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“No. No but then. You said those things, and then you ask me for coffee, and I’m trying so hard not to think about the way you smell or your hand on my back, and now you’re telling me that you took me out and I didn’t even know about it?”

Blake ran his hands through his hair, clearing his throat. “Are you going to let me get a word in?”

“Possibly, but it better be a good one.”

Blake waited a moment, just to be sure she wasn’t going to interrupt, and said, “I am still figuring things out, but I do know that I missed you. I like seeing you, and if you’re okay with it, I would like to take things slow and see where we end up.”

Hannah watched him, her expression pensive, as if she was searching his face for some catch. “What does that mean? ‘Where we end up’?”

Not yet ready to have that discussion, he held out his hand to her.

“Mostly, that I would love to dance with you. And after that, we’ll see how the night goes.”

Hannah took his hand, and he led her out of the storage room, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. Best caught his eye as he passed them carrying a tray of drinks, giving him a sly wink. The music was a slow Rascal Flats song, and as soon as they reached the dance floor, he pulled Hannah into his arms. She laid her cheek against his chest, and the two of them swayed to the melody. His fingers played with the curls of her hair and grazed the bare skin of her shoulders while his other arm wound around her waist, holding her close to his body.

“I imagined this moment a thousand times this week.”

He smiled, kissing the top of her head. One of the things he liked about Hannah was how open and honest she was. She would blurt out her emotions as if she just couldn’t help herself.

Jenny hadn’t been like that. She would hold in her anger or irritation with him until it exploded, and they’d get into a big fight. He could tell when Hannah was upset with him; it was all over her face.

I need to stop comparing everything to the way it was with Jenny.

Trying to pull himself back into the moment, he kissed the top of her head, breathing in the sweet, floral scent. “How is this measuring up?”

“Better. Much better.”

He brushed her hair back and dropped his mouth to the top of her shoulders, pressing sweet kisses up her neck until his lips reached the shell of her ear.

“I think so, too.”

As they turned, he saw his friends standing in the corner, watching him. They all held their hands up and clapped like a bunch of idiots, and Blake wanted to walk over and lay all three of them out.

Hannah, as if sensing his tension, pulled away and looked up at him with those gorgeous amber-flecked eyes.

“Is something wrong?” she asked.

Ignoring his friends, he smoothed her hair back and smiled. “Nope. Everything is perfect.”

“OH GOD, MY feet are killing me,” Hannah groaned as they finally left the dance floor just after midnight. The last three hours had been a whirlwind of dancing, laughter, and joy, as she’d never been far from Blake’s arms. All the anger she’d felt at the beginning of the night had melted after he’d told her he wanted to be with her.

To see how things go. I still need to know exactly what we are and what slow means. Are we exclusive?

Determined to just enjoy tonight and worry about the rest tomorrow, she kicked off her shoes with a sigh. “That’s better.”

“Does that mean you’re ready to go?” he asked.

She paused, studying him and trying to decipher what he was asking. “Nicki ordered a limo that is supposed to take us all back to where we left our cars.”

“I can drop you at your car.”

Hannah’s heart fluttered. “I actually rode with Nicki, so I need a ride back to my apartment.”

His lips brushed over hers, and she shivered.

“Even better. I can make sure you get

inside your place safely.”