“You okay?” Callie asks.
“What is he doing here? I thought he didn’t do bars.”
She smiles. “He just couldn’t stay away. I have never in my life seen Rhett enter this bar. You may not have cracked him open the way you expect to just yet, but you’re doing something to him just the same.”
The music cuts, and everyone disburses as the next song starts up, a slower one.
“You think so?”
“I’ve known him for a long time. I’m pretty confident on this one. Go talk to him. See if he will dance with you. I guarantee he won’t be able to say no.”
I swallow the last of my drink and set it down on the edge of the bar. I walk toward him with a new determination and liquid courage flowing through my veins.
ChapterTwenty-Five
Rhett
I haven’t beenable to take my eyes off Olivia since I walked into this bar. As she makes her way toward me, I can’t remember why I’m here or why I’m supposed to keep her at a distance. Those amber eyes have a beautiful light in them that makes me want to give her my whole heart, and something about her makes me believe that if I did, my past would be erased.
When she gets closer, I can see the shiny look in her eyes that indicates she is clearly feeling the booze.
“Hey, hotshot! What are you doing hiding out in the corner?”
“Hotshot?” I arch a brow.
“I don’t know. You looked a little too-cool-for-school standing here by yourself while everyone was out there dancing.”
“I told you. I don’t do bars, and I definitely don’t dance.” At least not with her. That sounds like a recipe for disaster. “I just came to make sure you two had a ride home. Maverick was asleep already anyway.”
“Too much cattle chasing and peeing in the yard?”
“Yup.” I chuckle.
“Please dance with me, Rhett.”
“Not happening.”
“Why don’t you dance? Are you afraid of being bad? You can’t tell me you didn’t see me out there making a fool of myself. I still did it anyway.”
“I can dance, but I don’t dance.”
“That’s even worse. Come dance with me, please.” She draws out the e. “Show me how it’s done.” She grabs one of my hands and begins dragging me toward the dance floor.
All of my instincts are screamingno. I already let things go too far the other night. I opened up more than I ever intended to, and I know better than to do it again, but her soft touch plays tricks on my heart, and now my feet are shuffling after her. When we make it to the edge of the dance floor, she begins to smile, and I swear that smile could light up the entire bar. God knows it’s lighting up every dark corner inside of me.
I eye her carefully. “What’re you smiling about?”
“I just really wanted to dance with you. Callie told me you wouldn’t say no if I asked, and I guess she was right.”
Damn it, Callie. We are going to have a talk about her interfering in my love life after this.Not that this is my love life. I don’t love Olivia, and I never will. I’ll just keep saying that until I know it’s true.
Callie catches sight of me and waves joyfully from her spot on the edge of one of the picnic tables to the side of the dance floor. I give her my best scowl, but the second Olivia looks up at me like I put the stars in the sky, that frown is erased, leaving no trace of it behind.
“Rhett, can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“I’m just trying to understand why you’ve never come to the bar before, but you’re here now.”
