Page 31 of Love on the Line

Wyatt settled the hat back on, and Anne nodded. He flashed a smile, and her blood turned to liquid heat.

“Just when I thought he couldn’t get hotter.” Kate whistled under her breath.

The redhead from earlier approached the band and stopped in front of Wyatt. She held a beer out to him, and he hesitated. Anne’s breath froze in her lungs. Wyatt gave a small shake of his head and said something to the woman. She nodded and took a step back, but didn’t leave. He glanced at Anne, a slight frown on his face before going back to studying the sheet music.

“Looks like you have some competition,” Emily said.

“Yeah. It’s a thing.” Anne eyed the crowd.

Emily put a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t forget he came with you.”

At the moment, that wasn’t so comforting. Anne shrugged and took a sip of beer.

Brian tapped his drum sticks together three times and the band began playing.

When Wyatt started singing, his voice not quite on pitch, some people stopped talking and craned their necks for a better view. He fumbled with a chord and shot a glance at Dan, who shrugged and nodded.

Anne’s chest constricted. Poor Wyatt was struggling, and publicly. It couldn’t be easy for someone used to performing well under the spotlight. She checked out the crowd again. A group had formed in front of the band, and people at tables pointed to Wyatt with smiles on their faces. Looked like they recognized him.

Despite his somewhat off-key singing, no one seemed to care. Anne forced out a slow, deliberate breath. He had this.

Emily tugged Anne’s hand. “Come on, let’s dance and have some fun.

After a set, the band took a break, and the girls returned to their table. Anne peered over Emily’s shoulder as two women in cowgirl boots and miniskirts strutted over to the stage. One of them leaned in and said something to Wyatt as he bent down to put his guitar aside. She smiled and handed him a cocktail napkin.

Anne twisted her watch and nibbled her lip. Was she giving him her phone number?

“Now what’s going on?” Emily frowned, staring at the women.

The one who’d passed him the cocktail napkin turned to her friend, who dug around in her purse and produced a pen. She handed it to Wyatt.

He glanced at Anne and pressed his lips together. After scribbling on the napkin, he gave it back to the woman and in long strides made his way to Anne.

“They wanted an autograph.”

“Come on, Kate. I gotta pee.” Emily snagged Kate’s arm and dragged her away from the table.

Anne struggled to swallow. Even though she was annoyed, her mouth had gone dry as he’d walked over, still wearing the cowboy hat. “Is it always like this?”

He grimaced. “It won’t be for long. Believe me, everyone is going to forget who I even am in no time. And they’re harmless. I’m not interested in them.”

“They’re pretty persistent.” Anne glanced at the redhead who loitered near the band.

Wyatt took a step closer and framed her face with his hands. Instant heat blazed under his touch. He locked gazes with her and said in a quiet voice, “You’re the only woman in this room I want to be with.”

She breathed in his unique scent as waves of warmth radiated from him.

“Correction.” He stroked his thumb under her chin. “You’re the only woman I want to be with, period.”

Her annoyance melted as she stared into his eyes. With his complete attention focused on her, she had to believe him. She gave him a small smile, and he let out a breath as if relieved. He gestured to the stage. “I warned you I wasn’t very good. I hope you don’t think less of me after that performance.”

She gazed up at him. “Believe me, I could never think less of you.”

He blinked, and his eyebrows drew together.

“Oh my God. That came out wrong.” How did she always jumble her words around him? “I meant I could never think less of you.”

His lips twitched at the corners. “Wanna try that again?”

---