Chapter 4 #3
His lips gently brush against mine, testing the waters. I kiss him back, inviting him to go further. It’s a bit awkward, and he pulls away way too soon. There’s just not a spark.
The second I lift my head, I feel Miles’s gaze on me again. Sure enough, I look up in time to see him white-knuckling a glass of beer. As soon as I catch his eyes, he looks away quickly. Nice try, bud. I can practically see the steam rolling off his shoulders.
For someone who pretends not to care, it sure seems like he cares a lot about what I’m doing. I don’t know what I did to make him hate me so much, but I could really do without his judgment of my every move.
“You know what,” I start to say to Dean. “I’m gonna grab us another round. Be right back.” I hop up out of his lap before he can protest and walk over to the bar, Miles trailing me as soon as I stand.
Playing right into my hand, Miles shows up next to me at the bar just as I’ve thanked the bartender, drinks in hand.
“Double fisting drinks tonight, Mac? Why am I not surprised?” He grumbles, brushing my shoulder slightly with his arm. I ignore the goosebumps, lifting my chin up in the air. This asshole is not getting to me.
Then, he does something I’m not expecting.
He surveys me from head to toe, his eyes lingering a beat too long on my lips.
It’s not anger in his eyes this time, it’s just heat.
The weight of his gaze leaves a trail of sparks on my skin.
I’m not sure if he even knows how obviously he’s checking me out.
I smirk at him and he immediately looks away.
“Just trying to have a good time while I’m in town,” I say, hoping I don’t sound too breathless.
“You know, there is such a thing as having too good of a time.”
“Is there some problem you have with me, Autry? Got your panties in a twist?” I ask with another smile, turning towards him. It’s answered with another frown. He turns to face me as well, but it seems absentminded. Magnets, and all that.
“No, do you?” Miles shoots back, taking a sip of the new beer that showed up in front of him. My gaze lands on his throat, just below his beard, as he takes a drink.
“Not wearing any,” I quip. Miles chokes on his beer, eyes wide. “See you around,” I wink, walking back over to Dean.
Knowing he’s still watching me from the prickling on the back of my neck, I set the drinks down on the high top table next to Dean and plant an exaggerated kiss on his cheek.
“Come here, girl,” Dean laughs, grabbing my hand and pulling me around to the front of his stool. “Next time, I’ll buy. My momma wouldn’t let me live down the day I let a lady pay for my drinks.”
“You bought the first round, it’s only fair,” I say. How very 1950’s of him. I think as I lift the glass to my lips. I’m standing between his knees now, a fairly comfortable position.
Two drinks and one country swing dance that I don’t know any of the moves of later, I feel myself hitting a wall. I’ve had fun tonight, but right now, all I want is to curl up in bed and read until I fall asleep.
Dean pulls me into his lap at our table, and I can’t quite get comfortable. I glance up, wondering where Miles went off to. He’s got a comfortable shoulder. If he wasn’t such an ass to me earlier, I’d love to curl up and fall asleep on him.
Woah, Katie. Do not go there, I scold myself. I’ve only had a few drinks, but they’re going to my head already.
“Listen, I think I’m going to get going. I’ve got an early day tomorrow, I should get back to my hotel,” I say to Dean as politely as I can after a few more minutes of listening to the band.
“Right on,” Dean says with a genuine smile. I breathe a sigh of relief. Apparently the spark wasn’t there for him either. “Can I walk you outside?”
“Sure,” I say thankfully. I’ll miss Dean, what a nice guy. He reaches for my hand to walk me out, and I take it, threading my fingers through his. We are almost to the door when I bump into a rock hard shoulder.
“Oh excuse me–” I start, looking up only to bump right into none other than Miles Autry. His neutral expression melts right back into anger as he looks down at me and nods politely.
“Sorry man,” Dean says from ahead of me. Miles doesn’t say a word to either of us, but his gaze slides over to Dean. If possible, he looks even angrier than usual, towering over Dean. Dean doesn’t seem to notice, he is already walking ahead pulling on my hand.
“Kay bye,” I mumble to Miles sarcastically as I turn away.
We stumble out of the bar and onto the sidewalk, noticing the long line that has formed outside of the entrance. I guess it’s lucky I got here when I did.
“It was nice dancing with you tonight, Katie. Thanks for making me laugh,” Dean says, pulling me into a side hug as we walk down towards the Cascade Inn.
“It was a good time for sure. I needed it, I think,” I nod.
We say our goodbyes outside of my hotel and I head back up to my room. As I close the door, I lean back against it and fall to the floor. Just like breakfast this morning, if I just remove Miles from the equation, I had a great time. But, I can’t. He was there, glaring at me. Judging me, I’m sure.
I send Hazel a quick text letting her know I got back okay and crawl into bed. Tomorrow is a new day. Hopefully a Miles-less day. And yet, despite all that he’s done today, Miles’s smiling face four years ago is the last thing I see in my mind before I drift off to sleep.