Always Then and Now

Chapter 36

Warning: adult content.  Sexy times will ensue

LIAM

Dinner followed uneventfully, as did the speeches, though my father did point us out and thanked us again, in front of everyone for giving him a second chance. I couldn't be sure if he'd done it because he actually was thankful, or if it was to railroad us into reconciliation. I knew Kate would think his intentions were pure, but I didn't have that confidence.

Before long, dancing started. I wasn't much of a dancer, but Kate was, and she immediately got up and dragged Hannah and the kids out onto the dance floor with her. Evan followed them excitedly, but Oscar followed much more reluctantly, and only with much urging from his mother.

I hung back at the table with James and Emily, though I couldn't keep my eyes off Hannah. Now that the family drama and introductions to strangers were over, she looked much more relaxed. Her movements for the first song or two were stilted as she danced with Kate and the boys, clearly self-conscious about dancing in front of other people, especially people she didn't know, but Kate was good at distracting her from everyone else, and soon enough, it was like she'd forgotten that any other people were even around. Her smile was radiant as she moved to the music, and the way her hips swung back and forth to the beat made me want to go right out there and press close to her, feel her close against me as we swayed together. She was all I could see on that dance floor.

She grabbed Oscar's hands, moving him to the beat of the music as she tried to draw him out of his shell, and the look of embarrassed but amused resignation on his face told me she'd just about succeeded when the song ended, and a slow song came on. Immediately, he dropped his hands and stepped back, and the four of them returned to the table.

Kate took Emily from my arms and raised an eyebrow at me. "Go ask your girl to dance," she murmured to me.

"She's not—" I started to protest, but she cut me off with one of her signature mom looks. I sighed, knowing there was no point in arguing. "Fine."

I got up and moved toward Hannah, holding my hand out to her. She looked at me curiously, then blushed when she realized what I was silently asking, a shy smile forming on her full lips. She placed her small hand in mine and let me lead her back onto the dance floor, then wrapped her arms around my neck as mine went around her waist, pulling her close to me. It felt good to feel her against me like this. We both sighed at the same time, so I was pretty sure she felt the same way.

Words weren't needed. We just swayed slowly to the music together, and after a few moments, she pressed even closer to me, tightening her arms around my neck as she rested her head on my chest and closed her eyes. I felt emotion well up inside me, and I wondered if she could hear my heart starting to beat harder, the tempo picking up. This felt...perfect, Hannah, in my arms, like she'd always belonged there. I closed my eyes too, resting my cheek on the top of her head. Two more slow songs played next, and we stayed that way the whole time, pressed close together, eyes closed and just swaying slowly to the music.

When the next faster song came on, we finally pulled apart. She looked up at me shyly, that beautiful blush tinting her cheeks, and I smiled tenderly at her. I wanted nothing more than to pull her close again and kiss those full lips that filled my dreams at night, but I stopped myself and took her hand instead to walk with her back to the table. I was surprised to find it empty, but a moment later, a text came through on my phone. It was from Kate.

Kate: Headed out and took Emily with us. You two enjoy a night to yourselves!

I rolled my eyes and smiled. I should've realized she'd had ulterior motives when she'd taken Emily from me and practically pushed me out onto the dance floor with Hannah. She was going to hear about this from me later.