their ship, the other small crafts that passed them, the passengers waving in response to her waves.
www.samhainpublishing.com
85
Joey Light
Dinner was lobster. He winced as she asked for more butter. The food was rich, the music soothing, and the company was lively. She chatted with other travelers.
Darkness fell, and with it came a bright, mysterious aura created by the lights and the music and the gentle sway of the boat. She declined dessert but stood up and offered Joe her hand. He took it and led her to the dance floor.
The moment he turned her into his arms, she knew he knew more about dancing than she could ever forget. One hand flattened and pressed against the middle of her back, the other took hers out and down. Holding her close, but inches away, he moved in a fluid and almost seductive way. Catching the beat, he stepped to the side, quarter step and pause…sway to the other side, quarter step and pause…forward and then back and hold. He turned his full attention to her and she looked into clear eyes, eyes that had forgotten their brooding look for just a little while and now searched her own, challenging and daring. Pure male sexuality exuded from him. Responding, she swayed and dipped. When he turned, she flowed.
Joe circled, pulling her body solidly against his own. The power filled her, enveloping both, combining them in a small world of their own filled with music and magic.
When he paused for several beats, keeping her mesmerized with his eyes, her stomach lifted, fluttered and floated. The pulse at her wrist tripped double-time. Excitement ran through her veins to bring a flush to her cheeks.
There was no smile on his lips. No gentleness in his eyes. Tightening his fingers around her own, he slowed his steps to no movement at all. Couples swirled all around them. They stood in the dance position, feeling. Just feeling.
Electricity traveled from her toes to her ears. He moved to lay his jaw against her temple. Sterling’s breath snagged.
86
www.samhainpublishing.com
Sterling’s Reasons
She was all smooth motion under her hands. The silk whispered over her body as she moved. After pressing the lightest kiss on her cheek, he whispered,
“When do the lessons begin?”
The light danced in her eyes as she smiled up at him. “Depends on who’s teaching who, and what.”
He wanted to lean forward and kiss her, but stepped back and twirled her out and back to hint. She laughed and exaggerated the move.
Power. It possessed him. It motivated him in everything he did. An energy, a pulse that drove him…she could feel it. It excited her. The fact that a man of this caliber spent time with her, valued her even though he didn’t trust her, calmed her.
The music changed, abruptly, deliberately, to a Virginia reel. Hoots and hollers rang out over the air as everyone took partners and began some real foot-stomping.
Sterling was stolen from Joe by an aging gentleman with blue-white hair and twinkling green eyes. She was whirled and twirled and bumped and pulled. She would join hands with Joe only to have him traded off to another partner. She didn’t miss the smug look in his eyes.
After ten minutes of hoedown, the music returned to the soft, romantic, dreamy tunes. She and Joe found themselves back at their table. She was breathless and glowing.
“See. See. You are having a good time,” she challenged him.
The darkness that floated into his eyes set her back. Just like that. One moment he was obviously enjoying it. The next…it was back again. What had she done?
It hit him. It hit him hard. The guilt. It was recognizable this time. All too evident. He was alive and his friend was dead. And he missed him. And he
www.samhainpublishing.com
87
Joey Light
hated himself for what he did. A blackness took over and shrouded him from all the things going on around him. He signaled the waiter and ordered a double.
Sterling watched him, alerted to something dangerous.
It was over. The fun,
www.samhainpublishing.com
85
Joey Light
Dinner was lobster. He winced as she asked for more butter. The food was rich, the music soothing, and the company was lively. She chatted with other travelers.
Darkness fell, and with it came a bright, mysterious aura created by the lights and the music and the gentle sway of the boat. She declined dessert but stood up and offered Joe her hand. He took it and led her to the dance floor.
The moment he turned her into his arms, she knew he knew more about dancing than she could ever forget. One hand flattened and pressed against the middle of her back, the other took hers out and down. Holding her close, but inches away, he moved in a fluid and almost seductive way. Catching the beat, he stepped to the side, quarter step and pause…sway to the other side, quarter step and pause…forward and then back and hold. He turned his full attention to her and she looked into clear eyes, eyes that had forgotten their brooding look for just a little while and now searched her own, challenging and daring. Pure male sexuality exuded from him. Responding, she swayed and dipped. When he turned, she flowed.
Joe circled, pulling her body solidly against his own. The power filled her, enveloping both, combining them in a small world of their own filled with music and magic.
When he paused for several beats, keeping her mesmerized with his eyes, her stomach lifted, fluttered and floated. The pulse at her wrist tripped double-time. Excitement ran through her veins to bring a flush to her cheeks.
There was no smile on his lips. No gentleness in his eyes. Tightening his fingers around her own, he slowed his steps to no movement at all. Couples swirled all around them. They stood in the dance position, feeling. Just feeling.
Electricity traveled from her toes to her ears. He moved to lay his jaw against her temple. Sterling’s breath snagged.
86
www.samhainpublishing.com
Sterling’s Reasons
She was all smooth motion under her hands. The silk whispered over her body as she moved. After pressing the lightest kiss on her cheek, he whispered,
“When do the lessons begin?”
The light danced in her eyes as she smiled up at him. “Depends on who’s teaching who, and what.”
He wanted to lean forward and kiss her, but stepped back and twirled her out and back to hint. She laughed and exaggerated the move.
Power. It possessed him. It motivated him in everything he did. An energy, a pulse that drove him…she could feel it. It excited her. The fact that a man of this caliber spent time with her, valued her even though he didn’t trust her, calmed her.
The music changed, abruptly, deliberately, to a Virginia reel. Hoots and hollers rang out over the air as everyone took partners and began some real foot-stomping.
Sterling was stolen from Joe by an aging gentleman with blue-white hair and twinkling green eyes. She was whirled and twirled and bumped and pulled. She would join hands with Joe only to have him traded off to another partner. She didn’t miss the smug look in his eyes.
After ten minutes of hoedown, the music returned to the soft, romantic, dreamy tunes. She and Joe found themselves back at their table. She was breathless and glowing.
“See. See. You are having a good time,” she challenged him.
The darkness that floated into his eyes set her back. Just like that. One moment he was obviously enjoying it. The next…it was back again. What had she done?
It hit him. It hit him hard. The guilt. It was recognizable this time. All too evident. He was alive and his friend was dead. And he missed him. And he
www.samhainpublishing.com
87
Joey Light
hated himself for what he did. A blackness took over and shrouded him from all the things going on around him. He signaled the waiter and ordered a double.
Sterling watched him, alerted to something dangerous.
It was over. The fun,
Similar Books
