I’m moments away from agreeing. I am seconds away from telling Noah to take me right now, damn whoever might see. Right as the words are about to escape my lips a thud sounds against the driver’s window. Breaking away from each other, I turn to see Rex. His drunken face is plastered to the glass and he is giving us a mischievous smile.
“Hey, Romeo,” Rex yells. “Just because you’re a taken man again doesn’t mean you can be a shitty friend. I got a beer with your name on it. Hurry the hell up and get your ass out here.”
Noah rolls his eyes. Giggling, I say, “We’re coming. Save the lecture.”
Rex smiles and wanders off. Grabbing both sides of my face, Noah hungrily kisses my lips. “Just give me a minute,” he says.
I nod and kiss him one more time as I scoot over and exit the truck.
Looking toward the fire, Gwen walks up to greet me. A beer in each hand, she hands me one and I take it willingly. She glances behind me as Noah finally exits his truck. An all-knowing look comes over her face and she smiles.
“I take it things went well after you dropped me off at the hotel?”
Smiling, I bring my beer up to my lips and take a long sip. “You could say that.”
She links her arm in mine and starts leading me down the hill. “Well shit, it’s about damn time.”
Reaching the fire, I notice a few familiar faces and some I have never met. I nod and smile to those gathered as Gwen leads me further across the yard to a truck where Jolene is sitting on the tailgate. A mason jar in her hand, she smiles as I approach.
“About time you got here,” she says. Glancing over my shoulder, she smiles at someone. Turning, I notice Noah staring at the two of us. She nods towards him, and he smiles in return.
“Glad to see he finally got his head out of his ass,” Jolene says. She holds up the mason jar to me and I lean away, not knowing what it is or what she expects me to do with it. Laughing she says, “Oh come on. Have you never had Kentucky shine before? It won’t bite, at least not unless you want it to.”
She winks at me as I take the jar from her. Lifting it to my nose, I smell it and look up with slight disgust. Glancing over at Gwen, she gives me a nudge and I figure to hell with it. When in Rome, right? Taking a swig, I don’t notice much at first. But by the time I hand the jar back to Jolene, the burning warmth barreling down my throat makes me start coughing.
“That good, huh?” Jolene laughs taking the jar back.
“Mmmmm, I love it,” Gwen says, stealing the jar away from Jolene and taking a bigger shot.
Jolene laughs again. “Slow your roll, Gwen. I don’t care how seasoned you think you are, that stuff right there will knock anyone on their ass.”
Still slightly clearing my throat, the warmth soon takes over my entire body. It’s the kind of buzz it typically takes three shots to feel. Knowing she’s right, I figure I’ll steer clear of shine and stick to my beer. Raising it up to take a sip, two hands wrap around my middle as Noah’s lips find my neck.
He kisses me once and holds me against him gently. “Don’t go making my girl drunk now, sis. Not everyone was raised on that stuff right there.”
Jolene rolls her eyes. “She might not have grown up in the country, Noah, but I think she can handle herself.”
She winks at me and jumps down off the tailgate.
In the distance, someone turns on a radio. “She’s got this thing about her” by Chris Young flows through the night. Gwen and Jolene walk off towards a few people in the truck next to us, and Noah’s grasp on me tightens. With his lips pressed next to my ear, he whispers, “Dance with me.”
Stunned, he turns me around to meet his stare, then takes my drink and sets it on the tailgate. Desire builds between us as he takes my right hand and raises it. Kissing the inside of my wrist, he pulls me closer and wraps his free arm around my waist.
“Here?” I ask, glancing around us.
As the song enters the chorus, Noah sways me to the music. I blush knowing people are watching us. Pulling me closer, he kisses the top of my head and slowly leads me in a small circle as we sway back and forth by the fire. By the middle of the second verse, I have tears in my eyes. How I could have ever left this man for anything else, I don’t know. I was crazy to think I could live without him, without this.
“I love you, Eva,” he whispers. “You complete me.”
I press my face against his shirt, and a tear rolls down my cheek. “I love you, too,” I whisper as he releases me into a spin. I laugh as I twirl back toward him and he catches me.
We stumble a little as he regains his footing and continues swaying me to the music. I sigh as I lean in and rest my face against his chest. His rhythmic movements melt me. His warm embrace engulfs me, making me feel safe, loved, secure. Looking up, he smiles down at me, and my heart bursts with joy for being able to put our past behind us and finally move forward.
Suddenly, a drop of water hits my cheek. Stunned, I notice Noah felt it too because he backs away slightly and looks up at the night sky. Another drop falls. Startled, we glance back at each other. Soon, the sky opens up, and a sudden downpour angrily pelts the ground around us. Screaming, everyone jumps off tailgates and seeks the cab of trucks or runs to a small house across a clearing.
Grabbing my hand, Noah laughs as he leads me running through a field in the rain. “Where are we going?” I yell as the rain falls harder.
He doesn’t answer, but keeps a tight grasp on my hand. My feet splash through the mud as I run after him. A few moments later, I find myself standing in front of an old black Kentucky barn. Noah opens the door and ushers me inside quickly.
