Ted
moved away from her as if he’d been burned. “Alec, good to see you.”
“You
do know you’re hitting on my partner’s daughter, right, Ted?”
“Just
asking her for a dance.”
Emersyn
glanced between the two; she actually preferred Ted’s company to the man who
seemed to go out of his way to make her crazy.
Alec
reached for her hand and set it in his palm. “Actually, she promised this dance
to me. They’re playing our song.”
The muscles in her body tensed as her fingernails dug into
his skin. “I don’t—”
“Music
is on, Em. Shall we?” His other hand went around her waist, and he gave her a
swift yank.
“Jerkball,
let go,” she hissed in his ear.
His
grip tightened. “It’s just one dance. Play nice.”
Alec
escorted Emersyn to the small dance floor near the bandstand. Every instinct in
her wanted to slap his arrogant expression right into next week, but that would
make a scene. It was what half the bar expected the instant he got within
striking distance. They were all waiting for her to let loose. But this was a
new day, a new diploma, new job, new Emersyn. Emotions in check.
“My
name is Emersyn. I would think you would remember something so simple.”
Alec’s
face lit with a grin as his arms brought her close and their bodies began to
move to the music. She shot a glare at Tessa, pleading for her to do something.
Instead, her sister, the traitor, took another sip of Emersyn’s drink, lifted
it in a toast, and rotated in her seat.
A
chuckle came from deep in Alec’s throat. “Tessa likes me. You can thank me
now.”
“I
can also knee you where the sun doesn’t shine.”
He
lifted her chin with his thumb. “Now that wasn’t nice. I sacrificed a night
with that blonde”—he nodded to a beautiful woman sitting at the end of the
bar—“just to keep Lecher Ted from hitting on you … again.”
“What
makes you think I needed rescuing?”
“Oh
please, Tessa, make the creep go away. I’m ever so sweet and don’t want to hurt
the poor jerk’s feelings.”
She
yanked out of Alec’s hold, but he was ready and moved her back into his arms
without missing a beat.
“Relax.
I’m teasing.”
“You
are such an ass.”
His
lips brushed over her ear. “Enjoy our moment, Em.”
Impossible.
They had more layers of misunderstanding between them than her mother’s
chocolate cake, heated words that couldn’t be unheard and arguments with no
closure.
After
her father had mentioned at dinner that Alec was joining them for dessert,
she’d jumped at Tessa’s offer to buy her a drink at the tavern. It was the
perfect place to hide out. A lone wolf like Alec wouldn’t be caught dead in the
crowded, noisy bar. But here he was. She’d run but not far enough.
“I’m
sorry I missed your graduation ceremony, but I have a little something for
you,” he whispered.
“You
didn’t need to do that.”
“I’m
proud of you.”
The
words sounded so genuine. “Dad seems resigned to the idea of me at least
working alongside cops, if not as a cop.”
“Joe
doesn’t want you anywhere near the job. But you found a way around that.
Instead of crawling in the gutter looking for the worst mankind has to offer,
you’re picking through what they left behind.”
She
halted in the middle of the dance floor. “You think that’s why I became a
forensic scientist?”
“I
didn’t mean it like that.”
“Then
what did you mean?”
The
music stopped, and they stood still, glaring at each other. Our thing.
“I can’t do this tonight,” she said, dropping her hand to her sides. “Thanks.”
“For?”
“Saving
me from another go-around with Ted.”
“Do
you want me to talk to him?”
“I
can take care of myself.”
For
once, there was no comeback. Instead, he eased her against him and tucked her
hand over his heart. “Dance with me, Emersyn.”
That
sexy, got-to-have-you-now voice was back, and her other four senses came out to
play. Being close to Alec Pearce, taking in his spicy, clean soap scent,
feeling the strength of his arms around her wasn’t an awful feeling. Confusing?
Hell yes, but her body sure enjoyed it. It’s just a dance, right?
She
lowered one hand to his hip and brought the other around his neck, her cheek
resting against his. Alec tightened his grip around her waist as he spun them
around the dance floor. The move put their bodies in sync, and there was no
mistaking the effect she had on him. Her lips brushed against his skin, sending
shock waves through her.
He
sucked in a breath and tilted his head. Their gazes held for what seemed like
an eternity. He was so damn gorgeous, his deep brown eyes with a hint of gold,
lush lashes, and a dusting of five-o’clock shadow on his square jaw that she
ached to feel rubbed against all her soft places. As if he read her mind, his
mouth caressed her bottom lip. He waited, expecting her to pull back. Need took
over, and she lost her mind.
