Taking The Reins - Book 1 of The Rosewoods (teen romance)

Dancing

Despite Kaylee’s desperate whispered protests and my sudden hope that the floor was going to open up and swallow me whole, Emmie succeeded in dragging us over to the guys.

Emmie on a mission was not to be denied.

“You guys,” she said to the boys in her authoritative tone. “We all need dance partners. Dave, you go with Brooklyn, and Phillip, you’re with Kaylee. I’ll dance with Declan. You two…” she pointed at the two guys who had not yet been assigned and then looked around. Chelly was doing just fine on her own on the other side of the gym, circled by a group of guys, but Celia was hovering by the bar, talking with Chelly’s roommate Naomi.

“Over there,” Emmie continued, moving her point toward the girls. “Celia and Naomi.”

As I stood there, basically paralyzed, I watched Phillip step toward Kaylee. She looked nervous but hopeful, and I was suddenly so happy for her.

Until he said, “You’re not going to puke on me again, are you?”

Kaylee’s face collapsed into a mask of despair. Exactly what she was afraid of had just happened, only worse. I looked from her to Emmie hoping she was going to kick the guy in the crotch.

But before either of us had a chance to do anything, one of the boys stepped forward, shouldering Phillip out of the way. “I’ll dance with you,” he said, looking down at Kaylee with a smile that could melt an iceberg. His deep Irish brogue made it that much sexier. Way sexier.

“Declan to the rescue,” Dave said with a chuckle. “Shall we?”

It wasn’t until I watched Kaylee smile and take Declan’s outstretched hand that I realized Dave was talking to me.

“Oh, uh yeah.”

I gave Emmie one last questioning look, but she nodded and waved us out to the dance floor. Losing her dance partner, she stayed where she was, but as I turned away, I saw her start to give Phillip what I’m sure was a few choice words about his behavior. A kick to the balls would have been my preference. Jerk.

“She’s something, isn’t she?” Dave said, bringing my attention back to him.

Right. Dave. “Yeah. She’s a force of nature.”

We stopped together at an arbitrary spot on the floor and I held my breath as his hands came to rest on my hips. He was barely touching me and in a way I’d been touched by boys before, but here and now, with him, it felt so close and very intimate. My heart thumped so hard, I was sure he could hear it.

With my heels on I was able to comfortably lay my arms on his shoulders, but I was careful to keep my distance, knowing Emmie would be watching. And anyway, the further I could stay away from him, the better. It was bad enough I could smell his cologne, a warm masculine scent, the same one from that first day, but stronger, more concentrated. It almost made me feel dizzy and I wondered if there were pheromones or something in it to make him extra attractive. If so, it was totally working.

Not good.

“So,” he began as we started to move to the music, making small circles in the little spot we’d carved out.

“Yeah,” I said. Because I had to say something and ‘yeah’ was the best my brain could do. I looked over his shoulder and watched my friends dancing. Kaylee seemed to be having a good time with Declan, laughing as they turned with the music. He was tall and lean with strawberry blond hair atop his rugged features. And that charming accent...

Dave’s fingers pressed into my hips lightly, bringing my attention back to him.

“So, Emmeline says I’m not supposed to flirt with you.”