he couldn’t keep his mitts off that gorgeous ass.
Outside, the air was hot and heavy. August in Texas. Austin spun a little faster than the rest of the world for him and he often didn’t think about the heat. Having Sabine next to him, smelling her sweet perfume, her lime-scented hair kept his mind thinking about how far to go with her tonight. They started a journey under the Santa Fe stars. Every day the call about the Netflix show didn’t come in meant another city he’d have to drag her to. Keep his promise to keep moving east.
Classic country played by a cover band had couples crowding the dance floor. The scent of whiskey perfumed the air. And stale beer. He kept Sabine close since he’d rather smell her.
Rockin All Night had been his favorite hangout while at UT. He wasn’t a billionaire back then. Just a kid with a rich father paying his tuition. His dad never even visited him. Not once.
Other trips back to Austin always made those feelings of emptiness come back to him.
Not this time. Not with Sabine.
“It’s like I told Jay and Cindy, I’m quick on my feet.” She looped her arm against him and followed the steps of everyone around them.
At six-five it was hard to find the right dance partner.
As an actor struggling for that big break-out role, it’d always been hard to date. Hard to put in the time and effort when a job could whisk him out of town. Or have him working twelve-hour days. He liked his hook-ups because expectations were low. He didn’t want to be an asshole and hurt anyone.
Ever since he gave up drinking, he’d worried about finding a woman who would respect his choices and be supportive. Sabine happily drank her coke-a-colas even though the bartender kept trying to put Jack Daniels in each refill.
“I always dance in my kitchen when these songs come on,” Sabine said, two-stepping backward while he led her through the song.
“I’d like to see that. I have The Highway app on my phone. Will you dance for me back at the hotel?” He changed direction, now swaying Sabine toward him. Damn, the way those hips moved drove him crazy.
“Is that all ye want, a dance?” She got all throaty and seductive.
“I want it all from you. But I won’t do anything you’re not ready for.” He held her by the waist and swayed into the beat of the next song. A slow, haunting cover of a Jason Aldean love song played. He grinded his hips against Sabine. His growing hard-on might choose for him.
“Why are ye so patient with me?” She threaded her fingers through his hair and her nails scraping against his damp scalp felt so wonderful. Maybe because he knew she never touched anyone like this. She chose him.
“Because I like you. You’re fun. You’re sweet.”
“Ye know I can kick yer ass, right?” Her hands slid down his back toward his ass, driving him crazy. “I know the right way to restrain someone if I have to. If someone gets unruly with me.”
Watching her take down the purse snatcher proved all of that. “That’s just it. Sure, you have to be that way, but it’s not who you are. Not everyone separates themselves from their work so easily. It’s a gift. And you’re great at it.”
She shrugged. “I guess that’s an advantage.”
“The element of surprise is powerful.” Lord knew he’d been shocked to shit at how those last few days had turned out.
Grayson didn’t know what was happening to him, besides feeling drawn to Sabine. Connected to her. The urge to get her out of that obligation with the Kieran guy so she could go home and be with her family nagged at him. But how?
He’d have to marry her, obviously.
His throat tickled and he suppressed a cough.
She’d be trading one set of handcuffs for another. Although, he’d use his for more fun activities. No, Sabine didn’t want to marry anyone for any reason but love, he suspected.
Most women felt that way. He did, too, if he had to think about making that type of commitment. All the planning in the world couldn’t have prepared him for what he felt with Sabine in his arms. How those grinding hours of waiting for the call from Matthew Trainor felt pleasant with her around.
“How about one more dance and we head back to the hotel?” he asked after another spin.
Sabine stiffened in his arms and her eyes hit the sawdust-covered