they’d done to keep the neighbors from complaining, but then again, it was a massive house with a huge yard in an extremely wealthy neighborhood, so who knew, maybe they were used to parties like this one.
“It’s around here!” I had to shout as we passed by a set of speakers. Jenna nodded and moved closer, wrapping her other hand around my arm.
It was dark behind the stage. There was a slim chance Asher and Jordan were hiding behind here, too, but I knew for certain Jarom and Bash would be looking for girls to flirt with until we went back on stage. If Asher and Jordan were around, I couldn’t see them. I saw Jenna, though, and she was gorgeous. I lifted my arm and spun her around under it.
“Dance with me?” I asked.
“I thought you couldn’t dance,” she teased but didn’t object when I pulled her close again, guiding her arms around my neck.
“I can’t dance, but I can sway,” I told her, sliding my hands around her back.
“Hmm. I guess that will do.”
I dipped my head until my chin brushed her cheek. Her breath caught. “I’m glad I saw you. Will your friends be mad I stole you for a little while?”
“Friends?” she asked breathlessly. “What friends?”
I hugged her closer, unable to stop my grin. We swayed to the beat of the music for several minutes, neither of us talking. I’d have to go back onstage soon. But, man, I didn’t want to.
“I have to go soon,” I murmured in her ear.
“Are you playing all night?” She lifted her chin, brushing her cheek across my jaw.
“Until one. And then we’ll pack everything up and take it back to Jarom’s house.”
Our break was only about twenty minutes. I could already hear the other guys on stage checking sound. I should be doing the same thing, but I was reluctant to leave her. “Will you stay that long?”
“Yeah, I’ve only been here for a little while.”
She did things to me. Amazing, beautiful, sexy things. She closed her eyes. Her lips trembled. I wouldn’t kiss her without her permission, no matter how she tempted me.
“I promised not to tease you,” Jenna murmured.
“I take it back, baby. You can tease me all you want.” I’d beg.
“Adam,” she sighed. I didn’t imagine the longing in her voice.
“Jenna—” My arms tightened around her back, pulling her closer.
“I’m sorry.” She braced her hands between us, a barrier. Things had gone far enough, at least for now.
I sighed, feeling frustrated and jittery. I’d never felt anything like this before.
“I’m sorry,” she said again. “I shouldn’t have come back here with you. I just—” she stopped and bit her lip. The sight of her white teeth buried in the plump flesh was almost my undoing.
“Jenna,” I moaned, dropping my forehead to hers. “You’re not making it easy to walk away right now.”
“Can’t we just dance for a minute longer?” She was torturing me.
“Are you doing this on purpose? Ripping me apart?” I asked, my voice sounding like ground gravel even to my own ears.
Her arms squeezed my neck. “No. I’m just scared. I can’t lose you as my partner for the competition. But this feels so good.”
I crushed her body to mine. I didn’t kiss her but pressed my face into her neck until I forgot where we were and where I was supposed to be.
“Adam Smith.” Through the haze, I heard my name over the speakers. “Adam Smith, please find your way to the stage.”
It was Jarom.
Jenna froze in my arms, and in the next instant, we both laughed.
“Oh, my gosh!” She pushed against my chest. “You have to go.”
“I’m going.” I squeezed her close one last time and released her. “Will you let me find you again?”
She sucked her lip into her mouth, and my gut clenched. I knew what was coming, and I hated it.
“I’m sorry. I can’t.”
My chin dropped to my chest. Jarom repeated my name over the loudspeaker, but I needed a second to get my hormones under control. Jenna had no idea what she did to me. If she did, maybe she would begin to trust me. There was no way I’d be finished with this thing between us anytime soon. She was in no danger of me abandoning her or the competition.
With one last look, I ducked under the black backdrop on the stage we rented for events like this. Someday, we’d have to break down and buy our own equipment. Maybe after the summer.
“There he is!” Asher flashed