Page 454 of A Matter of Time

Ancient disco songs are irresistible to me, and it is my belief that if you’re truly happy and enjoying your partner—or partners, as the case may be—nothing else matters. Bliss will wash away everything else. So even though my girls looked uncomfortable out on the floor with me at first, when I started to sing along with the lyrics, then did the Travolta move before grabbing each of them in turn and spinning them out and then back into me, they started laughing. I saw them both start to get into it, watching me the whole time, their eyes sparkling with surprise when they saw that I could seriously dance. I bent backward, arching almost to the floor before slowly rising back up. I got pulled back close to them with a hand on the front of my shirt.

“Jory…honey…look at you move,” Stephanie said appreciatively.

“Here,” I said, putting her hands on my hips as I swayed them.

She sighed playfully and stepped into me. Seconds later there was a pat on my ass. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Ersi dancing behind me. I moved back into her, and she stayed where she was and danced. Sandwiched between two women, I showed off, letting them see how fluid my body could be. Since everybody knows all the repetitive lyrics of the old songs, we all sang the words at the tops of our lungs.

I glanced around and saw Pat’s eyes riveted on his wife as she writhed beside me on the dance floor. Chaz lifted his hand to me with a blank stare as his mouth dropped open. His wife, with her head back, eyes closed, feeling the music, had all his interest. I pointed my finger around so he wouldn’t miss any of the other appreciative stares on her. I saw the surprise on his face and couldn’t contain my smile. I turned my head to find Sam, but he was nowhere to be seen. I wasn’t worried, instead concentrating on grinding it out with my girls, all of us in tight front-to-back formation, hands all over each other.

In no time, other wives and girlfriends abandoned their partners and came to join us, and when the DJ saw how many of us were out there, he put on “The Hustle,” which everyone seemed to know. Even those who didn’t could follow along and get the hang of it pretty quickly. Once we were back to more disco and had finally reached the Earth, Wind & Fire collection, Sam’s partner, Chloe, came and danced with me, Ersi, and Stephanie.

When Pat came to claim his wife from me, I got a slap on the back of the head as a warning and a huge smile from his wife. I had put a spotlight on how hot she was, and got a kiss blown to me in appreciation. When I looked up to find Stephanie, I saw her leaning on the bar, Chaz with a protective arm around her. Both women had been claimed, and I was pleased with myself.

“It’s Jory, isn’t it?”

I turned and found Sam’s captain’s wife. “Yes, ma’am.”

Her smile was shy. “I missed doing the Hustle.”

I gave her a wide smile in return. “We can do it again,” I promised, darting across the floor to the DJ to make my request, then back to her side in moments. We had a good time, she was a wonderful partner, and as the music progressed afterward, I found out that the seventies were apparently her decade. She dissolved into throaty laughter when I dipped her. Back on her feet, she hugged me tight before leaning back to kiss my cheek.

“Oh, Jory, you’re delightful.”

I spun her out and back as the next song started.

A half hour later, I excused myself to go find the bathroom, promising to be back over whistles and catcalls as the captain joined his wife. He squeezed my shoulder as I slid by him, and we shared a quick smile before I bolted off the floor.

Walking quickly back from the bathroom a few minutes later, I was yanked hard into one of the darkened rooms. Before I could form words of protest, before I could even push back, I was pinned to a wall by an equally hard wall of muscle.

“You move nice,” he growled, his mouth close to my ear, sending a wave of goose bumps down my side.

“Sam,” I sighed, drawing his name out.

“Kiss me.”

“No, stop,” I ordered, worried for him, trying to push him off me. “Get away before somebody sees you.”

“And if they do?”

“Sam, you⁠—”

“Look at me.”

When I lifted my head, he bent and kissed my chin, jaw, and finally my lips. The kiss went deep, and I felt how excited he was as his body pressed against mine. I couldn’t stop the sound that came out of me, and the mouth grinding down over mine was ravaging. He was taking his time, and even though I couldn’t breathe, I didn’t care. He put his hands on my face, holding me still, making sure I couldn’t get away. My knees went weak.

“God, you taste good,” he growled against my throat when he finally pulled back.

“What are you doing?” I asked breathlessly. “This is a work function. You’re gonna get in trouble.”

“For doing what? Kissing my domestic partner?”

“Yeah. People will freak out.”

“No they won’t.”

“Sam, you⁠—”

“Fine. Some will, but most of the people here know me, and I have more friends than I thought, and really, honey, it’s been in the news. You’ve been in the news, which means I’ve been in the news. There will be no hiding.”