Page 22 of No Way Forward

“I can’t help you. Giving out inside information that could affect trade is illegal. I’m not risking my freedom to line your pockets.” She was disappointed. “I thought when you said you wanted to prove yourself, you meant by your own efforts. Excuse me.”

She started to walk away, but he grabbed her arm. “Hold on. Don’t get all high and mighty, Novette. I was only kidding. Come on. Be nice and dance with me.”

She glared at him. He turned on the charming grin, which lit up his eyes and reminded her of that cute little blond she played with in the maze.

“I can see you want to give in.” He grinned and leaned in so that he could whisper in her ear. “I promise, I don’t move like your standard white boy.”

She snorted in amusement. “Fine.”

They walked out to the floor to dance. He moved with the beat of the music, surprising her. Smooth and not awkward at all, he wiggled his eyebrows a little, waiting for her praise. She rolled her eyes.

“Lessons?”

“I had an affair with a professional dancer. She was…”

“I don’t need the details.”

He tugged her closer, a hand at her waist. “Don’t be jealous. I’m here with you now, and if you play your cards right, we can stir up something interesting.”

“Um, no.”

He laughed, treating her rejection like a joke. “You want to play hard to get.”

“Boy, please.”

His eyebrows rose at the way she spoke to him, and then his grin grew wider. “You’re different than you were before you left. I like it. What else is different?”

She figured he hinted at intimacy and wasn’t going to have that conversation with him. He could mind his own business about whether or not she had relationships while she was gone. The fact was, she spent all her time trying to make enough to eat and sleep safely. Romance didn’t come into the picture, but he didn’t need to know that.

“Don’t worry about it,” she teased. “I like the way you move.”

“Hmm, I have a few more moves you haven’t seen. We can get out of here right now so I can teach you every one.”

Why in the world did she play in to this? “I just got here.”

“If you’re worried I’m not serious, don’t be. I can be persuaded to marry you.”

“What?”

He shrugged. “Makes me no difference. I’d like a kid eventually, and a wife might be nice. I could do worse. Plus, no matter who your dad is or his standing, Mom isn’t exactly keen on you being my wife. That’s a bonus right there.”

She drew back to look into his eyes. “You’re not serious.”

“She was okay with us playing together as kids, even fooling around.”

“We never ‘fooled around.’”

“I tried to tell her, but she wouldn’t believe it. She has it in her head that you’re like Azalie. Everyone knows she sleeps with anything in a suit.”

Novette remembered her suspicions and tried to look around for her dad and friend, but Felix wouldn’t be ignored. He tightened his hold on her hand until she focused on him.

“Ouch, Felix, don’t be so rough.”

; “Let’s go have some fun, and if you like, afterward I’ll give you my grandmother’s ring. It’s old and boring. I can get you something new later.”

“This is a marriage proposal?” She couldn’t believe his attitude.