"Hold up. Scooters?" When she nodded, he shook his head. "That's not a good idea."
"He's taking me on a date." She propped her hands on her hips. "You said you'd be okay with us getting back together. This is the first step."
"But Daniel shouldn't go to Scooters or any other place that serves alcohol. The temptation will be too much for him."
She'd seen Daniel's hesitation when Brody invited them to jointhem at Scooter's, but when he insisted they should go after all, she assumed he figured he could handle it. "He's a lot stronger than everyone thinks. He needs the chance to prove that to himself."
"You might be right." Jake let out a sigh, but then he scowled and pointed a finger at her. "Keep a close eye on him. Get him out of there if it looks like he's struggling. The last thing we want is for him to relapse."
"I will." Because she was in such a good mood, Riley rocked up on her toes and planted a quick kiss on Jake's cheek even though they weren't the demonstrative type. "Don't be a worry wart." Then she headed to the door. "And don't wait up."
Daniel's wide eyes tracked her progress down the front steps, and Riley couldn't help the smile that covered her face. He was so stunned he almost forgot to get out and open the truck door for her. A faux pas that would have had his mother lecturing him.
"You look...incredible." The breathless quality of his voice made all the effort she'd gone to worth it.
"You don't look so bad yourself." She brushed an imaginary speck of lint from the chest of his smoky-gray button down. The red and white design across the shoulders made them look broader than ever. "You clean up quite nicely."
She caught a whiff of his woodsy cologne as she climbed into his truck. It was the one she gave him for Christmas years ago. She loved how it smelled on him.
They made casual conversation as they drove, but Riley couldn’t keep her mind from wandering.
A bond had been growing between them since that night at the cabin. One that became stronger every day. Her attraction to him had grown right along with it. She knew she could trust him in ways she couldn't trust other men. She trusted him to do more than hold her hand.
The idea of asking Daniel to kiss her to see if she could handle it had been playing in her mind all week, and she couldn't seem to shake it. She didn't want to.
Riley had ample opportunity during the lengthy drive to contemplateways to convince Daniel to kiss her. It was quickly becoming less of a desire to see if she could tolerate it, and more of something she wanted. Badly.
Riley tookDaniel's breath away. From her brilliant smile to her fancy boots, and from her dark wavy hair to her rhinestone-studded pockets.
She was stunning. The light in her eyes when she smiled reflected the old carefree Riley who enjoyed having a good time. He hoped he didn't do something to dim that light by the time the night was over.
The lengthy drive to Scooters out by the county line passed nuch too fast, with the knot that formed in his stomach when he told her he wanted to take her dancing growing the entire time.
Riley had no idea the turmoil raging inside him, and he wasn't about to tell her.
The moment they turned into the parking lot of Scooters, his throat went as dry as the Sahara, and the knot in his stomach clenched tighter. His grip on the steering wheel tightened as he searched for a parking spot.
As soon as he put the truck into park, Riley turned troubled eyes on him. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
No, but I want to make you happy.
He nodded instead of speaking because his tongue felt like it was made of sandpaper. Then he opened his door.
Riley's face still registered concern when she slid down from the truck seat. She grabbed his hand before he could even close her door. "If this becomes too much, say the word and we'll leave, okay?" When he didn't respond, she squeezed his hand. "Promise me you'll tell me if you need to leave."
"I promise." The words sounded flat around the dryness of his mouth. Determined to face and slay this demon, he repeated the words to the serenity prayer as he led her through the crowded parking lot to the front door of the dance hall and bar.
Daniel had expected an extreme thirst to hit him the moment he stepped through the door. What he didn't expect was the overwhelming sense of nostalgia the moment his gaze landed on the polished wooden dance floor in the center of the massive room. He couldn't count the number of hours he'd spent on that floor with Riley and Paige.
Upbeat country music accompanied by the tapping of boots, laughter, and even the clank of silverware and dishes filled the space. The smell of fried foods, grilled meats, and body odor permeated the air. But above it all, the pungent smell of hops and barley, and the fruity yet fermented scent of wine teased Daniel's senses.
His mouth watered. The sudden urge for a double shot of whiskey hit him like a semi-truck. He imagined the burn of alcohol sliding down his throat, warming him from the inside out.
Riley tugged his arm in the opposite direction of the bar. "Come on, I see a table near the back."
Even though alcohol was served on the restaurant side of Scooters as well, the smell of liquor decreased as the aroma of fried foods intensified.
Riley dropped into a chair. "Doesn't that greasy, fried food smell make your mouth water?"
