“Hijo de puta,” Mateo snapped. “Watch where you’re putting your ass cheeks, bastardo.”
“I’ll put ‘em where the rhythm take’ em, lad,” Niall answered, shaking his butt and making Mateo back away with the books in his arms and a scowl on his face.
I grabbed a blanket from the back of the couch, tying it around my neck like a cape and leaping forward through the air so that it sailed out behind me. I was like a Pegasus gliding through the sky, my wings stretching either side of me, my horn glinting and sparkles tumbling from my flesh.
Niall looked to me with his eyebrows raising and a challenge flaring in his gaze as I landed perfectly and trotted past him, my cape whipping him in the face.
“Fine,” Niall spat. “I’ll dance ya into the dirt. And when you’re down there as a failure, you can wave yer giant friend goodbye.”
I spun towards him, planting my hands on my hips and smiling keenly. “Deal. And if I win, you have to kiss Angry Jack and tell him you’re sorry.”
“Deal, because I won’t lose,” Niall said with a smirk.
“We need a referee.” I pointed to Mateo.
“No fuckin’ chance. He’ll side with you because he’s all pussy dazzled by ya.” Niall glared at me and I glared back.
“Then what do you suggest?”
“Brutus picks,” Niall said and I looked to the dog who was still busy destroying Mateo’s boot. “We’ll both dance for him then see who he comes to when we call him once we’re done. I’ll even let you pick the song, little psycho.” He gave me a taunting look and I moved to his phone which was connected to the Bluetooth speakers in the room, picking out Heads Will Roll by Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I’d wipe that smug as a Bakewell tart look off his face in no time.
Niall moved to my right, sneering at me and Mateo hovered close by like he expected us to break more stuff. But the only thing I planned on breaking was Niall’s ego.
I rocked my hips to the beat then Niall dropped into a squat dance, his hands on his hips as he kicked out his legs. Holy tits, it was good. So I leapt over him, waving my arms and rolling my head dramatically. I threw in a little Macarena as Niall swung over onto his stomach and did some kind of sexy worm thing where he looked like he was fucking the floor. It drew my attention for way too long and I realised I was stuck in a repetitive hip swirl. I needed to short circuit it, but with style. Come on, get out of the swirl, Brooklyn!
I did some jumping jacks then dropped down and did a forward roll, only managing to go half way before I rolled back and tried it again. My legs went over my head this time and my feet hit Niall in the face.
“Yer throwing me off, woman.” He grabbed my ankles, getting to his feet and starting to spin as he held onto them. I gasped as I was spun out around him as he swung me in fast circles and I whooped in excitement before he threw me onto the couch so hard that the whole thing toppled backwards and crashed to the floor.
I peered up over it as Niall did an Irish jig and Mateo moved to help me up, checking me over before I sprang back towards Niall and kicked my feet left and right to show him what a real jig looked like.
The song came to an end and both of us struck a pose, my arms out either side of me and my fingers wiggling with some perfect jazz hands. Niall had bent right over, sticking his head between his legs as he gripped the backs of his knees.
Mateo shut off the music and I beamed at him, my heart swelling as he started clapping for me. Just me. His mouth twitched into a smile and I swear a balloon expanded in my chest and my toes came off the ground as I started to float.
“Perfect, mi sol,” he said and a blush lined my cheeks.
Niall snapped upright, knocking me sideways so I lost my balance with my pose. “It doesn’t matter what you think, el burro, it matters what my dog thinks.”
We both looked to Brutus as he pulled the insole out of the boot and Niall patted his knees. “Come here, boy. Come to Daddy.”
I scowled, patting my own knees. “Here, Brutus. Come to Momma B.”
“You’re not his momma,” Niall growled. “He’s my dog.”
“He’s mine too,” I insisted.
“He is not,” Niall said.
“Is too.”
“Is not.”
“Is too.”
“Here Brutus,” Niall called, dropping to the floor and Brutus finally gave us his attention, glancing between us with a growl.
“Here baby,” I cooed. “Come on little love puppy. Come to your best friend.”
“I’ll cut you out a nice liver to eat from the mailman, how about that, pal?” Niall offered.
Brutus got to his feet, his upper lip curling back as he bared his sharp teeth at us.
“Move away, mi sol,” Mateo warned as I reached for him.
“Don’t be silly, Dead Man,” I laughed. “Brutus is a big softy wofty with a snuggly heart.”
Brutus moved towards us with his hackles raised and Niall and I called him more excitedly, patting our legs.
Brutus snapped his teeth at Niall and I was sure I’d lost, my heart thrashing with panic at the thought of having to say goodbye to Angry Jack. But then the dog swerved towards me and sniffed my throat as a low growl rolled through his belly. I hugged him tight with a squeal and Mateo shifted closer like a looming shadow.
“Brooklyn,” he said urgently as Brutus snarled ferociously. But he was just playing snappy snaps with me. It was his favourite game and I was winning.
I released Brutus, narrowly avoiding a snappy as I got up and I pointed at Niall, laughing in his face.
“I won! You lose!” I cried and Niall’s face turned red with rage.
“Ya cheated!” he bellowed.
“I did not!” I cried back and Mateo stepped forward to get between us as Niall rose to his feet.
Brutus snarled at the shouting but got distracted by his boot and ran back to grab it without getting any more involved.
“She won fair and square, Niall,” Mateo hissed. “Don’t you dare go back on your word to her.”
Niall’s lips twitched with irritation as he mulled over Mateo’s threat, looking at me over his shoulder. I was sure he was going to call me a cheat again, but then his shoulders dropped and he nodded to Mateo.
“Sure, whatever, like I give a fuck anyway.” He strode over to the couch, flipping it back upright and dropping onto it like he had no cares in the world.
I leapt up, kissing the back of Mateo’s neck then turning and sprinting away to the door. I unlocked it, throwing it open and racing out into the windy wetness, running to Angry Jack.
I sprang into the air, forcing him to catch me as I wrapped my whole body around him and I grinned from ear to ear. The cold, wetness of his hard body surrounded me as he crushed me against him and he looked deep, deep down into the depths of my eyes.
“You can come in now. I won the dance off, AJ. I won you back,” I said proudly and his grip on me tightened as this delicious kind of victory danced in his gaze.
I bounced in his arms as his eyes widened in surprise. “In?”
“Yes!” I cried, hugging him tight. He smelled like rainy goodness and beneath it was something so masculine it made my toes turn into curly fries.
“Rook?” Jack asked and I looked up at him as I interlaced my fingers behind his neck.
“What’s up?” I asked. “Oh, is it because you’re wet and windyloo? I can dry you off with a towel when you come inside. I’ll need a big towel though, a big, big one. As big as a horse, or a van, or ten herons stitched together-”
“Rook,” he growled, peering down at me with water droplets rolling down the sharp lines of his cheeks.
“Yes, Jack?” I asked a little breathlessly. Despite how long he’d stood out here in the cold, his body was as warm as a burning beehive and I snuggled into it as rain dripped down the back of my neck.
“Stay,” he said and I wasn’t sure if it was a question or if he was commanding me to do so.