Page 73 of The Perfect Deception
With a firm grip on her upper arm, he half dragged, have pushed Dina across the room. They stopped at the banquet table, where Adam grabbed a cocktail napkin and wiped his brow.
“Wow.”
Dina shook her head. “I told you.”
“Please tell me your entire school wasn’t like that.”
“My entire school wasn’t like that.”
“I’m serious.”
“I am too. There was a group of them—those three were part of it—who drank and partied and were in the service of Venus with anything that breathed…”
His lips twitched.
“What?”
His nostrils flared.
“Adam, what?”
His eyes watered.
“Are you okay?”
He burst out laughing. Through streaming eyes, he watched concern, confusion and annoyance flash across her features. By the time he’d controlled his laughter, she stood in front of him, arms crossed beneath her breasts, toe tapping. She reminded him of the stereotypical “sexy librarian” and he sobered.
“What was so funny?”
“The service of Venus?”
“Yes. It’s an old term to describe you-know-what, and we’re in public, so it’s not like I’m going to say it out loud.”
She was right. They were in public. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see people moving toward them, stopping some distance away. But he didn’t care. For once in his entire adult life, he didn’t care what others thought. For the first time since his mother left, he wanted to commit himself to a woman he cared about, to let her into all parts of his life. He reached for her and his fingers brushed the undersides of her breasts as he grasped her forearms. His breath quickened and he drew her forward. When their toes touched, he looked at her and wondered how he could ever have thought someone like Barbie or any of those other blatantly sexual, vocabulary-challenged women could ever be appealing. Everything he wanted in a woman was right in front of him. Class, humor, beauty and brains. She made him feel good about himself. She made him less afraid. She gave him hope. It was time to tell her.
“I love you.” Saying the words didn’t scare him anymore. They filled him with peace. “I love you, Dina.”
She had to have misheard him. There were people gathering around them, their voices mingling with the sounds of the music, making it hard to hear. “What?”
“I love you.”
She hadn’t misheard him.
“Did you know that when two lovers stare into each other’s eyes, their heart rates synchronize?”
Adam’s body vibrated against hers as he laughed silently. “Relax, sweetheart, I love you.”
He had to be crazy, because who declared their love for someone at a high school reunion? She watched surreptitious pointing from Stacie and some of her friends. Had they heard what he said? Did they think he was crazy? Except…he didn’t look crazy. He looked like Adam.
At the same time, he didn’t. He looked sure and settled and solid. Not like Mr. Flashypants. More like Mr. Dependable.
That must be what all the other people were noticing. Her heart raced in her chest and she swallowed. Her mouth was dry and her arms, where he held on, were warm and cold.
“You do? Why?”
He laughed at her again, but only for a short time. More like a moment, really.
“Most women wouldn’t ask that question the first time their boyfriend declared his love for her.”