Page 32 of When Sparks Fly

Copperhead Road fills my ears as I approach. “Hey.” Without trying, I’m distracted, scanning the crowd.

“You good?” Nick asks from my peripheral, looking around the bar to find what I’m searching for. Drinking or not, Nick is always someone you want on your side. And not just because he’s a Texas Game Warden. He’s a solid guy with a good moral compass and has an uncanny ability to talk people down.

Movement on the dance floor catches my attention. Maci and her friend dance wildly on the far side of the room, without a care in the world. Her dress almost glows blue underneath the neon lights.

Of course. Her friend thought they were going to miss the popular line dance.

I grin. “Yeah.” Turning, I clap Nick on the shoulder. “I’m good.”

Nick looks at me briefly, his brows pulling together, then follows my line of sight to the two dancers. “Oh, damn.” He laughs and returns the brotherly gesture.

Maci turns to her friend and laughs heartily. Her face is lit up like the Fourth of July, happiness emanating from her.

I shake my head and laugh. I already know I’m not getting out of a mini-interrogation.

“How you been?” I give him my full attention.

He takes a swig of his beer. “Good, man. The usual. Coming up to the end of archery season.”

“I haven’t made it out yet.”

“You don’t have long left. Oh man, yesterday I was out checking licenses and came across this group out past Henry Bridge.” Nick carries on with his story and I divide my attention between him and Maci. The song ends andthe two women make their way off the dance floor, arms linked. They’re both all smiles as they order.

In no time, a biker in a black vest approaches. He has a Prospect patch on the back. Neither seem to see him as they chat before Maci’s friend heads off through the crowd. I lose sight of her, keeping my eyes trained on Maci.

The guy slips into the space previously occupied by the brunette, hovering over Maci in a way that has my jaw clenching. She stiffens and stands taller. One hand reaches out for her drink on the bar top and her eyes flit around the room. She sips her drink.

“Sutton?”

“Yeah.” I don’t take my eyes off Maci as I respond to Nick. The biker leans comfortably against the bar top. My frustration builds over her tense body and uncomfortable stance. On their next sweep, her eyes land on me.

The man seems to call her attention back, but I’m over this bullshit. Something is going on and I’m going to find out what it is. Fights at this bar are a dime a dozen and somehow I’ve stayed out of most. But if he so much as blinks at her wrong, I’ll lay his ass out.

“I’ll be right back, looks like I’ve got some catching up to do.” I gesture to the dark bottle he holds and grin as I head to the bar. “Watch my six.”

“Always.” Nick salutes with his beer.

Chapter 15

Maci

Ican’t contain my laughter. Dancing is so freeing and the atmosphere is pulsing in here tonight. The look I got from Sutton may be adding to my high.

When Leah’s number one pick of the night ends, we make our way to the bar for drinks. She shouts our order over the music and I take in the place. I may or may not be looking for a particular cowboy.

“God, I’ve missed you!” Leah squeezes me tightly. Her head shifts to one side of me and her eyes focus past me. “Hey, are you good if I go say hi to Pete?”

“Of course!” I wave her away as our drinks appear on the bar. She grabs hers and heads through the crowd.

Out of nowhere, Colt slides into the space before me. “Colt.” Surprise colors my voice. I hadn’t thought of him since our trainwreck of a one-night-stand.

The corner of his mouth tips in a smug way. “Hey. You came back.”

I take a sip of my drink, checking out the rest of the bar and I hum a non-committal response.

“Couldn’t stay away?” He leans against the bar.

My reaction to his smirk isn’t like it was last time I saw him. “I’mhere with friends.”

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