Page 33 of Decoded
“Shit, no. Of all the dadgum nights,” Amanda huffs coming up to our table.
“What’s going on?” I ask, genuinely curious and concerned. She’s been having so much fun and I’m sure with being a mom to three little ones, these types of nights are few and far between.
“I am so sorry, girl, Jason just texted. Apparently, Sadie started throwing up and well, he’s a good dad, but he’s pretty helpless when it comes to that stuff. I hate to cut our night short, but I need to head home.”
Completely understanding, I go to grab my purse, but Keaton wraps his arm around my waist. I see Amanda’s eyes track theinteraction. “You head on home and take care of your sick kid, Amanda. I’ll make sure Anna makes it home safely.”
My friend looks at me, her eyes lit up and a knowing smile spread across her face. “You okay with that, Anna?”
My voice is caught in my throat at both Keaton’s touch and someone’s knowledge that there is clearly something happening between us. I don’t know what that something is just yet, but certain parts of me sure know what they want to be happening. I nod and Amanda heads out of the bar. Everyone else is back on the dance floor, leaving me and Keaton alone at the table.
“I have a few confessions to make, Anna.”
I look up at him but say nothing. The heat in his eyes is a good indication of what at least one of those confessions might be.
“Number one. Our car rides together are the best part of my day.”
“Mine too,” I confess, making a small smile pull at his lips.
“Number two. I’ve been hard all night with the way those jeans hug your curves and those fucking perfect tits of yours are on display.”
I bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from whimpering out loud.
“And number three,” his words are breathy, “I have so many regrets about how I handled certain situations with you. But I will never regret the two of us standing in that chapel together and vowing to be together forever and always.”
My own breath catches as the familiar chords of Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love” begin to play. Keaton leans in to brush a kiss against my lips and I melt into him. It’s nothing compared to some of the heated moments we had in Vegas, but it sets my very soul on fire. “Dance with me?”
He holds my hand as we navigate through the crowd to find a place on the dance floor. Holding me tightly against him, we sway back and forth to the song that was played during ourwedding. My head rests on his chest and despite the large crowd in a small town, everyone else seems to fade away. I’ve missed this. I’ve missed him.
“Keaton?” I say his name softly.
He hums in acknowledgement.
“Will you take me home?”
Chapter twenty-three
Keaton
B
eing able to hold Anna in my arms as we sway to the song that played during our ceremony was totally worth the hundred bucks I gave Kalli to bribe her into playing it.
It hasn’t been easy tearing Anna’s walls down. The walls she put up because of me. The first week she was here, I had to keep checking the thermostat to see who was messing with it. Turns out it was just the icy blasts of her cold shoulder. She spoke when necessary and nothing more, but it didn’t stop me from talking.
I shared with her about my family, my company, and my weaknesses. Finally, by the end of the week she was responding, and even starting the conversation all on her own. Those moments in my truck were the highlights of my day, but tonight, holding her like this with her head against my chest, nothing has ever felt so right.
As the King croons out the classic line about being unable to help falling in love, Anna looks up at me.
“Keaton?” Her sweet voice is soft so only I’m able to hear it.
I hum to let her know I’m listening.
“Will you take me home?”
Those words snap me out of the dream I was having that my girl wanted me back. That she trusted me again and was ready to pursue our marriage. But she’s biting that bottom lip of hers and I know she does that when she’s overthinking. Defeated, I let out a heavy sigh.
“Yeah, Baby. Let’s go home.”
