Nine.
Maci
When the song ends, everyone claps. “Now grab yourself a partner, ladies, and drag ‘em out here,” the singer announces as the band starts up another country twang.
Alison sprints to grab Tanner who goes without question. While Cassidy takes Butch’s hand. He pretends to fight it like he doesn’t want to go, but anyone can see he does. It’s sweet how in love they all are.
Duke and his brother Butch look a lot alike, but I see the differences in personality and how they carry themselves. Cassidy is about my height, maybe a few inches taller. Brown hair and stunning deep blue eyes, it’s no question she drew her fiancé in with a bat of her eye.
They pass me by as I go to Duke.
“You’re pretty good,” he says.
I take the seat beside him to catch my breath. “Do you dance?”
He shrugs. “Yeah. I mean, I can. Not as good as you, that’s for sure.”
I nudge him playfully with my elbow. “I’m sure you do all right.”
He keeps his gaze on me as he swigs his beer back and slams it on the table. He stands with his hand out with a lopsided grin.
Does he have any idea what he’s doing to me when he looks at me like this? Like I’m the only woman in the room.
As if I wasn’t already riled up seeing him in those snug jeans and cowboy boots. He had to put on a charcoal grey T-shirt a size too small stretched tight over his broad chest and thick biceps while showing off a tattoo I didn’t know he had on his left forearm.
I bite my lip with a smile, slapping my hand in his. He chuckles. I slide off the high stool and Duke leads us out onto the dance floor. It’s a more upbeat country song. A lot of swaying, spinning, real dancing—not just bumping and grinding.
I giggle as he twirls me around, then brings me in tight against his solid frame. With a firm hand on my lower back, he holds my hand with the other, my free hand resting on his bicep. Our eyes stay locked as we dance. And I have to admit, he’s pretty good.
His hand trails to my hip, a bit more pressure behind his grip as he holds me close. My breath hitches. I want to kiss that smug look right off his face. Because he knows exactly what he’s doing to me.
The song ends, changing to a slower ballad with more of a grind to it. No doubt to keep the couples on the dance floor. When I move to step away, Duke swiftly spins me into a dip before spinning me against his chest. I laugh, throwing my arms up and around his thick neck. “Smooth.”
He chuckles. “I try.”
We dance slower, grinding, and swaying. And it’s…nice. Being this close to him. Being able to smell his cologne on my clothes. Feel his touch on my skin. When he dips his head into the crook of my neck I nearly melt. Yes.
Maybe I could let my car breaking down decide where I call home…
They call it fate, right?
Everyone finds their way to the table a few songs later. Jokes and stories are thrown about freely. Laughter and cheers float around me. Duke’s arm is across the back of my chair, keeping me close to his side, and making it impossible for me to wipe the smile off my face.
When I cover my mouth to a yawn, he rubs my arm. “Ready to go?”
I nod, not bothering to say I can walk myself to the motel. I know he won’t let me, especially this late. I don’t think I’ve stayed up past eleven in… Well, a long while, we’ll just say that.
Duke stands with me, helping me with my coat.
Cassidy slides off Butch’s lap. “Oh, thank god. I didn’t want to be the first one to leave.”
“Babe, we could’ve gone whenever you wanted,” Butch says, rising to get their things.
She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, well, I didn’t want to be that pregnant.”
“Hey,” I say, and she laughs. “Well, not to sound even more pregnant,” I tease. “Could you show me where the bathroom is?”
Duke wraps an arm around my waist, catching my attention. “We’ll be waiting outside.”
“Okay.” I sigh as butterflies take flight at the way he’s gazing down at me.
Should I?I mean, could we…
Cassidy waves me to follow her lead as we head for the ladies’ room. I use the stall first. “Sooo, what do you think of Duke?” she asks through the door.
“What do you mean?”
