Stand-In Saturday (Love For Days #2) - Kirsty Moseley Page 0,65
floor is almost packed full now, mostly ladies dancing around their handbags. Out of nowhere, Theo’s hand closes around mine, and he tugs me into the fray. His grin is dazzling. I laugh, bopping along to the beat, generally having a great time. Carys joins us, too, grabbing her uncle Theo and making him do outlandish dance moves with her that are obviously well-practiced routines. It’s too cute, and I can’t contain my grin. He melts my heart with how he is with her. When Emily comes over and hands baby Finley to Theo, my ovaries feel like they erupt as he makes stupid faces and dances with him on his hip.
I’m so done for.
I have a fantastic night even though Theo and I barely get more than five minutes alone. Mostly, I dance or chat and gossip with his family and Heather, getting mildly drunk and laughing the whole night.
Occasionally, Theo escapes the clutches of one of his family members, and we make a break for the bar together, rehydrating. He’s so sweet with the way he watches out for me, making sure my drink is topped up, asking if I’m hungry, joking around so much that I shake with laughter. But then his attention is demanded elsewhere, and off he goes again, sending me an apologetic, pained look. It’s adorable, and it makes my tummy quiver.
I have a blast, and I’m immensely grateful to Theo for bringing me here. This whole weekend has been amazing, and tonight is the best night out I’ve had in years. As much as I might miss Lucas and our relationship, things with him were never this carefree and fun; our rare date nights were more structured entertainment—pub quizzes, dinner parties with his snooty friends, cocktail bars. I can’t remember the last time I laughed this much; my cheeks hurt from all the smiling.
As the night winds up and the songs slow down, Theo pulls me into his arms, and we sway to the beat. At some point during the evening, he removed his jacket, waistcoat, and tie and rolled his sleeves up to his elbows. He looks even hotter now that he’s more casual, but I don’t know how that works because he looked a vision while dressed to the nines. Maybe the champagne bubbles are getting to me.
He holds my hand against his chest, and I can feel how warm he is, his body heat pulsing into me. His other arm is wrapped around my waist, clamping me against him as we slow dance in a little circle. Everyone else seems to disappear as I press my face into his neck, breathing him in. He smells delicious, all rich and manly with a hint of spicy aftershave left from when he got dressed this morning. I commit it all to memory and catalogue it as one of the best moments of my life.
Blissfully happy, I don’t want the night to end.
Unfortunately, at just after midnight, the party draws to a close, and the music stops.
Theo steps back and smiles down at me, reaching out and brushing his finger against my cheek, leaving a burning trail in its wake. “Looks like the party’s over, Luciella.”
A thrill zips around my body when he uses my full name. People rarely call me it, only really my parents and grandparents. I’m surprised he even remembered; he’s been calling me Luce all weekend—not that that’s a bad thing though. I like that coming out of his mouth too. Maybe it’s just his voice …
We say our goodbyes to the people left around, agreeing to meet some of his family downstairs for breakfast, and then I follow Theo to the lobby and into the lift. My body is all jittery as I wonder what happens now.
Is the night over? Will he kiss me? Do I want him to?
Duh, stupid question, Lucie. Yes!
We stand on opposite sides of the lift, facing each other. He’s not even touching me, but I can feel my hormones building at an alarming rate just because his eyes don’t leave mine. I’m not sure if he can feel it, too, but the temperature in the lift seems to grow hotter as the air thickens with lust.
When the doors ping and slide open, I break eye contact and step out, holding a hand to my chest in a pathetic attempt to stop my heart from hammering against my ribcage.
Stopping outside my door, I deliberately take a while to retrieve my keycard from my clutch