When You're Back (Rosemary Beach #12)(12)

“Then he should have danced with you. Shame to have you on his arm and miss the chance to spin you around the dance floor.”

Mase hadn’t asked me to dance. I thought maybe he didn’t like to, but he was putting on a show with Aida. I watched as he picked her up and did some flippy thing. The crowd clapped and cheered. “She’s better at dancing than I am,” I admitted. “I couldn’t do that kind of stuff.”

I thought that would shut up River Kipling, but I was wrong. “That looks like work, not fun. Holding a woman close and feeling your body brush against hers, the tease of knowing you can’t touch anything the way you want to.” He paused. “That’s why you dance.”

I wanted him to shut up. I didn’t need him in my ear. I was trying to find a way to fit into Mase’s world. This guy wasn’t helping by putting doubts in my head. The song ended, and Mase shook his head when Aida obviously begged him to dance one more time.

When he turned toward me, I saw him tense up as his gaze shifted to River beside me.

“Bet he stops dancing now. You’re welcome,” River said in an amused tone.

I glanced back at him as he walked off. He did fill out a pair of jeans well, and he had a swagger when he walked. But he was infuriating otherwise.

“Was he bothering you?” Mase asked, as his hands slipped around me.

I forgot the aggravating man and looked up at Mase. “No, he was just talking about how good y’all danced.”

Mase frowned at that. “Yeah, sorry she made me do two. She’s coming now, so we can go.”

I nodded.

Aida’s laughter trailed behind us as we walked toward the truck. “I love dancing!” she squealed loudly into the darkness. “We need to do that more.”

Mase didn’t respond. He walked me toward the driver’s-side door and opened it, then lifted me up and set me on the seat, as if I couldn’t do it myself.

“I can do that without help, you know,” I teased.

He leaned in. “But if you do it, your skirt will ride up, and I’ll see my freckle. Aida’s with us, so I wouldn’t be able to take a lick.”

My face grew warm, and I shivered, thinking of how good it felt when he did that. “Oh,” I managed to reply breathlessly.

“Yeah, oh,” he repeated. “When we walk through that door tonight, I’m bending you over so I can visit my spot.”

Anticipation made my breath hitch. “M’kay,” I said, not knowing how else to respond to that.

“We need to go out dancing next weekend,” Aida said as she opened the passenger door and climbed in.

Mase moved me over and climbed in beside me.

“Reese can come and watch. We can dance all night,” Aida said.

I wasn’t going to watch Mase and Aida dance all night, but I didn’t say anything.

“Glad you enjoyed it, Aida,” Mase said simply.

“I loved it! No one else dances as good as you,” Aida said. Then I felt her gaze on me. I turned toward her and saw a smirk on her face. “I guess Reese doesn’t know how to dance, since you didn’t dance with her all night.”

That stung. A little.

Mase’s hand slid over my thigh. “She can dance.”

“Oh . . . well, then, you must not enjoy dancing with her. It’s OK, Reese. He’s had me to dance with for most of our lives, and we move together like a well-oiled machine.”

I didn’t like the way she said that. There was something off about her tone.

“I love dancing with Reese. Let this go, Aida.” That still didn’t answer my doubt. I was beginning to think maybe Aida was right. He didn’t want to dance with me because he was used to showing off, and I couldn’t show off with him.

Mase let Aida out at his mother’s house with a “good night,” and I knew that was his way of letting her know she wasn’t welcome up at the house with us. I started thinking about what he’d said about bending me over, and I squirmed a little in my seat.

“I didn’t ask you to dance tonight because I was afraid you wouldn’t want to in front of all those people. You seemed nervous, and I didn’t want to add to that. But there is nothing in the world I’d rather do than hold you against me.”

He had waited until Aida was gone to explain, and I appreciated it. I didn’t want her to know I had felt intimidated by them dancing. Leaning over, I kissed his arm. “You’re right. I would have been nervous.”

“Feeling your body move against mine is the ultimate turn-on. If I’d danced with you, I wouldn’t have been able to stay. We might not have made it to the truck before I had my hand up the back of your skirt to cup your luscious ass.”

This time, I laughed. I liked that excuse; it made me feel much better. “Why don’t we go inside, and you can show me exactly what you want me to do? I remember it had something to do with me bending over . . .”

Mase’s eyes lit up with hunger as he grabbed me and pulled me out of the truck. “Not sure I can make it inside,” he said, just before his mouth was on mine. I held on to both his arms and sank into him. His kisses always made me weak in the knees. Nothing else in the world mattered when his mouth moved over mine. He made everything perfect by simply kissing me.

I let out a small cry of protest when he broke the kiss, but his eyes gleamed with excitement and possessiveness.