“Um, hello,” she says in a duh tone. “He’s all over you. And the way y’all were dancing… I mean, come on. I don’t know if you’re looking for anything, unless you are…” she trails off, waiting for me to fill in the blank.
“I’m not looking for anything,” I say, and even to my ears, it sounds like a lie. Evan wasn’t the best boyfriend—he had a whole other life, after all. I’ve never been with a guy like Duke before. He’s…great. Knowing my luck, I’d ruin it and end up hurting us both. “I’m only here temporarily.”
Cassidy huffs, going into the stall when I exit to wash my hands. “What, um, about the baby’s father?”
“He’s not in the picture.” The simple, true-ish, straight-to-the-point answer saddens my mood. When Duke asks you, are you going to feed him another half-truth, too? My stomach plummets.
What would he think of me if he knew the truth?
Homewrecker, the word echoes in my mind in the same tone my father shouted at me the last time I saw my parents.
Cassidy comes out of the stall, catching my eye in the mirror. “I’m sorry.”
I shrug. “It’s for the best.”
She washes her hands. “Well, I don’t know how long you’re here for, but I’d love to hang out sometime. It’s hard trying to talk to Butch about how I’m feeling. He tries to understand, but it’s not the same as someone who’s going through it, too, ya know?”
“Oh, I know.” Boy, do I know…
We walk through the dying crowd at the bar to reach the front door. We step outside expecting the boys to be there waiting, but only a huddle of smokers lean against the building. “They might be pulling the trucks around,” Cassidy says, tapping on her phone while we wait off to the side.
Arms wrap around me from behind, and I smile. Sneaky man. I turn in his arms. “Where did you—” The words die in my throat when the face of a stranger fills my vision. It takes me a split second to realize it’s his hands that are on me—not Duke’s. I take a step back, and he reaches for me. “Hey, beautiful,” he moans, blowing cigarette smoke in my face.
I cough, waving at the smoke and swatting his hands away.
“Aw, come on. Don’t be like that.” He chuckles darkly.
Gross.I scoff, turning to walk away only for a loose smack to hit my ass. I gasp, whirling around. He grabs me.
“Hands off, Colt,” Cassidy yells, shoving at the stranger’s slimy paws locked on my jacket.
My heart pounds as he yanks me around like a rag doll.
“Fuck off, Cass,” he barks. His arm releases me for a moment to push her away, when his wrist is caught by a large, heavy hand. Butch stands tall and as intimidating as ever, forcing his way between the man and me.
Another pair of hands tugs at me. I jump, spinning on my heel and stumbling into his strong, sturdy embrace. Duke. Thank god.
His gaze is dark and…not on me. “He’s mine, Butch,” he growls.
Wait, what?
Cassidy takes my hand, ushering me with her to stand beside Butch.
“What are—”
I don’t get to ask what’s going on before Duke throws a sickening punch to the man’s jaw. The echo of bones cracking has me feeling ill.
I gape as Duke moves with ruthless precision. Landing three hard hits to the drunk man’s face, a nauseating hit to the gut, and a dead weight toss into the snowbank—peppered with stones and dirty cigarette butts.
I take several steps back. Who is this guy? Surely not the sweet, over-caring man I rode around with all day.
“Maci,” Cassidy calls out to me. “Don’t worry, it’s okay.”
I shake my head in disbelief. In what way is Duke pummeling this guy okay? I hurry toward the sidewalk, hugging myself as I backtrack to the motel. I should’ve just picked a damn movie.
“Maci!” The misplaced panic in his voice almost stops me in my tracks—almost. I pick up the pace instead. And it’s not another minute before the rumble of Duke’s truck trails along the road beside me. “Maci, get in the truck.”
I keep walking even as I glance at him. “Are you insane?”
He snarls—legitimately snarls—and hits the gas. The truck whips ahead to block my path at the next intersection I need to cross. Unbelievable.
“Get in.”
“No,” I say calmly. I start to climb over the large snowbank to get around him.
