Hello! Here's the second part of chapter 5! I hope you have as much fun reading it as I had writing it. Warning: this chapter is extra sweet, blame it on the end-of-year vibes making me overly sentimental! As always, thank you so much for all the reviews and support—you're the best!
Just Dance: Part II
Mercedes drifted back to her friends, the thrum of the bass vibrating through her chest. The dance floor was on fire. Her friends greeted her with open arms, pulling her back into their little circle and wasted no time diving back into the celebration.
The music was infectious, each beat urging them to move. They danced with abandon, arms in the air and feet pounding the floor. Laughter bubbled up as they mimicked each other's moves, from exaggerated spins to playful shimmies.
In the middle of their dancing, a tall man stepped into their circle. He was certainly attractive, with his caramel-toned skin catching the light, and his hazel eyes locking onto Mercedes with a confident ease.
"Dance with me?" he asked, his voice smooth but audible over the music.
Mercedes blinked, momentarily caught off guard. Then she smiled. "Sure."
As they moved together, she noticed how effortlessly he moved, his rhythm so natural it was almost hypnotic. She found herself wondering if he was a professional dancer too —he certainly had the skill.
"Are you here with someone?" he asked, leaning closer.
The question hung in the air for a beat too long. Mercedes hesitated as she bit her lip. Was she? Her gaze instinctively shifted toward where Sam stood, his figure distinct even in the dim light.
"Yes," she finally said.
The man stepped back slightly, lifting his hands in a gesture of apology. "Sorry, I didn't know."
Mercedes shook her head, her smile returning. "It's fine. Thanks for the dance, you were great."
The compliment seemed to ease any lingering awkwardness, and with a polite nod, he melted back into the crowd.
After a few more songs and more strangers trying to dance with her, Mercedes decided to take a break and sip a glass of water. The cool liquid was a welcome relief, and she made a mental note to stay hydrated between drinks. The last thing she wanted was to wake up with a pounding headache—or worse, embarrass herself in front of Sam.
Taking the opportunity, she slipped off her sandals, letting her feet rest after hours of dancing. The loveseat in the corner of the room felt like a small oasis amid the chaos of the party. She leaned back, watching the swirling lights and the crowd moving to the music.
"Tired already?"
She looked up to find Sam standing over her.
"Of course not," she replied with a grin, sitting up straighter. "Just taking five."
"Mind if I join you?"
"Sure." She scooted to the side, making space for him.
For a moment, they both fell silente. Mercedes leaned back into the cushion, her eyes scanning the room, while Sam's gaze drifted over the crowd as well. It was a comfortable silence. Both seemed content, just being there, in each other's presence, watching the energy of the celebration without feeling the need to participate in it.
"You know..." Sam started, breaking their silence "Seeing you sitting here reminded me of that first day at the office. You were sitting so carefree next to your friend, while he looked like he was about to face a firing squad."
Mercedes laughed. "Well, I wasn't the one about to sit in the dentist's chair. Poor Kurt—he hates it. But you… you were so calm and confident. Like you'd done it a hundred times."
Sam smiled, a flicker of pride in his eyes. "I hope I didn't make it too obvious that I was distracted."
"Distracted?" Mercedes raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence.
Sam nodded. "By you." He stated simply.
"Well, you hid it well." She said, trying to keep her tone casual, though he was making that so hard for her.
"Thankfully. I have to be professional. But yes, I was completely taken." He admitted, his voice low, almost like a secret meant only for her. "Hell, I wanted you way before that."
Mercedes raised an eyebrow, trying to keep her composure even as her heart skipped a beat. "Way before? What are you talking about, Evans?"
Sam let out a soft laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Okay, full confession time." His tone shifted to something both playful and sincere. "Brittany posted a story of your group on Instagram once. You were all being silly, laughing about something. And… you caught my attention."
She knew exactly which video he was referring to. It had been on Blaine's birthday—a casual, domestic recording that Brittany had insisted on filming. Her friend's camera had lingered on her for what felt like an eternity, and she'd even asked Brittany to delete it. "You caught my worst angle," she'd complained at the time.
"I saw you." He continued. "And I thought, 'Who is she?' So, naturally, I went to your instagram profile. But it was locked. And then, out of nowhere, you show up at my office. I couldn't believe it. I thought maybe fate was giving me a nudge."
Mercedes stared at him, her mind racing back to that first meeting. She remembered the way his smile had faltered slightly when their eyes met, as though he'd been caught off guard. At the time, she'd thought it was just polite surprise, but now…
Sam's smile softened, his gaze steady. "I wasn't expecting you to be real, let alone standing right in front of me."
