Chapter 10
Quint
She feels impossibly good in my arms. Soft and pliable. But when she told me to touch her, it was different. There was a demanding note in her voice, and I liked it. It hit me down low, and it’s all I can do to maintain the few inches of distance between us so she can’t feel my body’s reaction.
This might have been a terrible idea. I’m so damn happy to have my arms wrapped around her.
I think it’s the first time I’ve seen her relaxed, letting her guard down.
And maybe it’s just the music and the dancing, but if she’s going to give me this moment, I’m taking it, and I’m going to enjoy every single second. Whatever she’s willing to give me.
But as soon as the song ends, she pulls away, grabbing my hand as she moves away from the other dancers. “Come on, let’s get a drink.”
People keep stopping me to say hi as we’re shuffling through the crowd to get to the line in front of the bar.
My friend Jay gives me a back slap, but his curious gaze is locked on Aura. “Hey, Quint, so good to see you. You staying in Balsam now? Finished being a fancy college boy?”
“Yeah, I’m done. Just graduated. I’ll be living here full-time now.” As long as this TV thing works out and we can keep the ranch afloat. The bitter twinge of hurt flares up in my chest again that my brother was keeping all the financial problems from me.
“Is this one of your friends from school?” he asks.
“Nah,” I say, not offering any more information.
I do casually drape an arm over Aura’s shoulders, though.
Just in case he gets any ideas. That may have been just a dance, but I don’t think she’s interested in getting picked up tonight.
This will give her some level of protection from the lonely guys in the bar.
This place is too goddamn small sometimes.
Any hint of a fresh face in town gets everyone frothing at the mouth.
“You’re not going to introduce us?”
“A little mystery is good for you.” I give him my biggest grin, and he frowns, eyes drifting back to Aura. But to my relief, doesn’t ask any follow-up questions.
I lean down to whisper in her ear as we’re waiting in line, surrounded by bodies. “Hey, what did you want to drink?”
“Vodka soda,” she says.
My phone buzzes in my pocket and I pull it out. Battery is low, of course, but it’s got enough juice to read Dean’s text.
I look up at Aura. “Dean can’t make it. His sister asked him to watch the kids for the evening.”
“Aww, that’s too bad, but kinda cute. I can totally picture him as a fun uncle.”
“Fun or chaotic, depends on how you look at it. But his sister and her husband don’t get out much, so I guess they’re willing to embrace a little chaos.”
“Well, I like Dean, but I’m honestly kind of enjoying having you to myself tonight.” A slow smile slides up her face and my heart does a somersault.
Of course that’s when we work our way up to the familiar bar. I rest an arm on the worn surface, keeping Aura tucked into my side as Jeff shifts closer to us.
“Hey, man, good to see you back,” the bartender says. “How’s everything been going?”
Aura’s shoulders stiffen when he looks at her and I give her a squeeze, pulling her in tighter to my side. She ducks her head down, hiding her face under the brim of her hat, and I can feel her relax into me.
“Great,” I tell him. “You know. Getting back into the groove. It’s nice to be home.”
“For sure. Good to have you back. What’ll you have?”
“Just a beer. You’ve got some of that Red Arrow, right? And a vodka soda.”
Jeff starts pouring a pint of the local beer. “Sounds good. So, you’re finished now. Learn anything useful at school?”
“Sure did. I’m not sharing with you, though. Trade secrets and all, you know.”
He laughs as he mixes Aura’s drink. “Probably wouldn’t help me run this place, anyway. You were learning about dirt and animals and what not, right?”
I shake my head. “Sure, whatever you think.” Nobody seems to really understand the value of my agriculture degree.
He slides the drinks over with a couple of cocktail napkins. I pass him the money with a thank you.
“No problem, you have a great night Quint, and…”
He looks at Aura again, but I ignore the question, leading her back through the crowd to a free high-top on the opposite side of the stage. It’s partially hidden by shadows, and I have a feeling she’s feeling a bit too exposed right now.
Aura toys with the straw, stirring her drink with slow circles.
“I think we should go.”
“But we just got our drinks.” She stares at my throat as I tilt my head up to take a long sip of my beer. The bitter hops hit my tongue in a refreshing burst.
She shakes herself out of the trance, taking a small sip of her drink through the tiny black straw.
“Yeah, but everyone here knows you, and they’re all getting curious about me. It’s only a matter of time before someone recognizes me and blows my cover. I can’t afford that.”
Never thought I’d be pissed to be so popular. Nerdy ten-year-old Quint would be slapping me silly. “Okay. Want to at least finish our drinks first?”
She shakes her head, glancing over my shoulder. “No, I just want to get out of here. Sorry.”
