The tension and awkwardness increase the longer we go with no one saying anything. Thankfully, though, for once, it’s not between Kate and me.
I decide to be the first one to speak up. Natasha hasn’t gotten the hint that she can scurry along to find her next victim. “Well, babe, how about that dance? I’ve kept my girl waiting long enough to spin me around.”
I look down to see Kate still focused on Natasha. “Kate?”
She shakes her head as if trying to forget whatever thoughts are flowing through her mind.
“Sorry, baby.” She dances her fingers up my tie. “I was just imagining you bending me over the bar top. My bad.”
Fuck me.
She spins to face me and links her arms around my neck. “Let’s go dance.”
Can she feel my dick straining against my dress pants? Because it is definitely saluting her with a hello, gorgeous.
Kate drags me out to the dance floor just as the song changes to a slow Christmas classic. Dancing was never my thing. Court always had to drag me out onto the dance floor. But tonight, I would dance all night long if it meant I could keep touching Kate or that it kept a certain party away.
She links her fingers behind my neck again like she had at the bar.
“Sorry, I saw you over there, and you looked extremely uncomfortable,” she says as we begin to move to the music.
“Thank you.” I’m still in a bit of a shock that after everything, she came to my rescue and didn’t just feed me to the wolves.
“If you want that bitch to believe our story, you probably have to pretend to actually like me and not reminisce about being at a middle school dance and slow dancing for the first time.”
She pushes her lips together in a smug smile. The only reason I’m not is because I’m still trying to will my dick down. He appreciates her being in my arms.
“Yeah, you’re probably right.” I pull her closer to me so we are toe to toe and chest to chest. My fingers spread and firmly plant themselves into her back.
Silence fills what little space remains between us.
“The irony isn’t lost on me that the one song I actually dance with my date to is ‘Silent Night’—you know, since you haven’t said one word to me all night till that conversation there. It’s fine. I didn’t agree with this for you.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I said I didn’t agree—” she repeats herself, but that’s not what I meant. I shake my head, cutting her off.
“No, I heard you. I meant—” I swallow thickly. “I meant I’m sorry. I owe you an apology for the shitty evening.”
“That’s all you wanna apologize for after months of being a dick?” A perfect curve forms in her arched brow.
“Yeah, that, too.”
“Wow,” she draws out. “You know you really suck at this whole apologizing thing.”
Tell me something I don’t know. I bark out a laugh. “So I’m told. My wife used to say the same thing.”
I feel her stiffen at the mention of Court. I watch her throat bob, and I’m curious as to whether she’s going to respond. “Well, she sounds like a smart woman. I mean, no one’s perfect.” She pauses. “She married you, after all.”
“Ouch, Lawson.” I slam a palm to my chest and wince as if her words hurt me, but then I pull her back against me after my jolt put space between us. “That’s what made her perfect. She saw right through my grumpy ass and loved me anyway.”
Kate only nods. Pretty sure talking about your dead spouse is not on the top ten list of things you should talk about on a date. Not that this is an actual date. She said so herself—she’s not here for me.
“I’m sorry for your loss. I don’t think I’ve ever expressed that before,” she says softly before resting her head on my chest and begins playing with the strands of hair at the nape of my neck. Does she even realize she’s doing it?I can feel my heartbeat in my ears. There’s no way she can’t feel it. This is what her touch does to me.
“Thank you,” I manage just above a whisper. I look up to see Natasha finally storming away. I’m not ready for Kate to push away, so I spin us a little so her back is now to the bar.
We stay like that until I feel an elbow dig into my back. I stumble forward and push Kate back a little. I turn around to find Chase and Kelsey slow dancing right beside us.
“What the hell, man,” I scold.
I turn around to ask Kate if she’s okay, but Chase speaks up again.
“You gonna kiss her or not?” Color me confused. Chase senses it and nods above us, and Kate and I both follow the line of sight. “You’re standing under the mistletoe, dumbass. Everyone knows you have to kiss the person you’re standing with, or it’s ten years’ bad luck.”
“Umm, isn’t that what happens when you break a mirror?” Kate questions.
“Hmm, you’re right. Maybe it’s that you’ll have whiskey dick for the year.”
I flinch, and Kate must feel it because she giggles. When I throw a glance her way, which is obviously only encouraging his drunk ass, she pushes her lips together to hide her laugh.
“I don’t know. Either way, are you willing to chance it? Because I’m sure as shit not,” Chase says.
Even though Chase and Kelsey aren’t directly under the mistletoe, he whisks her back and kisses her. She is flushed by the time he pulls her upright, and then they go back to slow dancing. “See? It’s easy.”
I turn around and try to ignore him, but he makes it a little difficult by chanting, “Kiss her, kiss her,” under his breath but loud enough for us to hear it. He stops for a second, followed by a smack, I assume, from his wife and then goes back to it.
Kate has since pulled her plump, bright red lip between her teeth. When my eyes lift again to meet hers, it’s clear that she caught me. I guess I didn’t even try to hide it.
“What do you say, McAdams? Is that a risk you’re willing to take?” I don’t know if it’s the alcohol flowing in her veins or she’s just fucking with me, but there’s definite arousal laced in her voice. Neither one of us wants to break the stare first, but I find our faces slowly drifting together. I freeze just a breath away from her lips. If Chase were to bump into me again, I would definitely be kissing her.
“Umm, excuse me.” I pull away from her embrace and spin around, rushing toward the exit. I keep my head low to avoid the stares as I leave Kate in the middle of the dance floor before the song has even ended.
As soon as the cold air touches my skin, I let out a harsh breath. The last thing I needed was to have a panic attack in front of my employees.
The temperature has dropped a few more degrees since we arrived, and I can now see my breath in front of me as I exhale. I close my eyes and level out my breathing. What is it with this damn woman? What sort of voodoo magic does she have over me?