Page 9 of The Cowboy's Unlikely Love

The song ended, and a slow ballad came on. “Do you need to …?” she started to ask.

He grinned as he curled his arm around her waist, drawing her so close that she was pressed up against his broad, hard chest. “Need to make the most of what might be my one and only chance to dance with you?” he asked. “Hell yeah, I do.”

She shook her head with a rueful smile. “I already told you; you don’t need to give me the spiel.” She said it more for her sake than his – as starved as she was for male affection and attention, it’d be all too easy to get carried away by the moment.

~ ~ ~

Tanner’s smile faded. “Because you’re all hung up on this guy – the love of your life, right?” He felt bad. She’d made clear what her situation was. He shouldn’t even have asked her to dance, but he hadn’t been able to resist.

She made a face at him. “No, I …” She bit down on her bottom lip. “There’s something I should tell you. Then again, forget that. It doesn’t matter. I … All I meant was that we both know damn well that I’m not your usual type. It’s sweet of you to look out for me, but you don’t need to feed me lines, Tanner.”

He gave her a puzzled look. “I ain’t feeding you lines, darlin’.” He couldn’t help it, he let go of her hand and wrapped both arms around her waist, holding her so close that they were touching from their knees to their chests.

“You might not be myusualtype, I won’t lie about that, but you’re … You’re … So much … more.”

When he’d let go of her hand, she’d wrapped both arms around his neck. The way her full breasts were crushed againsthis chest made it hard to think, let alone try to articulate the way she made him feel.

She gave him a sad smile. “Thanks, Tanner. I know you’re just trying to be nice.”

He laughed. “You’ve got me all wrong.”

She arched her eyebrows. “Are you telling me that you’re not nice?”

He allowed one hand to dip lower so that his fingers were tracing the top of the tantalizingly rounded globes of her ass. He rested his forehead against hers and looked down into her eyes as he said, “No. I’m not denying that I’m a nice guy – I’m a good guy. But I’m not trying to be nice. I’m… Damn! I don’t know what I’m doing, Everly.”

He straightened up. What did he think he was playing at? He had to remember that she’d walked into the bar a couple of hours ago hoping to meet up with the guy she described as the love of her life. Just because he found himself undeniably attracted to her, that didn’t mean that he should make a move – or that she’d be open to it if he did.

He was relieved when she chuckled. “I think I know what you’re doing.”

“Go ahead and explain it to me then, would you?”

“It’s like you said, you’re a good guy, so you’re looking out for me.” She surprised him when she pressed a little closer. “It’s just that you don’t know how to be around a woman without making a move on her.”

Her words stopped him in his tracks – literally. He stopped right there in the middle of the dance floor and held her a little tighter. “That’s not true.”

“No?”

“I… No! It’s not.” His heart was pounding. He wasn’t thrilled by the possibility that she might be right, but more than that he hated that she didn’t understand just how attracted he was to her.

They both turned when Laney and Luke danced by. Laney scowled at him and asked Everly, “Are you okay?”

He was relieved when Everly laughed. “I’m doing great.” She leaned into Tanner to get him moving again.

He stared into her eyes as they moved around the dance floor. He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know how to feel. This woman had his head turned around, and he didn’t know what to do with it.

When the song ended, she let go of him and stood back. “Thanks, Tanner.”

“You’re done with me?”

“I’m trying to make it easy on you.”

“Make what easy?”

She gave him a puzzled look. “Isn’t this your break? Don’t you need to get back behind the bar?”

“Shit!” She was right. He glanced over at the bar – they were slammed. He caught her hand and led her off the dance floor. “What are you doing to me, lady? I can’t even think straight.You’re right; I do need to get back to work, but will you dance with me again later?”

She nodded slowly. “Sure, if you want to. But don’t feel like you have to.”

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