28. Belong Together
Chapter twenty-eight
Belong Together
Hux
I hadn’t felt this good in a long damn time. So long I didn’t even know I could feel like this again. Not even the fact I was in a new place, surrounded by a shit ton of people could dwindle how I felt—much. The nerves still fought back a bit, but the moment I’d felt Quinn at my side, they’d just, well, disappeared. The alcohol helped too.
A couple shots and a beer or two in, and my worries were like ash on the wind.
“Wanna dance, darlin’?” I asked Quinn.
“You dance?” Surprise rang in her voice from my side.
I chuckled. “I used to, a lot."
"Really?"
I nodded. "I might not be able to do those fancy turns and dips anymore, but I can spin you round the dance floor a few times.”
“Well, aren’t you just full of surprises.” Her hand slipped into mine, a silent yes as she led me to what I assumed was the dance floor.
Her hands settled into position, one of them coming up to my shoulder, and I instinctively placed a hand on her hips, drawing her in close as I started up to the beat of the song. It was slower. Exactly why I’d picked this one. I wanted to ease back into it. It’d been a while since I’d danced.
“It’s nice to get a moment alone with you,” Quinn said softly.
I swayed to the music and spun her around before pulling her against me once more. “It’s been a pretty wild night, hasn’t it?”
A giggle. “It has. I still find it a bit crazy that this is the real you.”
“You don’t like this side of me?” I asked, a hint of worry sprouting in my chest like a weed.
“Oh my God, no, no, no. That isn’t at all what I meant. I love this version of you. I’m so happy that you’ve found yourself again. I’m just blown away that you’re, like, a big deal.”
I huffed, some of my tension easing, even as a sense of wistfulness settled in my bones. “ Was a big deal.”
“Hux, you had a line of people waiting to meet you at the rodeo. At least a dozen more have come up and asked for an autograph since we got here. You are a big deal still.”
I’d forgotten how good it felt, meeting fans and interacting with them. Just being back in the rodeo world. I missed it. Missed it with every fiber of my being.
“It’s just cuz this is the first time anyone in this scene has seen me in three years. This’ll pass.”
“You don’t want it to, though, don’t you? Tonight…you came alive.”
I dragged her hand up to my lips and kissed the backs of her knuckles gently as we danced our way across the floor. “Because of you.”
Her words were soft and light. “No, Hux. It wasn’t because of me. It was the rodeo.”
“I wouldn’t have gone had it not been for you.”
“True,” she replied, placing her head on the spot right between my collar and jaw. We fell into silence for a few moments, until she finally asked, “When you introduced me to Mister Mooney, you called me yours. What exactly did you mean by that?”
A smile tugged on my mouth. “You noticed."
“You seriously thought I wouldn’t?” she said with a scoff.
I shrugged, pulling her closer to me. Ignoring her question, I said, “I ain’t known you long, but I think in this little time I have, I’ve made my feelings for you pretty clear. I want you. I’m better with you. And if I have to move my ass to California to be with you, I’ll do it. I’ll take you in any way you’re willin’ to give me.”
A sharp gasp escaped her, the faint smell of alcohol on her lips. “Hux.” My name was little more than a whisper almost drowned out by beat of the music.
Goddamn, I loved the way she said my name. “I ain’t one for goin’ slow, or plannin’ things out. I think with my heart, not my head. But every inch of me, every piece of my heart, head, and soul are in agreement about you, Quinn. I’m yours. I’ve been yours from the moment I heard you sing.”
My heart squeezed at the feminine sound that escaped her. One of surprise and adoration and some stronger emotion—maybe, possibly even love. “I—I'm not taking the job in California, Hux.”
“What? Why not?”
“Because I want to stay here. With you. I don’t care how long or how short we’ve known each other. I want you too. And I’m yours. For however long you want me.”
The power of her words hit me straight in the chest, forcing me to let out a huff of relief. I’d figured, well, hoped, that she felt the same, but it was nice to hear her reaffirm that if I was crazy, she was right there being just as crazy too.
Without another thought, I settled a hand around her neck and drew my mouth down to hers. I put all I had into that kiss, every emotion that told her without words exactly how I felt about her. She kissed me back with just as much fervor, matching me in intensity. The music and the sound of the bar peeled away, 'til all that was left, 'til all I could think of and feel was her. We stopped dancing, and for a long moment I just kissed her, uncaring of who all saw.
