Alex wasn’t a bad guy, by any means, but it was obvious that Elle wasn’t digging him as much as she was pretending to. The chemistry between her and Braden the other night had been off the charts. She held Alex’s hand, but she might as well have been on the other side of the room. Her eyes kept going up to the loft where Bradenstood.
“Well, we should head on up to see everyone. Catch you later, Travis,” Elle said, leading Alex toward the loft. I watched them go, my eyes raising to the railing. Becky was no longer leaning against it. She’d taken several steps back and was resting against one of the wooden beams that supported the roof, engaged in a conversation withTessa.
I did my best to keep moving through the crowd quickly, but several more people stopped to talk to me. They were buzzing from the concert still, amped up and excited to talk to me and snap pictures with me. These were the people who got me where I was, and I couldn’t blow them off…even if I wantedto.
Finally, after what seemed like hours later, I was able to break away from the adoring townsfolk. I passed Brock and Tessa on the dance floor, completely enthralled with each other. It didn’t look like they’d be staying for much longer. Chuckling, I made it up to theloft.
Becky was still leaning against the wooden support beam, a drink in her hand that she occasionally sipped from while watching the people dancingbelow.
She wore brown cowgirl boots, a denim jacket and a sundress, the white lace falling just above her kneecaps. Her dark hair was pulled up in a high ponytail, with soft curls falling just above her shoulder blades. Her outfit was cute and classy, and it made the lust stir acutely in myveins.
“Do you want to dance?” I asked, startling her from herthoughts.
“Travis,” she sighed, her tone one ofwarning.
“Come on Becs, one little dance won’t hurt. Bet it’d be a lot more fun than just leaning against that beam. We’re friends, aren’t we?” Her eyes darted back to the dance floor. I followed her gaze, watching as Brock led Tessa through the throngs of dancers and out the door. I had a feeling they wouldn’t be comingback.
She looked back at me and bit her lip, debating as her blue eyes searched mine. She could tell that I wasn’t going to so easily give up—especially with both of her brothers gone. Sighing, she tossed back her drink and set it on the bar. “Alright, fine. Just onedance.”
I took her hand and she allowed me to walk her down the loft stairs to the dance floor just as The Zac Brown Band came on withWhatever ItIs.
Gently, I placed my hands on her hips and pulled her toward me. She reached up, encircling my neck, her hands resting between my shoulder blades. She kept her back straight and a respectable distance between the two of us. Her eyes skirted across the crowded dance floornervously.
“What’s wrong?” Iasked.
“Nothing,” she said, biting her lip, the white of her tooth sinking in to the natural pink flesh. I brought my thumb up, freeing it. “People arestaring.”
“People always stare, there’s nothing else to do in this town,” I pointed out. She laughed reluctantly, her eyes softening as she looked atme.
I could very well lose myself for hours in her eyes, but she looked away. For the rest of the song, her head rested against my chest. I didn’t ever want to let her go, but when the song ended…I had nochoice.
“Thanks for the dance, Travis. I’ll see you around,” she told me, pulling out of my embrace. I reached out, my fingers brushing against the back of her hand. She paused, looking down at our hands before glancing back atme.
I wanted to tell her that I missed her; that I wanted a chance to prove to her that what we had between us was real and deserved a chance, but Ichoked.
“It was good seeing you again, Becs,” I said instead. She bit her lip, nodding at me before disappearing into thecrowd.
Becky
“Oh good!Braden and Elle just pulled up,” Tessa called out the nextafternoon.
“Braden and Elle? As in... together?” I asked, raising my head to glance at her. She was staring out the open screen door, but she turned to look at me over her shoulder. Her honey coloured hair was pulled into a long, somewhat messy braid that hung thickly down herback.
“Yes, together. I may have sent him to fetch her,” she answered, a mischievous glint in her eyes and a wicked little smile on herface.
I opened my mouth, but before I could ask what her motives were, the screen door was already slamming behind her. It didn’t really matter, I sort ofknewwhat her motiveswere.
Although she didn’t say as much, Tessa kept throwing Braden and Elle together, as if she hoped they’d work out their differences. I adored Elle, having gotten to know her when she was dating Braden and almost a permanent fixture in our house. She used to be great for Braden, but that wasthen.
Now she was seeing another guy, and the last thing I wanted was for my brother to get hurt again. Braden didn’t handle hurtwell.
Neither one of usdid.
Pushing the overbearing, protective big sister thoughts aside, I continued laying out the bread for sandwiches on Brock’s wooden cuttingboard.
Nervous anticipation danced in the pit of my belly as sounds from out front drifted into the kitchen. It was the calm before the storm; Travis would be joining us at anymoment.
Aiden was the only child within the group, as Katie and Ben had a birthday party to attend for Katie’s niece, and it looked like I would be the only single person, unless Travis came without his groupies. I almost hoped he would bring someone, ridding me of the temptation I felt when around him. After the dance we shared the night before, I was having an even harder time sticking to my resolve to end ourarrangement.
