She loved this song, the words, the beat. "Dance with me, Jack," she said in his ear. He couldn't help it that his girlfriend Lindsey had left their little group in a huff, and Emma's own boyfriend Dave didn't feel like hanging out tonight. Taking Jack's hand, she pulled him up to his feet. He was reluctant, but not just because he didn't like dancing. He could handle dancing if he had to, but it would mean being close to Emma, and he wasn't sure he could do that, not right now.
The couple weaved their way to the dance floor. Emma slipped into the rhythm of the music and started to sway, her eyes half closed in almost a trance-like state. Jack knew this would get him in trouble. He'd fallen for Emma years ago but refused to admit it. Linsdey's problem was that she could see what was going on right before her eyes, but Jack just kept denying how he felt. Emma, on the other hand, seemed completely unaware of the situation.
"Come on, Jack. Why are you so tense?" She followed his gaze to the entrance of the club. "Don't worry. She'll be back later." She took hold of his hands and tried to lead him a little. "What, are you just going to stand there?"
"No, of course not," he said laughing nervously. The two began to dance. Emma and Dave went way back, but Jack and Lindsey were still fairly young in their relationship. As the music pulsed, Emma slipped her arms around her friend's neck. Jack tensed his jaw. He wasn't sure what to do, where to put his hands, or even where to look. He could tell his body liked the closeness, but in his mind he was freaking out.
Emma looked up at him. "What's the matter?" she asked.
Jack couldn't think of anything to say. He could smell her shampoo on her hair, so soft and silky as it framed her face. He was also aware of her fingers on the nape of his neck and the burn it left on his skin. He swallowed hard. Think about monster trucks and naked old women, he told himself.
Emma stepped back. Her eyes showed concern. "Jack, is something wrong?"
"No...no, Emma, I'm fine. Come here." He smiled weakly and pulled her back towards him, scooping her into his embrace. She felt great, smelled wonderful, and he just wanted to enjoy the moment with her. She'd never cheat on Dave for anything or anyone, that just wasn't the kind of person she was. Knowing the kinds of women Jack had known and been with in his life, that was a rare find. It had been a long time since he'd known a woman who could still give him the feeling of butterflies in his stomach every time she was near him. He knew that was cheesy, and he'd never told anyone of it. Emma was the kind of woman he wanted to come home to and spend the rest of his life with, but as luck would have it, Dave had found her first. Still, for just a few brief moments, he could have her all to himself. He wondered if she could feel his heart thumping away in his chest like the rapid beating of drums and hoped it didn't give away what he was feeling. "I love you," he whispered so quietly under his breath that she wouldn't hear.
As the song finished and quickly switched to an upbeat tune, Emma looked up at Jack and smiled. "Thanks for the dance," she said, and kissed him lightly on the cheek. Jack froze. Had she heard him? Surely not. All of sudden, all he wanted to do was disappear.
"Hungry?" she asked. "I'm starved!"
Jack snapped back to reality. "Sure!" he said. Relief washed over him, and he exhaled deeply. "How does Mexican sound?" he asked, doing his best to keep his voice from jumping up an octave.
"Like heaven!" She took his arm. "Let's get out of here."
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