Play Along(50)

My vision goes blurry as I discard my beer, flying off the couch to jump the barrier rope, dodging the crowd and finding my way to her.

When I finally make it to the front where our group is, the guy is gone. My brother is also missing, so I can only assume he took care of that issue for me.

But Kennedy is still here, back to me and auburn hair falling in loose waves. She’s not dancing anymore, her eyes darting around the area frantically, and I allow myself to believe she’s looking for me.

From behind, I wrap my hand around her waist, exactly where someone else’s just was.

She instantly jerks to get away.

“It’s me, Kenny.” I pull her back into my chest, curling down to speak quietly into her ear.

Her body stops fighting me and instead melts back into my touch.

“Are you okay?”

She nods.

“Do you want to leave?”

She shakes her head, her hand reaching up to grip onto my forearm, as if silently telling me to keep my arm right there wrapped around her.

I breathe her in as the music continues, this girl I’ve had to keep my distance from most of the night. There’s a part of me that’s afraid of going too fast, of pushing her too quickly because of how long I’ve wanted this. Whatever we do, she’s going to have to set the pace.

Cody shows up in front of us with a sneaky smile on his lips and another shot in his hand for Kennedy.

“Absolutely not,” I tell him. “Stop trying to get my wife drunk. She’s known to make very poor decisions while drinking tequila.”

“Someone’s got to have fun tonight and we all play tomorrow.”

“She works tomorrow too. What happened to that chick you were dancing with?”

“Lacey? Turns out the third time was definitely not the charm.” Cody throws back the shot of clear liquid. “Don’t tell Monty.”

“Lacey, huh?” Kennedy asks when it’s just the two of us on the crowded dance floor again.

“What about her?”

“Was she the brunette who was hitting on you while you were on the couch?”

A knowing smile sneaks across my lips, but she can’t see it, both of us facing the stage. “I couldn’t tell you what color her hair was, and I caught you over here watching me, wifey.”

“I happened to look over there at that exact moment, is all. She was cute.”

“She’s not you.”

I can feel Kennedy roll her eyes, but still she drops her head back to my chest.

The club is dark. The music is impossible not to move to. Ever so slightly, I rock my hips and Kennedy sways with me, her head on my chest and her hand on my forearm.

I drop my lips to her hair as the music takes over, her body melting into mine.

When she’s prepping and planning, she can’t get out of her own head, overthinking every little contact. But right now, with her guard down, she’s a natural at this.

We continue to sway as my fingers splay wide over her belly, pinky toying with the waistband on her leather pants and thumb dusting the lace fabric of the underside of her bra.

She shudders against me.

“Tell me to stop.”

She shakes her head, her body fully falling into the cradle of my arms.

I run my hand over her stomach, wrapping and curving over her waist and holding her to me.

She stays there, one arm dangling at her side, the other gripping my forearm as if she has no idea what to do from here.

“Do what feels good,” I whisper into the dark space.

Kennedy runs her hand across my forearm that’s holding her, her palm finding the back of my hand before dipping her fingers in the space between mine, lacing our hands as I hold her to me.

“Mmm, I fucking love that.”

“Yeah?” she asks over her shoulder.

I slip my other arm over her waist as well, lips ghosting the shell of her ear as I dance with her. With a bit more confidence, Kennedy lifts her dangling hand from her side, mentally cataloging what she wants to do with it, but instead drops it right back to her thigh, stiff and uncomfortable.

“I’m in my head,” she admits.

I quickly glance around the room. I can’t see too much thanks to the crowd and the darkness, but I find an empty corner in the back.

“Come with me.” I keep our hands intertwined as I bring her to the dark corner.

There’s a barstool waiting, so I take a seat, pulling her to stand between my spread legs.

We’re almost eye to eye at this height, and I stare right at her when I tell her, “Touch me however you want to.”

Her brows cinch, her eyes almost taking on a glossy sheen, and I don’t know if it’s because she’s embarrassed or what.

No one is watching, everyone’s backs are turned to us as they listen to the live band play in front of them.

Kennedy studies me, researching and trying to figure out the best way to start.

“Don’t overthink, Ken.”

She lifts her hands, but instantly drops them to my knees with a smack.

My chest rumbles.

“Don’t laugh at me.”

“I’m not laughing at you, baby.” Moving her hair away from her face, I tuck it behind her ears. “I just find it funny that you’re so in your head right now, while I’m over here desperate for you to touch me and knowing there’s nothing you could do that I’m not going to like.”