awesome.”
Jack raised his eyebrows at Pete, who laughed.
“Sorry, partner. You really can't hold it against Em. I think
even I have a crush on him. He's just one of those guys, you know?
Good looking, good guy. He was like the home town hero, captain of
the football team, played guitar, sang.” Pete paused and looked
at Missy. “Then there's the tragic past that makes him a little
bit mysterious, a little bit dangerous. He left town years ago on a
Harley, but his legend lives on.”
“Ooh,” Holly grinned, “I can see
the appeal.”
Michael laughed. “You really do need to lock
up your women when Chance hits town. Dan's the only that's safe.”
Dan was surprised by that. Michael gave him a
small nod and a friendly smile. How about that? Dan smiled back,
relieved that he didn't need to worry about Chance, or Michael.
“I don't need locking up,” said Emma.
“I'm perfectly happy with my own cowboy, especially if he'll
dance with me?”
Jack grinned as he got up from the table. “Want
to come scoot some boots, bro?”
Dan stood and looked down at Missy. “Does
the little lady want a turn around the floor?”
Missy nodded happily and followed him. Out on the
dance-floor, Dan curled an arm around her waist, glad for the excuse
to hold her again.
“I didn't realize you were such a dancer.
You surprised me with the Latin stuff at Em's bachelorette party,
then ballroom at the wedding, now you're a country boy too?”
Dan smiled. “You never asked.” He
loved to dance. It was a skill Jack had shared with him in his junior
year of high school.
Missy gave him a mischievous grin. “Seems I
need to start asking about your many hidden talents, don't I?”
He held her a little closer. “You can ask,
or I'm sure I'll get round to showing you soon enough.”
***
Missy's body reacted to his words, even as her
mind struggled to believe them. She was enjoying seeing more of his
true personality. She was used to him being quiet, but was beginning
to realize that he wasn't really shy. He said what he wanted to, and
what he meant.
“I'll look forward to that.” She
rested a hand against his chest.
He covered it with his own, his eyes twinkling
down at her. “Not as much as I will.”
The band launched into a new song and his hands
dropped to her waist. He pulled her hips against his so she could
have no doubt what he was talking about. The feel of him pressing
against her like that sent shockwaves coursing through her. It had
been a long time. She panicked and looked around. She shouldn't be
feeling like this. He wasn't free yet. What would the others think?
She tried to break away from him, but he only held her closer.
“Dan! We shouldn't. I can't. Everybody's
looking.”
He dropped his head to bring his mouth next to her
ear. The feel of his breath on her neck, his lean body pressed
against her, made her feel dizzy, her breath shallow. She closed her
eyes and leaned into him, panic forgotten as he overwhelmed her
senses.
“It doesn't matter who's looking, Miss.”
He stroked her hair away from her ear. She trembled all over as his
lips touched her ear when he spoke again. “You've gotta dance
like nobody's watching.” He rested his lips against her hair.
She kept her eyes closed, giving herself up to him and all the
sensations he filled her with, as he moved her body to the music. All
she could do was cling to him. If this was what dancing with him did
to her, she could only hope to survive if they took it any further.
When they returned to the table, Missy caught a
few raised eyebrows, but none of them looked disapproving. And why
should they? She and Dan had done nothing wrong. Yet.
Emma was sitting in Jack's lap. “What do you
think, Miss? We're all going to head back up to North Cove. Do you
want to come?” she asked.
“No thanks, Mouse. I'm about ready to keel
over. I'm going to call it a night and head home.”
“Lightweight!” said Michael. “What
happened to my little
Jack raised his eyebrows at Pete, who laughed.
“Sorry, partner. You really can't hold it against Em. I think
even I have a crush on him. He's just one of those guys, you know?
Good looking, good guy. He was like the home town hero, captain of
the football team, played guitar, sang.” Pete paused and looked
at Missy. “Then there's the tragic past that makes him a little
bit mysterious, a little bit dangerous. He left town years ago on a
Harley, but his legend lives on.”
“Ooh,” Holly grinned, “I can see
the appeal.”
Michael laughed. “You really do need to lock
up your women when Chance hits town. Dan's the only that's safe.”
Dan was surprised by that. Michael gave him a
small nod and a friendly smile. How about that? Dan smiled back,
relieved that he didn't need to worry about Chance, or Michael.
“I don't need locking up,” said Emma.
“I'm perfectly happy with my own cowboy, especially if he'll
dance with me?”
Jack grinned as he got up from the table. “Want
to come scoot some boots, bro?”
Dan stood and looked down at Missy. “Does
the little lady want a turn around the floor?”
Missy nodded happily and followed him. Out on the
dance-floor, Dan curled an arm around her waist, glad for the excuse
to hold her again.
“I didn't realize you were such a dancer.
You surprised me with the Latin stuff at Em's bachelorette party,
then ballroom at the wedding, now you're a country boy too?”
Dan smiled. “You never asked.” He
loved to dance. It was a skill Jack had shared with him in his junior
year of high school.
Missy gave him a mischievous grin. “Seems I
need to start asking about your many hidden talents, don't I?”
He held her a little closer. “You can ask,
or I'm sure I'll get round to showing you soon enough.”
***
Missy's body reacted to his words, even as her
mind struggled to believe them. She was enjoying seeing more of his
true personality. She was used to him being quiet, but was beginning
to realize that he wasn't really shy. He said what he wanted to, and
what he meant.
“I'll look forward to that.” She
rested a hand against his chest.
He covered it with his own, his eyes twinkling
down at her. “Not as much as I will.”
The band launched into a new song and his hands
dropped to her waist. He pulled her hips against his so she could
have no doubt what he was talking about. The feel of him pressing
against her like that sent shockwaves coursing through her. It had
been a long time. She panicked and looked around. She shouldn't be
feeling like this. He wasn't free yet. What would the others think?
She tried to break away from him, but he only held her closer.
“Dan! We shouldn't. I can't. Everybody's
looking.”
He dropped his head to bring his mouth next to her
ear. The feel of his breath on her neck, his lean body pressed
against her, made her feel dizzy, her breath shallow. She closed her
eyes and leaned into him, panic forgotten as he overwhelmed her
senses.
“It doesn't matter who's looking, Miss.”
He stroked her hair away from her ear. She trembled all over as his
lips touched her ear when he spoke again. “You've gotta dance
like nobody's watching.” He rested his lips against her hair.
She kept her eyes closed, giving herself up to him and all the
sensations he filled her with, as he moved her body to the music. All
she could do was cling to him. If this was what dancing with him did
to her, she could only hope to survive if they took it any further.
When they returned to the table, Missy caught a
few raised eyebrows, but none of them looked disapproving. And why
should they? She and Dan had done nothing wrong. Yet.
Emma was sitting in Jack's lap. “What do you
think, Miss? We're all going to head back up to North Cove. Do you
want to come?” she asked.
“No thanks, Mouse. I'm about ready to keel
over. I'm going to call it a night and head home.”
“Lightweight!” said Michael. “What
happened to my little
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