Take the Reins (A Cowboy's Promise #2) - Megan Squires Page 0,32

on his heart that leapt into his throat. He could feel it beating like a bass drum this thump, thump, thump of adrenaline and anticipation and a little bit of what the heck is going on here?

This wasn’t line dancing. There was no line around them, near them, or between them. They moved as one unit, the classic country music guiding them like a push, nudging them together, closer and carrying them along the dance floor.

“I think you might actually be leading,” Seth said close to her ear when the first song ended, not that he minded it. His dancing feet were definitely both lefties. At least Josie had an easy rhythm he could latch onto and mimic. Learn from, even.

“I’m honestly not trying to. I just can’t help it. I try to give up the lead for a few seconds and then I find myself slipping back into it. I’ll be more aware of it from here on out.”

“It doesn’t bother me. Honestly. But I would like to try to lead you for a song or two,” he admitted. He tightened his grip around her waist. “If that’s even possible.” He tacked on a wink for good measure.

“Wild horses are more easily tamed,” she teased, but Seth noticed the way her body slowly gave up command. Something softened in both her exterior and her spirit and within the span of one song, Seth had her following his guiding steps.

He’d been surprised by a lot of things when it came to Josie, but her willingness to let him take the reins was the biggest one yet.

12

Josie

Josie wasn’t a short woman but Seth’s six-foot-two frame created a big enough gap that it made the difference noticeable, mostly in the way her head lined right up with his broad shoulder. If a slow song came on, I could press just a little closer and rest it there, she mused. Her eyes almost fell shut at the enticing thought. That just might be the very thing to do her in. A slow dance with this cowboy. She sent up a little prayer that tonight’s DJ continued to keep it lively.

She was not going to fall for Seth. She didn’t have the time—nor the desire—to be in any sort of real relationship. From what she’d known of them, they were nothing but heartache leading to eventual heartbreak, with a whole lot of headache in between. Her older sister, Maren, somehow managed to make it work and was now married to her childhood sweetheart, but Josie had had a front row seat to the emotional toil it took to finally reach their happily ever after. In her eyes, drama and dating went hand in hand, like peanut butter and jelly or boots and spurs.

Josie didn’t do drama. That might mean she’d miss out on her own happily-ever-after, but that was okay. She was perfectly content with a happy-right-now. And that’s what she felt when she danced with Seth. Happy.

Something about keeping her feet moving, her heart rate up, and her hand at Seth’s muscular back made her alive. Invigorated. It turned out that being Seth’s fake girlfriend wasn’t all too terrible at all. The opposite, really.

They’d spent nearly an hour dancing their way across the floor when the music cut off and the DJ announced that a local, live cover band would take over for the remainder of the night. Now was as good a time as any to take a break to catch their breath. She could see the line of perspiration beading along Seth’s brow, the exertion of dance after dance noticeably winding him, and she felt a trail of sweat forming along her lower back and flushing her cheeks, too.

“It’s fair to say that you’ve worn me out.” Seth snatched his bandana from his back pocket and moved it slowly across his forehead before stashing it away. “I thought we would just have a quiet little night of country line dancing but you’ve got me out there twisting and turning all over the place. And I’d like to point out, I still don’t know the Electric Slide.”

Josie trailed Seth back to the bar, but moved her feet in the motions of the popular line dance, shuffling, scooting, and scraping her boots along the tacky hardwood in several eight counts until she’d danced herself all the way up to their empty stools. “Did you catch all of that?”

“Nope.” He shook his head. “But it’s fine. I think I prefer dancing with you as