Page 19 of Burnin' For You

And his gut said Gilly wanted to dance.

Tonight, regret wouldn’t chase him home.

And they thought bull riding was tough. He took a breath. “Let’s dance, Gilly. I promise not to step on your toes.” He held out his hand, and when she only hesitated a moment before taking it, he congratulated himself on the best epic victory of the night.

She had a strong hand, despite her size, and she followed him around the tables to the dance floor.

The band had picked up a Josh Turner song, appropriatelyWhy Don’t We Just Dance, and he looked down at Gilly. “It’s been a while, but my mama taught me how to two-step.”

She nodded, a smile curving up her face. “I’m not much of a dancer.”

“Just follow me.” He took his first step.

Right onto her foot. “Sorry. Right foot, left foot, quick, quick, slow.”

She came to about his chest, and so he held her back a little, just so he could find her eyes, and tried again. They sputtered around the sides of the dance floor, halting, starting again. His hands began to sweat.

She kept that pretty smile but glanced a couple times at Juliet twirling with CJ.

Oh, this was a bad idea.

My two left feet, our two hearts beating...

Reuben took a breath and tried to twirl her out. She bumped into another couple, and he pulled her back fast. “Sorry.”

“We don’t have to— “

“I can do better.” He nearly barked it.

Nice, Rube.He glanced again at CJ and realized—the kid had no rhythm. Just a crazy desire to wiggle his body and twirl his girl.

Yes, Reuben could domuchbetter. He moved them to the center of the floor, found the beat, and led them in a circle, landing the steps, quick, quick, slow. Quick, quick, slow.

Then he took her hand and twirled her out. Back in again.

She giggled—wow, really?—and he felt it in his chest, warmth, the slow unwinding of the coil of tension.

He led her out in a turn under his other arm then caught her in a cuddle hold.

She might be tiny, but she had moves, and she followed his lead as if anticipating him. Even looked up at him and grinned, her eyes shining.

And that’s what did it. His heart skipped, his brain stopped, and he missed a step.

The next moment, he’d tripped over his own oxen feet, and in a flash of horror, felt his momentum shift.

The floor came up at him, Gilly trapped in his arms, and all he could think was to twist, to turn his back to the floor and hold onto her.

Cushion her as he crashed onto the dance floor.

Sort of.

He landed with his body curled around her, one leg under her, one on top of her, his arms crushing her to his chest. The dancers parted, gasps echoing into the chorus of the song.

Gilly lay tangled, her arms pinned against him, her leg under his, her face buried in his chest.

Struggling.

“Let me go.”