Page 18 of Burnin' For You

On the dance floor, the band played a Brad Paisley cover.

“They grounded you,” Reuben said, almost a grunt.

The bartender brought her drink. She took a sip, and it left foam on her lip. She grabbed a napkin, wiped it off. Nodded.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. Miles will forgive me by next season.”

“He competes in the rodeo circuit during the winter months. I’ll talk to him—”

“No!” She held up her hand then made a fist, put it back into her lap. “I can take care of myself.”

“I know, but—”

But what? He glanced out at the dance floor, seeing CJ with his arms around Juliet, slow dancing.

“It was my fault.”

“What? Rube—you can’t control the fire—”

“We should have run the other way. I knew it in my gut. Same as...” He winced. Shook his head. “Nothing.”

She was staring at him. “You kept them all alive. I know. Hannah told me how you picked her up, practically carried her to safety.”

“That’s what I do—carry things.” He meant it as a joke, but a frown crossed her face.

Then, however, she sighed, looked away. Gave a small chuckle. “Me too.”

He didn’t know what to say, and a silence filled in between them.

You look pretty tonight.The words crossed through him, hung on, and suddenly he couldn’t think of anything else but that. Pretty. Tiny. Sweet.

He stared at his beer, hating that the words glued in his chest, clogging everything else.

This was why he didn’t talk to women. Didn’t talk to, well, Gilly.

“Reuben, man, get out here!”

CJ, calling him from the dance floor. Reuben looked at him, wanting to incinerate him where he stood. But the rookie wore a grin, two-stepping, of course, with Juliet. He twirled her in and out and back, dipping her.

Reuben glanced at Gilly, wishing he could read the expression on her face.

Shoot. What if she wanted to dance? And he just sat here, and...

“Gilly, askhimto dance!”

Now Juliet was in on it, waving at Gilly, who was turning white. She swallowed, clearly embarrassed.

He couldn’t take it. Seeing Gilly sit there, waiting for him to actually cowboy up. “Gilly, do you wanna—”

“No, I’m fine.” But it was the funny, half smile that appeared, then disappeared, that made his gut clench.

Did she want to...

And then she glanced at CJ and Juliet on the dance floor.

That’s all it took. He was tired of standing in the middle, not following his gut.

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