Ignite On Contact (Brotherhood by Fire #2) -Jaci Burton Page 0,65
coming over for dinner.”
She laughed. “I’ll make it for you. Or at least my version of it. I like to try my own take on different foods I’ve sampled and enjoyed.”
“Yeah? How does that work out for you?”
“Generally pretty good. They may not taste exactly the same, but I add different flavors to make it my own.”
“So you like to experiment.” Since they’d both declined dessert, he handed his credit card to the server. “Try new things.”
“Of course. Keeps me from getting bored. I don’t like to cook the same things over and over.”
“And I don’t like to eat the same things over and over. See how well matched we are?”
She laughed. “Like we’re meant to be.”
As they left the restaurant, Carmen rubbed her stomach. “I need to walk five miles to burn off that dinner.”
“I’ve got a better idea.”
They got into the car, and he drove out of the area. Carmen spent her time looking out the window at all the scenery, at the people who were out at night wandering around. Since it was summer, there were even more tourists populating the streets of Miami.
They ended up back at the hotel. Rafe handed off the truck to the valet. She thought they were going upstairs, but then a car came for them.
“No place to park where we’re going,” he said.
“Okay.” She was enjoying this mystery.
The drive didn’t take long. The first thing she noticed was all the people. Then the music. Latin music. Loud and boisterous, making her want to move, to dance. The driver stopped, and Rafe got out, holding his hand for her. She scooted out of the vehicle, and the music grew louder.
“Little Havana?” she asked.
Rafe smiled and nodded, and Carmen’s nerve endings fluttered with excitement. They walked past clubs where musicians played drums and trumpets, and all she wanted to do was stop and listen and dance. But she also wanted to see everything, experience all that Little Havana had to offer. There was so much color, so much culture offered up by this group of exuberant, beautiful people.
They finally stopped at Ball & Chain, a vibrant, clearly hot venue, noted by the number of people milling about both inside and outside. Her body was already swaying to the music while they stood outside waiting to get in.
Rafe took her hand and skirted them around the ridiculously long line, making his way to the door where two bouncers were checking people in.
One of the guys obviously knew him.
“Hey, Rafe.”
“How’s it going, Carlo? Busy night.”
“Crazy busy,” Carlo said. “Just you and your girl here?”
Rafe nodded. “Yeah.”
The guy motioned with his head. “Go on in.”
“Thanks, buddy.”
“Anytime.”
As they walked inside, the music grew louder. Carmen took it all in. People smashed together dancing, so much color, from the lights on the ceiling to everyone’s clothes to the band to—everything. The smell of sweat and alcohol fueled her, and she felt nothing but utter joy.
She turned to Rafe. “I can’t believe you got us in here.”
He shrugged. “It helps to know people. I’ve known Carlo since he lived in our neighborhood. We stay in touch, so I know he works at this place.”
So useful. And Carmen was deliriously happy that they were here.
Rafe worked them toward the bar, which was crowded with people. But these were her people, so everyone was laughing and drinking, and they had no problem hustling their way in, where they ordered mojitos and watched the bartender flip bottles and entertain them while mixing drinks.
“Think you can flip a bottle around your back and catch it in midair?” she asked Rafe.
“I can totally flip a bottle around my back.”
She cracked a smile. “So can I. What you’re saying is between the two of us we’d have a huge mess to clean up.”
“Yup.”
The bartender served them their mojitos. Carmen took a sip. It was sweet and delicious, and the mint revived her senses.
They moved away from the crowded bar. Luckily, a couple got up and left their table just as she and Rafe were passing by, so they took a seat right near the dance floor.
Carmen drank her mojito and wriggled in her seat as she listened to the energy of the salsa music.
Rafe got up and hauled her out of her seat. “Let’s go.”
“We’ll lose our table.”
“That’s okay. You want to be on the dance floor, don’t you?”
“More than anything.”
He grinned. “Then let’s dance.”
“Now you’re talking.”
She took several long swallows of her drink, finishing it off, which she knew would go to her head