The noise level in the bar eases as the singer finishes her song and announces she’s taking a break. Seems as good a time as any to split.
Chris is still maintaining order like she has been for the last thirty years since she took over the bar.
Although from what Jeff was saying, it sounds like she might be starting to pass the torch to her son.
It’s nice to see that. Too many family businesses are getting sold off or shut down these days.
Back in the truck, I point us in the direction of the Lone Pine. “Are you sure I can’t convince you to move in at the ranch?” The closer we get to that dingy hotel, the more I’m worried about her spending another night there.
I can see her fiddling with her silver ring out of the corner of my eye, and I wonder what it means to her. “I need a little more time to think about it.” It’s progress. She doesn’t sound as set on a ‘no’ as before.
“Like I said. Just let me know.”
The urge to ask again rises when we pull into the pothole-ridden parking lot and there’s a police car parked out front. My grip tightens on the gear shift as an uneasy feeling settles over me.
“Bye, see you tomorrow.” She hops out before I can walk around to open the door for her.
“Wait up. I’ll walk you to your room.”
“It’s fine. I’ll be fine.”
“I insist.”
The sliding glass doors stall and start closing when we’re halfway through them, and Aura cries out.
“Did that hit you?” I look around the lobby for someone to complain to, but there’s no one there. The shabby front desk is sitting there empty like a bad omen in a horror movie. The one that tells you to turn back before you do something incurably stupid.
“It was just a bump. I was more startled than anything else.”
The elevator makes an alarming clanking sound as it descends, and I hesitate stepping through the door. It jerks to life to take us to the third floor, and I know there’s something wrong before the doors glide open. We can hear the shouts even through the thick metal.
Aura turns to the left, then freezes. Two officers are standing there. One is restraining a middle-aged man whose face is so red I think he might pop the vein pulsing in his forehead. He’s cuffed but still struggling. The other one is trying to deal with an equally red-in-the-face woman.
She turns to me. “My room is down that hall.”
I grab her arm when she throws her shoulders back, taking a step forward. “Why don’t you come back to my place with me tonight? We can come back and check out the situation tomorrow. I’m sure things will calm down.”
“I can handle this.”
“I know you can, but you don’t have to.”
Her shoulders sink back down, and she sighs. “You’re right. But what about my clothes, and my toothbrush? My makeup.”
“Shayla’ll have something you can borrow, and there’s always a spare new toothbrush or two hanging around. Dentist, you know.”
Little creases pop up between her eyebrows and she takes one more look down the hallway, but the argument has only gotten more heated as the man struggles against his restraints.
“Come on.”
She reaches up to cover a huge yawn and nods. “Just for the night.”
“Just for the night.”
She’s snoring softly by the time I’m pulling up next to the house, and her face has a soft, vulnerable look on it I haven’t seen before. I hesitate before getting out, not wanting to wake her, but she’s blinking her long, dark lashes by the time I make my way around to open her door.
“Come on, Hollywood. Let’s go scrounge some things up for you.”
We hit up the main house to find some supplies before heading over to my place. The toothbrush is an easy find in the hall closet, but the clothes are a different matter. Of course, Shayla happens to be out the one night I need her here.
“No luck. Would it be terrible to wear one of my T-shirts to sleep in? It’ll at least be comfy.”
“Well, I don’t have much of a choice, do I?”
“Sorry.” I lead her back down the stairs to head for my place.
“No, it’s fine. Only one night. You said you have two bedrooms, though, right? Because I’m not…sleep…sharing a bed with you. I’d rather go back to the hotel than that.”
“Gee, thanks.” I pull my shirt up to give it a sniff. “I’m pretty sure I took a shower today.”
“That’s not… You know what I mean.”
“Not really, but don’t worry. I’m not the kind of guy to go around tricking ladies into my bed.
Not quite that desperate yet.” Not that I wouldn’t trade my favorite pair of boots for a chance at one night with her.
I glance up at the night sky littered with stars and almost make a wish on one of them.
My porch light is a warm beacon leading us over to my place. It’s small but cozy and I’m once again glad I claimed it.
“Good. As long as we’re clear. I’m not looking for a relationship right now.”
“You’re gorgeous, but I would never presume.” I fumble with my key then open the door and flick on the light. “Ladies first.”
“Thank you.”
She places a hand on my chest before walking in, an apology in her eyes.
“I’m sorry, I’m not used to people without some sort of ulterior motive. I’m not quite sure what to do with you?”
I nod, stepping back to let her by but the warmth of her hand on my chest lingers. She passes by into the small main room, glancing around at the pine furniture and deep, rich colors Mom decorated it in.
“I guess you’ll have to keep on doing what you’re doing. Using me for riding lessons.” My mouth curves up to the left. “G’night, Hollywood.”