Page 73 of Claimed By the Cowboys
She chuckled, rolling her eyes. “That sounds great, but what is this fun you’re planning on? You know I can only do so muchright now. Or are you planning on keeping this from me?” she asked, her tone smug.
I chuckled lightly. “Duchess, I would rather deal with an entire herd of angry heifers than do that. It’s nothing too wild. You mentioned you've never been line dancing, and it’s not too challenging, even when you’re pregnant—and we can get some food that you didn’t have to cook while we’re there. So…”
Piper giggled, a beautiful sound as she leaned back into me. “That sounds nice, though I’m not sure about any type of dancing when I’m this big.”
“You’ll do incredible. I promise. It’s not crazy fast, and if it gets to be too much for you, we can sit down. It’s a Southern tradition, and you should get to experience it.”
Piper smiled, shaking her head. “Southern tradition, huh? All right. It sounds fun, actually. Are you sure you have time?”
I kissed the top of her head as she turned to me, looking up at me hopefully. That expression was like a punch in the gut. Didn't she know that I would do anything for her? I may have been a surly ass when we first met, but everything was different now.
She wasmine.
“This place is so charming!” Piper said as she glanced around the bar and grill that offered a massive stage for line dancing.
It was the only one in our small town, and it was exactly what you'd expect in a western town filled with ranchers and cowboys. The walls were covered in dark wood, the booths were red vinyl, and there were photos of cows and ranchers and scenic fields all over the walls.
The dance floor itself was huge, of course, but it was also clean, sparkling tiles in a warm brown color with flashingrainbow lights reflecting off them. The DJ booth was raised up on a platform in front of it, and there were already people dancing.
“Yeah, I like it here. It’s been a while since I’ve been.” I glanced around, warmth filling me as my eyes settled on the familiar scenery.
A gentle din of noise filled the room and spilled in from the others that led off into the back. Servers were hightailing it through the dining room and bar, and that smell of home-cooked food and frying grease made my mouth water.
Piper looked stunning in a sundress and cowboy boots, and the moment she’d stepped out of her room, I had been forced to bite my lip, otherwise I was going to tell her to go get changed because she lookedtoogood.
It had taken effort, but I said nothing. We were going to have a nice night. I didn't want to ruin it by being a possessive ass. We were bonded. It wasn't like she was going to run off into the night with another guy, but still, I couldn't help the flow of jealousy.
Just breathe, Clay. She’s all yours, and you’ll have the evening to indulge in that.
“Welcome in, folks. You dancing tonight?”
We nodded at the hostess, and I put my hand on the small of Piper’s back. “Sure are. This is her first time. We’ll be wanting to eat too.”
“Aww, that’s great. Well, welcome in. We’ll get you situated at a table, and then you’re free to hit the dance floor whenever you like.”
The hostess led us back to a table in the far left corner. I pulled out Piper’s chair for her, and she took a seat, smiling. Sitting down across from her, I picked up my menu as she did the same. We glanced over the options and drinks, and when theserver arrived, I got us a bottle of sparkling water and started things off with a fried calamari appetizer.
“I’m so excited for seafood. Though, I’ll admit the craving has been for sashimi and stuff, but this is as close as I can get.”
I offered a sympathetic grin. “When that baby is out, I’ll have a cocktail and city girl sushi waiting for you.”
“Ugh, yes! Please do.” Piper looked down at her belly. “I know we have some time still, but damn, I’m ready for them to be here already. I’m going to look like a blimp by the end of this.”
“I think you look beautiful. It's damn impressive watching you grow a human.”
Her cheeks turned a delightful pink, and Piper smiled, ducking her eyes for a moment. “Thank you. Not a lot of people get how hard this can be.”
I reached across the table and took her hand. “I see you, babe. You’re doing amazing.”
Sniffling, Piper leaned back in her chair, smiling and waving me off. “You’re going to make me cry! Shoo.”
I chuckled and went back to my menu, trying to figure out what I was going to order. Still, I couldn’t help glancing up at Piper repeatedly and grinning. In fact, that was apparently an issue for the entire place.
Everyone was looking at her, and I did meaneveryone. There was no missing the appreciative stares that several guys were throwing her way. Billy Donovan, from down the road, had been lingering his eyes on her for far longer than I would have liked.
We were bonded. She was mine, but that didn't stop me from being insanely jealous.
The server came to take another drinks order, and I let him know that we were going to do some dancing first. He nodded with a smile, and as he left, I helped Piper out of her chair.
