“Every chance I had.”
Then he starts to move, and I realize he’s actuallygood. He leads me across the floor, and the connection between us is electric, just like every time we dance together. Except this time, we’re strangely at ease with the way our bodies move together. His dark gaze stays on me the whole time, and every point of our bodies where we’re touching feels like fire.
He dips me so smoothly, my breath catches in my throat. “Where did you learn to dance like this?”
He gives me a sheepish grin. “At first, I tried practicing with some of the hockey guys. That was basically a disaster that ended in a stick brawl.”
My eyebrows rise. “So I have the Crushers to thank for this?”
“Don’t encourage them.” He spins me out and back in withperfect timing. “You have Carmen to thank, actually. I snuck away to practice with her in the library whenever you were busy.”
“You practiced with your sister?”
“I don’t like being bad at things, Scarlett.” He turns me again. “I want to be good at this for you.”
My heart squeezes in my chest. “Joanne from the sports bar would be so proud.”
He chuckles, then turns me in a smooth circle before pulling me back to him. “I realized something that night in Charlotte.” His thumb traces circles on my back. “I never want to be the guy who says no to you—not about dancing or anything else.”
His eyes lock with mine. “So I made myself a promise. That I’d be the man who says yes to you. Who learns to dance becauseyoulove it and wears heart pajamas because you buy them for me. Everything you want, I’ll say yes to it, for the rest of your life.”
I look up at him, too stunned for words.
“Say something, Scarlett,” he whispers. “Because I just put my heart on the line, and you’ve gone silent on me.”
“That’s because I can’t breathe. Just like when we were in the hot tub.”
He leans closer, his breath brushing my ear. “If you thought what happened in that hot tub was something, just wait. I’m just getting started with you, Heart-Jammies.”
Something heats in my stomach. “You’re going to ruin me, Brendan Marco.”
“That’s the idea,” he says, voice rumbling. “I want you ruined for anyone else, because my family loves you too much to lose you.” His gaze levels with mine. “And so do I.”
Then he presses a kiss to my forehead, and I close my eyes, wanting this moment to last forever.
“By the way, my family is thrilled you’re here with me, Scarlett,” he whispers. “My mom’s already planning for you to come for the holidays.”
“What? Don’t you think this is moving really fast?”
“No.” He tips my chin up to look at him. “This is moving exactly twelve years too slow.”
A soft feeling settles inside me. “Then I won’t make you wait any longer.”
He dips his face, his forehead touching mine. “I wasted so much time, Scarlett. I’m not wasting another second.”
The music ends and he kisses me, right there on the dance floor, in front of his entire family, announcing to the world that I’m his.
That I belong here.
And I let him.
I’ve spent so much of my life waiting for permission to belong somewhere. Waiting for someone to tell me I was enough. But standing here, with this man, I finally understand. The permission was always mine to give.
When we finally break apart, he doesn’t move away. “Was that too much? I know this is supposed to be Carmen’s moment.”
“Look at your sister.” I nod toward Carmen and Tony dancing nearby.
Carmen catches our eyes and grins, giving a thumbs up that only we can see. Tony just shakes his head and smiles.