“Ah well, it’s good to be part of a team for once. Almost glad my motorcycle got busted up,” he said, looking across the table at me with a wry smile. “Almost,” he tacked on with a chuckle as we continued to eat.
“I wouldn’t have let you leave anyways, Asher,” I teased back, adoring that little sparkle in his eyes whenever he looked my way.
We chuckled, and he ordered us some wine. It wasn’t exactly a fancy city style restaurant, but there was some Shiraz they had and, as Asher said, “That’ll do just fine.” So we got to sip some as the sun slowly started to go down, turnin’ the sky orange on the horizon, the younger folk the first to head towards the dance area.
I wasn’t in much of a rush. Just sittin’ and enjoyin’ his company was pleasant enough for me, though I admit I was nervous. Excited. The idea of feelin’ his hands on my hips, his body pressed close to mine was enough to make the butterflies in my tummy flutter and my mind go a bit hazy, even before the wine.
I sipped it, looking over the rim of my glass at him, and it was like everything was right with the world. And for the first time in a very long time, by my reckonin’.
When at last we’d both finished our wine, Asher stood up, the tallest fella at the whole shindig by a mile. He extended his hand to me, palm up, some of the curious markings on his inner arm visible.
“Shall we head on in for a dance or two, ma’am?” he asked, soundin’ more suave than any of the country fellas I knew by landslide. While all around us the dance committee folk turned on the lights to compensate for the growing darkness of night.
“I’d love to,” I said with a wide smile, his hand so much rougher than mine. Takin’ some time off from farm work had softened them right up, along with my usin’ coconut oil on them every day. I wanted to feel a bit more feminine around him, what could I say?
He felt so warm from the hot summer day, his body radiating heat as I pulled in against him as we walked towards the other dancers.
The music, which was already in full swing, had been just a faint sound on the evenin’ air where we ate, but as we got over to the central pavilion and barn where the band played, it was boomin’.
“Shall we?” he said, but without waitin’ he took hold of my hand and my hip and took us out onto the dance floor with a powerful tug. A big grin lit up his face as he guided me into the first swings and motions of the dance.
The beat was fast, and all around us was laughter and joy, everyone really lettin’ their hair down for a change. I’d never been to nothin’ like it, and the giddiness was infectin’ me. I twirled in front of him, just like I had at the house, my skirt floatin’ up around my bare legs before my hand went to his hard chest, touchin’ there lightly. I was still uncertain of myself, of what to do, but I knew I’d fallen hard for him and touchin’ his body like I was felt amazing.
And him, he smiled down at me all the while, those big strong hands on my body, holdin’ me so firmly, feelin’ me in return. But ever the gentleman about it. Only the slightest hints of touches less appropriate. A brief graze of his fingers along my rear as I came to a halt to look up at him again, the light brush of his thumb along the edge of my breasts.
Each dance was magical, more so than the last as we got into a groove together. Our bodies masterin’ the art of workin’ as one on the dancefloor. It was so thrillin’, and it was clear he was enjoyin’ it no less than me.
“You’ve got some real moves. Especially for a woman who’s never danced before,” he said, and I felt for a moment like he had figured out my secret; that I’d dance by myself in my room ever since I was a lil’ girl.
I laughed it off, though, trying to play coy. The band moved to something slower, and he held me a bit tighter, pulling my body against his. My soft breasts against his hard torso, his firm hand on the low of my back as he looked down upon me with a devious glint in his eye.
I could barely breathe, my heart beating so fast as my head spun.
I was in heaven.
The two of us just worked so well together, like a team as Asher said, but so much more. Gazin’ up at him, him down at me, our eyes were locked and it felt so special, his hold on me tightening, squeezing me in against his hard, sculpted body.
Slowly he began to lean down into me, his lips partin’ just a bit, and I felt compelled in closer to him in turn. My head tilted, and we were a hairs breadth away from kissin’. When some scuffle off to the right nabbed our attention.
Asher looked over, and his eyes went wide, then narrowed hard. I followed after his gaze and saw the source of the sounds: several big, leather-clad ruffians were shovin’ the doormen, tryin’ to get into the dance without payin’ I guess.
“Brutes,” I said with a roll of my eyes, angry that they’d interrupted my moment. Our moment.
I could still feel his warm breath on my mouth, but I knew it’d passed. I looked up at him again, and I could tell, he wasn’t just mad that they’d interrupted our kiss.
I looked towards the group of men again and my heart went chill. What was going on?
“Fuck,” Asher cursed, and he moved his hands from around me and took hold of my hand, beginnin’ to guide me through the crowd towards the back of the pavilion.
It wasn’t like Asher to be scared of someone, I thought. After all, I saw how quickly he took off to investigate the disturbance that night at the farm.
“What’s wrong?” I asked him as we began to move.
“Trouble,” he muttered to me. But he was the type of man to run to trouble, not away from it. He went to help, not get away.
“Shouldn’t we help then?” I asked as we moved through the crowd.
“They won’t cause too much trouble, not unless they find me here,” he said through gritted teeth.