Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 107687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“I hope you do.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. I like it. A lot.” Oh, that pleases him, and the flush on his cheeks has me tight all over. “If you keep smiling like that at me, I may enjoy dancing.”
Dimitri’s eyes spark as he kisses my nose. “You’re going to love dancing, because you’ll be in my arms.”
I’m not convinced, but it does entice me. I find he does that a lot.
When we get to the dance floor, I have to admit, I don’t hate it. He dances with no cares, moving his body, those hips, and singing loudly as he does. I laugh, oh, I laugh so hard as I move awkwardly with him. Soon, though, I don’t care, and I let…well, sort of loose. Not fully, but sort of. Especially when my sisters come out and dance to “YMCA” with us. We jump, we sing, and boy, do we laugh. Dimitri spins Clara and Elliot at the same time as they giggle, while Louisa and I dance hand in hand and Eliza does the worm. It’s a hoot, and while I’d rather be kissing Dimitri, this is almost as good.
Key word being almost.
When a slow song comes on, Dimitri looks at me and then holds out his hand. I take it, and he pulls me to him, holding my back with one hand and my hand in his other. I lay my head on his chest, and his lips press into the top of my head as we sway back and forth. It’s very intimate and very sweet. He was right; it is fun dancing when I’m in his arms. I close my eyes, cuddling deep in his chest, taking in his woodsy, spicy scent. I feel his lips moving against my temple as he sings along with the song.
I’m lost in everything that is him.
I open my eyes, inhaling him, but then my breath catches when I notice people watching us. Some of the guys from the team have their eyes on us, as does my peepaw. When I see Shelli looking at us, my stomach clenches. I close my eyes, moving my nose into his chest against his cross.
“What’s wrong?” he whispers against my hair.
“Everyone is watching,” I mutter into his chest.
“So?”
Of course he’d be unbothered. “Are you not worried what they’ll say?”
“Not at all.”
I look up at him through my lashes. “What about Shelli? Your friends?”
“What about them?”
“What if there are repercussions from this?”
He presses his lips to my forehead. “Then we’ll deal with them.”
Oh, how frustrating. “It must be nice to be you,” I say, lifting my head to look at him. “To not care that everyone is watching us.”
“It is. Try it,” he says simply, holding my gaze. “All I see is you, Janie.”
As I look into his eyes, I don’t see anyone else, but I know that won’t last forever. No one wants to just stare at each other. And plus, I’m sure one of us will start laughing, and then I’ll see everyone watching us again. “I don’t want us to get in trouble.”
He shakes his head. “Why would we?”
“For fraternizing?” I laugh, and he just grins.
“I think we’re more than fraternizing, but that’s a fine word, I guess. Plus, I’ve read the employee handbook. Janie, you read the employee handbook and took notes,” he reminds me.
“I know, but still—”
“Janie, I do what I want, and I want to dance with you. Kiss you. Be with you.”
He is so sure of himself, so carefree, and it drives me wild. In a bad way, but also in a really, really good way. “Kiss me, Dimitri.”
He smiles. “Janie, I was going to anyway,” he whispers before he presses his lips to mine. I move my hand to his neck, cupping it as our lips lock together. I know for a damn fact that a lot of people will have a lot of questions, but at this moment, I couldn’t care less.
Because I’m kissing Dimitri, and nothing in this world could ruin that for me.
But I can’t really believe my own mind when I think that.
When the song ends, he moves his fingers down my jaw and then kisses my nose. “I gotta pee.”
“How gallant.”
He grins. “Don’t worry, Janie. I’ll be just as gallant as Claudius once we get home.”
“Dimitri!” I gasp since Claudius is not gallant at all, but super indecent. And oh my God, I’ll die if Dimitri tries half of what Claudius does even in the first chapter!
Dimitri knows this, and his dimples appear. “Be right back.”
I almost smack him when he presses his lips to my nose, but I refrain as he walks away, buttoning his jacket while he laughs. I find that I’m breathing hard, grinning from ear to ear as I watch him go. I decide a drink will be best, so I walk off the dance floor toward my family’s table. At first, I don’t even notice that Peepaw has fallen into step with me, and soon, the anxiety of whatever he has to say threatens to suffocate me.