hesitantly, his fingers splay themselves around my waist and then over my hips, continuing their movement until he’s grabbing sections of my dress in his hands. Tightening his grip, he pulls me even closer into his body and I place my hands on the top of his, encouraging him. When he presses into me, my body responds immediately.
As soon as the tempo picks back up, he grabs my hand and spins me back around, once again with his arm around my waist and leads me in another round of three-step. When the music ends, we stop at the edge of the dance floor. Panting from the heat, the dancing, and whatever just happened between us, we stare at each other until I start to feel the floor start to spin all around me.
“I have to go,” I say, suddenly overwhelmed with emotion and alcohol. “Thanks for the dance, though. It was…fun.” I turn towards the table, only to find it completely vacant.
My eyes dart from person to person, in search of Cash or his dumbass cousin. I can feel my nerves as they spark my heart, sending a jolt of realization throughout my body.
It’s too much for me to take.
Tears begin to prick my eyes and I shake my head to fight them.
I don’t want to feel anymore.
I don’t want to be reminded constantly of what I can’t have, but my heart betrays me. I don’t want to be forced to accept what I currently do have, which is someone who leaves me stranded by myself in a bar.
I can’t breathe.
I can’t breathe.
I fan my face and try gulping air down my throat, but I can’t seem to get it past the huge knot taking up all the space.
I can’t breathe.
While still gasping for breath, I’m suddenly lifted off my feet, cradled in the arms of Noah while he carries me towards the front door. Kicking it open with his boot, he says something to the bouncer that I can’t hear over my desperate attempts to get air into my lungs.
“Breathe, Tate. Just breathe, baby. We’re almost there,” he whispers softly in my ear. He’s walking so fast that my body bounces in his hold as he makes his way across the parking lot.
I hear the sound of the alarm to his Jeep and then I’m set down on my feet, with his arm still around my waist as he holds me steady while opening the door. Then I’m once again lifted and gently placed in the passenger seat. Crouching down in front of me, he places his face in my line of sight.
“Look at me, Tate. Breathe in through your nose, slowly.” I take in a slow, deep breath and hold it, waiting for further instruction. My brain is mush.
“Let it out through your mouth, just as slowly.” I exhale deeply as tears roll down my cheeks. My entire body is shaking. He raises his eyebrows and nods slowly, gesturing with his hand for me to do it again. I breathe in. Then out. And then in again. I continue until I no longer feel like I’m going to pass out.
Once I’m breathing regularly, he places his hands on either side of my neck and wipes the moisture from my cheeks with his thumbs, holding my face while he peers into my eyes, making sure my breakdown is no longer a threat.
A lopsided smile appears on his face. “Well, shit . I guess I should have warned you about the effects of my dance moves on the ladies. Don’t worry, I’ll take it easy on you next time.”
Next time? I’m surprised he’d want to do anything with me at all after that horrific display.
Relieved, I shove his shoulder and grin back at him. “Evs. Could you be any more arrogant?”
He chuckles lightly. “Evs? What the hell is that?”
I grab my hair and twist it over my shoulder, grateful for the breeze of air hitting my open back.
“You know, evs? Like, whatever .” His smile widens as he rises to a standing position.
“Evs. I like that.”
I watch the corners of his mouth dip back down as he asks, “You sure you’re okay?”
I nod and take in another deep breath. “I’m fine. Can you just take me to Cash’s? I’ll call Sadie to come get me, so you don’t have to stay. I just
As soon as the tempo picks back up, he grabs my hand and spins me back around, once again with his arm around my waist and leads me in another round of three-step. When the music ends, we stop at the edge of the dance floor. Panting from the heat, the dancing, and whatever just happened between us, we stare at each other until I start to feel the floor start to spin all around me.
“I have to go,” I say, suddenly overwhelmed with emotion and alcohol. “Thanks for the dance, though. It was…fun.” I turn towards the table, only to find it completely vacant.
My eyes dart from person to person, in search of Cash or his dumbass cousin. I can feel my nerves as they spark my heart, sending a jolt of realization throughout my body.
It’s too much for me to take.
Tears begin to prick my eyes and I shake my head to fight them.
I don’t want to feel anymore.
I don’t want to be reminded constantly of what I can’t have, but my heart betrays me. I don’t want to be forced to accept what I currently do have, which is someone who leaves me stranded by myself in a bar.
I can’t breathe.
I can’t breathe.
I fan my face and try gulping air down my throat, but I can’t seem to get it past the huge knot taking up all the space.
I can’t breathe.
While still gasping for breath, I’m suddenly lifted off my feet, cradled in the arms of Noah while he carries me towards the front door. Kicking it open with his boot, he says something to the bouncer that I can’t hear over my desperate attempts to get air into my lungs.
“Breathe, Tate. Just breathe, baby. We’re almost there,” he whispers softly in my ear. He’s walking so fast that my body bounces in his hold as he makes his way across the parking lot.
I hear the sound of the alarm to his Jeep and then I’m set down on my feet, with his arm still around my waist as he holds me steady while opening the door. Then I’m once again lifted and gently placed in the passenger seat. Crouching down in front of me, he places his face in my line of sight.
“Look at me, Tate. Breathe in through your nose, slowly.” I take in a slow, deep breath and hold it, waiting for further instruction. My brain is mush.
“Let it out through your mouth, just as slowly.” I exhale deeply as tears roll down my cheeks. My entire body is shaking. He raises his eyebrows and nods slowly, gesturing with his hand for me to do it again. I breathe in. Then out. And then in again. I continue until I no longer feel like I’m going to pass out.
Once I’m breathing regularly, he places his hands on either side of my neck and wipes the moisture from my cheeks with his thumbs, holding my face while he peers into my eyes, making sure my breakdown is no longer a threat.
A lopsided smile appears on his face. “Well, shit . I guess I should have warned you about the effects of my dance moves on the ladies. Don’t worry, I’ll take it easy on you next time.”
Next time? I’m surprised he’d want to do anything with me at all after that horrific display.
Relieved, I shove his shoulder and grin back at him. “Evs. Could you be any more arrogant?”
He chuckles lightly. “Evs? What the hell is that?”
I grab my hair and twist it over my shoulder, grateful for the breeze of air hitting my open back.
“You know, evs? Like, whatever .” His smile widens as he rises to a standing position.
“Evs. I like that.”
I watch the corners of his mouth dip back down as he asks, “You sure you’re okay?”
I nod and take in another deep breath. “I’m fine. Can you just take me to Cash’s? I’ll call Sadie to come get me, so you don’t have to stay. I just
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