10. Locked #2
“Fun?” I cleared my throat. I fought off a stiff cock as it was, right here in this cramped space together, with her cleavage beckoning me. “And you think we could have fun and not let it turn into anything else?”
“Absolutely.” She nodded, half-convincingly.
“I just don’t want to see you hurt when I leave.”
She cocked her head and chuckled. “You’re so sure I’d be the one? You could be the one hurting when you leave.”
True. So fucking true. I doubted I’d miss the ranch, or the horses, or any of the guys. But Sage could truly be missed. Could I handle getting involved with her with no feelings getting in the way?
“In fact, we could start having a little fun right now,” she urged, wiggling her brows.
“What? Here?”
“We’re stuck for the foreseeable future. Anything come to mind?”
That was a very loaded question. I scratched the back of my neck and eyed the desk in the corner that could be an adequate place to lay her down. “Jeez, things move fast for small-town girls,” I blurted, mostly joking.
“The two-step, Carter. I was talking about teaching you the two-step.”
“Ah. Perfect. My mind absolutely was not in the gutter.” I winked, relief washing over me.
“Yes, it was. But I have a rule about cowboys. I don’t make it easy for them to get into my pants.”
I arched a brow. “Is that a challenge?”
She shrugged her shoulders with a sultry smile and untied her apron, setting it aside.
Fuck me. Another challenge. First, one from Dad for all the money or nothing.
Now, one from Sage—for all of her or nothing.
My eyes fell to the button of her jeans.
Of course, I wasn’t exactly a genuine cowboy, but that was beside the point.
If she were someone I’d met back in New York, how fast would it take me to get into her pants?
Hell, who was I kidding? The old me might not have even noticed her—and that right there was a damn shame.
“Here we go. Lead hand here,” she instructed, and grabbed my right hand, pulling me closer. My palm landed on warm, bare skin where her shirt had a cutout. The contact sent a spark straight through me.
“You’re thinking too hard,” she said, her voice husky.
No. I’m thinking about how badly I want to kiss you.
“Is something wrong?” She fluttered her lashes again, setting her hand on my shoulder.
“The band is a little loud for my taste,” I commented wryly.
“They make appearances here a few times a year. Good old boys. Other hand here in the air.” Hers folded around mine, setting off sparks.
But I was chill now, taking it all in stride.
Until I realized her chest brushed mine with every move.
I lost the battle with my eyes, glued to the soft swell of her breasts. I hardly heard her next instructions.
“The steps go like this: quick-quick-slow-slow. Start with your left foot. Don’t overthink it. You lead me around the room counterclockwise. While you’re stepping forward, I’ll be stepping back.”
So much to remember. I stepped forward and landed squarely on her foot.
She winced.
“Sorry. I know the foxtrot. Never said I was good at it.”
She laughed, and it got away from her. “You’re thinking too hard.”
I was thinking about not getting hard, what with everywhere we touched, and her breasts in the tight white shirt, and none of that was helping—except making it all too easy to forget leaving this town behind.
“Think about something else,” she suggested.
Not possible.
We tried again, and before I knew it, we were two-stepping with ease around the room. Quick-quick-slow-slow. Quite a simple little dance. My confidence grew. The steps weren’t too unlike the Foxtrot, just a different stride.
“Good teacher.” My voice came out rough.
“Excellent student.” Her warm gaze on me returned. The same one she’d had at the barn dance, then at the bonfire. My hand pressed against her back, bringing us tighter together with a sharp breath from her.
Then I did it—the spin she hadn’t cued, turning her out and bringing her back, all in one awkward motion, and at the end of it I dipped her slightly and brought her back up.
We laughed together… until the laughter faded, replaced by heat and desire. Our chests heaving, bodies flush, eyes locked. But… I needed to remember why I was here.
“I still owe you for the clothes. The money is in my pocket. I don’t want to forget to pay?—”
“Which pocket?” She asked.
“Left.” I didn’t know why it mattered—ooh. Her hand drifted down from my shoulder, over my pecs and abs, to my pocket. She licked her lips as her fingers dipped inside and pulled out the cash. She tucked the money inside her bra.
“Neat party trick,” I quipped, still holding onto her.
“See? Told you I could be a lot of fun while you’re in town, Carter.”
“Yeah, you did.” My mouth landed on hers before I could stop myself.
The door burst wide open with a crash, startling us apart. “I thought I told everyone not to shut—Uh, sorry.” Smitty backed out and left us there. The door stayed open, and the bar and band noise flooded the room again.
