—Mabel—
A dance.
It would only be a dance, I told myself as Alec Rivera led me to the dance floor.
But the moment his hand slid around my waist and his other hand held mine, our fingers interlaced like we were always meant to fit— a maddening sensation coursed through me.
Our eyes locked, searching for something in each other—what? I couldn’t say.
His hand on my back slid lower, then held me steady— his touch warm, sending a firework of sensation down my spine.
The music softened into something slow and dreamy, like it was conspiring to pull us closer.
I closed my eyes for a second, just for a second and allowed myself to melt into the moment.
We swayed on the dance floor. I could hear his heart beat— slow and steady, his breath warm against my cheeks.
“You look very beautiful to
