Chapter 13-One Slow Dance
678 Words
Lily was fairly certain her heart had stopped working properly.
Because Noah Carter had just asked her to dance.
And he looked nervous about it.
Actually nervous.
Which somehow made everything feel even more dangerous.
Around them, the music continued softly beneath the glowing string lights while the lake reflected flickering bonfire light across the dark water.
Jason was still collapsed dramatically in the grass.
Emily looked moments away from calling wedding planners.
Ryan had completely given up on acting normal.
Meanwhile—
Noah was still waiting for an answer.
“You know,” he said carefully after a few seconds, “you’re staring at me like I just proposed.”
Lily blinked rapidly.
“Sorry. My brain temporarily disconnected.”
That earned a quiet laugh from him.
And unfortunately, that tiny sound did terrible things to her heartbeat.
Noah’s hand loosened slightly around her wrist.
“We don’t have to,” he added softly. “I just thought maybe—”
“Yes.”
The word escaped before Lily could stop it.
Noah paused.
“You’re saying yes?”
Her cheeks burned instantly.
“I mean— yes. To dancing. Obviously.”
A slow smile appeared on his face.
“Obviously.”
Behind them, Jason sat upright so fast it looked medically unsafe.
“SHE SAID YES.”
“Jason,” Noah warned without taking his eyes off Lily.
“I’m emotional!”
Ryan grabbed Jason by the hoodie and physically dragged him backward.
“Come on,” Ryan muttered. “Let the main characters develop.”
Emily followed proudly behind them.
“I’ve waited for this day.”
Lily covered her face briefly.
“This is humiliating.”
“A little,” Noah admitted.
She peeked through her fingers. “You’re enjoying this.”
“A lot.”
Of course he was.
Before Lily could recover properly, Noah held his hand out toward her quietly.
The teasing expression faded slightly.
And suddenly he looked serious again.
Soft.
“Nervous?” he asked.
Lily stared at his hand for half a second too long.
Then finally placed hers in his.
Instant warmth.
Instant disaster.
“Maybe a little,” she admitted.
Noah’s fingers tightened gently around hers.
“Good,” he murmured.
“That’s comforting.”
“I’m nervous too.”
That surprised her enough to look up immediately.
“You?”
He nodded once while guiding her slowly toward the dance area near the lake.
“You make me nervous.”
Oh.
OH.
Lily nearly tripped over absolutely nothing.
Noah caught her instantly, laughing quietly.
“Careful.”
“You can’t just say things like that!”
“Seems like I can.”
The open space near the lake glowed beneath hanging lights while slow music drifted softly through the cool night air.
Couples swayed nearby beneath the trees.
Noah stopped once they reached the edge of the dance floor.
For half a second, neither of them moved.
Then carefully—
Almost hesitantly—
Noah placed one hand lightly against her waist.
Lily’s entire body forgot how functioning worked.
Meanwhile, she rested her hands carefully against his shoulders, trying very hard not to notice how close they suddenly were.
Which was impossible.
Because Noah was everywhere.
His warmth.
His voice.
The faint scent of smoke and cedar from his hoodie.
Dangerous.
Very dangerous.
“You okay?” he asked softly.
Lily laughed nervously.
“You ask me that every five minutes.”
“Yeah,” Noah replied quietly. “Because I care.”
Her breath caught instantly.
The music faded into the background.
The bonfire.
The crowd.
Everything.
For one terrifying second, it felt like the entire world disappeared except for him.
Noah looked at her carefully beneath the golden lights.
And this time—
There was no teasing in his expression at all.
Just honesty.
Just something real enough to scare both of them.
Then softly—
Very softly—
He pulled her a little closer.
And Lily realized something horrifying.
Chloe Bennett might have been right about one thing.
She was absolutely getting attached.
- Writer
