Music of the Heart (Runaway Train #1)(48)
Author: Katie Ashley

Squealing with delight, she let AJ pull her up from the chair. He tugged her across the room to the dance floor. I watched AJ lean in and talk to the DJ. After a few head shakes, AJ bobbed his head. Once the other song ended, the DJ grabbed his microphone. “Okay, we’ve had a request for Paula Rubio’s Dame Otro Tequila, and according to AJ, he and Abby are going to show you losers how to break it down.”

A roar came through the crowd along with a symphony of high pitched female squeals at just the mention of AJ. In his element, he bowed gallantly before the music came on. The upbeat tempo and references to tequila got the crowd going even if they didn’t know the words. Then he and Abby began moving effortlessly around the dance floor.

I eased Melody from my lap to my shoulder as I watched Abby dance. Although I didn’t want to, I couldn’t help the jealousy pricking over my body at the sight of Abby getting so into the motions with AJ. I blew out of a frustrated breath, which Melody mimicked. When I laughed, she grinned. “See that girl,” I pointed to Abby. “I think I love her, and it’s making me act like a total idiot.”

Melody waved her tiny hand at Abby. “Yeah, even you are already in love with her, and you’ve known her like what, five seconds. She does that to people.”

After inhaling a sharp breath of frustration, a nasty smell assaulted my senses. Leaning forward in my seat, I tapped Brayden’s arm. “I believe your daughter has a surprise for you.”

As I passed Melody to him, he laughed. “Thanks. We’ll take care of it.”

“Trust me dude, friendship only goes so far, and it doesn’t involve shitty diapers.”

“Wow, I’m so touched,” Brayden replied before rising out of his seat. I snickered at the sight of him with the pale pink diaper bag draped on his shoulder. He bent down and kissed Lily’s cheek before heading to the bathroom with Melody “Now that’s love,” I murmured under my breath.

My gaze once again went to the dance floor to Abby and AJ. “I need some air,” I muttered to Rhys. He gave me a knowing smile before bobbing his head. Grabbing two champagne flutes from a passing waiter, I made my way out the side door of the ballroom.

***

Chapter Fourteen

After AJ and I finished our dance, beads of sweat were dripping down my face and back. I was so thirsty that I gulped down a flute of champagne the moment we got back to the table and had started on another. “Ugh, I need water.”

Easing down in a chair beside me, AJ asked, “So I assume the way you’re throwing it back you’ve acquired a taste for champagne?”

I wrinkled my nose. “Actually, it just kinda makes me wanna burp. Now these,” I picked up a chocolate strawberry off the dessert platter on the table and waved it at him, “These I enjoy a lot.”

“Yeah, well, just go easy on getting tipsy. You’ve got to be at the studio really early in the morning, right?”

“Eight.” Then I squealed and dropped the strawberry.

AJ’s dark eyes widened at me. “What the hell is wrong?”

“I’m singing in the morning.”

“Yes and…” he prompted.

I rolled my eyes. “I’ve been eating my weight in chocolate tonight, which has dairy in it.

You’re never supposed to do that.”

At what must’ve been the absolute horror on my face, AJ patted my leg. “You’ll be fine. Flush it out with some water.”

“Shit,” I muttered as I flagged down a waiter. Once he brought me a glass, I downed it in three long gulps. I then eyed the room for my noticeably absent date. Lily and Brayden were dancing while Rhys sat beside with a sleeping Melody in his arms. I craned my neck around the room. “Where’s Jake?”

Rhys motioned to the courtyard outside. “He said he needed some air.”

AJ nodded as he eyed Jake’s dad, Mark, dancing with Jake’s stepmom, Paula. “Even though it’s been fifteen years, sometimes Jake still can’t take the two of them together.”

Rhys snorted. “Yeah, I don’t think them dancing together was the issue.”

When I got his meaning, my heart did a funny little shuddering before I rose out of my chair. “I better go check on him.” I hurried out the side door and onto the tiled pavement. In the middle of the courtyard was a huge, circular fountain. It had a giant swan in the middle of it that was illuminated by light.

Jake sat on the edge of the fountain with his elbows braced on his knees. “Hey.”

“Hey,” he replied.

I eased down beside him. We sat in silence for a few seconds before I nudged him

playfully. “I was kinda thinking for a minute there that I’d been jilted.”

He glanced up at me. “Sorry. I just needed some air.”

Tilting my head, I gazed up at the stars. “It’s nice out here.”

“Without your dance partner?” he spat.

I couldn’t help the smile that curved on my lips. He was jealous of me dancing with AJ. “The only dance partner I want is out here.”

“Hmm,” he muttered.

Tension hung heavy around us. Trying to ease the mood, I slid out of my killer heels. I groaned in agony. “Remind me to hunt down the person who invented heels.”

“Yeah, well, it’s your fault for going out there with AJ and acting like you two were on Dancing with the Stars or some shit.”

“Jake Slater, I do believe you’re jealous.”

He jerked his gaze to meet mine. “I am not!”

I grinned. “Pity. I kinda like the idea of you being all caveman possessive sometimes.”

“Sure you do.”

I scooted closer to him. “There will never, ever be anything between me and AJ. You know that, right?”

“I guess.”

“He and I just wanted to dance and have fun.”

“And sadly for us, your partner has no rhythm, huh?”

“No, you did just fine before.”

He smirked at me. “Just fine?”

“Fabulous? Incredibly sexy moves?”

“Much better.”

Taking his chin in my hands, I turned his head to where he had to look at me. “For me, it’s always you, and it’s only going to be you, Jake.”

The corners of his lips twitched before they curved up in a cocky grin. “I’m glad to hear that.”

“I want you think about this for a minute though. That little bit of jealousy you felt over me and AJ. Magnify it by like a million for what it feels like when I think of all the other women you’ve been with or all the women who want you.”