Page 4 of Sugarloaf Ridge Lies

I shrug. “Sure. It’s been a while though.”

Daynah puts her index fingers into the sides of her mouth and produces a mighty wolf whistle. She waves at a group of guys loitering on the other side of the fire then shoots her arm out, pointing at the one closest to the flames. “You! Come here.”

A guy dressed entirely in black jogs over. His dark eyes rake over my body as he strides towards us, adjusting the black Akubra on his head to reveal more of his tanned face.

“If you’ll excuse me, Liv,” Finn says. “I promised my fiancée a dance. My brother here would be happy to oblige you.”

Finn’s brother removes his hat then holds it against his broad chest, offering me his other hand. “Yes, Ma’am.”

As I take in his features, recognition flares.

Oh, I’ve seen you before. Ogled you, even.

The fencer.

I clear my throat and square my shoulders. “Let’s do it.”

His calloused hand slides against mine, and with a chuckle, he secures his hat and leads me to a small group of people dancing.

The heat of his strong body guides mine. He’s a commanding dance partner, yet his moves flow with ease. It’s been a long time since I’ve danced like this.

Where the hell did this country boy learn to move?

I try to contain my tongue in my mouth as his woody aftershave envelops me. I laugh as he swirls me around, heady from his scent combined with the jelly-like effects of the spiced wine.

I can’t remember the last time I felt like this.Free.

It’s short-lived.

Guilt creeps in like a slithery snake. As it always does. The thought of the last timeshesmiled. The screech of metal. Crunch of glass. The silence which haunts my dreams.

“You ’kay?” a deep voice hums at my ear.

I sniff back and shake my head, pushing a smile to my face. “Allergies,” I lie, because I don’t know this guy, and there are some things that continue to carve me up inside to think about, let alone say out loud.

The song ends and an electric guitar twangs. A familiar riff echoes through the valley.

Carter croons “The Summer of ‘69” as my dance partner sings in a low voice. He spins me out and brings me in close. Every now and then he calls out, “Oh yeah,” in unison with Carter.

At the end of the song, my partner dips me, brown eyes with flecks of gold staring right into my soul. He winks and clucks his tongue before bringing my body against his.

The closeness of our bodies drives a flush of heat through me.I was not expecting this tonight.“So, do you live around here?” I try and divert my attention from what my body has taken a liking to.

“Close enough,” he says and twirls me around.

Do I tell him that I’ve seen him on the school grounds, or would that be admitting I’ve checked him out?

“Mac?” a gruff voice yells out, drawing my dance partner’s gaze. “Ride’s here!”

He looks back at me and brushes his thumb over my cheek. “Sorry, sugar. I’ve gotta fly.”

Well, how’s that for timing.

He removes his hat and bows. Midnight hair falls across his face, but he scoops it back in place by raking his fingers through it. Stumbling forward, he lifts my hand to his mouth and presses a firm kiss to my knuckles. “See ya, teach.” He gives me a wink and dashes off into the night.

In some kind of daze, I make my way over to Nat, and then sit while her fiancé rocks the crowd with “The Horses” by Daryl Braithwaite.

All the while, I’m focused on one thing.

The country boy with the moves.

I didn’t even get his name.

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