BANKS Maya - Undenied (Samhain).txt by Undenied (Samhain).txt

need the protein,” he protested. “You’ve worn me out. No telling how much muscle I’ve lost.”
    Her cheeks looked decidedly pink in the soft candlelight, but she only smiled and winked. “There are worse ways to get your exercise.”
    He burst into laughter. “You got that right.”
    A minute later, Laura returned with their drinks and a few minutes after that, the band began setting up. By the time they got their food, the first strains of music filled the room.
    He stared at Payton as they ate, watched how she focused in on the musicians, how she seemed to enjoy every aspect of the experience. She was obviously a person who derived pleasure from even the simplest things. Their trip to the zoo had delighted her, and she’d spent the entire afternoon with an exuberant smile on her face.
    He’d found himself wanting to do more, using any excuse to make her light up.
    “Let’s dance,” she said, looking over at him, her blue eyes glowing in the dim light.
    And here again, he wanted to do whatever would put a smile on her lips. He wasn’t a dancer by any stretch of the imagination. Two left feet didn’t exactly cover his lack of grace. But if she wanted to dance, then he’d dance. He’d use any excuse to get close to her, press her body to his.
    Wes stood and held out his hand to her. She took it and stood in front of him. Without a word, he pulled her into his arms right there by the table.
    The haunting sounds of the slow melody worked its magic as they melted in to each other. Payton closed her eyes and leaned her cheek against his hard chest as he rested his chin atop her head.
    Their own little corner of the universe. No one watched them, not that she cared. They swayed and moved in a tight circle. Had there ever been such a perfect day? Not even last night when he’d gone to such lengths to give her a perfect evening. The sex was good, no, make that fantastic, but it was today that squeezed her heart. Two people laughing and
    carefree, comfortable with each other. Was this what it felt like to be in love?
    Her body went tense for a moment. He sensed the change in her because he pulled away to look down at her, confusion registering in his expression.
    She forced herself to relax and give him a reassuring smile. But her heart beat with a resounding thud, hammering against the inside of her chest like a prisoner trying to escape.
    Love. Did she love him? Could she be in love with someone she’d for all practical purposes only met a little over a week ago?
    Or did the feelings they’d once had for each other come into play? She frowned against his chest. No, they didn’t count. Yeah, she’d had a major crush on Wes at sixteen, but they’d only gotten together the one weekend when they’d had sex. No boyfriend/girlfriend stuff as teenagers are wont to do.
    Yes, she’d had tender feelings for him then. But love? What the hell had she known about love then? And she certainly hadn’t spent the last twelve years pining for him. Hell, she hadn’t even thought about him except when conversations with her girlfriends came up about old boyfriends/lovers.
    That could only mean that whatever connection they had now accounted for the warm, fuzzy feeling inside her.
    The song ended and Wes returned her to her chair just as Laura brought dessert and refilled their drinks. They ate in silence, and she knew she was being unnaturally quiet, but she couldn’t wrap her brain around her almost epiphany. Because really, she wasn’t about to admit to herself that she could very well be in love with him yet.
    “You’re quiet,” Wes murmured as he pushed aside his saucer.
    She smiled, just a little shakily. “Just enjoying the night. The day. The weekend. It’s been fantastic.”
    He leaned forward, taking her hands in his. “It’s not over yet. I plan to take you back to the hotel…” He raised her hand to his lips, inserting
    the tip of her index finger in his mouth, laving his tongue over it. “…and make