Chapter 12
12
Nursing a beer, Declan and I stay rooted at our table as we watch the girls dance. I thought my brother’s head was going to explode when he realized Lainey went out without telling him. She may be an adult, but she’s still our little sister. We’ll always feel responsible for her, especially Mr. Overprotective.
Thankfully, our sound guy, Tim, is addicted to social media and chronicles his life. Grayson was checking to see if he had any good pics from the show when we came across Lainey and Ellie out dancing. Dec and I threw on hats, hoping it would be enough to hide our identities and hightailed it here with Martin and Bryce before the sneaky sneaks could relocate.
When we spotted the girls, I almost tripped over my own feet seeing Ellie. Out of her usual leggings and in a suede fringe skirt and milkmaid top, she was a vision. A vision far too many men were checking out for my taste. If my mind was wondering how her long, boot clad legs would feel wrapped around my back, I’m sure theirs were, too.
While she may currently look like a country boy’s dream girl, Ellie has the kind of classic beauty that transcends style. Whether she was in an old Hollywood gown or ‘70s muumuu, she would shine through. She also has this doe-eyed air of innocence that makes it almost impossible to be stern with her. Which we’re supposed to be right now.
Using the last few steps to collect myself, I put on my game face. I zoned out as Declan lectured Lainey on the dangers of running off with people she hardly knows. Instead, I focused on Ellie’s perusal of me from peripheral vision. Get your fill, pretty girl. I love knowing the attraction is mutual even if we can’t act on it.
Now, sitting at our table, I can’t help but keep my eyes glued to the blonde beauty. She channels a freeness as dances to “Boot Scootin’ Boogie.” I can’t help but smile as she twirls around, completely unaware that the song changed. That’s the wild girl I knew.
That smile is quickly wiped off my face when a blond himbo lets her bump into him. He could have moved out of the way, but he allowed her to make contact to give himself a reason to chat with her. I have to admit, it’s a good move. One I probably would have done if I’d been in his shoes.
Which I should be. In his shoes, I mean. I should be out there talking to Ellie, making her eyes sparkling as she laughs. Fuck. It’s getting harder and harder to put a lid on the emotions I’m having for his girl, especially the jealousy overwhelming my logical side. Tearing my eyes away from the flirting pair, I toy with the label of my beer, tearing it into pieces. The more I watch her, the more I examine my feelings, and that isn’t going to lead us anywhere good.
“Can you believe this shit?” Declan grouses.
“Are you surprised? Lainey has always been a rebel. ”
“She can rebel all she wants, but she still needs to be safe about it.”
“I mean, she did come out with our guys,” Bryce comments. “They wouldn’t be dumb enough to pull anything with her. Plus, I’m pretty sure she’d eat them alive.”
“That’s beside the point. I know the label background checks the roadies and crew, but backgrounds don’t check for douchebag or creep. And they all seem too preoccupied with the local talent to be watching our girls. Even the one who has a hard-on for Ellie is letting someone else swoop in.”
“One of the roadies wants Ellie?” I ask. I’ve seen the way Donny watches her, because I’m watching her, too. I didn’t realize anyone else noticed. Does that mean they noticed me? “I knew about the one practically in love with Lainey, but I thought we’d scared the rest of them off both of them that first night. Clearly, we aren’t scary enough.”
Declan hums in agreement while Bryce seems amused. “He’s practically a cartoon character with smoke coming out of his ears watching that other guy move in on his girl. ”
“She isn’t his girl,” I snap. No way. Ellie belongs to no one. And if she is going to belong to someone, it isn’t going to be some roadie who hookups with a different woman in every city. She’s spectacular. She’s smart, sweet, and sinfully sensual without even realizing it. The kind of book that you can’t put down. She deserves someone dedicated to her and her alone.
“I’m inclined to agree with you with the way she’s letting that Eastwood look alike swing her around the dance floor.”
Eyes darting up in the direction he’s staring, I spot Ellie and the blond cowboy. He’s spinning her around, bodies in tune to each other’s moves as if they’ve been dance partners for years. I don’t care for it one bit. When he dips her over his knee, my jaw clenches so hard, I’m surprised my teeth don’t shatter.
Shooting up from my stool, I stomp across the dance floor toward them. I’m moving so fast, I almost miss the way Bryce and Declan laugh at me. Dec won’t be laughing long when he spots Lainey sucking face with—Brent?—in the corner. He can deal with that problem. I have my own couple to bust up.
I reach the pair as the song transitions into a new, slower one. “Mind if I cut in?”
My question startles Ellie, but not Cowboy Casanova. He clocked me as I made my way over. Whatever he sees on my face is enough for him to decide to bow out, but he still glances at Ellie for her confirmation.
To her credit, she appears conflicted. Biting her lip, she shifts her gaze between the two of us. With a smile, he makes the decision for her. “It was a pleasure, Ellie. Come find me if you need a partner again later.”
“She won’t.” He gives me a knowing nod and heads to the bar. Smart man.
Slipping my arms around her waist, I pull the confused blonde to me and move us to the beat of the slow ‘90s ballad.
“What are you doing?” she finally asks.
“Dancing. You may have heard of it. You’ve been doing it all night. I believe you did it at your graduation party as well.”
And by believe, I mean I watched you all night.
“Wow, that was lame,” she deadpans. “I know what it is. Why are you doing it with me?”
Leaning back, I scan her face. Her cheeks are pink from exertion, but I can still see the light freckles that dot her nose and cheeks. The urge to trace them with my fingers hits hard, but I push it away. Her blue eyes glisten in the neon lights, and I’m surprised when I see a small amount of insecurity in them.
“Who else would I dance with?”
Ellie shrugs. Her gaze darts down to my lips for a brief moment and I swear she contemplates pushing her mouth to mine, but she doesn’t. The movement distracts me from questioning her further.
Instead of kissing me, she lays her head on my shoulder and I soak in the sensation. She feels perfect in my arms. Better than she has any right to consider who she is to me and my family. Her gaze darts down to my lips for a brief moment and I swear she contemplates pushing her mouth to mine, but she doesn’t.
When she nuzzles into my neck, I let myself forget all the reasons it should feel wrong and enjoy the rightness. Every time I have had Ellie in my arms it has felt this way. It’s been a long time since I had this—maybe I never have. All my past relationships have been surface level. It’s nice to be able to relax with someone who doesn’t have any nefarious motives.
Breathing her in, I try to think of something, anything, to say, but I can verbalize these emotions. The scent of her rose shampoo overwhelms me. Of course she smells like flowers. The fragrance unlocks memories of sitting in our backyard as the wind blew through the field that surrounded us. It smells like peace and it makes me realize that is how it feels to be around Ellie.
My entire world is tilting on its axis from this epiphany and I don’t know how to process it. To my relief and annoyance, Declan lets out a whistle that is so distinctly him, I immediately know its meaning. Pulling back from Ellie, I peer into eyes whose confusion mirrors mine. “Time to roll out, Wildflower.”
Before she can voice any of the questions rattling around her head, Lainey loops her arms through hers and leads our group toward the front of the bar. Loading the girls up in our SUV, they both fall asleep on the drive back to the arena. We manage to rouse them enough that they can crawl into bed.
As I slide into my bunk, my mind replays the entire night, attempting to make sense of it all. Somewhere between seeing that social media post and now, Ellie went from my sister’s friend to the object of my desire and fuck if I know what to do about that.