Kyla looked at her watch. “About ten minutes, and it’s true. He’s trying to pretend he’s not looking, but he’s looking.” She paused. “Ooh! It looks like he and Daniel are on their way over here to play knights in shining armor—or leather, as I prefer mine.”
Jess fought the urge to turn around, but didn’t have to do so for long. Cole was suddenly at her shoulder, and as he leaned down toward her ear, she caught a subtle whiff of his aftershave.
“How’s it going, cowgirl?” He pointed to the tiny tower of cups she’d just finished building. “Are you drinking these to get ready for the dancing? Or to recover from it?”
She cleared her throat carefully, placing another cup on top of the others. “I’m proving that I’m still coordinated.” She pointed at Hayley and Kyla. “Doubts have been expressed.”
“Want me to help you prove it?” He reached out a hand, head cocked in challenge, eyes crinkled with amusement.
“By dancing with you?”
“What better test would there be?”
“Oh, sweet honey. Hayley? Do we have any more?” Jess sorted through the empties, finally coming up with one they hadn’t slurped yet.
Cole smiled. “Sure you want to do that?”
“Yes. Yes, I am.” Jess squeezed the shot into her mouth, then placed the empty carefully on the table, where it promptly fell off the edge. “Oops.”
“Come on, cowgirl. Let’s dance.” Cole waited until she put her hand gingerly in his, and then pulled her gently toward the dance floor, where people were already forming lines.
“Oh, no, you don’t. This is one of those line dance things.” Jess cringed.
He put his hands on her shoulders and positioned her in one of the lines. “Just follow the people in front of you. Do what they do, and you’ll be fine.”
“You say that now. What’s the penalty here for tourists stepping on local toes?”
“No worries. You’re not a tourist.”
“I totally am, Cole. And I have cowgirl boots on.” She pointed down, like he couldn’t see them for himself. “Serious toe-crushers.”
He laughed. “You’ll be fine.” The music started, and he grinned at her. “Here we go, cowgirl. Let’s dance!”
Fifteen minutes later, Jess was laughing and sweaty and had somehow managed to completely tangle herself up in Cole’s arms as they did some complicated spin that she never quite mastered. The quick beat of the line dance faded into the slow tempo of a country love song, and although she knew she should let go, her arms weren’t cooperating.
Neither were his.
Her back was pressed against his body, and his arms crossed under her chest as his chin almost rested on her head.
“Want to slow-dance?” His low voice sent shivers cascading down her neck as he spoke close to her ear.
“Um—” She swallowed.
“You have to think about it? I’m hurt.” His feet shuffled gently, back and forth, swaying her in his arms. “If it helps you decide, think of it as a charity mission.”
She laughed. “You’re hardly the type to need charity, Cole. I imagine pretty much anyone in this place would dance with you if you asked. Or even if you didn’t.”
“Maybe.” He ducked his head lower, spinning her ninety degrees to the right. “But there is one particular woman who has her eyes firmly on my arse, and I need protection. Check out the blonde over by the Budweiser sign.”
Jess looked toward the sign, catching sight of a familiar face and an all-too-familiar strut. “Oh God. Is that that Marcy woman who tried to break up Decker and Kyla?”
“The very same.”
“And now she’s set her sights on you?”
“Well, I am single.”
Jess laughed. “Is that her only requirement?”
“Not really.” Cole chuckled. “She has sort of a warped definition of the word.”
Jess turned her head to look up at him. “So me dancing with you—that’d get you out of dancing with her? That’s what you’re saying?”
“Yes. No.” He shook his head. “I mean, yes, it would. But that’s not why I want to dance with you. I want to dance with you because I—want to dance with you.”
Jess laughed as he shook his head again. Was he—nervous? Couldn’t be. Nervous wasn’t an emotion Cole did.
“All right, cowboy. I’ll dance with you.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ll even pretend to like it, but that might cost you.” She closed her eyes, leaning her head back against his shoulder. He was so strong and solid, and yet the way he was holding her made her feel like she was a baby kitten he was trying not to hurt.