The Own Goal ✔️

Part 80

By the time dessert arrives, tiramisu for Jack and chocolate mousse for me, we are talking about Mia's birthday in two weeks.

"Can't believe she's gonna be two" Jack says wistfully. "Ere have a try of this", he holds his forkful of tiramisu to me and I slowly take it it into my mouth.

"Oooh that's good" I tell him, before I continue, "I know, although she's already got the attitude of a teenager!"

"Yeah, that's me sistas influences I think, sorry" he grins at me. "So, I was thinkin' we should get her a trampoline, when I took her to work with me, she loved the little ones in the gym -"

"- You took her to work?" I didn't know he'd done that.

In the corner a pianist starts up.

"Yeah, I only hadda go in to do a bitta gym work, I thought it would be nice to spend the day with her, so we skipped nursery" he says dramatically making me giggle.

"You're such a rebel"

"Yeah ya love it!"

We both glance over at the people that have started dancing on the dancefloor near the piano, I hadn't even noticed that there was a dancefloor.
They look so elegant in the dimmed lighting of the beautiful diamond chandeliers.

"Hmmm, ok, so a trampoline? For the garden?" I confirm.

"Yeah, if ya think that'd be ok?"

"I think it's a great idea" I look him in eyes "this was a great idea"

He smirks "ya not gonna let me try your mousse no?"

"Mmmmm it's soooo good, I don't want to share"

"So I see"

I hold my spoon up for him, he takes my hand and oh so fucking slowly licks the chocolate off my spoon. somehow that sends shivers down my spine.

"Good huh?" I mutter watching his face.

"I'm tryna work out wot me next great idea is, I think I've got two options" he pauses "three options".

"Go on, I'm intrigued"

He leans closer, taking my hand again.

"One, we order cocktails. Two I take you home, kiss you goodnight and leave ya to it, like a good respectful date.........three, I take you home and nothing remotely respectful happens..."

The air between us is suddenly thick and heavy. He gives my hand a little squeeze.

I look at him, I don't know....I still feel broken, so broken and bruised from the last couple of weeks,I turn away from his gaze. We are getting on so well, and I don't want to ruin anything that we are working so hard on rebuilding........

"I don't know..........can we.....can we dance?" I turn back to him.

His face looks slightly surprised "ok"

He stands up and walks around to me, holding out his hand, "would ya like to dance with me Miss Kelly?"

I smile "I would love to Mr Grealish"

As we walk to the dancefloor Jack puts his hand on my bare back, I tingle. "Can ya dance? Properly?"

"I've never done it" I confess "can you?"

"Er, me nan kinda showed me on caravan holidays when I was a kid, but I'm not exactly gonna be doin' well on strictly anytime soon"

On the floor Jack puts one hand on my waist and takes my other in his, holding it slightly out, I place my free hand on his bicep and can't resist giving it a little squeeze. We grin at each other and awkwardly start moving our feet around the dancefloor.