I rolled my eyes, trying to hide the excitement that I felt having his arms around me. “Please. I’m not a five-year-old. I know that you picked this song.” I put my hands on his shoulders, ready to slow dance awkwardly middle school style.

He chuckled, I felt the vibration from his chest. “Always master of the obvious.” My cheeks flushed as his hands went to my hips and pulled me even closer. “I really did want to say thank you.”

“Got it, weirdo.” Weirdo was what he was. Dancing with me like… like we were more than just friends.

“I’m serious,” he said softly. His right hand ran up my back slowly, leaving a trail of tingles in its wake. His chin touched my temple, and I was close enough to smell my favorite cologne on his skin. Did he buy it just to wear it tonight? Was it a gift from Jen he’d gotten for Christmas? I felt myself go rigid in his arms.

“So, since when did you change colognes?”

“I wanted you to say yes tonight. I’m not pulling any punches.”

“…Say yes to what?” Was he trying to seduce me? Was he holding me this close and smelling so good so that I’d hop into bed with him?

“Being the best woman,” he said.

I relaxed a little and tried to hide my frown in his shoulder. Stupid, Elly, stupid. Of course he wasn’t trying to seduce you.

“Sure thing,” I said softly as I tried to pull away, my composure back. He didn’t let me, his hand pressed on my lower back, holding me in place.

“Relax. I just want to dance with you. Hold you close. I’m not going to try to kiss you or anything else.”

I felt myself stiffen. I hadn’t been thinking that until now. “Stop bossing me around.”

He grinned. “My apologies.”

My mind started to wander as we continued to sway together. I wondered how many times he’d danced like this with Jen. I’d never seen him do it. Not even at prom. I shivered as I remembered prom. What a disaster that was.

“Since when have you liked to dance?” I asked, trying to distract myself from the fact that his hand was slowly moving down my back.

“Since I forced you into my arms,” he said softly.

I felt my cheeks blush as I looked into his dark, glittering eyes. With his hands on me it was starting to wear on me. My mind was going places it shouldn’t go. I dropped my gaze to his shirt.

“Um… so it grew on you?”

“Sure.”

“Like ticks.”

“No, more like…” he paused to think and pulled away.

“Cancer?”

“No,” he grinned at me.

“That ugly dog poster your aunt got you for Christmas?”

He chuckled, “No, like that snowman sweater your mom insisted was adorable.”

“The haircut you thought was super cool.”