I’m sure there’d be some sort of article out tomorrow about my return, and likely this moment, but I didn’t care. In fact, the idea of the world—even if just the rodeo world—knowing about my relationship with her sent a spark of desire through me.
Quinn broke the kiss first, though she remained close enough that I felt her breath on my cheeks as she murmured huskily, “Kiss me like that again, cowboy, and we may need to go home.”
I chuckled, rubbing my thumb along the curve of her jaw as my fingers slid into her hair. “Don’t tempt me with a good time, darlin’.”
She laughed, pressing a feather-soft kiss to my lips before saying, “As much as I want that, I want at least another dance or two with you.”
I chuckled, squeezing her tight, a wave of pure happiness flowing through me. “I think I can manage that.”
S omething like four or five songs later, Quinn and I finally got off the dance floor. She left me at the table along with the guys to go to the bathroom with Whit.
“How ‘bout another round, old man?” Cash asked as he clapped me on the back. Either the alcohol was its intoxicating magic, or I was getting over my aversion to people touching me. It was probably the former.
“I ain’t gonna turn down free alcohol.”
Ryder's laughter, followed by Maverick and Bad’s quieter chuckles surrounded me, but they were drowned out by Cash’s crow of excitement. “Atta boy.” Another clap to the shoulder. A moment later he pushed a shot glass into my hand. “Here, a little liquid courage, old man.”
“Me?” I asked. “Why do I need liquid courage?”
“I put your name in to ride the mechanical bull. You’re up next, buddy.”
A flurry of emotions erupted in my chest. I know it wasn’t a real bull, but just the thought of doing something like that left me feeling some sort of way. Because it wasn’t some big secret—I wanted to ride again. I wanted it so fucking bad; it didn’t take a rocket scientist for anyone else to see that. But I also didn’t want to die. Not when I finally had something worth living for. And if I hurt myself again and jeopardized anything with Quinn, well, if the fall didn’t kill me, that just might.
And even though I’d ridden a mechanical bull before, worry clenched around my stomach. “I don’t know, man.”
“Come on, it ain’t a real bull. You got this.” Cash’s voice held an excited, encouraging note to it.
“Yeah, but how the fuck am I even gonna get on the thing? You gonna walk me up there, help me on up? What if I fall and hit my head? I can’t see what I’m doin’. I fall wrong and I could be dead.”
A gentler, yet no less firm hand settled on my left shoulder. “I took a nasty fall last year, and I know it ain’t at all the same, but I get the fear and worry.” I recognized Ryder’s smooth voice.
I huffed, pulling off my hat to run a hand through my hair as I fought to come up with words, but Ryder beat me to it.
“There was a guy I heard about, I think he was a cutting horse trainer or somethin’, and he lost his leg and everyone told him he wasn’t gonna cut ever again. But that didn’t stop him. He built himself a prosthetic and rigged up some way for him to cue the damn horse with his left leg… What I’m sayin’ is, bull ridin’s in your blood, man. It ain’t just a want, it’s a need. Trust me, I know.”
I found myself nodding, because he was right. It was a need.
“Look, you got both hands and both legs. You fall just as hard with your vision as you do without. You’re a bull rider, man. You’re used to ridin’ two thousand plus pounds of pissed off, rank sons of bitches. You can manage a fuckin’ mechanical bull.”
I blew out a deep breath. He was right. About all of it. My head and heart warred within me though. My heart because it just wanted to feel that rush one more time, even while the logical part of me knew it was a dumb idea. I didn’t need to prove anything to anyone.
But what about proving it to myself? That I was still something. Someone.
“It’s a stupid idea, son,” Bad said from my right. “And you could get hurt…”
“Yeah,” I replied, “So, you sayin’ I shouldn’t do it?”
“I said it’s stupid and you could hurt, but I don’t think you’re gonna find an argument from any of us. You need this moment. To prove to yourself you’re still you. Ain't none of us can do that for you. You gotta do that for yourself.”
A huff of laughter escaped me. Bad sure knew what to fuckin’ say. Sucking in a breath, I tossed my shot back, excitement laced in my words as I said, “Hundred bucks says I can last longer than you, Mooney.”
“Make that two.” Bad’s gruff tone held a hint of approval in it.
“Well, damn, Dad. Thanks for the confidence,” Cash defended.
I chuckled and rubbed my hands together in anticipation. It wasn’t a real bull, but it would do.