She didn’t really have a list. Maybe I was the one keeping track. I wanted the extraordinary woman to get to experience everything that would make her happy, feel special and bring a smile to her face.
Another song had started and when River didn’t move a muscle, I was more than content to keep her locked in my arms. The band was singingAlmost Paradise.I thought about the same song playing during the movie Footloose and wondered if River had seen it. The words were perfect at that moment.
In fact, the whole evening had been perfect.
Until instinct kicked in and all the hairs on the back of my neck suddenly stood on end as a chill slithered down my spine.
Not wanting to scare her or make her move, my eyes darted around the room. All our friends were on the dance floor cuddled up together.
But it seemed all the guys had gone on alert too, getting the same niggling feeling I was. We may not have all served together but we easily communicated with our eyes.
There was a threat somewhere, but where the fuck was it?
And who was the target?
Bronson motioned with his head toward the table and I watched the others acknowledge by nodding back. The timing seemed to be with us because the song ended so usleading every one of our women to the table didn’t seem so abrupt.
Moving my hands to River’s hips, I gently pushed her back a touch so I could see in her eyes. “Let’s go sit down and grab a drink.”
I dropped my hands and held out a palm, letting her grab on and then I moved her in close to my side and pulled her with me toward the group that had all made their way there too. Once we were seated, I scanned the room again.
“What the hell is going on?” Teal asked, pulling my attention to everyone around the table.
Kace looked at his wife. “What do you mean, babe?”
“Don’tbabeme, I can see your protector goggles have dropped into place and you’re tense about something.”
“You all think you're so subtle, but we know you too well. I felt the moment something changed when we were dancing,” Brinley told her husband Rowan.
Gemma pointed at her man Bodie and then her brother Paxton. “Cough up what’s going on, both of you.”
The other ladies were nodding in agreement and I felt River’s eyes on me, so I turned to take in her reaction.
“You slightly tensed too out there on the dance floor. Is something wrong?” she asked.
Shit, I wouldn’t lie to her, but I didn’t want to worry her either. “Remember I told you before to always pay attention to your instincts and not dismiss it if you get a feeling? Well, I felt like someone was watching us.”
River frowned and my stomach dropped.
I went on to add, “But the feeling is gone, that’s the good news.”
Whatever had caused the creepy feeling to wash over me, may not be an issue anymore right then, but I wouldn’t dismiss that it had been there. Especially not when all the men had noticed.
All of a sudden, someone was clapping their hands and I turned to see Alley practically bouncing in her seat, her palms smacking together. “I’ve got a bat in the car. It’s been a long time since I got to use one.”
“Honey, I don’t think now's the time?—”
Landon didn’t get to finish because the laughter of all the ladies that erupted washed him out and echoed throughout the whole place.
“Let’s have a toast!” Ruby yelled, holding up her wine glass. All the women followed suit, Lake included, but her glass was full of grape juice due to her pregnancy. “To Alley, grabbing her bat and showing these men how we take care of things.”
Alley’s husband Landon was looking at his wife with a silly grin and face full of admiration. The girl was batshit crazy sometimes and he loved every bit of it.
All the other men were practically rolling their eyes, but they were every inch in love with their quirky women as I was mine.
Because I do love her.
All the ladies held up their glasses and leaned across the table to hover in the center, my girl included, to clink glasses and cheer, causing the other patrons to look our way.
