Page 39 of Can We Skip to the Good Part?
“No, honey, you get it out.”
“Right. I will. Thank you.”
When she turned back, Max was watching her with an arched brow that only increased the reading on the sexy meter because now she looked like she was up to something.
“We should just go inside and find the others,” Ella managed in a voice that, for some reason, sounded strangled.
“Whatever you want,” Max said. “Right this way.”
Ella made a point of hurrying so she could catch up to Max and walk toward the entrance side by side. No reason to check out her ass in those jeans. None of this was helping her turn over a new leaf.
“Why are you sighing?” Max asked.
Had she sighed? “Oh, it’s the air quality. It seems poorer than usual. Climate change is such a bitch!” She’d added an extra shot of passion to her delivery, hoping to sell it. She was pretty sure that had been a mistake.
Max stared at her knowingly for an extended moment as they waited for the people in front of them to funnel through the double doors. “I had no idea you were a champion of the cause.”
She nodded along. “Not too many people do.”
“Twenty-dollar cover,” the woman at the door said in a sultry voice. She wore a cowboy hat, jeans, and a textured, pink tube top. She also had binoculars around her neck, which is when Ella remembered the split theme. The bartenders behind themwere dressed in safari shirts. Her friends hadn’t been lying about the strange mash-up. The barstools were faux zebra print, but cowboy hats lined the back wall.
“Wow. This is … something.”
The woman leaned in. “Never been to The Wild Frontier? That’s what we all call it. Only gay bar out this way, so we make a meal out of it.”
“Never. My first time,” Ella said.
Automatically, the woman pulled a free drink ticket in the shape of a boot and handed it over. “This’ll get you started.”
“Thank you.” She already liked it here.
“There’s a mechanical bull in the back room,” Max said in her ear, likely because the music was so loud, she’d never hear her otherwise. Regardless, it caused Ella’s stomach to tighten and her cheeks to flame hot at Max’s proximity. She smelled like a raspberry popsicle. “I do love a good ride.”
Oh, those words. Ella braced against the heat that now pulsed between her legs. She tried for cavalier anyway. This was all just fun and games, right? “It’s like you keep trying to one-up yourself.”
“I like a challenge.” She met Ella’s eyes and extended her hand for the woman to stamp it with what looked to be a dancing banana. Oh, this was going to be an interesting night. Ella followed Max inside and scanned the room, which featured a sizable dance floor filled with line-dancing women.Oh, my.
“Feel at home?” Max asked.
“Yeah, I dance like that in my living room nightly. I slay on area rugs.”
Max waited her out.
“Okay. I’ve never tried line dancing in my life. I’m an abysmal dancer who should steer clear of rhythmic movement. I can own it.” The amused look on Max’s face had her playing back thesentence and closing her eyes at the implication. Mortification was her new best friend, clinging to her like shrink-wrap.
“You’re here!” Morgan said, throwing an arm around each of them from behind. “I just knew we’d find a way to make tonight happen. Stevie’s over there looking gorgeous and terrified.”
Ella and Max exchanged a nod of solidarity and followed Morgan to Stevie, who stood in the corner in her jeans and button-down white shirt. She looked downright lesbian tonight, and it made Ella’s heart squeeze for her and the apparent effort she’d gone to. She desperately wanted Stevie to have a good night, or at the very least, not a bad one.
“Hi. So, I’m here,” Stevie said, her blue eyes wide as if it was all a lot to take in. “It’s not bad. A little loud and busy, but I’m good. Real good.”
Max pulled her in for a squeeze. “See? Not as scary as you thought. And we’ll be with you the whole time. You look great.” She really did. These women were going to go nuts for Stevie.
“I don’t mean to interrupt, but I would love to buy you a drink,” a woman said, leaning into their conversation, her hand curved onto Max’s shoulder from behind. Her nails were painted purple and her boobs were about an inch from coming out to play. She was staring at Max like she was lunch. Ella prickled and went still.
“You’re sweet, but I think I’m gonna work up to it,” Max said.
The woman shrugged. “Sounds good. I’ll be around if you change your mind. You’re gorgeous, by the way.”
