A Slip of the Hand

Chapter 19

I stare at my reflection as I wash my hands. After I dry them, I rub my finger under my eyes, smudging out any wayward eye makeup, and then dig around in my purse to find my lipstick.

I finish as quickly as I can and hurry back to the dance floor. Daniel and Mickie stand on the outskirts of the crowd, and two Barbies fawn all over them.

I know there's no reason I should feel this way, but the thought of Daniel dancing with another girl—especially one like this—makes my stomach boil. They're two versions of the same person: both tan and honey-blonde, wearing bodycon dresses of slightly different styles. They're Barbie made flesh. It's entirely judgmental, but I can't forgive how generic they are.

I walk in their direction, cooking up a reason to interrupt. Luckily, Mickie waves as I get close.

"Oi, Madison!" he calls. "Meet Alexis and Brianna." Mickie points to Barbie 1 and Barbie 2, but I've already forgotten who is who.

"Hi," I say with a wave and then turn to the boys. "Have you guys seen Ellie?"

Daniel shakes his head. "No, not since earlier."

"Oh, okay." I realize I don't have a plan for extending this conversation, and I stand awkwardly in front of them as I scramble to figure out what to do next. "I'm go gonna grab some water." It's not exciting, but at least it's an exit.

"I'll come," Daniel says to my surprise, and he follows me out.

I grab two waters and hand one to Daniel. "Gotta replenish what I just let out," I say, the words just slipping out. My cheeks burn as I glance bashfully at Daniel, and he chuckles.

"Are you having fun tonight?" he asks.

"I really am!" I respond. "But I'm not gonna lie, sometimes it gets annoying when Ellie disappears with Johnny, and I'm just here on my lonesome."

Daniel smiles softly. "I'm literally standing right here."

"You're not babysitting me, are you?"

"Babysitting you?" he chuckles.

"You know. Feel compelled to not let me wander on my own lest I run into some trouble," I say as I look up at him curiously. I feel myself getting sucked into those molten caramel eyes again, and I try to resist.

"I kinda like seeing what you get up to," he admits, his smile widening.

It's not fair how he makes my heart race just by saying cute things and looking at me with those smoldering eyes. I feel so defenseless around him, like he can see into my depths and learn my every secret thought. Like he can look at me and just know that I'm turning into goo inside.

Instead of heading back to the VIP section, we find a couch in a nearby, candle-lit seating area to enjoy our waters.

"Why do I always do this to my feet?" I sigh as I slump against the couch. I don't know how Ellie has the stamina to party so hard lately, but my feet are already pretty dead.

"Not in love with your shoes?" Daniel asks.

"Oh, I love them," I assure him with a smirk, "but my feet don't."

"Yeah, I hate dancing in heels, too," he grins.

I try to picture Daniel in my red stilettos. "You'd be sooo tall," I giggle aloud. "How tall are you, anyway?"

"About 6'2", when I don't slouch."

"Yeah, that's plenty tall. Sometimes I forget just how tall you are until I'm standing next to you."

"Plus, you're kinda small," he teases.

"I'm above average height for an American woman!" I protest with a grin.

"How tall are you?"

"I'm 5'6"," I say proudly.

I take his hand and measure it against mine, but my fingers only come to his second knuckles. He curls his fingertips over mine.

"Remember when I grabbed your hand?"

"Remember?" he chuckles. "That just happened a couple of weeks ago."

"But doesn't it somehow feel like forever ago?" I glance up at him through my lashes as I intertwine my fingers with his, shocked by my boldness. The club buzzes with activity around us, but right now, all of that feels a world away. I study him for a long moment, savoring the way the flickering candlelight dances across his chiseled jaw. It's like I'm seeing him for the first time again, and everything that's happened until now seems so inconsequential.

We sit in silence for a long moment, just studying each other. I search his eyes, dying to know what's happening behind their depths.

"Should we get back out there?" he finally asks without letting go of my hand.