“Yeah. My boy Bill. William, for long.”
“I was more focused on the naked part.” Actually I was more focused on the prison part. But I was curious about Naked Bill too.
“He had a tendency to strip when he got drunk. Anyway, let’s dance.” He downed his second drink and started pulling me towards the dance floor.
“No way. You can’t just drop that bomb on me and then expect me to not have a million questions.” I knew he was a bad boy, but that was a little too bad for my taste.
“Didn’t you ever know anyone who liked to get naked while they were drunk?”
“Not that! I was talking about you going to prison.”
“You actually believed that?” He laughed. “Yeah, that was a total lie. But I’m flattered that you think I’m that badass. Really I just got hot by joining a construction crew the summer before college.”
I glared at him. “You know, you should really think twice before messing with me. I can make you get naked whenever I want, remember?”
“Go for it. In fact, that would be great. My tailor made these pants a little too tight in the crotchal region.” He adjusted his junk.
Damn it!How was he so confident? If he had been threatening to make me take my dress off right now I would have been freaking out.
“Hmm…no, it’s not time to get you naked yet. I’m going to save it for the worst possible time. It’s gonna be epic.” And I didn’t want Kat to see him naked.
“If you say so. Now can we please dance? This is my jam.”
“In a second. I never got the end of the story about you and Kat.” I had to know exactly what I was up against.
“There isn’t much left of the story. We went to different colleges. I didn’t see her for a good 5 or 6 years. When we ran into each other again she was all over me, but I shut her down. Part of me still resented her for ditching me in high school.”
Suddenly I saw Cole in a whole new light. All the muscles and tattoos and jokes were just his way of covering up his heartache. “I’m sorry she ditched you,” I said.
“I’m over it. Wait a second…do you feel that?”
“Feel what?”
Cole gripped the counter while his body twisted and jerked. “The music…it’s pulling me…” He held on tighter but the invisible force won out. He grabbed me and took me with him.
I wanted to ask so many more questions about his childhood, but I got the feeling that he’d already shared more than he was comfortable with. The least I could do to thank him was reward him with a dance.
I shuffled my feet and snapped my fingers, trying desperately not to look extremely awkward. I was pretty sure I failed.
“What the hell are you doing?” asked Cole.
“Dancing.”Gah! Dancing is the worst!Whatever monster decided that dancing was a group activity should be shot. There was a reason that I only danced in the comfort of my own home when I was very, very alone. Or very, very drunk. I really needed another drink to do this…
“Unless your name is Uncle Frank, then that’s not dancing. You have to feel the music.” He grabbed my hands and helped me move to the beat. “See? That’s not so hard.”
When he held my hands it wasn’t so hard at all. Actually, it reminded me a lot of dancing with Tanner at the Wineflix and Chill launch party. He’d made me feel comfortable too. Right before he ghosted my ass.God, stop thinking about Tanner.
We danced to that song. And then the next. And then he let go and started dancing all crazy. I went back to my classic shuffle/snap.
“Seriously?” asked Cole. “Back to that?”
“You don’t have to rub it in. I know I’m a terrible dancer.”
“You know what I think?”
“What?”
“I think you’re afraid to make a fool of yourself. But the joke’s on you. Because the only difference between a good dancer and a bad dancer is confidence. And you, Raven Black, are too hot to not be confident.”