Okay, now he was just being unfair.
"Okay, Mr. Smooth Talker" she said finally, her voice quieter now, "And what did you do with that nudge?"
He chuckled, a bit sheepishly. "Well, I tried to play it cool. Obviously, that worked out great for me."
Mercedes closed her eyes and raised her hands as if to physically stop the whirlwind of revelations. "Okay, this is a lot of information. Just thirty minutes ago, I was running from you!"
Sam pointed at accusatory finger at her "Oh, so I was right! You were running from me!"
Mercedes laughed despite herself, the sound light and unguarded. In her peripheral vision, she caught sight of Tina and Kurt, not-so-discreetly watching them from across the room. Tina gave her a wide-eyed look, and Kurt raised his glass in an exaggerated toast, making Mercedes stifle another laugh.
To hell with it, She thought. She'd spent enough time second-guessing everything tonight.
"Well, not anymore." She smiled, her eyes lowering to his lips.
Just as Mercedes leaned in, Sam's lips almost brushing hers, the sound of a microphone crackled through the speakers.
"Excuse me, everyone!" Brittany's voice rang out, cheerful yet commanding enough to quiet the crowd. "I know you're all having an amazing time—and trust me, I don't want to interrupt— but I swear, I'll be quick!"
Mercedes and Sam both froze, their faces inches apart, a breath away from something they'd both been waiting for. Sam exhaled sharply, his shoulders sinking as he rested his head briefly Against her shoulder, with that kind of exasperation that comes from being so close, only to be interrupted at the worst possible moment.
Without a word, he extended a hand to help her up. They sat up to listen to Brittany, but even as they shifted away from the loveseat, the magnetic pull between them remained.
Brittany's voice rang out again, louder this time, as she stood at the front of the room, trying to get everyone's attention. "I just want to thank you all for being here tonight. This is a huge milestone for me, and I'm so grateful for each and every one of you. My family and friends."
Everyone cheered, and Mercedes gave a small, affectionate smile as she watched Brittany from across the room.
Brittany glanced over at Santana, who was standing near the bar with a proud grin on her face, and then back to the crowd. "Life is full of surprises, and we never know what's coming next. But when you find something you love, something that makes you feel alive, you hold onto it. So, here's to all of us," Brittany went on, her voice filled with emotion. "To taking chances, to trusting the timing of our lives, and to the people who make it all worthwhile."
The crowd cheered again, and Brittany raised her glass in a toast, her eyes sparkling.
Mercedes looked over at Sam, the moment between them now interrupted, but still hanging in the air. Brittany's speech had given them a brief reprieve, but the moment was far from over.
"So...what happens now?" She asked teasingly.
"Well, I'm thinking we get another drink. Maybe dance. And if I'm lucky, we'll be kissing by the end of the night," Sam said with a confident grin, his eyes glinting with mischief.
Her breath caught, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she found herself smiling back at him, her guard slipping just a little more.
"Okay," she said, sitting to put her shoes back on "One dance. But if you step on my toes, this is over."
"Deal. But just so you know, I'm a great dancer."
Sam wasn't lying. He had moves. He wasn't an amazing dancer, but he could hold her rhythm. The dance floor was packed now, mostly dominated by Brittany's fellow dancers, their fluid movements filling the space. But Mercedes and Sam were off-center, creating their own little bubble. She didn't even know when it happened, but somehow, her arms found their way around his neck, and they were swaying slowly.
The music pulsed around them, but they weren't even in rhythm anymore. It was just them, the soft pressure of his hands on her waist, the steady beat of his heart against hers, and the feeling of being pulled closer and closer with every beat.
Sam's hands slid a little lower on her back, pulling her even closer, and Mercedes could feel the heat radiating off him. Her breath hitched, and she instinctively leaned in a little, drawn to him. It was like there was no turning back now.
"You know," she murmured, her voice barely above the music, "If you keep looking at me like that, I'm going to have to kiss you."
Sam's smile widened, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "I'd say that's exactly what I'm hoping for."
Her heart pounded in her chest as she tilted her head slightly, the world around them fading into a soft blur...
Then her clutch vibrated. Loudly.
Mercedes gasped, jumping slightly, the spell shattered by the insistent buzz of her phone.
"Seriously?!" she muttered under her breath, fumbling to retrieve it. The screen lit up with Tina's name.
"No, really. This party has the best timing," Sam quipped, his voice tinged with frustration but still carrying a warm undertone.
Shooting him an apologetic look, Mercedes pressed the phone to her ear.
"Hey, what's up?"
