Page 38 of Wannabe in Wyoming
“I don’t know, we might need to stay home,” she said, eyeing him from head to toe.
Concern immediately darkened his features. “Oh? Why? You okay?”
“Oh, I’m great. But when the women in town catch sight of you, I’m sure I’m going to have to let loose my Philly fighting skills. Or bring my gun . . .”
Laughing, he gathered her close. “Don’t worry, Wannabe, you’re the only woman I see. The only one Iwantto see.” After kissing her soundly, he let her go and grabbed his wallet and the truck keys. “Don’t even bother trying to bring any money. ID only. I’m paying. And driving.”
Rolling her eyes but deciding not to argue, Willow pulled her father’s Flyers ball cap down on her head, slipped her ID into her back pocket, and led the way to her truck. She’d called Jeremiah earlier to see if he wanted to join them, but he’d said he was beat and would catch up with them tomorrow.
Arriving at the Spur & Bull, Nathan parked her truck in the last available spot. Several people were milling about, talking and smoking, while Lynyrd Skynyrd flowed from the open front door of the bar. “Why is it so busy? Holy shit, it’s a Thursday. Don’t people have work in the morning?”
“Tonight’s ten-cent wings and free pool.” Willow pointed to a poster in the window by the door. “Every weeknight, it’s something different. I’ve been here maybe three or four times. The food is great. They have a deejay and live bands on the weekends a lot too. Though I avoid the line dancing—that is sonotmy thing. I’ve got two left feet.”
“That makes two of us, but the rest I can go for. Stay right there a sec, Wannabe.” She narrowed her eyes at him but didn’t move. It took her a moment to realize why he’d issued the order. After climbing from the truck and rounding the hood, he opened her door, took her hand, and helped her down before leading her inside. No doubt he was staking his claim publicly from the start. She smiled at the thought. She could really get into possessive Nathan, as much as she liked bossy-in-the-bedroom Nathan. With any other guy, those traits would probably have been turn-offs.
Inside, where the music was even louder, they were assaulted by the smell of beer and fries and the distinctiveclackof pool balls breaking. The rumble of conversation rose and fell all around them. The place was packed with men in cowboy hats and women in rhinestone embellished jeans.
“What, no mechanical bull?” Nathan joked, towing her around the long U-shaped bar to the far side where they, surprisingly, found two stools opening up. They would be sitting with their backs to the dance floor and the two pool tables, which Willow didn’t prefer, but choices were limited. Even the scattered tables were filled.
“Nope. Sorry to disappoint. I realize the name might be a little misleading.” Pointing around the bar, she continued, “But the décor speaks for itself.” Horns of all shapes and sizes lined the walls. Longhorns, ram horns, deer antlers, and everything in between. Many of them had pairs of spurs dangling from them. From rusty and old to brand new and shiny, the décor was eclectic and original. One whole wall, behind the pool tables, was filled with photos of varying sizes of past and present customers. Some were of people celebrating different milestones, like birthdays, anniversaries, and at least one shotgun wedding, while others were of friends just having a good time on a night out on the small town. Several were taken at rodeos, with chap wearing cowboys and rodeo queens holding up shiny buckles.
When Nathan and Willow took their seats, Maddie Carmichael immediately came over and leaned across the bar to hug her. “Willow! It’s so good to see you, honey. And who is this handsome devil?” Maddie winked at Nathan, flipping her waist-length dirty-blonde hair back off her face. “Is this the spicy piece of man meat you told us about at Jenga night?”
Man meat?Nathan mouthed at her, while her face flamed red with embarrassment. “Maddie, I thought anything said at Jenga nights was sacred and never to be repeated. And yes, this is Nathan Casey, my . . . uh . . . he’s . . . mine.”
Giggling madly, Maddie reached over the bar and shook Nathan’s hand. “Oh, yes, any fool with eyes can see he’s all yours. Got any friends?” she asked him with a twinkle in her eyes.
“Actually, yes.” Grinning, Nathan slid his hand onto the top of Willow’s thigh, squeezing and massaging it. “My buddy, Zach Ramsey, would probably get along with you just fine. I’ll have to get him up here sometime. He’s getting out of the Army next summer. ”
“Zach Ramsey, huh?” Maddie purred, her flirty personality coming to the forefront. She was always a little wilder when she bartended—she said it helped with tips. “I like the sound of that just fine. I’m going to hold you to that introduction. Now, what can I get you two kids tonight?”
“I’ll have an IPA, and Willow?” Nathan raised his brow at her in question, as he handed over his debit card for their tab.
“Jack and Coke, please. It feels like a whiskey kinda night.”
“Coming right up. One beer that tastes like dirty feet and a glass of bad decisions in the making.” Maddie slapped the bar top with her hand and then sashayed over to the other end to draw his beer and mix Willow’s drink.
“Dirty feet? Bad decisions?” Nathan flexed his fingers where he was still gripping her thigh, and the intimate touch stirred her desire again. “Ramsey would love her—he likes his women sassy. She sure knows how to sell this place, huh?”
She shivered and shifted in her seat, as memories of the previous night’s sex marathon they’d shared flashed in her mind. “Something like that. Maddie is a riot when she lets loose.”
“Apparently, so are you.Spicy man meat? Care to explain that, Wannabe?”
Willow used the distraction of Maddie delivering their drinks and food menus to avoid the question. They quickly decided on their dinners, wings for Nathan and a burger and fries for her.
“I’m waiting.” Nathan nudged her with his elbow after Maddie left them again to put their orders into the kitchen.
She shrugged. “What can I say? I was drunk. What was said can’t be held against me.” After swirling the straw around in her drink, she took a long draw on it and swallowed while avoiding his gaze.
“Nice try, woman.” Leaning closer, he kissed her neck before licking a path to her ear, where he nibbled on her ear lobe and whispered softly, “I think, you were thinking an awful lot about myman meatback when this fire between us was just on paper. I’mthinking. . .” He kissed her jaw, turning her face with his hand, so he could reach her mouth. Speaking against her lips, he continued, “. . . you like me a whole awful lot, Wannabe, and I’m thinkingyou need another taste of how much I like you in return.”
“Umm hmm. That sounds good. Yup. Let’s do that,” Willow mumbled before kissing him. She couldn’t get enough of the man, his rough kisses and gentle hands. She’d never wanted someone this desperately before. She was a stranger to this level of need, but she’d decided to embrace it with both hands.
“Now, Willow, are you going to introduce me to the man before you suck his face off in public? This town does have laws about that, you know.”
Jerking back, Willow looked over Nathan’s shoulder to see Sheriff Grady Minor grinning at her. “Erm.” She was pretty sure her cheeks were hot enough to fry an egg on. Clearing her throat, she tried again. “Um, Nathan, this is Grady Minor, the local sheriff.”
“Pleased to meet you, Sheriff,” Nathan said as he stood and offered his hand. “Willow told me about the trouble she had, and I’m grateful to you for your help.” After they shook, he added, “Please have a seat. Can I buy you a beer?”
