A moment of hesitation flickers in her eyes, but Tracy’s elbow in her side forces a reply. “A drink would be great. Thank you.”
She wraps her arm around my extended elbow, and we walk toward the bar together. When we run out of space to walk side by side, I pull her in front of me and wrap my arms around her waist from behind. Walking with her back to my front, she’s securely held in my grasp. Men gawk at her as we pass, but quickly avert their eyes when they catch a glimpse of the dare in my eyes and the thin line of my lips.
I’ve been told I have a severe case of resting asshole face that is downright scary when I’m pissed off. Color me red, because I’m pissed at every one of these fuckwads eyeballing her.
We reach the bar, and she makes no move to leave the safety of my embrace. I can’t deny the slight swell of pride in my chest over such a simple gesture. I motion for the bartender, then lean down until my lips graze across the shell of her ear.
“What will it be?” Simple question. So many meanings.
Goosebumps break out on her arm, starting at the top and cascading to her forearm.
“I’ll have a cosmopolitan.”
“Anything you want, beautiful.” I relay our order, and the bartender returns a quick nod.
She slides her hands down my arms until her fingers rest on top of mine at her waist. Simple act. So many meanings.
“Who was the genie that came in with you?”
“That’s my best friend, Tracy. Doesn’t she look great as a sexy genie? I love that outfit. I told her we’re swapping for the next costume party.”
“She does look good in it, but not nearly as good as you look. Will she mind if I keep you to myself for a little while?”
Daisy looks around the club until she finds her friend already on the dance floor, grinding with Popeye. She chuckles, her body vibrating in my arms. “I don’t think she’ll miss me at all. Looks like she’s already found a sexy sailorman to keep her busy.”
“I promise you’re in expert hands. You know you can trust me. I’m Captain America, after all.”
“What makes you think I need a man to take care of me? I am Harley Quinn, after all. You should be afraid of me.”
No truer words have ever been spoken.
We take our drinks and move away from the crowded bar. I’m forced to let go of her and only hold her hand as we work our way through the crowd and find an empty table. I pull out her chair for her to sit first, then move the other chair as close to hers as possible. Once I’m seated, I slide my arm along the back of her seat and reestablish the body contact.
She lifts her glass to her lips and looks up at me from under her eyelashes. I purposely keep from staring directly into her eyes, just in case she recognizes anything about mine. “What brings you to this resort? I’d imagine you have men lined up a mile-long at home, waiting to make you theirs.”
“Not hardly.” Her self-deprecating laugh has a nervous edge to it. “But I’m actually here for Tracy. She views this as a kind of high-end matchmaking service. It’s only for singles who are looking for that special someone. Only the more adventurous people will jet away to a remote location like this, and that characteristic definitely attracts her. I couldn’t let her come alone.”
“Does that mean you’re not here looking for your soul mate?”
“I’m not sure I even believe in that anymore, to be honest. Not that I’m a cynical old spinster, but life has made me become more of a realist in that area than it has her.”
Just like that, I want to know everything about her. If I can get inside her head, I can figure out what makes her tick. I want to know what she’s passionate about. What she loves, what she hates, what she wants out of life. And why she doesn’t believe in love anymore. Yeah, I heard what she said, but I also listened to what she didn’t say.
She finishes her first drink and sets her glass down. Before she asks for another one, I want to get her on the dance floor for a little grinding of our own. When I open my mouth to ask her to dance, the music changes, and the lights dim even more. When the Righteous Brothers croon “Unchained Melody,” I can’t sit still any longer.
“Dance with me, Miss Quinn.” I extend my hand toward her and hold my breath at the same time.
She places her soft hand in mine, and we walk to the dance floor with our fingers laced. I turn and pull her tightly against me as we sway to the soulful sounds of the best love song ever recorded. Her hands slide up my chest and wrap around my neck. Even with her heels, I have to bend to keep her from stretching too much. But that doesn’t bother me since it puts me even closer to her.
When she releases the anxious breath she’s been holding, her entire body relaxes, melting into mine. I slide my arms up her back, holding her possessively against me. I feel her sigh and hear the whimper she tries to hide. She’s every bit as affected by me as I am by her, but she doesn’t know I’m me me.
The DJ is reading the room and feeling the vibes from the crowd because the next song, “I’ll Make Love to You” by Boyz II Men, cues up immediately. I’m glad he’s paying attention because I’m not ready to let go of Daisy yet. Before I even realize I’m doing it, I softly murmur the
