushed out of the restaurant and moved up Main Street in the direction of Charity’s grandfather’s house. It was dark, and he had to rush up the stairs that led to the other street and search for her. He couldn’t remember exactly where the house was in relation to the Mexican restaurant.
“You know, your behavior is more than a little stalkerish at the moment, Mr. James.”
He jumped a little and grabbed his heart. She was coming from behind him, and he whirled back. “You scared me.”
Moving next to him, she kept walking. “C’mon, you have a lot tougher guys coming at you most of the time.”
He fell into step beside her. “True, but I’m used to knowing when someone is coming for me,
Breaking eye contact, she scanned the room. “We did some competitions together.”
He let out a light chuckle. “It shows.”
Trying to ignore the coconut scent that seemed to magnify whenever he turned her in or out, he did what he shouldn’t have done. He asked how she was feeling, “How are you holding up?”
A wall the size of East Germany instantly shut out her emotions. “I’m fine.”
He knew the opposite was true. He also knew she wouldn’t admit it. After yesterday, he had thought he would probably never get to see that vulnerable mess of a woman again. He’d kind of liked her. He pulled her in a little tighter. He noticed how even though she was only wearing a little make up, the mascara made her eyes look bigger and her lashes seemed to go on forever. He’d never liked women that made too much of a fuss and wore layers of make up. He could tell she wasn’t one of those women.
“What?” Her eyes flashed to his.
“Nothing,” he answered too quickly, spinning her out and back in. He tried to think of more dance moves to impress her.
Holding his gaze, she squinted. A confused look crossed her face. “You seem like you’re having fun tonight.”
Unsure if it was a question or a statement, he mimicked her confused look and leaned closer, whispering, “It’s confusing, isn’t it, that Legend James could actually…drumroll, please…have a heart?”
Rolling her eyes, she smiled. “Okay, maybe I was a bit too harsh to call you a cold-hearted snake.”
He gave her hand a light squeeze and laughed. “You’re wondering how come, after all the months of research, I’m not that arrogant, cocky jerk of a guy,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows, “At least, not all of the time.”
She watched his eyebrows and then laughed. “Wow, I think this is the part of you that the public is missing, your talented eyebrows. I have never seen anyone lift them separately like that.”
A laugh jerked out of him. He felt completely silly and like he was back in junior high trying to impress a girl.
After he laughed, she laughed and his heart nearly burst. It sounded amazing.
The song ended, and he stood there, holding her in his arms. His heart was pounding and his mouth was turning dry.
Carefully, she extricated herself out of his grasp. “I better get going before…” she looked around and then back to him.
“Before Victor asks you for another dance,” he stated.
Her cheeks flushed red, and she rolled her eyes. He realized how much he loved watching her get embarrassed. She backed up and then flashed him a smile. “I will say this about you Legend James, you’re a better dancer than I thought you’d be.”
He watched her find Rosie and give her a quick hug. Then she quietly moved for the door.
There was no way to stop himself he discovered as he did the exact thing she’d done. He pulled a fifty out of his pocket and handed it to Rosie, wanting to be known as a good tipper, too. Then he let her kiss both of his cheeks. “Thank you. This was the best party I’ve been to all year.”
Clearly delighted, she laughed. “You come back and see us.”
“I will.” He rushed out of the restaurant and moved up Main Street in the direction of Charity’s grandfather’s house. It was dark, and he had to rush up the stairs that led to the other street and search for her. He couldn’t remember exactly where the house was in relation to the Mexican restaurant.
“You know, your behavior is more than a little stalkerish at the moment, Mr. James.”
He jumped a little and grabbed his heart. She was coming from behind him, and he whirled back. “You scared me.”
Moving next to him, she kept walking. “C’mon, you have a lot tougher guys coming at you most of the time.”
He fell into step beside her. “True, but I’m used to knowing when someone is coming for me,
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