The Year I Became Isabella Anders (Sunnyvale, #1)(50)

“Stop overthinking and dance.” He grinds his hips against my backside and I laugh, finding it funnier than I probably should.

But this is Kai, not some random stranger at a club who Indigo roped into dancing with me. Kai, who used to walk home with me, who secretly shared my love for magic, superheroes, and zombies. Who teases me constantly and who pisses me off sometimes.

He seems pretty adamant about dancing with me, though, upping his moves as he grips my hips and pulls me closer.

“Okay, I guess we’re doing this then.” I down the rest of my beer, knowing I’m going to need it, then set the empty beer bottle down on the floor.

Giving one final panicked glance at the people around me, I sway my hips and rock to the beat of the music. I don’t move slowly either. That’s not my style. I may have social anxiety, but give me a drink and some loud music, and I’ll go wild. I’m talking freak out, lose your mind, whip it, shake your groove thang kind of dancing. I blame it on Indigo and the first time we went out clubbing.

Kai’s hand slides around to my stomach, his fingers dipping under the hem of my shirt. When his knuckles graze my bare skin right above my hipbone, I have a hard time focusing. And breathing. Suddenly, I no longer think dancing with him is that funny. I find it. . . . well, sexy.

His fingers trace circles on my skin as he grinds his hips against me. I fight to keep moving the way I was before all the touching started, but I keep spacing out and forgetting how to function.

His breath caresses my ear as he chuckles. “You seem tense. I thought you said you could dance.”

He’s so doing this on purpose. To distract me.

“Yep, I sure can,” I say, and then really start dancing, ignoring everything around me like I did when I was overseas.

I lift my arms, sway my hips, and rock out, matching the beat of the song. Kai lines his body up with mine and we move together perfectly. Song after song, we keep going, practically having sex with our clothes on. I’d be embarrassed—and maybe I will be, come morning—but right now, I’m having fun.

I’m not sure how long we dance or how long it would’ve gone on, but then Kai ruins the moment by licking the side of my neck.

I squeal, whirling toward him while I wipe his slobber off my neck.

He gives me an innocent look. “What? That’s how I thought all the cool kids were greeting each other tonight.”

I keep my hand cupped over the side of my neck for protection. “First of all, you weren’t trying to greet me. And second of all, it creeped the hell out of me when Bradon licked me.”

His chest shakes as he fights not to laugh at me. “I don’t think I’m as creepy as Bradon.”

“You know what? You’re right.” Which means I can pay him back. I let my arm fall to the side, lean forward, and lick his neck like a dog.

He jumps back, startled, and then busts up laughing, hunching over as he grasps his side. Unable to help myself, I join in with him.

After the laughter dies down, we mutually agree not to lick each other anymore and start dancing again. By the time we stop to get some water, we’re sweaty, hot, and out of breath. We wander back to the kitchen and Kai gets a bottle of water from the fridge, taking a sip before handing it to me. I down most of the water in just a few gulps then hand the bottle back to him.

“Now you’ve got me curious,” Kai says after he finishes the rest of the water.

“Over what?” I ask, wiping my damp forehead with my hand.

“Who taught you how to dance like that?”

“That awesomeness can’t be taught. It’s just pure talent.”

Chuckling, he fixes himself another drink, this time mostly whiskey and a splash of soda. “All right, you own your awesomeness.”

I smile as he hands me a beer. I open the bottle then trail after him as he glides the sliding glass door open and ducks outside onto the back patio. The crisp night air feels great on my sweaty skin as I step outside. I figure the reason why Kai came out here was to get some fresh air, but he continues down the steps and heads toward a pool house in the far back corner of the yard.

Unsure if he wants me to follow him, I lollygag on the patio, keeping my distance from a couple of guys lounging in the lawn chairs, smoking and laughing about something.

“You coming? Or are you just going to stand there?” Kai hollers when he stops in front of the pool house door, the porch light hitting his face.

Relieved he isn’t making me stand there by myself, I hurry down the stairs and across the grass to him, gulping down my beer.

“I wasn’t sure if you wanted me to follow you or not,” I say, picking at the label on the beer bottle.

“Silly girl, of course I wanted you to follow me,” he replies, his speech starting to slur.

I laugh at him. “You’re so drunk.”

“No way,” he insists, stumbling and bumping his elbow on the door. He blinks as he looks inside his cup. “Okay, maybe just a little.” He sets his cup down on a rusty patio table, raises his hand, and taps his knuckles against the door.

“What are we doing out here?” I put the mouth of the bottle to my lips and take another drink.

A drunkenly droopy grin spreads across his face that makes him so adorably cute it’s ridiculous. “This is my connection.” He pats the door like it’s his best friend.