my grandfather, but I bet he danced just like that.”
Gio laughed. “And you can do better?”
“Pft. Fuck yeah. Give me some music that doesn’t suck and I’ll show you what real dancing is.” Sacha stood and motioned for Gio to toss him his phone. Gio did, amused as Sacha scrolled through the different stations. He tapped the screen, and the music changed to something modern and upbeat.
“You think you’re that good, huh?”
Sacha rolled his eyes and motioned to himself. “Baby, this body was made for dancing. Now I’m no Bruno Mars, but…” He started dancing in time to the popular tune, and Gio was mesmerized. He’d briefly seen Sacha out on the dance floor in Sapphire Sands the few times they’d both been to the club with the rest of the group. But not enough to appreciate the hypnotizing way he moved his body. Was there nothing the man couldn’t do?
Chip barked at seeing his person dancing around, and Sacha held his hands out to his furry friend, his smile wide when Chip got on his hind legs and placed his front paws in Sacha’s palms. Gio laughed as Sacha danced with Chip, who stood as tall as Sacha, taller if you counted Chip’s huge ears. Chip barked happily, his tongue lolling out of his mouth and his tail wagging as he bounced around with his favorite person in the world. Gio could watch them all day. He loved the way the two doted on each other. There was no one Sacha was more himself with than Chip.
Jack might be Sacha’s brother, but Chip was very much his best friend. The sheer joy that filled his face when he was with Chip made Gio’s heart swell. He’d never seen anything so sweet, so genuine. For all his gruffness, Sacha loved Chip with all his heart and an openness Gio doubted few got to see. He scratched Chip and kissed his face while Chip returned Sacha’s love. Chip was more than a companion. He was a fiercely loyal protector, a dear friend, and a warm presence. Gio needed someone like Chip in his life, and if he had someone like Sacha, all the better. Okay, maybe not someone like Sacha, but the man himself.
Sacha lifted his gaze to Gio’s, and his cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink. Not wanting him to feel self-conscious, Gio cleared his throat.
“How do you do that?”
“What?”
Gio motioned to his body. “Move your hips like that?”
“I’m very bendy.”
“Oh, I have no doubt.” Gio had spent many a night thinking about just how bendy Sacha might be. The intensity and heat in those blue-gray eyes threatened to set Gio on fire. “But seriously, I’ve been doing yoga for years, and I’m not as fluid as you are.”
Sacha shrugged. “I did a lot of gymnastics when I was a kid.”
“Really?”
“Yep. I loved sports. Anything that pushed me to my limits, I was all in, and I was good at it.”
“Is that why you joined the military? To push yourself to your limits?”
Sacha’s smile dimmed. “It’s one of the reasons.” He came to stand next to Gio. “Here. Do what I do.” He lifted his arms and rotated his hips.
“You make it look so easy,” Gio said with a laugh as he attempted to mimic Sacha’s moves.
Chip barked and pranced around them as they danced, the music switching over to another upbeat song. Gio couldn’t remember the last time he’d danced around like this for fun. Usually, his downtime consisted of non-downtime activities like work. He’d research, send emails, answer emails, watch documentaries. Good God, when was the last time he’d had any fun? He used to find time during his travels to enjoy the places he visited, immerse himself in the local culture, but over the last few years, he’d lost that joy, working himself into exhaustion with little sleep.
A sweet love ballad came on over the speaker, and Gio turned toward Sacha, ending up close to him. Sacha gazed up at him, lips parted, his chest lightly heaving from his exertion. He was so damned beautiful. Gio brushed the backs of his fingers down Sacha’s stubbled jaw, making him draw in a sharp breath.
“I, um, I should probably go.”
“You don’t have to,” Gio said softly. He cleared his throat and took a step back. “I, um, I’ve got some emails to send out if you want to take a load off. Hang out and watch some TV. I mean, your dog is snoring.” Gio motioned to Chip,