Page 16 of Slapshot Summer
She draped a hand over his shoulder, amusement brimming inside her.“You are full of surprises, Mr.Wylder.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment, Ms.Campbell.”
Wow!He even remembered her last name, even though she’d only told him once.Okay, so he was attentive too.Had she chosen the wrong guy?No.Josh was all wrong for her, though she wasn’t sure Neil was right either.
And that niggling reality spiked inside her once more: She was batting zero when it came to picking partners, which meant neither man would be the right one.There probablywasn’ta right one.Her perception of “The One” was jaded, she admitted inside, after years in the bridal business and her own disastrous engagement to “The One” who turned out to be a demeaning jerk face.
Josh pulled her a little closer, knocking the churning thoughts from her head, and began to move them in sync to the thumping music.It felt as though he was giving her time and space to get used to the feel of the steps—and the feel of him, all warm steel beneath his clothing.Already she could tell he was smooth, graceful.He knew what he was doing, and her dirty mind leaped to whether he knew what to do in bed too.
Nerves fired off all at once, and she held her back a little stiffly, trying to control the confusing reactions inside her body.Her feet stuttered, but he smiled and assured her she was doing great.His encouragement was genuine, a warm caress on her fragile ego.Before long, she eased into the rhythm and was right there with him, gliding effortlessly in his arms.As her body relaxed into his hold, she began to take note of his heady scent—fresh soap intermingled with a touch of cedar and masculine notes.His lips curved in a half-smile, and his eyes grew hooded, as if he was letting the music invade his bones and take over.
His thigh brushed between hers as he angled her for a better fit, and she didn’t flinch.He splayed his fingers against her upper back, and she was surprised at how much territory it covered.He was lean muscle and hard planes that felt sooo good against her softer curves.Their bodies interlocked like puzzle pieces, and it was perfection.
Too bad he wasn’t Neil.Or was it?
Chapter 7
Time to Change Partners
DancingwithMr.Smartass—andenjoyingherself to boot.Who would have thought?And he wasgoodat it, his steps sure and smooth, his rhythm in perfect sync with the beat.Without warning, he curled her away and drew her back to him again, keeping a respectable inch or two between them.She let out a surprised squeak, followed by a runaway laugh.He grinned down at her as he rocked their bodies back and forth, then repeated the move.His expression was both determined and playful.Soon they were twirling around the dance floor, and couples parted, giving them space.She was lost in a kaleidoscope of color and sound and the intoxicating scent of this man.Exhilaration thrummed in her bloodstream.
When the music ended, they were both breathless.His grin firmly in place, he kept one hand clamped to her waist.The crowd surrounding them clapped, and she looked around at their faces, realizing only then that the audience cheered forthemand not the band.The lead singer gave them a thumbs-up a moment before the next song started.The music slowed, and Josh rested his hands on the small of her back and swayed, holding her apart from him.Cold air separated them, and she found herself longing for his heat, wanting to draw closer.
Reality smacked her in the forehead.She was havingfunwith Josh.She was comfortable with him.Something about his manner put her at ease, and his deep timbre soothed her.He made her feel valued.Unlike Neil, talking to Josh took little effort.Words seemed to flow between them without any awkward gatekeeping, and she loved that.During the meal, Josh had looked her in the eye when they talked, acting as though he cared what she had to say, unlike Neil, whose head was on a constant swivel.Now she felt stupid having asked Josh for his help to capture Neil’s attention.And for some odd reason, she didn’t want to come across as stupid to this man she’d misjudged.
The desire to jump Neil’s bones was dimming.She questioned whether he deserved the effort she had put into getting him to acknowledge her during the dinner.It made her look so … desperate.Ugh!
She held on to Josh’s biceps with a light grip.“You’re pretty good.You must get a lot of practice at this too.”A picture of him dancing with myriad beautiful women surfaced and bobbed in her consciousness, and her stomach clenched a little, though she wasn’t sure why.
“You’re not so bad yourself.It’s a lot easier with a solid dance partner.”
“Are you self-taught?”
He canted his head to the side and chuckled.“No.My mom made my brother and me take dance lessons when we were kids, if you can believe it.”
The good feels returned, and her insides lit with interest.“Dance lessons?Did you enjoy them?”
He barked a laugh.“Hated them.I thought it was cruel and unusual punishment.But after a few months, I started looking forward to them.I never told anyone I enjoyed myself, though.”
They rocked together to the slower tempo as they talked.The world around them seemed to disappear.
“Why not?”
“Have you got any brothers?”
“No.Only child.”
He spun her slowly.“Well, admitting something like that would have invited ridicule and a possible beating.I was twelve at the time, and my budding manhood was something I guarded fiercely.”
A laugh caught in her throat.She didn’t want him to think she was making fun of him, so she rushed to say, “In your defense, that sounds like an unusual choice of activity for a prepubescent boy.”
“My mom was a part-time receptionist at a dance studio, so she got the lessons for free and was able to keep an eye on my brother and me while she put in her time.She claimed it improved our coordination and helped with hockey.”He shrugged.“Maybe it was true.The arrangement worked out well for her and, in the end, for us too.Now you know one of my deepest, darkest secrets.Not even my teammates know.”
Now the “practice” made sense.“Your teammates are your friends, it sounds like.”
“Some.My best friend and Iusedto be on the same team, but he got traded to Colorado.He lives in Denver now.”
“That’s where I’m from!Which team?”
