The Safe Bet (Hidden Truths #1)(10)

Julia was leaning in toward him, her hand resting on his chest. Her eyes shifted from the man to Kate. “Kate, this is my friend James. James, this is Kate. She’s the miracle worker who managed to convince Michael to hold the fundraiser. I expect you’ll be there next weekend?”

James reached for Kate’s hand and plastered a smile on his face. “So nice to meet you,” he said with a smooth voice.

“Kate, James is an investor, like Michael. He has deep pockets, so be sure to woo him next weekend.”

“I don’t think she’ll have to try hard to woo me.” His hazel eyes stared deep into hers before wandering toward her cleavage.

Kate had the sudden desire to hide behind her hands. She was never one to wear revealing clothing, but the sapphire blue, strapless panel dress she had chosen to wear was a bit snug today.

“You feel like dancing?” he asked, reaching for her hand.

Kate looked to Julia, who encouraged her with a nod and smile. “What about our shots?”

“Here,” Julia said, handing her a shot of tequila that the bartender had placed behind her. They downed the gold liquid, and both winced. “Now go have fun. I’ll be out there soon.” Julia waved her away.

James led Kate through the crowd of men and women, who all looked like they had stepped out of a fashion magazine. But the dance floor was even more impressive than the people. It was surrounded by dozens upon dozens of gorgeous strands of crystal, which dangled in thick, glinting rows. She brushed against them as James reached for her waist and pulled her tight against him, his erection pressing thick and obvious against her thigh.

That was fast. Jesus. Down boy. She placed her hands on his chest, attempting to put some distance between them. She had no interest in grinding. She looked over at Julia standing by the bar.

The music became almost a dull silence as her eyes shifted to see Michael walking with long strides toward his sister at the bar. The mere sight of him made her body tense.

She kept her eyes on Michael as James moved them around on the dance floor, her body feeling as limp as a rag dolls. Michael folded his arms across his chest and cocked his head to the side, staring at his sister.

Julia began waving her phone in front of Michael before jabbing him in the chest with it. A moment later she started for the dance floor.

“Everything okay?” Kate asked, taking the chance to break free of James’s grasp.

“Yeah. I forgot I was supposed to be having dinner with my brother.” She rolled her eyes. “He tracked my phone to find me—he’s a bit overprotective.”

“Oh.” It’s kind of sweet he cared, Kate thought as she snuck another glimpse of Michael. His back was turned against them, and he was talking with the slim but chesty bartender. A strange pang of jealousy stabbed at her gut.

“James, I think I’m gonna grab a drink. Maybe you and Julia could dance?”

“Sure,” he responded, reaching for Julia’s waist.

Happy to have secured a rescue, Kate made her way to the bar. She pressed her hands against the somewhat sticky bar counter and waited for the male bartender to notice her. The bartender who had been speaking with Michael moments ago was now taking an order from someone else.

“You go dancing a lot?”

Kate shut her eyes for a brief moment. “Not as much as I’d like.” She turned toward the man who had infiltrated her dreams the past few nights. “You look different,” she remarked. An underdressed Michael was no less sexy than business-casual Michael. In fact, he looked even more appealing in jeans and a T-shirt. His tanned biceps swelled beneath the short sleeves, and she was dying to touch them.

Why do you have to be so sexy?

His eyes focused a touch too long on her glossy lips before he spoke. “We should dance. People know me here. I’m just thinking of your well-being. If you want to dance in peace, dance once with me.”

Was he kidding? Was this really his line? She folded her arms across her chest and squinted one eye in a teasing manner. “What if I don’t want other men to leave me alone?”

He tilted his head toward the dance floor and scoffed. “Come on.” He grabbed her hand and led her toward the masses.

She should have resisted him, and yet, she hadn’t found it inside herself to put up a fight.

Some of the men and women glanced their way as they passed, and she wondered who was more jealous—men wanting to be Michael or the women wanting to be Kate so they could be with the Man of Steel lookalike.

Kate glanced over at Julia and mouthed an apology to her—she didn’t want Julia to think she was hitting on her brother. Julia smiled back and continued dancing with James. She didn’t look mad. But the heated look James was directing toward Kate was somewhat unsettling.

Her heartbeat did a cowboy quickstep as Michael reached for her and held her as if he owned her. Somehow, having Michael’s rock hard body pressed against her was more than okay even though it shouldn’t have been.

He rested his hand on the small of her back, and her chest pressed to his.

There was a shift in the mood of the room as the music changed to a low tempo beat. The sound of the drums through the speakers thumped in her ears, matching the pounding of her heart.

Michael kept his eyes on hers as their bodies collided against each other in rhythmic movement to the music.

She breathed in his intoxicating smell, growing a little dizzy.