“Women like to dance,” Meg told him as she turned and walked away.
Good to know.
After dinner, when the music started, Judy and Mike hit the dance floor with a little drama and flourish. At one point Zach jumped in and gave up Karen to dance with his sister. The photographers were having a field day with the four of them. It helped that Karen and Michael smiled and danced as if they hadn’t once been married and were now happily divorced and living different lives. Rick knew the truth about their temporary marriage, but not many others in the room did.
Rick waited for the right moment, and when the music slowed and the couples paired up, he cut in and wrapped his arm around Judy’s waist before she could see him coming. Before she could tell him no.
“Hey, babe,” he whispered next to her ear. She stiffened, briefly, then relaxed in his arms and moved along with the music.
She was silent for about thirty seconds, then she managed, “You didn’t call.”
Instead of answering, Rick swung her around, led her into a spin out, and back in, getting more than one flash of a camera. Only when he had her back cheek to cheek . . . or in their case, he had to bend down to talk in her ear, he said, “I told you I wouldn’t call.”
She opened her mouth to say something but he spun her again, robbing her of a slow dance and making this one much more active. Talking under their breath on the dance floor wasn’t what he wanted, not where she might get the opportunity to blow him off just as easily as a phone conversation. It wasn’t as if he would call her out with an audience watching. However, he would make sure anyone in the room who might be watching her knew of his attraction.
Rick wound his hand around her waist and pulled her even tighter, leading her, and used the music to weave heat onto her cheeks. She was smiling, almost as if she couldn’t help it.
“Where did you learn to dance?”
The question was innocent enough, but he blinked, nearly missed a step. “It wasn’t the military.”
The hand resting on his chest pushed back and she moved her gaze to his. “Well . . . you’re good.”
Happy she didn’t quiz him more, he moved her around, giving her ability to follow his lead a solid test. “You’re not bad yourself, Utah.”
The music started to wind down, both of them with it.
“About that lack of a phone call . . .”
“I’ll call next time.”
Some of the couples around them broke off the dance floor.
“I don’t know if—”
Rick didn’t like where that was going and he cut her off with a finger to her lips. He replaced it briefly with his kiss. Chaste, simple, and full of promise.
The earpiece buzzed, ending their dance-floor kiss. “Rick, we need you out back.”
He pulled away, happy to see Judy’s lips grinning. “Have to get back to work, Utah. We’ll talk later.” He kissed her forehead and left her standing on the dance floor.
Chapter Eight
Meg nudged Karen’s elbow and brought her attention to the kissing taking place on the dance floor. “Check it out.”
Karen glanced over her shoulder and let out a soft whistle. “I knew that was coming.”
“Judy’s really crazed over him.”
Neither of them stopped staring while the kiss ended and Rick said something in Judy’s ear.
“Crazy good or crazy bad?”
“A little of both.”
Rick left Judy staring after him, and when she swiveled toward the two of them, both Karen and Meg turned their attention to the wineglasses in their hands. They couldn’t have been more obvious.
“Is he a good guy? I mean, he seems like he is.”
Karen brought her drink to her lips and talked over the rim. “I’ve never seen anything that raises any alarms. He’s been Neil’s right hand for over two years.”
“Does he date a lot?”
“I’ve never seen him with anyone. I’m sure he’s been out, but not with anyone he’s brought around us.”
Zach slid up alongside his wife, placed a hand on her shoulder. “Was that Rick kissing my baby sister on the dance floor?”
Karen leaned into her husband with a giggle. “There is not one other man in this place that can be mistaken for Rick except Neil, and we both know how happy Neil and Gwen are.”
Zach’s eyes narrowed toward the door Rick had used to escape the room. “Hmm.”
Meg glanced over and saw Mike talking with Judy. Both Mike and Zach had the same expression on their faces.
Zach started for the door and Karen caught his arm. “What are you doing?”
“Nothing,” he said a little quickly.
“Don’t do anything stupid. Judy’s a grown woman.”
Zach kissed the side of Karen’s head before walking away.
Meg watched with appreciation. “As an only child, I’ve never had a brother or sister worry about the guys I’ve dated.”
“Me either,” Karen said. “It’s nice to see.”
Mike met Zach at the door and they both walked side by side to confront Rick.
“Should we warn him?”
Karen shook her head. “No, but I sure do want to watch.”
Meg liked her spirit. “You watch. I’ll catch up with Judy.”
Rick circled to where two guests were getting a little heated about whose name was last on the list before the auction table closed. Security stood to the side and watched while one of the auctioneers attempted to resolve the situation as quietly as possible. Unfortunately, the men weren’t having anything to do with the woman’s negotiations.
“I have to go with the last name on the list, Mr. Phifer. Perhaps we can contact the organization that donated this item and have another one offered.”
Mr. Phifer wasn’t happy with the possibility of not leaving with the auction item. He glared at the taller man standing on the other side of the volunteer. “And if they don’t?”
“We can only try.”
“If you really want something here, you need to stand over it,” the taller man snarled over the voices around him.
Rick had no idea what the men were fighting over, but it couldn’t be so important that two grown men should have it out at a charity event to obtain it.
Mr. Phifer pushed in, almost sandwiching the volunteer.
Rick made his presence known with one step. Between them, Rick circled around with a smile. “Gentlemen? Have you forgotten why you’re here?”
Accusing fingers were pointing; both men started voicing their argument. It soon became apparent that they’d both been drinking and neither was listening.