Sweet Dreams (Sunset Dreams Series Book 1) (20 page)

What’s wrong?

Shoot do I have something on my face?

Why is he looking at me like that?

I look down to check that I don’t have a boob falling out of my dress or something.

Nope, boobs still securely in place.

Everything looks fine.

Then I feel a tap on my shoulder. Looking behind me, I see Freddy has come over to ask me to dance again. Jake arrives at the same time with a glass of water for me and I turn back toward him and take the glass. “Thanks.”

I gulp down the water as Jake takes the opportunity to lean over me and say to Freddy, who still stands behind me waiting, “
Stia via, lei e la mia
.”

I blush, smile to myself and take another sip.

Did Jake say I was his?

I turn to see Freddy bow politely and respond, “
Scusi
,” and then walk back over to the other side of the room.

Jake sits down next to me and scoots his chair a little closer to mine so our legs almost touch. He drapes his arm over the back of my chair and sips his water as he looks out over the crowd.

I feel giddy.

Did Jake totally just mark his territory?

I stare at his profile, trying to keep a giggle at bay, willing him to say something.

He peeks at me out of the corner of his eye and says, “Sorry, that guy was a slime,” then takes another sip of water.

I smile and tease, “Oh, I don’t know. I thought he was hot.”

Jake’s head spins so he faces me. “He was staring straight down your dress!”

Ooh, he sounds pissed.

I look him dead in the eye tauntingly and wiggle my eyebrows. “Who cares? Aren’t all Italian men sex-crazed?”

Jake’s eyebrows go up a little at my statement. He gets a determined look on his face and motions to the entire room. “Yes, especially around you! Half the room is drooling all over themselves.”

“And the other half?” I tease.

“The other half are women.”

A
w, that was sweet.

“Thanks for the complement, but I can take care of myself. Besides, it’s not like every woman here doesn’t want to get in your pants. I see the way they ogle you.”

Jake smiles and tilts his head at me. “Jealous?”

Of course, but I don’t say that. Instead, I roll my eyes, feigning nonchalance, and take another sip of water. Putting down my glass, I think about it for a moment seriously and say, “I think it would be hard not to be jealous. Women must throw themselves at you all over the world.”

Jake looks at me after taking in what I say and responds, “You know, that is the main reason why I think Hollywood couples don’t last. Jealousy. One is always jealous of the other and then that person is too busy or schedules don’t seem to work or whatever. I think if you really want to be with someone, you find a way to make it work. You make time for the other person. The most important thing is trust. Then there’s no room for jealousy.”

I look at the water swirling in my glass and say, “Trust is the most important thing I think.” He’s about to say something else, but looks up over my head and scowls instead. Turning, I see Giovani coming toward us, blush, and cough to hide my laugh.

“Oh, this is ridiculous. Come on, you are going to dance with me.” Jake stands up and holds out his hand for me. Smiling, I take his hand as we walk out onto to the dance floor.

I thought he would never ask.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent. Victor Hugo

F
acing me, Jake takes my right hand in his and his left hand holds me around my waist.

I hope this isn’t going to be awkward.

I place my left hand on his shoulder and we start to sway to the music with the other couples on the floor. At first, Jake seems distracted, looking over my head, and I turn to see what has his attention instead of me. There are several men watching us and it boosts my ego thinking he’s jealous. Tapping Jake’s bicep with my left hand, I get his attention and he looks down at me. The frown lifts from his face and he spins me around, causing me to laugh out loud while he smiles down at me. We start to move together naturally and the tension leaves his shoulder under my hand.

He’s a good dancer.

He spins me and we just have fun. I let out little squeals every time he dips me and he tips his head back and laughs. The band plays on and we dance together for quite a while. At one point, he and I exchange partners with an older couple who must be in their sixties.

They are so cute.

The gentleman still has moves and flirts with me while Jake charms his wife as we smile back and forth at each other over their shoulders. The last song we dance together. Jake dips me deep, and I smile up at him, knowing he won’t drop me. Pulling me back up, I hug him around the neck, squealing as he lifts me up slightly off the floor, his hands around my waist in a hug.

The band starts to put away their gear and we walk off the dance floor over to the dessert table and grab a couple pieces of cake. Placing a forkful of the creamy goodness in my mouth, I exclaim, “Wow, this is really good.”

Jake takes a bite of his piece and moans. “It
is
really good. Are you having a good time?”

“Yes, I’m having a great time. You?”

“Me too.” Jake smiles and takes another bite of cake. “Tired?”

“Nope.” I put a forkful of fresh cream into my mouth.

This is really rich.

“Me either.” Jake devours his cake and proceeds to steal bites off my plate.

We each take an espresso from the bar to wash down the cake and sip them while we chat quietly.

This is nice, really nice.

There’s no tension between us, only easy conversation. I love the way Jake makes my heart race, but I also enjoy talking to him.

I miss our phone calls.

After a while, the lights start to dim and music comes on over the speakers. I look back over to where the band was and see a DJ has taken their place.

