Page 19 of Wine Whiskey & Lipstick

Ben was studying Selah when she suddenly reached out and grabbed their hands, leading both her brothers onto the dance floor. Somehow, she muscled them between the ladies.

Ben was not in the mood to party, and the dance area was even more crowded than it looked. He would have liked to get Dillyn alone and take her to a quiet place which was probably a terrible idea considering she was married. Still, Ben allowed Selah to pull him in Dillyn’s direction. His mouth turned to sandpaper the closer he came to Dillyn.

It was as if he were watching himself outside of himself. The last time Ben saw Dillyn, she’d been wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Not that she wasn’t sexiness personified in jeans, but tonight, she was dolled up in a dress that made his whole being come alive. Dillyn was more stunning than even he remembered.

It was like a scene from a movie. Slowly, Dillyn’s eyes opened, and they landed squarely on Ben. Dillyn wasn’t sure if she imagined him or if she’d subconsciously conjured him up. Nope. ItwasBen. Her handsome and gallant cowboy from a night so long ago. How cliché that she could only see his face in a room full of people. Given her stance on men and relationships in general, it was a mystery that he could cause such an extreme physical reaction. Dillyn couldn’t move a single muscle. “Ben? Is that really you?”

It was as if time had gone back to before all the shitty things had happened. The heaviness that was with Ben daily had disappeared.

Dillyn felt the same. For a moment, she’d forgotten that she had given up altogether on the male species. A spark of electricity flowed through her entire body. She was buzzing, and it wasn’t from the alcohol.

It was too loud to hear her, but Ben could read the words coming out of her mouth. A slow grin spread across his face. “It’s the only name I’ve ever had. So, yeah. It’s me.”

He moved a little closer to her until they stood mere inches apart. Ben couldn’t pull his eyes away, and neither could Dillyn.

Dillyn had thought about him in passing over the past couple of years.Since faithfulness wasn’t a hallmark in my marriage, I should have pushed the envelope that night.Then Dillyn remembered how she felt after discovering Steven’s affair with Sam. She couldn’t do that to another woman. Her train of thought immediately took her to look at his ring finger.Is he still married? Probably. The good ones usually are—except for my raggedy ex-husband.Dillyn couldn’t see his hand because it was tucked inside his jean’s front pocket.I better tread carefully.

The music changed to a slower song. Ben held out his other hand, silently asking for a dance. In a moment of indecision, Dillyn pressed her lips together.It’s just a dance, right?She tilted her head to the side in a gesture of acceptance. Ben stepped closer and pulled her body into his. He placed his hand on the small of her back as they began to sway to the music.Dear God, this man smells so good. Why on earth would you send him my way knowing I’m absolutely done with men?

Dillyn snaked her arms around his neck.

Ben was the first to break their silence. He placed his mouth close to her ear. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”

The heat from his breath on her skin made Dillyn tingle in places she didn’t think was possible. “Neither did I.”

“You’re a resident now.” Ben didn’t pose it as a question.

“I am.”Good Lord, help me.“You’re home for a visit?”

“Moved back.”

Shit. That could be a problem.Dillyn didn’t do one-night stands and had no idea how casual sex worked.Okay. That’s it. Dancing with him is a bad idea.She pulled back slightly. “I’m suddenly feeling a little lightheaded.”

Ben looked at her with concern. He was just about to suggest stepping outside for some fresh air when Dillyn fell hard into his chest. Everything happened lightning fast. One minute a guy was dancing with one of Dillyn’s friends while another tried to get her attention. The next, Dillyn was being shoved into Ben’s chest. Ben turned, searching for Lucas, who was standing close by. They nodded at one another, a silent communication, but before they could stop the shenanigans, things escalated to a full-on brawl.

Ben held Dillyn in his arms as he looked around for Selah. Once Lucas realized the shit had hit the fan, he started looking for her too. His only concern was making sure his sister was safe. Lucas’s head turned like it was on a swivel looking for Selah until he spotted her. Waving a hand in the air, Lucas managed to get Ben’s attention and pointed toward her. Selah stood close enough for Lucas to grab her by the hand as all hell broke loose.

Chapter 9

One minute everyone was dancing and having a good time, and the next, it was chaos. Dillyn was being shoved about like a rag doll. She didn’t have time to appreciate being in Ben’s arms.

Ben saw that Lucas had Selah and had moved them right next to him and Dillyn. Ben began to pull Dillyn away from all the action, and she held on to his hand for dear life.

In the process of trying to get away from the madness, Dillyn dropped her phone on the floor. “Wait! I dropped my cell!”

“I’ve got it.” Dillyn couldn’t see a face but heard her voice. She knew it was Selah. Seconds later, a loud boom sounded almost like an explosion, and everyone scattered out of the building.

Ben was knocked on his ass from the blast. It was hard to see through all the white smoke and debris. He sat up, trying to shake off his disorientation. That’s when Ben realized he’d been separated from everyone. Quickly, he got up on his feet and yelled out for them. “Dillyn! Selah! Lucas!”

“We’re here!”

Ben could hear Lucas’s voice but still had a tough time seeing them. “I can’t see you. Keep talking. I’ll follow your voice.”

Lucas and Selah did as asked while simultaneously moving toward Ben. Within moments, they connected.

“Y’all okay?” Ben asked as they moved away from the building and people running in every direction.

Lucas was out of breath. “Yeah. We’re good.”

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