“That’s a good idea,” Cannon said, shifting until the couple stood. “Let’s say goodbye to the lovebirds, then we can test out that spot you mentioned earlier.”
“Cannon!” Persephone chided him, her cheeks flushing slightly, but she still took his hand as they headed toward London and Jansen to say goodbye.
“God,” I said, blowing out a breath. “Does everyone just find their true love when they’re a hockey star?” I teased, taking a sip of ice water to cool me down. There was so much love flying all over the place I was afraid it might catch.
“Hell no,” Maxim said, taking a drink from a crystal tumbler. “Not everyone is looking for their happily ever after. Don’t let this select group of weirdos fool you.”
I laughed, and Caspian rolled his eyes.
“Just because you like playing the field doesn’t mean everyone wants to do that forever,” Caspian said.
“Is that right?” Maxim cocked an eyebrow at Caspian, leaning closer over the table. “And what about you?” He waved toward London and Jansen on the dancefloor. “You see them and suddenly you want that life?”
I swallowed around the knot in my throat, suddenly feeling like I shouldn’t be sitting in on this conversation. I flashed Evie and Maxim’s sister a pleading look, who both looked similarly uncomfortable.
Caspian turned, glancing at his sister with a smile. “I’m never one to say never,” he said, then shifted in his chair to face me. “Something I would like to do right now is dance.”
I sputtered around my drink, quickly sitting it down. “With me?” I asked.
“No, with Maxim,” he said, rolling his eyes as he stretched out his hand.
“Jokes on you,” Maxim said, shaking his head. “I’m a fantastic dancer.”
“I’ve seen that train wreck,” Caspian teased as I slipped my hand into his. “Hard pass.”
Warmth spread from his fingers onto mine as he led me to the dancefloor, the band transitioning to a sultry tune.
“You really wanted to dance?” I asked wrapping my arms around his neck. “Or were you trying to dodge Maxim’s question?” I teased, gasping slightly as his hands fell to my hips and he tugged me closer.
“I love to dance,” he said. “I wasn’t dodging anything.”
I nodded, my cheeks flushing. It wasn’t like we had exactly talked about what happened between us at the drive in while we were prepping this party. This was the first moment we’d had alone since, and the realization of that had butterflies flapping in my stomach.
“You okay?” he asked, genuine concern in his eyes. “You’re all tense.”
I tried to consciously loosen up. Why did I have to over analyze everything? Caspian clearly wasn’t. In fact, he was acting like nothing had happened. He was acting like he hadn’t blown my mind last night, shaking up my world in ways I’d never considered before. I mean, sure, I had good sex before, but that? God, we didn’t even have sex and it was the best orgasm of my life. How could he be better than…well, me?
“I’m fine,” I said, finally collecting myself enough to respond.
“Fine…” He repeated the word, cocking a brow at me as he moved us to the beat.
London and Jansen laughed across the way, oblivious to anyone around them. It was beautiful, and a pang of longing hit me in the chest. What would it feel like to be wanted in that way? To be truly, wonderfully desired by your partner? Not someone who was running away from the life you’d planned, or someone who was passing through town and doing me a favor.
I swallowed around the gritty feeling in my chest, and forced myself to focus.
“You upset that Chuck isn’t here?” he asked as the song flowed into another melody.
“What?” I asked, blinking out of my thoughts.
He shrugged. “You seem off,” he said. “Wondering if that’s it.”
“I didn’t even realize he wasn’t here,” I admitted, trying like hell to not ponder that truth. And Caspian…he was dancing with me because he actually wanted to, not because we were putting on a show for my ex who wasn’t even here. And I truly didn’t care that he wasn’t, so what did that say about me? About all my plans?
It means you’re a hot fucking mess, that’s what.
“You didn’t?” Caspian asked, spinning me away from his body only to gently draw me back in. The smooth move had a laugh tumbling from my lips. “I guess I am pretty distracting,” he teased, grinning down at me.
“There’s the cocky boy I’ve always known,” I teased right back.
He pulled my body flush against his, rocking us back and forth to the beat. I gasped at the feel of him pressed against me, at those strong hands guiding my body to the music, causing all sorts of warm shivers to shoot across my skin.
“I haven’t been a boy for a long time, Ryleigh,” he said, his voice lowering between us.