Actual Stop (Agent O’Connor #1)(62)

Rico met my eyes, and he echoed my smile before turning me again. It’d been way too long since I’d been out dancing, and I’d forgotten how much fun it was. I made a mental note to ask Rico and Paige to go out again soon and counted myself lucky that Paige couldn’t dance like this and didn’t mind lending me her husband once in a while.

The song was over way too soon, and Rico lifted me into his arms and spun me around as the last chords of the music faded away, replaced by an undanceable popular pop song. The five or six work guys still left broke into spontaneous applause, and Rico and I made a big show of bowing to the crowd. I laughed right along with him as we stumbled back over to Allison and Paige, beaming and a little breathless.

Paige’s grin was enormous, and her glassy eyes sparkled. “That was great, you guys.” She nudged Allison. “Weren’t they great?” She didn’t wait for an answer as she wrapped her arms around Rico in an exuberant hug.

Allison was staring at me, something not unlike shock painted across her face.

“What?” I wanted to know.

“I didn’t know you could do that.”

I shrugged and glanced away, embarrassed. Was she complimenting or criticizing me? I kept quiet.

“Have you always been able to do that?”

“For as long as I can remember.”

“I’ve never seen you dance before.”

“Well, no, you wouldn’t have.”

“It was very hot.”

A sharp stab of desire cut straight through me, slicing cleanly through the threads of uncertainty that’d gotten tangled inside me. I cleared my throat. “It’s even hotter when you do it with someone you’re actually attracted to.”

She was quiet, something intense and almost primitive flickering in her eyes. “Could you teach me?”

“Definitely.” I cocked my head, so I could better hear the song currently playing. No, this wouldn’t work.

“Let’s go.” Allison’s voice held more than a hint of a command, and underneath lurked a slim thread of passion.

I shook my head again. “Not now.”

Allison looked hurt. She set her jaw. “Okay.”

I rested one hand on her bare forearm. “I’m not a very good lead. I haven’t had that much practice.” I sketched a vague gesture in the air with my hand, indicating the music surrounding us. “I won’t be able to teach you how to dance to this. I’m not proficient enough to ignore the beat. Rico might be able to do it, but if you want me, we’ll have to wait for another song.”

Realization dawned on Allison’s face, followed by a tender sort of smile, which confused the hell out of me. What had she thought I’d been talking about?

“No, I meant let’s leave.”

“Oh. I thought you wanted me to teach you to dance.”

Allison shook her head, the sway of her dark hair as it brushed the tops of her bare shoulders mesmerizing me. “I do. But not here.”

I colored. How could I have forgotten we had an audience? She wouldn’t want them to see us doing something as intimate as dancing. And she was right. We didn’t need to fuel their fantasies. Besides, after five seconds of moving with her in my arms while she stared at me with that hungry look, I might ravish her on the spot, audience and probable jail time be damned.

“Oh. Right. Sorry.” I hesitated, thinking, and then it hit me what she’d just said. She wanted us to leave. Together.

My eyebrows flew up, and I gaped at her. Her blatant desire left me speechless. Even when we’d been a couple, she’d never wanted anyone to see us depart a party together. We’d always had to duck out separately with at least thirty minutes between our departure times, even though we intended to spend the night in each other’s arms. What had changed? Anything? I didn’t want to make the wrong assumption.

Allison smiled at me again, probably reading my uncertainty, and extended a hand. Tentatively, I took it. Again, her behavior stymied me. Not that I was complaining. I just didn’t understand what was going on, and I didn’t like being clueless.

She threaded her fingers through mine and pulled me toward the door. I stopped her with a light tug, and she turned around, looking part bewildered and part irritated. I squeezed her hand.

“Just give me a second to say good-bye to Rico and Paige.”

Relief flickered in Allison’s eyes, and she nodded.

I made my way back to my friends, who also looked like they were getting ready to call it a night. We quickly exchanged hugs, as well as promises to call and get together again soon. My heart was stomping out a vigorous treble reel as I floated back over to Allison, and a flutter of nervousness tickled my insides.

Allison gazed at me with tenderness and once again offered me her hand. She always could read me better than anyone on the planet, which could be a blessing or a curse. Tonight it was the former. I smiled at her as I took her hand and allowed her to lead me out the door and into the night.





Chapter Twenty


Allison shivered as the cool night air hit her. I took her jacket from where she’d slung it carelessly over her arm and held it up. A secretive smile touched the corners of her lips as she turned her back to me and allowed me to help her into it. I wanted so badly to place a small kiss on the side of her neck just below and behind her ear, but somehow I made myself wait. I sighed softly at the memory the faint scent of her perfume invoked and felt her shiver again. Was it due to my proximity to her? I smiled.