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“Fine,” I say, getting to my feet. Then I slip my hand into hers and let her tug me down the stairs and back outside.
For the rest of the night, Idon’tmake her dance with Frank. In fact, she doesn’t dance with anyone but me, and we absolutely tear up the dance floor. It’s funny—we've never managed to have a conversation that doesn’t end in some kind of verbal sparring, but when we’re dancing, our bodies manage to talk just fine.
The first time we danced, I thought the connection had everything to do with Sadie finally letting me in, but as the night progresses, I start to wonder if what’s really happening is thatI’mletting go. Relaxing. Forgetting to worry about what people think of me, of the way I’m managing Oakley and the other responsibilities in my life—the ones I can’t complain about without sounding like a poor little rich boy.
I may look like I’ve mastered the art of doing and caring about nothing, but that level of cultivation requires a great deal of effort. And is a very convenient protection against the insecurity that still rears up to haunt me every now and then.
But with Sadie in my arms, the music thrumming through my veins, I don’t feel anything but the warmth of her skin under my palms. I don’t see anything but her bright blue eyes and her wide smile every time she throws her head back and laughs. I definitely don’t worry about optics or anyone else’s expectations of me.
Could I truly solve the puzzle that is Sadie Markham?
Do I want to?
“Okay, I’m done,” Sadie says as a song ends, smiling and breathing hard. She uses my arm to hold herself steady and reaches down to unstrap her shoes. “I can’t dance another step.”
I tilt my head toward a table where her sisters and their husbands are chatting with Naomi and Camden. “Want to sit?”
She watches her sisters for a long moment, then frowns. “Benedict, if you walk me over to a table full of happy couples like we’re about to add to that number, I’ll key the side of your boat.” She steps a little closer. “But I do have another idea.”
There’s a hint of suggestion in her tone that makes my throat go dry. “Yeah? What’s that?”
She moves closer still, one hand pressing against my chest while the other drops lower. Before I realize it’s happening, she deftly slips her fingers into my pocket and snatches out my keys. She steps back, holding them up like a carnival prize, her grin wide.
Is this woman some kind of trained pickpocket? A thief-for-hire? Honestly, when it comes to Sadie, nothing would surprise me. I could ask for them back, but I kind of want to applaud her instead.
“I think I’ll go for a scenic drive around the island,” she says coyly.
“Inmycar?”
Her expression stays playful, but her eyes turn serious, holding my gaze. “I promise I’ll take good care of it. I just … need to get away.”
Her eyes dart over to her sisters, and I catch a glimpse of something like longing flitting across her face.
I almost ask her if she wants company or even a getaway driver. I don’t love the idea of Sadie being out this late on her own, even if this is Oakley. But it could just be that Sadie’s worryearlier, all the questions about locking doors, has me feeling more uneasy than I usually would.
Either way, I get the sense that right now, she needs to be alone. Implying she shouldn’t be would definitely be getting a Sadie clue wrong, if we’re sticking with Eloise’s puzzle analogy. And I’m quickly realizing I don’t want to getanythingwrong when it comes to this woman.
“Go ahead,” I say with a nod. “And if you decide you’ve had enough for the night, just drive back to the marina.”
“What will you do?” she asks.
“I can walk to my house from here. It isn’t far. Or someone will give me a ride.”
She steps forward and wraps a hand around my forearm, giving it a quick squeeze. “Thanks, Ben,” she says softly. Then she disappears, leaving me to breathe in her lingering scent and wonder what happened to me tonight.
I still haven’t moved when Jake steps up beside me and hands me a beer. “Guess you’re not as good at puzzles as you used to be.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence. But I think I was doing pretty well there for a while.”
“All the way up until she stole your car keys,” Jake says, hiding his smirk behind his beer as he takes a sip.
“You saw that, huh?”
“I did. Impressive.”
“We’ll call it a work in progress,” I say. “I’ve never seen a woman dance like that.I’venever danced like that.”
“The Markham women tend to make big impacts,” Jake says knowingly.
