Peace Maker - Chapter 186

“I thought I said that I was ok with you going?” Annabeth asked when Antonio turned back to her. “The lady wanted to dance with you.”

“But I didn’t want to dance with her,” Antonio replied with a nervous smile, “I wanted to dance with you.” His hold on her hand tightened a little as they locked eyes.

“Oh…” Annabeth muttered. She tried to hide it at first, forcing down the emotion but in the end gave in. Her lips arched up a little as a little smile formed on her face. “Is that so…”

“Yea…” Antonio replied, “it would be rude of me to leave someone I want to dance with simply because another person asked. I was the one who asked to dance afterall.”

Annabeth chuckled, her eyes brightening up as they looked into Antonio’s bright light-brown eyes. “Right… you were.”

Antonio grinned. “Then…” his other hand rising up and touching her waist lightly, his eyes meeting with Annabeth to ask for permission. She nodded. His hand settled on her waist more firmly than before, his palm being able to be felt completely on her waist.

Annabeth’s eyes lowered, her body shuddering when she felt his hold. It was firm but yet still gentle like he had this complete hold on her but yet was still careful on the way he held her. Her hand trembled slightly. ‘This is nice..’ she thought to herself as she looked up at him, their eyes immediately meeting, ‘yea… this feels better…’

“Should we continue?” Antonio asked.

“Sur-”

There was a change in music and the two paused once hearing it. They looked around them as people began changing positions and then back to each other.

“Pfft-” Annabeth chuckled, followed by Antonio’s laughter. “Looks like the slow dances ended quicker than we expected.”

“Agreed…” Antonio nodded as he let go of her waist and her hand. They looked at each other for a moment until Antonio touched his nape again. “I know this is a new dance and all but, may I still have this dance with you?”

Annabeth grinned, nodding her head, “Thought you’d never ask,” she replied as they began to take steps away from each other.

“Heh…” Antonio grinned.

“Be sure you can keep up though, this dance is much faster,” she chuckled as she gave him a little bow, in sync with the other multiple ladies in front of their partners.

“Oh, we’ll see about that,” Antonio smirked, bowing in sync with the gentlemen, “I’m afraid you won’t be able to keep up.”

“Hm…” Annabeth muttered as they walked towards each other. Antonio reached out his hand and Annabeth placed hers in his. Seconds later, he pulled her towards him as the music started and Annabeth giggled as they began to dance. She leaned into his ears and whispered, “…Watch me.”

He smirked.

They made the first few turns and soon later, Annabeth stepped away into a circle with other people as they turned around while Antonio was pulled into the opposite circle with another group of people. There they walked around in a circle for a few seconds before being pulled into different partners.

“Why hello there Marquess Antonio,” a new lady greeted as she and Antonio fell into position with his hand on her waist and her hand on his shoulder.

“Ah… hello there, Lady Ann,” Antonio chuckled, greeting her back.

“It’s a fun evening isn’t it?” Ann giggled as she and Antonio danced.

“Indeed it is…” Antonio muttered absentmindedly as he looked over her shoulder at Annabeth who was dancing with another gentleman. They locked gazes with each other and Annabeth grinned, giving him a little wave. He smirked.

“Who are you waving to my lady?” the gentleman asked.

“No one,” Annabeth smiled, turning back to the man in front of her.

“Then may I ask-”

“Time for the next rotation,” Annabeth grinned as she was pulled away from the gentleman into another circle of people and the gentleman was pulled into a different circle. Annabeth grinned, looking across the circle of people to Antonio who sent a smile back at her. Then second late, the circle dispersed and she was pulled into another dance partner.

Antonio watched as she began to dance with the other gentleman as she began to dance with the new lady.

“Oh hello my lord!” The new lady greeted Antonio, to which he greeted her back. He looked down at her and locked eyes with the lady from earlier.

“Oh! It’s you,” he smiled, locking eyes with her for a moment before his gaze changed to Annabeth who was a few dance partners away.

“Ah… yes…” the lady blushed, “it must be fate to have us dance together like this again…”

Antonio simply nodded his head as his eyes followed Annabeth. He turned back to the lady and gave her a little smile. “Are you enjoying tonight?” he asked.

“Of course!” The lady replied, “I’m here dancing with you so-”

“Sorry, it was a pleasure dancing with you,” Antonio bowed as he was pulled into another group and the lady into another. He didn’t hear her goodbyes as he looked over his shoulder to the next group over where Annabeth was. When their eyes met, they smiled. Seconds later they were moved to different partners.

“Ah! Lady Annabeth! I’ve been looking all over the ballroom for you!” said the next gentleman. Annabeth turned to the person she was dancing with, her eyes widening when she met eyes with Falls.

“Oh! Hello Lord Falls!” she greeted with a smile.

Falls blushed as he returned her greeting. “Hello to you too. Sorry about earlier, I swear I tried to get back to you as quickly as I could but I couldn’t find you. It’s like you disappeared into thin air.”

Annabeth chuckled. “Yes.. sorry about that, I found somewhere to eat.”

“Oh.. that makes sense,” Falls chuckled, “You were gone for quite some time though, I hope you didn’t get lost or anything.”

“No..” Annabeth shook her head, looking over his shoulder at Antonio. She smiled, “I didn’t.”

“Good,” Falls smiled.

Annabeth turned back to him and grinned. “Looks like it’s time to go though…” she chuckled, giving him a little wave.

“Hey- wai-” She was pulled into another group, this time with Antonio. They exchanged gazes and smiled as they were pulled into the next partner, with each other.

“Finally,” Antonio smiled as his hand laid on her waist again.

Annabeth chuckled, “Told you you won’t be able to keep up.”

“Right..” Antonio sighed, “It’s so hard to get in contact with you again after the switch.”

Annabeth grinned. “Same for me, how many times will we rotate again?” she asked looking up into Antonio’s gaze. It was comforting, much more relaxing than the others. She smiled. “I think we’ve switched about 4 times right?”

Antonio nodded as he twirled Annabeth around, “Right, only about 4 more times to go,” he replied, “and this one is just about over…”

Annabeth smiled, her grip on his hand tightening. “Tired?” she asked.

“Nope,” Antonio smirked, locking eyes with her.

“Great,” Annabeth grinned, ‘then keep chasing after me.”

“Wha-” Antonio muttered seconds before he was pulled into another group and Annabeth into the next. “Hey! Wait a sec-” he called out to her to which she giggled and waved before turning to her group and making a rotation with them. Moments later they were tossed into the next partner.

And then the next

And then the next

And finally…

“There you are,” Antonio smiled as he intertwined his fingers with Annabeth’s, “on the final switch too.”

Annabeth grinned, her hand settling on Antonio’s shoulder as his hand settled on her waist. “What? Missed me?” she teased.

“Of course,” Antonio smiled.

Annabeth flinched, feeling it again. The thump in her chest as a bright smile appeared on her face.. “Same.”