Lucy giggled at something Patrick Owen said and then hesitantly danced a couple of the steps right where she stood with him before giggling and blushing.
“No way in hell you’re getting me out there,” Beck O’Malley muttered. If he hunched down any lower in his seat, his beard, which had really grown out, would be floating in his mug. He’d changed since the first time she’d met him the previous fall. Gwen hazarded a guess that something was weighing on him.
Kemp said, “This might explain why we saw the surveillance van bouncing and swaying around that day Duke and Gage were working on it at the house.”
“Damned unmasculine, if you ask me,” Ace groused as Kemp nodded beside him. Summer whapped both of her men gently on the arm.
Rachel said, “Yet, undeniably sexy. He’s teaching me this later tonight.” Rachel and Charity were practically drooling as they watched Eli and Justin.
Charity left her seat. “I need a closer look. Later, y’all.” She walked right out onto the dance floor in her snug leathers and stood opposite of Justin and Eli and learned the steps right there in front of everyone.
“She don’t let much stop her, does she?” Jack asked Grace as they watched.
“Never, ever,” Grace murmured as she watched her friends.
Duke and Gage danced out the whole song, seeming to know all the moves. Gwen giggled as she asked Emma, “Have they been practicing at home with the video?”
Emma grinned, happiness obvious in her face, and nodded. “We all have. I’ve heard this song so much I dance to it in my sleep. I ‘purple-alligatored’ Duke and Gage a few minutes ago right after I requested this for them. I hope they get even with me tonight.”
Emma giggled when Duke and Gage both pointed at her from the dance floor as they lip-synched, “Hey, sexy lady!…”
“What’s ‘purple alligator’?”
Emma explained to her that to keep each other trying new things, stretching out of their comfort zones, they occasionally called “purple alligator” on each other. Whoever called it was in complete control of the scene and how it played out. Duke and Gage had evidently known what Emma wanted without much explanation.
Ogling Duke and Gage as they shook their hips and moved to the music, Emma said, “Yeah, I’m hitting that.”
All the girls remaining at the table laughed and Gwen asked, “Is that even something a woman would say about her two hot men?”
Emma laughed and replied, “I’m not sure about the gender specifics of that phrase. I’m a dork. But yeah, I’m totally hitting that.”
Grace said, “Quinten Parks will be so disappointed he wasn’t here tonight. I can picture him going out there with the guys.”
Jack and Adam nodded. “I can picture him out there too. I’d get out there, darlin’, but you know my hip has been—”
Grace patted Jack’s chest and chided, “Oh, don’t give me that, Mr. Warner. You’re in perfect condition. It’s okay. I know this is not yours or Adam’s thing, but I still love it.” She turned and watched Ethan dance from the security of Jack’s embrace and Gwen smiled when she saw Grace snake her hand into Adam’s grasp. They made it look so easy, even though all four of them were different from each other.
Adam sipped from his beer then said, “I’d be afraid of hurting somebody or breaking something, swinging my arms and jumping around like that.”
Understanding Adam’s self-consciousness, Gwen thought back to Judith’s insults about her appearance. She could let that stop her from having a good time or she could give in and learn something new. Even if it was only a silly dance. A silly dance that Chris was moving really well to. Of all the things she’d thought she might find sexy about him, watching him dance to “Gangnam Style” hadn’t been one of them.
She looked back at Julián and he kissed her temple and said, “You’d better hurry. The song is half over.”
Gwen and Chris were both laughing when she came back to the table with him and took a sip of the fresh margarita that had been placed at her spot. The chatter tuned up a little louder as the others rejoined them and ordered refills on all their drinks. Julián, Patrick, and Beck were involved in a conversation when Beck suddenly grasped his front pocket and pulled his phone out. With one glance at the screen, his entire demeanor changed. He put the phone to his ear and frowned and it was obvious he couldn’t hear the caller.
“What is it?” Patrick asked as Beck practically leapt from his chair. Gwen hadn’t known he was that agile.
“Important call. I have to take this. Damn it, move!” he growled as Lucy stepped into his path on her way back from the ladies’ room. He dodged her, not even seeing the hurt in her eyes as she watched him practically run for the main entry to the club.