"Can you come to the bathroom? My zipper's stuck and it seems like no one comes in here." Tina said, her voice laced with frustration.
Mercedes glanced at Sam, who raised an eyebrow but offered her a faint smile. "I'll be right there," she said, ending the call with a resigned sigh.
"Duty calls?"
"Yeah, Tina needs help. I'll… I'll see you in a bit?"
"Of course," he said, his gaze lingering as she turned to leave.
In the bathroom, Mercedes found Tina standing in front of the mirror, struggling with the back of her blue dress.
"Oh, thank God," She said dramatically as Mercedes stepped in to help. "I thought I was going to have to walk out there half-zipped. I tried calling Mike so he could wait for me outside but he's probably dancing his heart out right now."
"He is." Mercedes laughed, quickly fixing the zipper. She glanced at herself in the mirror, smoothing her hair and checking her makeup. Just as she was finishing, the door swung open, and Santana strolled in, her smirk firmly in place.
"Oh, look who's here, Mrs. Root Canal herself." The brunette said, her tone dripping with mischief.
Mercedes rolled her eyes. "Don't start".
"Okay, I wasn't going to say anything, but...way to handle the situation, girl." Tina snickered, recalling their earlier conversation, when had Mercedes reassured her she could handle the situation with Sam.
"Oh, please." Santana laughed. "That was less 'handling' and more 'manhandling,' if you ask me."
"Ha ha, very funny. Y'all are ridiculous."
"I mean, we're just saying," Tina chimed in, gesturing vaguely in the direction of the dance floor. "That looked more like... mutual handling. Very hands-on, if you will."
Mercedes groaned, covering her face with her hands.
"Oh, come on. You know we're just happy for you. And, for the record, Sam looks like trouble worth handling." Santana raised his glass in a mock toast. "To Mercedes, our queen of multitasking: handling work, life, and now, apparently, Sam Evans."
Mercedes shook her head, laughing despite herself. "You two are seriously the worst. "Now if you'll excuse me…" She glanced back at her friends with a smirk. "I've got someone waiting for me."
As she stepped out of the bathroom, laughing at her friends hollering, she almost ran into him. Sam was leaning casually against the wall, his hands in his pockets, but his eyes lit up when he saw her.
"Hey. You didn't have to wait," she said, though the warmth in her voice betrayed her.
"I wanted to," he replied.
Without a word, he reached out, his hand warm as it enveloped hers. The quiet urgency in his touch sent a jolt through her, and she couldn't help but laugh softly as he pulled her along.
"What are you doing?"
"Making sure we're not interrupted this time," he said over his shoulder, his tone playful but with a glint of determination in his eyes. "We've had enough of that."
He led her down a dimly lit corridor, the bustling energy of the party fading with each step. The distant sound of music and laughter followed them like a fading echo, but here, it was just the two of them. It felt almost like being teenagers sneaking away, the anticipation of a first kiss making Mercedes' heart race
The corridor stretched ahead, lined with closed doors, their small rectangular windows offering glimpses of dance studios beyond. Faint reflections of the building's exterior lights danced along the polished floors, casting soft, colorful patterns on the walls.
Sam gently guided Mercedes back until her spine met the cool surface of the window. The contrast was sharp against the warmth radiating from his chest, so close to hers. His delicious scent enveloped her, a smell she'd felt many times. It had been on her mind since the day they met, lingering in the corners of her thoughts.
He didn't speak at first, just looked at her with those intense eyes of his, their depth pulling her in like a riptide.
"Feeling lucky tonight?" she teased, her voice softer now, almost a whisper.
"You tell me," he murmured, his tone low and rough, sending another shiver through her.
Mercedes raised a hand to his face, her fingers brushing the stubble along his jaw. Slowly, deliberately, she drew him closer until their lips met. Finally. His mouth was warm, soft, and insistent, melting away the last of her hesitations. A faint taste of whiskey lingered on his lips, intoxicating in its own right, as he deepened the kiss.
His hand rested firmly on her waist, grounding her even as her knees threatened to give way. Time stretched, the world outside fading into a blur of city lights and muted noise. All that mattered was the way Sam held her, their bodies moving together as naturally as breathing.
Maybe it was because she hadn't done this in so long, but Mercedes couldn't remember kissing ever being this good. She'd had her share of kisses, but none of them had left her feeling like this—weightless, yet tethered. Right then and there, she decided: Sam Evans was her perfect kissing match.
When they finally broke apart, their foreheads resting together, Sam's voice was now unsteady. "I think I've been waiting for that a lot longer than I realized."
She nodded, her eyes still closed as a smile bloomed across her lips. "I know exactly what you mean."