“I should get back to work. Won’t make any good tips tonight in this room with you,” she giggled nervously. She moved fast—apron tied on, back to professional, headed for the door, the blush on her cheeks the only sign of our time locked together in this room.
For me, it took a moment to clear my head. I breathed in and out and paced, my hands threading through my hair. Earlier today I had seriously considered giving up the job at the ranch, and leaving this town, and never looking back. But now?
The money. My life. All of it came crashing back in; my real purpose for being here.
“Shit.” I needed to man up and stay on the ranch and see this through.
What about Sage?
Ranch work was rough. She was soft in all the right places, according to the five minutes I danced in the room with her in my arms. If all we did was have a little fun, then she’d be a pleasant distraction at least from everything else.
Back out in the bar, Jake was where I’d left him, my beer, too. I picked it up and guzzled it, realizing Tessa and Candy were gone.
“What happened to the ladies?” I asked him.
He shook his head. “I’m hopeless. That’s all you need to know. In fact, Trig and Pete took off with some other chicks. I’m ready to go if you are. But if you aren’t, I’ll just hang here and keep drinking as long as you can drive us back to the ranch.”
I glanced at Sage at the bar. She caught me and grinned. If I stayed any longer, we’d end up having a ton of fun at her place overnight; I had no doubt. But a warning played through my head. I should pace myself where she was concerned.
“Nope. I’m ready. Let’s go.” I slapped Jake on the back.
On the way out, we passed Sage, and I winked at her. “See you soon.”
“‘Bye, Cowboy,” she called, a loaded gaze shared between us.
Cowboy. She really thought of me as one. Not sure how I pulled that off or how to feel about it. Trig would be the first in line to argue with her, followed by Ash and Chris.
Jake’s truck smelled of oil and stale coffee. The heater came on slowly. Forest Grove’s main street fell away behind us, the road opening to long dark stretches with the mountains as black shapes against a big sky too full of stars.
“Sorry we left early,” Jake mumbled.
“Don’t be. I was tired. What happened with those two ladies, anyway?”
His jaw worked in the dash light, like a man who’d been carrying something and had decided this was the stretch of road where he’d lay it all out.
“I get twisted around women. Always have. My mom calls me shy.”
“You’re kidding? Dude, you’re a goddamn SEAL.
Have you seen yourself in a mirror? Tall, muscular, and not too shabby to look at, and I don’t mind saying so as a guy.
” Where the hell was Jake, the confident, rugged cowboy from earlier today who could dig a fence post hole faster than I could count to ten?
“The thing is, I don’t want just any woman. There’s one particular one I’ve had my eyes on.” He twiddled his thumbs on the steering wheel.
Oh shit. My gut flipped, eyeing him sideways. “Sage?”
“Yeah. But not a big deal. A stupid crush. She doesn’t see me. Never has. And now, with you in town, never will.” He chuckled and turned the wheel through a long curve.
Gobsmacked. “How long have you known her?”
“Since she was born, practically. She and my little sister were always friends growing up through school, always underfoot, into everything. Drove me insane.” He paused while I freaked out inside.
“I returned home last year, and only recently I stopped seeing her as Jamie’s friend and started seeing her, well, all grown up.
It’s been a problem, but like I said, only a little crush. ”
“I’ll-I’ll back off. She’s yours.” Those words didn’t feel right either; none of this did.
He snorted. “Don’t you dare. She’s never once looked at me the way she has you. Yeah, I have eyes. I saw the gazes at church Sunday, at the coffee shop this week, and everything tonight. She likes you. I’ve only ever been a brotherly type to her.”
“I don’t know what to say, Jake.” I squeezed my eyes shut. Another complication. “Listen, I’m only here for a month. Then I have a job back East.”
His head jerked my way, his knuckles turning white on the steering wheel. “You fucking dog. If you’re using her?—”
“She knows I’m leaving. I told her. We tried staying away from each other, but it’s complicated.”
He was quiet for too long, and frankly, it scared me. I’d taken to boxing at the gym, but this guy could flatten me. Hell, he could kill me and bury me somewhere on the ranch where I’d never be found.
He finally sighed heavily. “Don’t hurt her, man.”
“Don’t hurt her, man.”
“I have no intention of it.” The words tasted like a lie, an all-too familiar taste now. “But seriously, I’ll back off so you can try with her.”
Jake snorted. “She’s never looked at me the way she looks at you. I’ve only ever been the brotherly type.”
The truck rumbled on through the dark. I wanted to tell him the truth, that I wasn’t even the man she thought I was. But the words stuck in my throat.
A guy like Jake was exactly what Sage deserved. How the hell could I justify keeping her for myself, even for a little while?