Don't Let Go by Sharla Lovelace Page B

still carrying a torch for the love of my life. A love that had left me to mourn alone. To worry about him, cry for him, curse him, and sometimes hate him. It took Hayden two years to win me over completely, and although I never felt that all-consuming passion again, I assumed that was my fate.
    He was cute and witty and smart and could always make me laugh when laughing didn’t come naturally to me anymore. Hayden found me in my darkest place and showed me the light again. That was enough. His controlling nature and lack of an off switch when he drank made it not enough.
    I ignored his question and palmed my glass, sucking up what was left of my margarita and watching the dance floor. I needed the cold and the tangy citrus to cool my blood.
    “I have the right to know what’s going on with her, Jules,” Hayden said, leaning into my line of vision.
    As an upbeat country song filled the room, I met his eyes. “Let’s dance.”
    He backed up a step. “What?”
    “You heard me,” I said, hearing Ruthie snicker to my right. I grabbed his hand. “Let’s see if we still remember how to do this.”
    “What are you doing?” I heard him say behind me as I pulled him along.
    I wheeled around to face him. “Trying to let off a little steam, Hayden. Trying not to be my mother.” The burn hit the backs of my eyes and I blinked back the impending flood. “She went to Ruthie with this. Instead of me,” I said, trying to control the quiver that laced my words.
    Hayden’s eyes panned my face and went soft. He’d lived with me long enough to know where my head was.
    “When’s the last time you two-stepped?” he said finally.
    “With you.”
    He rolled his eyes and smiled that smile that always made women look twice, making me chuckle to myself.
    “Lord, you’ve got some rust to work out,” he said.
    “Well, get on it then,” I whispered, making him laugh as he pushed me out onto the dance floor.
    Time fell backward a little as he rested his right hand against my neck to guide me, and my feet remembered what to do. The song was quick, upbeat, and we fell into our easy rhythm almost immediately, sliding in and out and around the other couples that were taking it a little more conservative.
    “Like riding a bike,” Hayden said over the music. When I laughed, Hayden dared me with his eyes. “Ready to kick it up a notch?”
    It was easy to have fun with him, he had that way of somehow knowing what I needed and making sure I got it. Even though I knew we both had Becca spinning around in our heads, he focused on spinning me. He pushed me away, keeping hold of my hand, and I turned in a circle alone and then around him, all the while making tracks around the floor. He whirled me back into his arms, grinning.
    “Not bad, lady,” he said.
    “Let’s spin,” I said, grinning back.
    We got our footing, and he winked down at me as his hand gripped the back of my neck tighter and we started spinning around the floor to the last part of the song. The other couples on the dance floor moved a little to the side to give us space, and as the song came to an end, clapped and hooted for us. I saw Ruthie stand up from our table and whistle.
    “Wow,” I said, feeling the heat from the rush and the spotlight rise up to my face. “That’s been a while.”
    Hayden hugged me lightly, and as a slow country song came on, squeezed my hand. “One more?”
    I hesitated, knowing how sexy and intimate a two-step waltz could be. Especially knowing how sexy he could make it. It might have been several years, but I wasn’t losing my memory just yet. Not that I was afraid I’d suddenly jump into bed with him or anything, but I also liked keeping the lines clean between us.
    “Come on,” he said. “For old time’s sake.”
    I narrowed my eyes at him. “Old time’s sake, huh?”
    But as Tim McGraw crooned “Please Remember Me,” Hayden smiled and took that as a yes, pulling me close and moving us around the floor. I didn’t fight