Page 33 of The Chemistry Coach
She was an expert.The twists, turns, and lifts seemed to come easily to her.With every twirl she stretched a hand into the perfect position for her partner to grab it.If it weren’t so stressful, it would be beautiful.
“Well, fuck,” Lover said as they watched her partner position her into what was basically a handstand on his shoulders.Her dress rode up around her waist, showing off the shorts she wore underneath.“I’m going to have to sing karaoke.”
“Guess so,” Hazy agreed.“Good thing we have my bet as a backup.I should get started.”He slid out of the booth and approached a table of girls, who greeted him enthusiastically.
When Daisy’s dance ended, she left her partner waiting on the dance floor as she jogged away from him, one finger held up indicating for him to wait.At the bar she stole a stack of napkins and a pen before returning to the stranger, who stood stock still waiting for her.He wrote something on one of her napkins and handed it back to her.She stuffed the napkin into the pocket of her dress.
Despite his annoyance, Connor’s lips ached to twitch into a smile.His teammates were idiots.He’d never have bet against her.Hazy was going to get his ass handed to him.
A new song played, and Daisy started back to their table.Connor’s relief was short-lived, though.Another man asked her to dance.To a slower, sadder song.If watching her do the fast-paced swirling of the swing dancing was torture, watching her wrapped in a man’s arms, one of his hands on her waist and the other holding her hand against his chest as they rose and fell across the dance floor was literal hell.
Lover folded a paper coaster into triangles and flicked it at Connor.“She won’t know you want to dance with her unless you tell her.”
“I don’t want to dance.”
“But you don’t want anyone else to dance with her either.”
Connor refused to acknowledge that truth.
When he didn’t respond, Lover pressed him again.“The girl wants to dance, man.”
“I can’t dance like that.”
“I bet she could teach you.”
Connor didn’t doubt it.He was certain there were a lot of things she could teach him.But she wasn’t his to learn from.
“Why would she teach me when there are fifty other people lined up who already know how?Seems like a waste of time when she could be having fun.”
Lover flicked another paper coaster, hitting Connor straight in the forehead.“For an old dude, you sure are dumb.”
“I’m twenty-eight.”
“That’s getting up there in hockey years.”
“I’m well aware.”
Lover slid out of the booth.“Well, if you won’t ask her, maybe I will.”
“Go for it,” Connor pouted.But Lover didn’t head to the dance floor.He joined Hazy, taking up a wingman position.
Chapter 13
Daisy
Daisytriedtoescapeevery time a song ended, but kept getting intercepted by another person offering a dance.She traded dances for phone numbers, telling each person about her bet.They were happy to help.Who would’ve thought her teenage swing dance obsession would come in handy over a decade later?The moves were easier to pull off than she remembered, and dancing was about to win her two bets.
She couldn’t help but peek at Connor when she was lucky enough to face his direction.He stared daggers her way each time she caught a glimpse.The hot and cold drove her crazy.Daisy wished he would march over and ask her for a dance himself, but he never did.
By the time her fifth dance ended, Daisy was short of breath, sweating, and far too sober.She abandoned the dance floor, claiming she needed a breather.
Connor sat alone in the booth.She smiled and lifted her sweaty hair off her neck as she sat across from him.He passed her drink to her.
“Having fun?”Connor asked.
“Yes, but I needed a break.You don’t look like you’re having fun, though.”
He must have switched to beer since he focused on picking the sticker off a bottle.“This isn’t really my scene.”
