Page 123 of Fall for You
Dallas couldn’t help a quick scoff. “Go behind your back? Isn’t that what you’ve been doing to all of us? Sneaking around with him?”
Willow slammed the knife down, her nostrils flaring as she flashed him a searing look, her eyes gleaming as she spun away to check on something in the oven.
“I don’t know what you think I was doing.” She yanked an oven mitt on, pulling out the tray and lifting the aluminum foil before placing it back and shoving the door closed. “But you had no right to tell on me to Mom and Dad, and you had even less right to call Walter Spencer!”
Dallas clenched his fists. He couldn’t believe she was so riled when all he’d been trying to do was protect her. “You can’t trust those people, Willow. Eric’s not a good guy.”
“I know that!” she practically screamed, drawing the eyes of the kitchen staff, who were already hyperaware that majordrama was going down in this corner of the kitchen. She gave him a fiery glare he’d never seen before. It had him taking a step back in surprise…but also had his chest aching on her behalf.
She looked wrecked.
What had Eric done?
Her eyes were getting glassier by the second, and he wished like heck he knew how to help her. “Willow?—”
“Go and dance with your girlfriend, Dallas.” She turned her back to him, grabbing the knife and getting back to work with a ferocity that had him pitying the herbs she was dicing.
“Tink, come on. Did something else happen?”
“Leave me alone, Dallas.” She looked at the floor. “Please, just…get out of my kitchen.”
As much as he hated the idea of walking away from her, the kitchen during reception prep was no place to have this talk. So he followed her orders and went back to the barn, which was quickly being transformed into a reception hall.
Music had already started up, and a few couples were dancing.
He headed straight toward Ronnie, who was making small talk with her dad and some extended family. “May I have this dance?”
She grinned up at him and a few moments later was in his arms.
Exactly where he wanted her.
“You look amazing, sweetheart.”
Her eyes shone in the glow of the twinkling lights, and she tilted her head to the side. “Don’t get used to it. Dresses and heels aren’t really my thing.”
He kissed the tip of her nose. “Then it’s a good thing you look like a queen no matter what you wear.”
Her brows arched and her eyes danced with laughter. “Honestly, I can’t wait to get these clothes off.”
“And I can’t wait to take them off you…” The moment the words were out of his mouth, he realized just how inappropriate they were. “Someday,” he added with a sheepish grin. And then, because he couldn’t help himself, he gestured to the area where the wedding had been. “Someday after we have our own version of this.”
Ronnie’s eyes widened. “Wow.”
Luckily, she laughed, and so did he.
He dropped his head so he could nuzzle her temple. “Sorry. It seems I have zero ability to play it cool with you.”
She leaned into him, her arms tightening around his neck. “Don’t apologize. I like the fact that you’re so straightforward with me.”
“So I’m not scaring you off?” he murmured into her hair.
She rested her head against his shoulder with a sigh. “Do I look like I’m running away?”
He chuckled. “Then I guess we’re a good fit.”
They danced for a long time in contented silence. The band was playing easy love ballads, and it set the perfect tone. The room was blossoming with romance, and it was hard not to get caught up in it.
He was certain he could spend the entire night just swaying with her in his arms like this and be happier than he’d ever been.
