Page 19 of The Sounds of Her
The woman is disappointed as she walks away. She shouldn’t be flirting with the clientele anyway. Don’t they have rules about that, especially in the VIP, VIP’s area?
Jordan appears, bringing another swathe of people with him. I glance around for Alessa, they’re normally attached at the hip. Then I remember she is on tour with Red Alert.
Which makes me think of Ciro and my mood sours. Jordan’s crew comes over to join us and he greets Archer’s brothers with hugs and back slaps. He blows Keira a kiss and squeezes my shoulder with a smile.
“What’s happening here people?”
“Thought you were in Des Moines?” Archer asks.
Jordan pulls a face. “Alessa said I should not come.”
The guys all laugh at that.
Jordan ignores them and looks at us. “Are you having fun?”
“We’re about to be,” Keira says, setting down her drink. She gets to her feet and grabs my hand. “We’re going dancing. You guys have fun.” She wiggles her fingers and drags me away from the table. “Oh my God, how cute is Zach? Where’s Adam?” she peers around.
I do the same and spot him making out with Jenna. “Otherwise occupied,” I point.
“Gross. But good, quick, before he comes up for air and senses I’m no longer in the room,” she grins, hurrying me towards the exit.
Stone is there, watching over everyone, and narrows his eyes as we approach.
“Before you start, we’re just going to dance,” Keira tells him. “No one is going to care about us.”
He eyeballs us, his face as blank as his name. “I didn’t see you leave,” he says.
“Love you Stone.” We hurry out the door and it closes behind us. “And now we’re free. So, Zach,” she puts one hand to her chest. “I can’t believe Arch has never brought him around before.”
“Probably knows how thirsty you are,” I laugh.
“And not ashamed to admit it. I may take some time getting friendly with him when we get back. But right now, the dancefloor is calling. I’m making the most of mom having Jake.”
We each take hold of the stair rail as we descend the steps, neither of us wanting to take a tumble in our four-inch heels. Though I’m more practiced in walking in shoes this high. Keira keeps hold of my hand as we reach the dance floor and drags me through the throngs of people, bumping and grinding to the heavy beat of the music. It’s hot as hell down here, making me appreciate the VIP room.
When we find a space for ourselves, Keira turns to me, and we dance. I raise my hands in the air and rotate my hips as the beat takes hold. I don’t care what the music is, I let it take over.
We divert any male attention and dance together, silently agreeing this is about us, and not letting any horny guys try to get in between us. We dance for at least five songs until I tire from the heat and painful shoes. My face is heating too.
I’m about to turn and tell Keira we should go back upstairs for some drinks when my eye catches a figure standing on the balcony. They project out of the wall so you can see down onto the dancefloor with no one being able to see into the VIP room.
I don’t stop dancing as I lock eyes with Archer. What the fuck am I doing? I sway my hips and shoulders, putting a lot more sensuality into the movements.
He continues staring and everything around me fades away. Even though he is far away, and I technically can’t see his eyes, I know instinctively he is looking at me.
Until someone taps his shoulder. He turns as a woman steps out, she stands right in our line of sight, so I can no longer see his face.
My heart plummets. I’m not sure why, it’s not as if Archer is anything to me. He’s free to talk to or be with whomever he chooses. Yet. There is a pull there, I swear I felt it. I turn away, not wanting to see what is happening with him and the woman.
A guy is trying to talk to Keira, dancing too close behind her. I lift my brows in question, she might want the attention, but she shakes her head with an irritated look. I step up and take her hand, smirk at the guy, then pull her off the dancefloor, not waiting to see if he protests. We head back towards the stairs. I pull my hair off the back of my neck and fan my face, it’s really hot in here.
“Time to go get Zach.” Keira rubs her hands together.
I don’t know what it is, but a weird sensation has come over me. One I don’t understand. Or like.
Returning up there is suddenly the last thing I want to do.
When we get to the top of the stairs where a security guy is waiting, I stop Keira.