Love on Beach Avenue(74)

“Same.”

They smiled at each other, and then the DJ mixed into another song. Noelle shouted and began swaying her hips. “Come dance with me!”

Avery focused on the slow bluesy-type sound. Couples began pairing up on the dance floor, arms and legs tangled together. “It’s a slow song.”

“Who cares?” Noelle grabbed her hands, dragging her out. Only then did she notice Ally and Judith dancing together, laughing hysterically.

“Girl power!” Ally declared with a slight slur.

Maddie joined in, and they began a giant group hug that slightly resembled dancing.

Suddenly, Carter cut into the circle, grabbing his sister and spinning her into his arms. “Come on, Ally-Cat. Show me your moves.”

Ally’s face lit up under her brother’s attention. “I love you, bro,” she said with a sigh, making him laugh while he guided her in tight loops around the crowded floor. “Best man of honor ever.”

“Man HO,” Avery popped in, shooting him a glare. The champagne had loosened her tongue. “In my world, it’s Man HO.”

Ally cracked up. “Imagine my brother as a Man HO. Maybe you’ll get lucky tonight,” she teased her brother.

The look he shot Avery held little humor. In fact, his gaze narrowed with such intensity, she shivered and hid a bit behind Judith, who was still bouncing back and forth in an imitation of dancing.

“Maybe I will,” he said, his dark voice making lava bubble through Avery’s veins. Suddenly, he traded off Ally to Judith and reached for Avery. “Switch,” he said. “I’d like to dance with the wedding planner.”

Ally giggled, and the ladies drifted off toward the right, getting closer to the DJ booth.

“What was that about?” he asked, lowering his mouth to speak close to her ear. “Did I miss something?”

Temper and embarrassment and alcohol mixed together in an explosive cocktail. “You missed dancing with your hot blonde,” she said. Heat rushed to her cheeks. It was awful to know she was acting like a jealous girlfriend and unable to stop it. “Didn’t she want to dance with you?”

Amusement glinted in his pewter eyes. Her body tensed, and her nails dug into his upper arms. Did he think that was funny? “Actually, she did. I told her I had a bachelorette party to take care of and wanted to dance with my sister.”

“I’m not your sister.”

He sucked in a breath and leaned in. Sexy stubble clung to his jaw and hugged his lips. “No, you’re not.” He paused. “You jealous?”

“No. I don’t care if she turns you on. Go sleep with her. Isn’t that exactly what you’re looking for? A bit of fun with no strings?”

His lips firmed. “Sweetheart, holding your hand gives me a hard-on. That woman could strip naked in front of me and I wouldn’t be interested.”

His words pummeled her defenses like rocks against glass. She didn’t speak, caught between the need to believe him and the awful ache tearing her apart that urged her to move in and claim him. Touch. Pleasure. Possess.

Love.

He lowered his head and spoke against her mouth. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you or what you said. And I need to figure this shit out soon because I need you too damn bad. Now, let me hold you for a little while, sweetheart. Dance with me.”

She shivered and moved closer, her body giving up the fight and melting against him.

He growled her name and pulled her in, his hips cradled against hers, his arms wrapped around her waist, palms on her ass. In the dark and the neon flashing lights, they were just blurry silhouettes, mashed into a crowd of strangers. His lips coasted over her cheek, his breath a warm rush of air, his lips inches away from hers. Surroundings drifted away until she was caught in a cocoon of warmth and want, his scent in her nostrils, her fingers in his hair, drowning in a wave of hunger she no longer wanted to fight.

When the song ended, it took a long time for them to break apart. The release of his hold pained her, until they stood staring at each other on the crazed dance floor.

Ally and Maddie danced in between them, grabbing her wrist, and she was pulled away to disappear back into the crowd.

But his words haunted her.

She didn’t know if it was one hour that had passed or three when she realized the group had reached its limit. Ally was slurring, Judith was screaming from being music deaf, and Maddie had a wasted smile on her face. Noelle was a happy drunk and kept hugging everyone. Avery was just about to go find Carter and let him know they were done, when he appeared with one of the smartly dressed VIPs who held chilled bottles of water.

“Drink up, ladies,” he said cheerfully. “We’ll get you to your suites so you can relax and get some sleep.”

Everyone nodded, hydrated, and headed up to the elevators. Carter tipped the guy and personally escorted each of them into their rooms, which were all right next to each other. Avery had stopped drinking champagne after the dance with Carter, so she was more tired than tipsy, but she helped him make sure the ladies were okay by themselves and weren’t about to be puking all night.

Finally, the last door was shut. Avery stopped in front of her own room and slid out her key card.

“You okay?”

She swallowed and tried not to look at him. “Yep. I switched to water a while ago, so I’m fine.”