“Whoa, I thought they were wrapping it up?”

Jake smiles at me and says, “You are in Italia,
carina
. They party here till the sun comes up.”

“Well, I guess I do too since there’s no way I could sleep through this. Good thing I had that espresso.”

“Yep, good thing because I have enough energy to last all night,” Jake says absently, looking over at the DJ.

“I bet you do.” It comes out of my mouth before I can stop it.

I hope he didn’t hear that.

The DJ turns up the volume and I feel the bass pulse in my chest.

Jake turns to look at me, takes off his blazer, hangs it on the back of his chair, and holds out his hand. “Ready?”

Putting my cup down, I slap my hand down into his open palm. “Ready.”

The dance floor fills up with the younger generation and the DJ plays what must be Italian pop music. Jake pulls me along and squeezes into the center of the crowd. The music is high energy and we start to dance along.

This is so fun.

I shake my hips and jump along with the music and Jake keeps up with a big smile on his face.

He looks like he could be any twenty-five year old at a night club having fun right now, instead of a thirty-six-year-old megastar that avoids crowds so he doesn’t get mobbed.

I get out of my head and enjoy the music. We dance and dance. At one point, a circle forms and everyone takes turns dancing in the middle, including us. We laugh and clap for each other. We both show off our goofy moves and make fun of the other.

Jake pulls me off the dance floor for a couple of bottles of water. After gulping them down and pausing for a quick trip to the bathroom, he pulls me back into the center of the crowd. The DJ starts mixing in some Latin music and I get down to “Danza Kuduro” by Don Omar, singing along. Grabbing me up in his arms and pulling me close, Jake and I dance a fierce merengue together. I’m impressed, he’s a great dancer and doesn’t miss a beat, holding me tight against him as we move to the quick tempo.

I feel euphoric.

Merengue turns to Salsa and Celia Cruz’s “La Vida Es un Carnaval” says it all. Jake and I make good salsa partners and he spins and twirls me around better than anyone I have ever danced with. He definitely knows how to lead on the dance floor and I love it. After some Salsa, we start to hear some familiar American pop and sing along while we jump up and down with the crowd. Jake does a little air guitar and I bang my head when a little rock is thrown into the mix.

We’ve been dancing forever.

My leg muscles burn and Jake is all sweaty, but we are having so much fun together, I don’t want to take a break even though I need one. The DJ plays a remix version of one of my favorite songs “Anything, Anything” by Dramarama and Jake and I bounce up and down, each with a hand in the air. Jake sings along at the top of his lungs. I stop to admire how carefree and happy he looks right now using the time to catch my breath. My cheeks are starting to hurt from all this smiling.

I laugh as he looks down at me and smiles. He stops jumping as well and stands there with me for a moment to catch his breath. Even though I love this song, I’m going to suggest we get some water and take a break.

Someone bumps into me from behind and pushes me and Jake closer together. My hand automatically goes to Jake’s chest for balance and he steadies me with his left hand on my hip. Looking up at my friend, I smile as he tucks a strand of hair that has come loose from my ponytail behind my ear.

As he gazes down at me I can see his expression slowly shift. His smile fades and fades until he’s left with the most intense look on his face I have ever seen.

What the…

What’s happening?

What is that look on Jake’s face?

Sweet Jesus!

Is that… is that desire I see on his face?

My heart is pounding all of a sudden. His left hand holds onto my hip as his right hand rests behind my neck. My hand hasn’t moved from its spot against his chest.

Neither one of us is moving.

We are both frozen in this staring contest until Jake’s eyes look down at my lips and my breath starts to come in shallow gasps. Sweat drips down the side of Jake’s neck and I can feel a drop of my own perspiration rolling down my cleavage.

Drip, drip…

I’m so hot, for so many reasons now.

I know we’re surrounded by people, but Jake has my full attention. His heart pounds against my left hand and my pulse races even faster at the sensation.

I can’t look away.

I don’t want to look away.

His right hand still rests on my neck from tucking my hair back behind my ear and my stomach flips as his thumb caresses the side of my jaw.

It’s hard to breathe with him this close.

Taking sips of air, I keep my eyes locked on Jake’s, completely exposed. It must be written all over my face how much I want him, and he isn’t looking away or letting go.

Time slows down and my own heartbeat starts to drown out the sound of the people around me. We’ve been frozen in this position for what feels like forever, eyes locked on each other. Jake’s chest rumbles against my hand at the same time his grip on my hip tightens. The music and my heartbeat are so loud in my ears that I can’t hear him, but I read his lips as he says, “Fuck it,” right before he pulls me in and his lips capture mine.

Stunned, I hold my breath for two beats until I feel Jake’s tongue lick my bottom lip and the floodgates burst. All the air I’m holding in comes whooshing out of my nose as I open my mouth and feel Jake’s tongue enter. At my response, Jake moans into my mouth and I fist his shirt with my hand on his chest.