His moves flowed with the music as he performed a perfect mirror image of the steps going on behind him—giving me my own private show. Well, not exactly private. There were people literally everywhere, but none of them mattered. When Cash was dancing, he was the only person I saw.
And I still couldn’t look away.
The temperature outside might have been cooling down, but I was just starting to heat up. His eyes never left mine the entire time. “See? It’s easy when you let loose. You’ve just got to shake off all that stiffness.”
I stood a little taller. “I amnotstiff.” The tense muscles in my neck would beg to differ, but I wasn’t interested in their opinion.
“Whatever you say, Willow.” Which in Cash-speakmeant,I know you’re full of bologna, but I’m not going to argue with you about it.
“What? I’m not stiff. Music is in my blood. I’m a free spirit. You said so yourself, remember?”
“A free spirit that’s been a little boxed in lately. Now, a deal’s a deal, and the music’s playing. Are we gonna do this?” He danced backward, guiding me further onto the makeshift dance floor. The smile on his lips coaxed me along until we found our place at the end of one of the lines.
Leaning in close enough for his voice to rumble in my ear louder than the music, he said, “Just stick with me, and you’ll be fine.”
His words pulsed through me as the music itself tugged at my feet and pulled on my hips. I told myself he was only talking about the dance, but my body told me he was talking about a whole lot more. It was also telling me that being stuck to him this summer, might not be all that bad, after all.
I may have bumped into him and stepped on his toes a time or two along the way, but before the song ended, I was stepping, half-turning, and clapping right along with everyone else—and having a blast doing it, too. How had I never tried this before?
The song ended much too soon for my liking, and we stood there clapping for the live band. One day soon, that would be me up there.
“You’re a natural,” Cash said.
“I couldn’t have done it without you. I’d have been watching all the fun from the back if I’d come alone.”
He stepped in front of me, his eyes tracing fire across my skin. “You don’t give yourself enough credit.” I tried to shrug it off, but he took my upper arm in his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I mean it. You’re not someone who should ever be hiding out on the sidelines.”
What was he talking about? I didn’t hide. I was doing everything in my power to become a famous singer-songwriter… by hiding my true nature from my grandmother. Okay, somaybehe had a point. I hid sometimes, like when loads of money was on the line or when public humiliation on the dance floor was at stake. But that didn’t mean I was some kind of coward, did it?
“I don’t usually hide.”
“You shouldn’t ever hide.” His tone was low and husky, the kind of voice that had the power to send sparks racing up and down a woman’s spine. “The real you shines every time you let her out of the box.”
I had no comeback for that. There I was, staring into the eyes of the most sincere man I’d ever met. Where was my annoying neighbor, and what had this imposter done with him? The only quality I’d ever noticed in Cash before was his superpower ability to be the world’s worst flirty poser. Maybe that’s all I’d ever seen because that’s all I’d ever wanted to see.
I’d been too afraid to let myself see anything more.
And I was still afraid. He was too good to be true. And even if he was for real, I was working hard toward my goal of being successful in a demanding career. I couldn’t afford to get deeply involved with anyone.
The music started back up. Only this time, the beat wasn’t pumping. Boots weren’t shuffling. Cowboys weren’t whooping. I looked around us and everyone was pairing off. Lots of male hands on female hips. Lots of female heads resting on male chests.
Lots of closeness.
“Well”—my voice squeaked—“I guess we’d better get out of the way.”
Cash laughed. “I told you I’m not letting you off the hook. I won awholedance, not half of one.” He inched closer to me. “I’m ready to collect my second half.”
I gulped. “You’re kidding.”
He shook his head and grinned at me, his outstretched arms waiting for me to accept. “If you really don’t want to dance, I guess we could change the terms of our deal. Maybe instead of owing me a dance, you could take Moose to his adoption event on Sunday morning.”
A cold shiver raced through my body. I closed the gap between us and took the hand he offered me. “Fine. You get the other half of your dance.”
I sucked in a sharp breath when his large hand enveloped mine and he held it over his heart. His other hand splayed across my back sending currents of electricity coursing through me that I couldn’t ignore.
He looked down at me and winked. “It’s nice to know you like me better than you like our dog.”
I blurted a short peal of laughter. “Our dog?That bit of insanity doesn’t even deserve a response. But don’t flatter yourself,” I teased. “I’d dance with a rodeo clown if it meant I didn’t have to be alone in a car with that beast.”
