Dragged to the Wedding(38)
James shaved and showered, returning to the bedroom, where Daniel had made the bed and laid the dress on it. “Is it done?”
“Yes. I need to hang it up and steam it. Holly can try it on once we get back from the dance session.” He yawned. “Look, James, I need to talk to you about last night. I got carried away, and I think you did too.” He sighed and stepped back. “We need to keep this professional. I’m here to do a job, and we need to keep our feelings out of it. Otherwise we aren’t going to make it through this. Like you said, in a few days we’ll go home and return to our own lives. It’s best if we don’t get things all tangled up before that happens.” Daniel gathered his clothes and makeup case, heading quickly across the hall like he needed to escape.
James sat on the edge of the bed, smarting from the way Daniel had used his own words against him. Maybe he was right and the two of them had nearly made a mistake last night. When he listened to his head, he knew he and Daniel should simply stick with their professional arrangement and keep their hands to themselves. But as he sat and stewed on it, he grew angry and more determined. No one had ever captured his attention the way Daniel did, and it didn’t matter if he was dressed as a man, as he had been on the flight and in the airport, or as a woman, as he had been the last few days. The clothes didn’t make the person—it was who was in them, and James only saw Daniel, no matter what he was wearing.
The idea rather shocked him in some ways. James had always seen himself as a man’s man. Sure, he liked other men, but he’d always gone for manly men, and Daniel certainly didn’t have that appearance. James liked guys who were strong, sure of themselves, and knew what they wanted. Over the last few days, however, he’d learned that his views of people and what made someone strong and confident had changed. Daniel had those characteristics in spades. James hadn’t anticipated that...and it pissed him off. He was learning things about himself that weren’t pretty, and Daniel was stepping away because of it.
“Aren’t you going to get ready?” Daniel asked as he returned dressed and with his makeup in place.
James jumped to his feet, closed the door, then folded his arms over his chest. “You had your say, and now I want to have mine. If you want to keep things between us professional, then there’s nothing I can do. That’s your decision.”
“I’m glad you think so.” He knew Daniel well enough now to know when he was being sarcastic. Daniel crossed his own arms and glared back at him.
“But I never pictured you as a coward. I’ve seen you as many things, intense and protective, determined, and god knows as a woman who turned my head and I had no fucking idea why. When that curtain first parted on that stage and I saw you come out.” James stepped closer. “Do you know what I thought?”
“That you had been played?” Daniel deadpanned.
“Well, maybe.” He had to admit that. “But I also thought that I would never have the guts to do what you do. You have the internal fortitude to play my girlfriend for my sister’s wedding, and yet when there’s the chance that things might get more serious and that we might have the chance at something more, no matter how crazy or unrealistic that may be...you’re the one to chicken out.” James stared into Daniel’s eyes and saw only resistance and the hardness of stone. “Fine.” He turned away and found a pair of light tan slacks in the closet. He pulled them on along with a blue button-down shirt, and put on his shoes, not looking at Daniel. “Let’s go.”
* * *
“The first dance at your wedding is one of those moments when all eyes will be on you,” Beverly, the dance instructor, said and then positioned Holly and Howard in the center of the wood parquet dance floor, surrounded by mirrors.
“I’m going to hurt someone. I’m a menace on the dance floor.”
“I’ve taught many reluctant grooms. Just relax.” Beverly talked them through the simple dance steps, breaking them down, and then started the music. Howard took two steps, promptly stepped on Holly’s foot, and managed to kick her in the shin.
Holly yelped, and Howard apologized, looking about ready to bolt for the door.
“Your twenty bucks from the other day says he makes a run for it,” James whispered to Daniel, who nodded and smiled as Beverly coaxed Howard back, and then they started again.
The second time, he lasted longer. “I can’t do this. I have never been able to dance.” Howard released Holly and backed away.
“Howard,” Holly said gently, coaxingly, and they tried again and again.
“Safe money,” James said with a grin. Howard gazed at the door longingly, the look in his eyes remarkably similar to that of a panicked deer. Maybe five more minutes and Howard would be out of there.
“You’re mean sometimes, you know that?” Daniel snickered.
“Just calling them as I see them,” James retorted as Howard stepped on Holly’s foot once again.
“Anyone can dance,” Daniel proclaimed and stepped forward, flashing James a wicked smile. Holly’s poor feet had probably had enough by this point. “Let me try.” He stood right in front of Howard. “Now take my hand and my waist just like you held Holly’s.” James was just close enough to hear what Daniel was saying.
Holly limped over, standing next to him. “Thank god. My poor feet. We’re both going to owe her big-time. At least my feet sure as hell will.”