One:
She had never believed that she would actually meet him. Sure, the hope had been there in the back of her mind as she got ready, but she was a realist. She knew that even if she did see him, security would be so tight that she would never get close enough for it to matter. Besides, why would he want someone like her when he had supermodels and starlets throwing themselves at him. And of course, he liked “exotic” girls, which she was definitely not. But her doubts couldn’t temper the excitement. She had heard from a friend who knew the club owner’s son that he would be there, his friends too but she didn’t particularly care for them. Not the way she did for him. She pulled the brush through her hair once more and gave one last, critical look to her reflection before leaving. Not too bad, she thought with a smile.
The club was packed. Apparently, the club owner’s son was quite popular. Watching the bouncer’s turn people away due to the number already inside, her heart became heavy with dismay. She was close to the front of the line now, and tears filled her eyes as the girl in front of her was met with “I’m sorry but we’re full. If you’re not on the list you’ll have to leave.” The girl walked away in a huff and there she was, at the front of the line. “Ma’am? Hello?”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” she said. “What did you say?”
“It’s all right. I was asking for your ID.” She handed it over, her hand trembling so hard she thought she might drop it. The bouncer shined his flashlight on her license, consulted his clipboard, and returned the plastic card to her.
She almost fainted when he pulled the velvet rope aside and waved her in, saying “Well, I see no problem here. You’re on my list as a guest of the owner. Please step to the right for your VIP bracelet.” Thank you, Gayle, she thought silently, shedding a tear of joy and relief before wiping her eyes and holding out her wrist. Gayle was the friend who knew Mario, the owner’s son. She had joked that Mario would do anything for her and apparently it was true.
“SARAH!” The shriek could only be from Gayle. Yep, there she was, bounding over with Mario in tow. Sarah couldn’t help noticing that Gayle was wearing Mario’s prized leather jacket. “You finally made it!”
“Yeah. Thanks for getting me on the list. I didn’t realize there would be so many people.”
Gayle laughed and Mario said, “Yeah, my little sister has a big mouth and one of the kids she told called the radio station.”
“You look great!” Gayle shouted over the music.
“Thanks.”
“Looks like I’m not the only one who thinks so,” Gayle said, pointing over Sarah’s shoulder. Sarah turned around and froze. Impossible. It couldn’t be. But it was. His clear blue eyes were locked on her and he was making his way through the crowd, his bodyguard close by, just in case. Sarah turned back around quickly, but Gayle was busy dragging Mario onto the dance floor. Sarah suddenly felt quite nervous and very alone. Then someone tapped her on the shoulder. She knew who it was before she turned around.
God, he smelled good! He smiled and leaned in close so she could hear. “Wanna dance?”
She wasn’t sure where she found her voice, but a steady “Sure,” came from her mouth. He took her hand and led her onto the floor. The song was a fast one and she found it hard to keep up, but he didn’t seem to mind. When it ended, she vaguely noticed the DJ saying something about slowing things down and a slow, sultry rhythm filled the room.
He pulled her close, his hands coming to rest on her hips. She lightly rested her palms on his shoulders, unsure of what she was doing. She hadn’t been one for slow dances, never really wanting to be that close to most of the guys she had known. He seemed to understand, a smile on his face as he placed his lips very close to her ear. “Relax. Close your eyes and do what the music says.” She tried, drawing in an unsteady breath and found herself swept away in the music and his presence. Really, how could she have noticed anything else? When the song ended, she realized just how closely they had been dancing and took a step back, color rising in her cheeks. He didn’t like that and pulled her against him once more. “Come on, I’ll buy you a drink,” he said after a moment, leading her away. She couldn’t have resisted if she’d tried, so caught up in the wonder and the feelings. She followed obediently as he led her up the stairs and into a small room, pausing to speak with the attendant who hurried off to the bar.
“I ordered two waters, for now. If you’d like something stronger . . .”
“No, water’s great.”
“I think it’s time for a proper introduction. I’m Josh, but pretty much everyone calls me JC.”
“I know . . . um, I’m Sarah.”
“I appreciate your honesty, Sarah,” he said, easing her discomfort.
She couldn’t believe she had said ‘I know.’ How stupid could she be? She looked up at him in awe. She still couldn’t believe she was this close to him. Surely, it must be a dream.
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