“My bridesmaid, as you say, has a boyfriend. Said boyfriend made it clear I’m not to dance with her. So, he’s relieved me of groomsman duties.” Ozzie lifted her so-far-untouched water glass and took a sip.
“And the principal parties have no objection?”
They both looked toward the dance floor. Nope, they weren’t seeing anyone else but each other.
“Pictures have been taken.” Ozzie shrugged again and drained the rest of glass. “Warm day to be trussed up like a penguin.”
“My water should have helped.” Too bad it would have been rude to pour it over his head. Maybe later, if he annoyed her.
“It did, thanks.” The big grin he gave her was the one rarely seen. The panty-melter.
“So, again, what are you doing here? Have you appointed yourself as my undesired babysitter?” She leaned forward and grasped the champagne bottle once more.
Ozzie stared, but this time didn’t stop her from refilling her glass.
“What do you want, Ozzie?” she asked at his continued silence.
In a move that irritated her, he shrugged. “Seemed like a good place to sit and watch the proceedings.”
“It is at that.” She smiled at Drew when he came to escort Gran onto the dance floor. Because Meilin didn’t have grandparents here, she tugged on Grandpa’s hand. He was only too happy to follow her and then showed off his superior dancing by whirling Meilin around the room as if they danced on an enchanted cloud. It was even more entertaining when Gran caught sight of them and put her nose up in the air.
“So, what do you think, Ozzie? Planning on spending the evening dancing the night away?” She glanced toward the DJ until he caught her eye, then returned his nod.
“I can dance well enough, I suppose, but it’s not my preferred entertainment.”
“Oh? What would that be?”
He never had the chance to answer. Drew interrupted after he passed Gran to Grandpa Dailey, then came to the table for Birdie.
“Saved by the wedding traditions,” Birdie joked as her brother spun her onto the dance floor.
“Saved from Oswald?” Drew grinned down at her.
“No, you saved him from my inquisition.”
“Think I’ll hand you off to him next. You may think I’m completely mesmerized by my bride, and you’d be right, but there’s no missing the sparks between you and the young Mr. Attenborough.”
Birdie scoffed. “Oh, please. Drop that line of conversation right now. You and Meilin are off to a good start.” She nodded at the smiling faces whirling by. Mom and Dad, also in their own little world, not quite dirty dancing, but close enough.
“We are.” Completely sure of himself, his grin was smug and proud at the same time. “It will be fun watching you and Oswald work things out.”
Refusing to answer that redirect, she pinched his arm. “So, honeymoon in England? Why not somewhere more exotic?”
“Meilin thinks the country house is exotic enough. She hasn’t had enough time to absorb all the history. We’ll also do the tour up through Scotland and across to Ireland. She has a client wanting a design based on Scots and Irish manor homes.”
“Fun times. Work and a honeymoon at the same time.” Birdie shook her head.
“Meilin loves antiquing, so now I love it too.”
With a sad pout, she said, “Whipped already.”
Drew threw back his head and laughed. “You’ll see.” He glanced over his shoulder. “About time to pass you off to Oswald.”
“Not unless you want the next dance to be ‘Crazy Train.’”
That got Drew’s attention. “What?”
“I bribed the DJ to play that if I ended up dancing with Oswald.”
Drew rolled his eyes. “Fine. I’ll give you to Dad.”
“Or you can just drop me back at the table when the song ends.”
“Not like you to sit out during dancing.” Still, he guided her in the direction she wanted to go.
“I’m sure I’ll dance, once the obligatory nice dances are over. Later, when everyone is a little more lubed up on champagne, is when I’ll really let loose.”
Without a reply other than the shaking of his golden head, Drew stopped by the family table, then bowed as the music faded out. “Enjoy yourself. I’m only dancing with my wife from here on out.”
That’s what he thought. Birdie smiled and gave him a little wave as the maid of honor pulled him into a dance before he made it halfway to his bride. Much like she found herself being pulled onto the dance floor by Phillip, one of Drew’s friends from London, a moment later. By the time the set was nearly at the end, she was ready to slow down, or better yet, get off her feet long enough to have another glass of champagne.
She’d just smiled at her last partner, one of Meilin’s many cousins, and turned to find her seat when a strong male hand took one of hers and spun her into his arms.
Surprised, she looked up to see Oswald and his usual blank expression staring at her. “Really, Ozzie, I’m ready for a break—” He already had his right hand on her waist and her right hand captured in his left. Classic dance position of her grandfather’s generation, which oddly felt right, although when it came to slow dancing she was more used to linking her hands around her partner’s neck with both his arms around her waist. This time his touch, palm to palm, palm to waist, captured her breath while her body went into a wild form of shock. Almost like being Tasered, but instead of pain, the shock felt…erotic. Something she’d never once felt before, but oddly enough she recognized it.
“And now,” the DJ interrupted her stunning revelation, “we’re going to slow things down with a special request. This one goes out to the couples from the bride and groom.”
Expecting to hear Ozzy Osborne’s crazy laugh, Birdie glanced over her shoulder at the DJ as the opening strains of “Unchained Melody” began. The DJ shrugged and nodded toward Drew and Meilin who danced nearby. Both of them gave her wide grins. The dirty rats. They’d stolen her poke at Ozzie.
The same man who now expertly led her into the slow dance, his body guiding hers as if they’d danced this way their entire lives. It thrilled her and unsettled her all at once as their gazes locked. For the first time she noticed his eyes were more a pale blue than gray, something his glasses had hidden until now. She’d never been this close to him before. The spin he navigated her through only brought their bodies closer until they were plastered together from knee to chest. A warm flush washed her from head to toe, and she tore her gaze from his, looking over his shoulder.
“Cat got your tongue?” he asked. “Or do cats even bother with bird tongues?”
Birdie concentrated on not looking at Ozzie. “No. I’m just a little winded from dancing.” She certainly was short of breath. And her mouth was dry. Both conditions she absolutely attributed to the previous vigorous fast dancing. Not the way he held her, like something delicate.
* * * *
Well, if Courtney didn’t want to talk, that was fine with Oswald. Although the distraction from the song would have been nice. Damn Drew and his idea of a joke. Since Oswald was pretty sure Courtney had asked the DJ to play something from Ozzy Osborne, the switch wasn’t exactly appreciated. Even