Read Online Night Moves by Thea Devine - Free Book Online Page B

witnessing Eddie’s flagrant indifference to Jeannie. That was what married life usually came to: a fragmented relationship held together by the tenuous strings of companionship, and sorely frayed without the glue of a family.
    Not for me ...
    â€œYou don’t have to do anything, just dance with me.”
    â€œYou said that yesterday too.”
    â€œDid I? This isn’t a lifetime commitment, Carrie. It’s ten minutes on the dance floor.”
    And in your arms. She braced herself as he slipped his arm around her and took her hand.
    â€œI know how you are,” he murmured as she wrestled with him for control. “This is just the slow dance.”
    â€œRight. You think I don’t know what that means. I know what that slow-dance business means, Truck.”
    â€œIt means we’re dancing slowly, Carrie. To the beat Step together step. We learned it in high school. What do you think it means?”
    It meant he was holding her too tight, too right, too close. He knew just how, just the way she liked it. They
moved together as if they’d been doing it forever, and that was scary too.
    â€œDon’t think,” Truck murmured. “Just...dance—” He pulled her more tightly against him. Step together step, in perfect sync, her hips moving to the beat, moving against him where he fit so perfectly against her. She was made for him, he was convinced of it, and she wasn’t immune to him either, on any level. He sent a covert signal to the band, and the music played on. Couples dropped out, regrouped, and returned to the dance floor with new partners. He held her still closer, enveloping her in his heat, moving his hands to enfold her more intimately.
    â€œI have to—Jeannie...” Carrie murmured.
    â€œJeannie’s fine. Tom is right there, and Eddie’s prowling the sidelines. You can’t do anything right now, Carrie. At least not for Jeannie.”
    â€œOh yeah? Who for, then?” she asked combatively.
    â€œHow about you?”
    â€œI’m fine, thank you, and getting as tired as the band must be. Why don’t you have mercy on them and let them stop?”
    â€œNot until I see you pushing and grinding and twining. In fact...”
    â€œTruck—”
    â€œHere we go...” The music changed, fast as lightning. Lines formed all around them with hopping, stomping dancers, and Truck swung her around and pushed her into the line.
    It was one of those sink-or-swim moments; she saw instantly that she’d be a step or two behind everyone else, and way out of her element, but she was game anyway.
    Carrie saw Jeannie talking to a tall fair man, her gaze
intent, her body language fairly radiating confidence. She saw Eddie along the sidelines trying to keep track of Jeannie and several other of his women friends. She was very aware of Truck beside her, and the moves and kicks and thrusts of the dance, and how good he was at moving and thrusting.
    She stopped dead on the floor. Was there never a moment when she wasn’t thinking about him in sexual terms? Why was she thinking about him at all? She almost bolted . It’s just a dance, Carrie. There are sixty people on this floor. Sixty neighbors. What do you think is going to happen?
    The music wound down and everyone applauded and went in search of refreshments. Truck took her arm and guided her off the floor. “Lemonade?”
    â€œPlease.”
    â€œHere comes Jeannie,” he remarked, grasping Jeannie’s hand and squeezing it as she passed him.
    â€œHey,” Carrie murmured.
    â€œUplift works,” Jeannie said excitedly, pulling her aside.
    â€œNo kidding.”
    â€œEddie can’t figure out what’s different. I can’t thank you—”
    Carrie held up her hand. “Hold it, Jeannie. This isn’t a done deal with Eddie. This is an ongoing process. It’s going to take a lot of time and effort...and attitude.”
    â€œI know, I