Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
She turned, meeting my eyes. We were close enough I could feel her breath wash over my skin as she spoke. “I do.”
“Will you dance with me tonight?”
She smiled, closing the distance between us and brushing her lips on mine. “Yes.”
I sat back, happy, keeping my arm around her shoulders. She smiled, picking up her wineglass and taking a drink. Cherry looked between us, a small grin on her lips. I scanned the bar, relieved not to see a familiar face in the crowd. OD didn’t appear to be around this evening, which was a good thing in my book. I hadn’t told Hannah what happened yet, but I planned to do so tomorrow after her mom left. The weekend was going too well to spoil it.
I saw Dom walking in, his tall figure easy to spot. He wore his leather jacket, the black cowhide well-worn and gleaming under the lights. His dark hair was brushed off his face, and his five-o’clock shadow looked more like ten o’clock. He looked every inch the bad boy Cherry thought him to be. He strolled to the bar, getting a beer, then turned and leaned against the wood, casually looking around. I covertly watched Cherry, knowing the second she noticed him. Her shoulders went back, her chin lifted, and she averted her eyes, looking anywhere but the bar area, the color on her cheeks darkening. I also observed her hand tightening on her wineglass. She shifted in her chair, tossing her hair over her shoulder in a defiant gesture. I hid my smile as Dom pushed off the bar and headed our way. Cherry made a small noise in the back of her throat, and I squeezed Hannah’s shoulder. “Hey, look who it is.”
Dom stopped at the table. “Chase. Hannah.” He paused, focusing his attention on Cherry. “And Cherry Gallagher. What a pleasure to see you again.”
Hannah grinned. “Here to listen to some music, Dom?”
He nodded. “I saw the flyers earlier this week when I was here.”
“Hang around the bar a lot, do you?” Cherry asked.
Without waiting for an invitation, Dom pulled out the chair next to her and swung it around, straddling it. He sat beside her, angling his body her way.
“They have great food here. I was having dinner after looking at a couple of houses.”
“Oh,” she murmured.
“Enjoying your visit?”
“Yes.”
He leaned closer to her and said something. Her cheeks darkened again, and she shook her head, replying to whatever his query was. Hannah watched them, fascinated. She leaned close to me.
“I can’t tell if Mom is interested or appalled.”
I chuckled. “I’d say both.”
The band stepped onstage, and I focused my attention on them. Cherry and Dom were adults, and they could figure themselves out. I was going to listen to some great music and dance with my girl.
I couldn’t recall the last time I’d had this much fun. Laughed so hard. Smiled so much. The band was great, getting the crowd on their feet fast. Although I wasn’t a particularly good dancer, I pulled Hannah to the floor and tried to keep up with her. She was sexy, swaying her hips, shimmying to the beat, lifting her arms above her head as she moved. She sang with the band, her voice slightly off-key but sweet. We danced close during the slow songs, kissing endlessly at times. I never wanted the night to end.
I caught sight of Dom and Cherry dancing a couple of times, often sitting at the table, their heads close together, talking a lot. Cherry used her hands a great deal when she spoke, and more than once, I saw Dom grab her hand and kiss the knuckles. She’d yank her hand away, but I noticed her smile more than once. The last I had seen, he was at the bar, and she had headed to the ladies’ room.
Hannah leaned her head on my shoulder. “My feet hurt, I’m thirsty, and I have to pee.”
I laughed. “Come on then, Cinnamon. You go join the line, I’ll get us drinks. I’ll give you a break for a while, and when we get home, I’ll rub your feet.”
She smiled up at me, slightly tipsy. I was much the same, and I already knew I would be leaving my truck here and we would walk home or grab a cab. I moved us close to the hall for the ladies’ room and headed to the bar, pleasantly surprised when I got served right away.
“Good timing,” the bartender acknowledged. “The band is taking a break in ten, and the line will be crazy.”
I got a tray for the drinks and ordered some nachos and wings. I was starving after all the dancing. I headed back to the table, sitting down. Hannah appeared a few moments later, shaking her head.
“What?” I asked.
“Your friend is a piece of work. He was dancing with my mom earlier, and I just saw him at the end of the hall, kissing the hell out of some woman. Her legs were around his waist, and I’m not sure I want to know where his hands were. They were going at it pretty hard.” She sighed. “Mom thought he was a player. I guess she was right.”