Page 18 of Christmas Eve Do-Over
But with Shasta's warm breath on my chest, her arms laced around my neck, I felt that sense of possibility return. And as the DJ switched to the song I'd requested from him, I hope she felt it too.Austinby Blake Shelton echoed through the night sky, telling about a man that never stopped loving his girl even with years and heartache separating them. She stiffened at first, then loosened back up and swayed to the beat with me. We didn't say a word to each other, just listened to the song and let the romance of the white string lights and tropical flowers wash over us.
When the last chorus started, and the lyrics told how she loved him back, I felt her take a deep, shuddering breath and then she pulled out of my arms.
She looked at me with hot eyes brimming with tears. They accused me. Of what, I didn't know. Making her feel something again? Making her tear down her walls for me? Of being a bastard and forcing her to love me?
Before I could ask which it was, she twirled around and ran toward the house.
"Shasta!" I called after her. She needed to slow down, or she'd break an ankle in those heels. I ran after her across the yard, not caring I was making a scene, but Dean and Kai came out of nowhere to make a dense wall, not allowing me to follow her into the house.
"Let the girls talk to her first, okay?" Dean placed his hand on my chest, concern in the lines on his face.
I breathed hard, every part of me not wanting to let her go before I could plead my case and make her see what was so obvious. My hands ached to punch Dean in his goddamn face, just so he'd get out of my way.
"We're all on your side, man, but you gotta let them talk. She won't listen to you right now." Kai spoke softly, but his words hit home.
I stepped back, took a deep breath, and nodded. Ivan came up behind me and clapped me on the back.
"Got it." I looked around and saw more than a few people staring at us. I needed to get my shit together and quit acting like a teenager. "I'm sorry to cause a scene at your reception. Didn't intend for that to happen."
"No worries, man. I get it. These women will twist you in knots and then worm their way in so deep you'll never get them out." Ivan chuckled.
"Ha. Tell me about it. This one has had me in knots since high school."
They all winced.
"How about we get a drink at the bar and let the ladies cool off, huh?" Dean nodded toward the bar with a suggestion so well-timed I couldn't argue. Cain met us there and poured a glass of whiskey from his private stash he had the bartender keep behind the bar. I wasn't sure what I was drinking, but I wasn't in the frame of mind to question him.
I'd lost the battle, but the war wasn't over.
And wasn't that the shittiest thing, to now be thinking of my wooing plans as a war?
