Chapter 20

Emma was on cloud nine. The evening had turned out way better than she expected. From the moment she bumped into Arran until he kissed her farewell, she felt like she was in a fairy tale. He had been so charming to her the whole evening, curious, thoughtful and delightfully attentive. He held her spellbound.

As amorous couples started making their way back to the private suites to do the things she assumed that ‘sophisticated swingers’ do, the dance floor began to open up. The energy of the room dramatically shifted from sexually charged to a more relaxed tone, softer somehow, and deliciously romantic. He took her hand and led her to the dance floor, practically floating through the crowd. He pulled her close to his chest, taking her hand and raising it to his lips for a kiss, then began swaying her to the rhythms of Marvin Gaye. He smiled down at her, his eyes locked to hers, wordlessly expressing his arousal.

She loved being in his arms, his body pressing up against hers, his breath teasing the flesh on her neck. Her blood pumped hot in her veins, quickly swelling her sex, urgently reminding her of her need. She could feel his cock hardening against her, his desire for her unmistakeable. He wanted her.

They danced for a long time, song after song, softly whispering to one another under the swirl of colored lights, giggling, teasing one another with carefully placed caresses designed to heat each other up, their bodies moving with sensual synchronicity. Arran made her feel desirable, sexy and more confident than she ever felt before, and if nothing else, she was grateful for that.

Before long, they were alone on the dance floor, one last song spun by a tired DJ. Her eyes searched the room, suddenly aware that she had forgotten about Luke. He was at the bar with Jane and Paul, his arm loosely draped across Paul’s shoulders, laughing as though enjoying a private joke. Jane still looked polished and put together, her smile beaming like a beautiful accessory. Then Luke glanced her way, his smile fading ever so slightly, and she felt a moment of regret for abandoning him all night.

In that same moment, Arran raised his hand and gently touched her face, lifting her chin so she could meet his eyes. He kissed her, gently at first, his lips softly brushing hers. She accepted him eagerly after patiently waiting all night for his kiss. His fingers laced in her hair and he plunged his tongue into her mouth, making it clear that his own patience had been tested. Although the kiss was not storybook perfect, it was delivered with a passion and intensity that Emma couldn’t deny. Surely, with more practice, they could improve on it.

He reluctantly pulled away from her, his dimples punctuating his handsome smile. He told her he wanted to take her home, his eyes filled with quiet confidence. Although part of her wanted to let him take her to bed and make love to her, something just didn’t feel quite right. Her body was aching for a man, hot, eager, and twisting with desire, but her heart was still holding her back, and she wasn’t sure why. She kissed him again, this time reigning his pace, then politely declined his offer, drawing an amused look of surprise from him.

He escorted her back to Luke and his friends and told her he wouldn’t leave without her phone number this time, that he wanted to take her to dinner somewhere romantic, just the two of them. She was so relieved that he understood, that he was willing to meet her heart where it needed to be met. A true gentleman. She gave him her digits and he pulled her in for one more kiss. It was soft and sweet, respectful of the company around them. When they parted, he turned and nodded at Luke before promising to call her.

She watched him exit the bar, her smile refusing to melt away. When she turned back, she was greeted with a curious look from Luke.

“You didn’t go home with him,” he said, more an observation than a question.

She shook her head, trying to read his face to determine whether or not he was disappointed in her. She knew he wanted nothing more than for her to finally move on from Andrew, find a warm body to ease her back into the land of the living, and she wanted that too, but she needed more time. She was happy leaning into it for now, and yes, she was toeing the water, but she still wanted to explore more adventures under Luke’s wing before immersing herself completely. She would get there eventually.

Luke shrugged his shoulders and smirked at her. She was certain his inner dialogue was lovingly scolding her, saying ‘Mimi, Mimi, Mimi’.

“That’s ok, sweetheart, he’ll call soon,” Jane comforted, noting the exchange between the two friends, her eyes seeing more than they did. “That ole boy was hotter than a pepper sprout. You had him so turned round, he didn’t know whether to scratch his watch or check his ass.”

Everyone looked at each other and cracked up, unaccustomed to hearing southern charm-isms in the Pacific Northwest. Emma was grateful for the comic relief, the attention no longer focused on her.

“On that note,” Paul teased, putting an arm around his petite wife, “I’m going to get this little lady home. Her southern comes out when she’s horny, and I’d like to cash in on that.”

“You know I’m a sure thing, baby,” she purred, giving him a theatrical kiss. They were just too cute for words, Emma thought, hoping one day for a relationship like theirs.

“Give me some sugar, honey,” Jane said, holding her hand out to her. Emma slipped into Jane’s embrace, surprised when the pretty blond gave her a tender kiss on the lips. It was sweet and delicious, from Jane’s honeysuckle scent to the unexpected fullness of those soft red lips gently pressing against her own. She found herself softly moaning as Jane pulled away. It was curiously arousing.

Paul, far less assertive than his wife, spun Emma around and gave her a platonic hug. “It was great to meet you, Emma. Hopefully, we’ll see you again soon,” he offered sincerely.

“Yes,” she cooed, still recovering from Jane’s enticing kiss, “I’d really like that.”

Luke laughed heartily and wrapped an arm around Emma to escort her away. He knew first hand how captivating Jane could be.