“Maci,” he shouts so loud it startles me. I slip on a frozen chunk of snow and lose my footing, falling flat on my ass. I suck in a sharp breath. Oh, that’s cold.
“Shit,” he bites out. The dinging of his truck door is loud in the cool, silent night.
I sigh, lying in the snow. I look up at the clear night sky filled with bright, beautiful stars. Wow.
Duke’s face fills my line of sight, towering over me with a worry-etched expression. “Are you okay?”
“You’re blocking the view,” I say.
“What?”
I point to the sky. “They’re so much brighter here.” I suppose light pollution from the city I lived in had something to do with that, but still, it’s hard to look away.
He tips his head up, and the second he does, I bring my leg up and kick out his knee. He lands in the snow beside me with a grunt. “Shit. That’s cold,” he hisses.
I burst into laughter.
He looks less than amused as he extends his hand. “Come on, you’re going to freeze.”
I take his hand with both of mine and yank him to lie down beside me. He braces his arm in the snow, his face hovering inches from mine as he chuckles, “You’re out of your mind.”
“Me?” I snort. “You’re the psycho who just beat a guy for no reason.”
His smile quickly fades. “He had his hands on you, Maci. Trust me, he deserved it,” he says, still visibly angered even as he brushes my hair from my face. “I’m sorry you had to see that,” he adds softly, “but I won’t apologize for keeping you safe.”
Something akin to fear crosses his face as he searches mine. Despite the chill, my body ignites in a way that has me questioning my resolve. It’s not the first time he’s used that word. Safe. Is that what he thinks? He’s been keeping me safe these last few days? I don’t need to think much more on it, I’m sure the jury would agree—he most assuredly has.
“Where were you?” I whisper.
“Oh, uh…” His gaze darts to the side. “Taking a leak.”
My nose scrunches. “Outside?” I accuse. “With your brother?”
He shrugs. “Maybe.”
We burst into a fit of laughter that only dies down when I start to shiver. “Let’s get you inside,” he says, and I nod. Snaking my arms around his strong neck, he lifts me from the side of the snowbank and onto the sidewalk. I brush off my backside while he pats my damp coat, then helps me into the passenger seat.
I watch him climb back over the snowbank. When he slips, having to grab onto his plow to stay upright, his gaze snaps to me through the windshield. I’m in tears laughing, watching him hold on and chuckle at himself.
He makes it over and gets in the truck. “For a second, I thought you were being a bit dramatic falling in the snow like that,” he says, grinning, “but it’s slick as shit over there.”
I fan my eyes to dry the tears. “I am not dramatic.” I laugh. “I fall gracefully.”
He chuckles, driving us toward the motel. “I don’t know if I’d call that graceful,” he adds, grinning from ear to ear. He stops out front of my motel room door and throws the truck in park. His smile drops a little. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
I pain a smile. “It was just a little…unexpected.”
He sighs heavily. “I get that.”
“But I trust you.” The words spill from my lips before I can think better of it. I surprise myself with the truth of them. Do I? I suppose I do.
Duke rubs his face roughly. “Good. ‘Cause I’m feeling like a real asshole over here. And that job is usually reserved for my brother.”
“I bet.” I smile, reaching for the door handle. “Thank you for inviting me out tonight, I had fun.”
His dark eyes dip to my lips and linger there for a long moment before they meet mine once more. “Me, too.”
I hesitate. My mind ricochets between what I want and what I shouldn’t. I force my body to move, choosing to slide out of the truck. I hold onto the door while I debate inviting him in. Would he want to? I don’t want this night to end, but I don’t want to ruin it either.
“I’ll see you later?” I say, a question more than anything else. And I hate how desperate I sound.
“Call if you need anything.”
“If I had a dollar for every time you’ve told me that,” I tease.
The sexy, crooked grin he sends my way has me realizing I do need something.
I have a craving—and it’s him.
“Goodnight, Duke.”