Lifting his head, he tugged her toward the door.
“That’s why I know you’ll love it.”
11
AS STEPHANIE FOLLOWED Danny across the lawn and down to the dock that held a temporary dance floor, she felt her phone vibrate in her handbag.
She should have turned it off when she’d seen all the messages from her mother—no doubt an endless barrage of questions about the Murphy family. Stephanie nodded and smiled at Danny’s brother Keith and his fiancée, Josie, who were already locked in a slow dance. But it was hard to focus on the present—despite the twinkling white lights strung around the dock and the crescent moon and stars overhead—when the vibrating phone reminded her of her mother. Why did Mom have such a compulsive need to steer her toward more prominent social circles? Or a more academic line of work? Most days, it was both. She had a hard time finding a sense of balance between having effective boundaries with her mom and still maintaining their relationship.
Before she could reach into her purse to turn the phone off, Danny spun her into his arms, reminding her of his promise to distract her.
“May I have this dance?” He waited for her reply, the tiny white paper lanterns reflected in his eyes.
Her mouth went dry at the invitation, knowing what it felt like to be the center of this man’s undivided attention. Sure, on an emotional level, it could be intimidating. On a sensual level, there was nothing better.
“Yes. You may have that and more.” She clutched a handful of her skirt in one hand to dip into an old-fashioned curtsy and his hot gaze followed the neckline of her strapless dress.
A heat wave curled through her, starting in the pit of her belly and fanning out to her limbs.
“Then follow me.” He slid one hand around her waist to palm the small of her back. With the other, he clasped her fingers and took the first step of the dance. He didn’t just turn her around in a circle, shuffling the aimless steps of most modern couples on the floor. Danny led with authority, guiding her body to the music.
“What are we doing?” she squeaked, breathless to keep up with him. She squeezed his waist tighter, her evening bag caught between them.
“I’m pretty sure they call this one a waltz.”
He spun her from one side to the other, her hair and her dress swirling in a half circle.
A laugh bubbled up from inside. She had no idea how to dance—the waltz or anything else—but he was such a strong partner, he seemed to send her in whatever direction she needed to go.
“You’re fantastic.” And utterly surprising. “You weren’t kidding when you said you wanted to keep things light. I feel like I’m flying.”
Or riding an amusement-park ride where you never knew which way you’d go next.
“Good. Next, I hope you feel seduced.” He brought them close to the edge of the dock so that the water was at their feet for a moment. “Have you heard what they say about men who can dance?”
“Hmm. You’ll have to refresh my memory.” She could have stared at him all night in his crisp white dress shirt and his dark navy suit. A light blue plaid tie had hints of silver and fuchsia to coordinate with her dress—although how he’d found something to go with an outfit she’d only picked out the day before, she’d never know.
Danny leaned closer to whisper in her ear.
“They’re good in bed,” he confided, the words a warm stroke along her hair that made her shiver.
“I already knew that about you.” Her skin tingled with awareness and the desire to be alone with him.
How could she have dreaded intimacy for so long, only to have all her latent sensuality restored with a vengeance by this one man? It made no sense that any man would be a magic cure, right? Still, she couldn’t deny how he made her feel and she closed her eyes to savor the heat simmering inside.
“I figured a reminder wouldn’t hurt.” His fingers flexed ever so slightly against her back, a delicious pressure that made a tantalizing promise about what awaited her later.
She missed a step, forgetting to follow his lead when she was so wrapped up in the moment.
“Oh!” She would have stumbled except that he lifted her gently, saving her feet from having to do any work at all.
It was only one moment, a tiny instant of being airborne with him before he set her on her feet and the music came to an end.
All around them guests applauded the music and, she realized, them. The other dancers paused to look toward her and Danny, lifting their clapping hands to show their approval. Someone whistled. Danny gave a discreet bow and then drew her aside, away from the others, onto a long pier that led out into the water off the main dock. There was a pair of vacant wooden chairs out on the end, bracketed by two wrought-iron candelabra. She guessed that was their destination, but he took his time on the stroll while the chamber musicians transitioned into another song.