He winked. “You bet your pretty little ass I am.”
Chapter Two
Two songs later, and Ella felt happier than she had in ten months. With Kyler leading, and relaxed in his arms, she stayed in the present. The past and the future far from her mind. The band’s soft music eased her soul. Kyler left no space between their bodies, as if he were afraid to let her go. Secure in his strong arms, his hold warmed the icy parts of her heart. He made her forget all her pain and her objections to being involved with anyone.
After another spin, leaving her laughing, Kyler tugged her against his hard body. His woodsy scent infused the air around her and she rested her cheek against his hard chest, following his movements.
He made it so very easy.
“Looks like the bride and groom are leaving.”
Ella blinked, leaning away. “Pardon?”
Kyler gestured over her shoulder, and she glanced behind her, noticing the crowd following Aidan and Cora toward the pathway leading to the parking lot. “Oh, okay. I guess you have to go, then.” She pulled her hand from his and took a step back. “Thanks for the dance.”
“You made my night by accepting.” He gave that charming grin and winked. “Stepping on my feet and all.”
“I’m glad you found it memorable.” She laughed.
“Will I see you later?” he asked with raised brows. “Not leaving yet, right?”
She had planned to go up to her room once Aidan left the party. Now, looking at sex packaged in a tux, she changed her mind. Enjoy this, Ella. “Maybe one more glass of wine before I call it a night.”
“Perfect. I’ll come find you after the lovebirds are on their way.” Then he spun on his heels and was gone.
Ella watched him jog after the newlyweds and her gaze fell to his ass. Holy shit, even his ass looked incredible—tight and totally graspable. She chuckled at herself. A couple of dances and he has you pining after him.
She shook her head, trying to accept her reality and the fact that those dances had completely removed her objections. While she didn’t want another relationship, she could have some flirting fun, couldn’t she?
Kyler’s intensity consumed her, and with him no longer invading her space, the fire inside her abdomen slowly extinguished. Had he continued dancing with her, she might’ve invited him to her room.
She deserved that, didn’t she?
One night of blistering-hot sex to wash away the remnants of Rory and to officially move on from her failed marriage. To forget about him, and allow another man to appreciate her. She did. She deserved that.
Ella snorted to herself. Kyler had gotten her revved so high she actually planned a night of sex wit
hout him offering it first. He’d danced with her, and while it’d been smoking-hot, an offer for sex hadn’t been on the table.
As Kyler reached Aidan’s new wife, he took her into a hug that lasted awhile. He was close to her—Ella saw that in the way he held her gently and the look of tenderness on his face. Aidan seemed extremely close to all his groomsmen, as well as their girlfriends. During dinner, they had all gotten along really well.
It seemed—easy.
Something Ella hadn’t known in a long time.
Jealousy cut through her, and she wished she had that closeness, too. Since moving to Vegas, she hadn’t made many friends. The other employees at Aidan’s office were older than she, and perhaps she hadn’t gone out of her way to make an effort.
Kyler released Cora and gave Aidan a manly hug, and a heavy sadness stormed through Ella, displacing all desire. She missed her family … or, having anyone close at all. Her friends in Savannah had been Rory’s friends’ wives. When she’d left Rory, they had cut off contact, going so far as to unfriend her on Facebook. He’d been the one to leave her with six stitches and a black eye. She’d been the one who lost everything.
It hurt.
The bite of loneliness had her pressing a hand to her stomach. Feeling needy and on the verge of a serious pity party, she turned from the crowd. She felt slightly rude not saying goodbye to Aidan, but she’d see him back in the office after his two-week honeymoon in Thailand. And, really, who was she to him? Nothing more than an assistant he invited because it’d be an insult not to. While he seemed like a friend to her, he also didn’t include her in his life outside of their working relationship.
Ella strode along the patio as the warm breeze fluttered the strands of hair around her face. The band now played instrumental music, since the crowd was focused elsewhere. She passed the bar and noticed wineglasses resting on a serving tray. Needing more liquid happiness, she grabbed one and took a long sip.
To the right of the bar, a cobblestone pathway led down to the boat dock by the water. Another gush of wind lifted her skirt at her knees, and she quickly gathered her dress in her hand and headed for the pathway.
The sounds of the guitar strumming followed her as she reached the end of the boat dock. She glanced down into the dark water and smiled. If she needed anything right now, it was something to cool the jets.