No White Knight

Every time her body brushes mine, I tense up.

I’m on the verge of straight-up combusting, breathless and animalistic and hot.

We’re both misted in a thin skim of sweat by the time the song ends and we tumble together, laughing.

The night’s warm, but we’re on fire.

Her scent rolls off her real lush, sweeter than even the earthy scent of hay all around us.

She drapes her arms around my neck as the music melds into a slower song, and fuck, she’s so pliant and smooth against me.

Libby molds to me as we fall into a sway, still panting to catch our breath.

“You’re not half bad at this,” she whispers, tilting her face up to mine with unvoiced laughter sparkling in her eyes.

I settle my arms around her waist.

Fuck, yeah, she fits just right.

“You know what they say about dancing,” I tease, and she smirks.

“Do enlighten me.”

“It’s just sex with our clothes still on.” I grin. “So if I’m good at dancing…”

“Oh, I’ve heard enough rumors about your prowess, Holt. I don’t need to hear your bragging, too.” She giggles, though, and her body stays close to mine, moving with me as we turn in slow circles. “Besides. I said you’re not bad. I didn’t say you were good.”

“Ouch.” I lean down, nudging her nose with mine, pouring warm breath against her lips. “C’mon. Admit it. You’re having fun.”

“Maybe.” A little tilt of her head, her mouth teasing over mine. “But half of it’s ’cause that Norton girl is glaring bloody murder. I think she’s sulking.”

I try not to be obvious about glancing to one side, where Charity Norton leans against the wall, pretty as a picture in a little button-down jean dress with a painfully short skirt.

Another day, another time, another life…

Yeah, I might’ve been tempted by the sullen pout on those lips and those long farmer’s daughter legs.

Tonight, the only woman tempting me is already in my arms.

I chuckle, pressing my hands just a little harder to the small of Libby’s back. “She’ll get over it. Leave her to pout at her friends. They’ll tell her the rumors about me, and she’ll realize she had a near miss with disaster and she’s better off.”

“So that’s the verdict now?” Libby’s silent laughter makes her body move against mine in ways that make my cock jerk as her tits press against my chest. “Women are better off without you?”

“I’m a heartbreaker and a devil, you know.” Without even thinking about it, I’m leaning harder into her.

Just the two of us in our own little world. Not an inch of space between us, all heat and body language and slow, signaling movement.

“I hear one woman even calls me a snake on account of my eyes. Or maybe my tongue. Not quite sure,” I growl.

She sucks in a sharp breath, then narrows her eyes. “Felicity. That traitor. She told you I call you that?”

“Didn’t take much coaxing, either.” I drop my voice to a whisper. “It’s almost like she wanted me to know you’re hard up for a little Holt.”

Libby scowls. “Who says I am?”

“You,” I say. “The fact that you’re still holding on to me even though you’re glaring.”

Her breath sucks in and she shoves back, pushing at my chest. “I hate you.”

I let her go, but I can’t look away from the snapping fire in her eyes.

“Try again, honey. Don’t think hate is what you’re feeling right now.”

Hell no.

Not when she’s flushed thermonuclear, still breathing so hard her chest heaves even though we’ve been slow dancing for a few minutes now and my breath’s all caught up.

Not when I can see her nipples riled hard against the fabric of her dress, pressing in clear outlines and making my mouth burn, imagining how they’d feel on my tongue.

Libby’s brows draw together in a fierce line before she looks away sharply, folding her arms over her chest.

“I just need some fresh air,” she says. “I’m going for a walk.”

“You want some company?”

She darts an almost wary look at me.

Then looks away stubbornly before offering me her hand, slim fingers outstretched.

Fuck, she’s hardheaded to the end.

Leading her outside, we pass beneath the starry spangles of the string lights and move into the darkness beneath the real stars. The Milky Way’s a wild thing of beauty above us, breathtaking lights in a thousand pale colors.

I tilt my head up, looking at the sky as we walk hand in hand, the music fading behind us. We move along one of the pasture fences.

She’s not scowling anymore, but her expression’s pensive, withdrawn.

“You’re thinking about your dad, aren’t you?” I say.

She smiles weakly. “Sorry. I know we’re supposed to be having fun and forgetting things for a while, but…I can’t help it.”

“He was everything to you,” I tell her. “Now we’re standing out here under everything bright and spinning. Probably feels like those stars are him watching you right now.”