She smiles, wide and genuine, and not for the first time since she came home from New York, I’m truly glad she’s back where she belongs.“Go get your girl.”
I screw up my features and stand.“She’s not my girl.She’s not my anything.”
“Bullshit,” Colt says as he feigns a coughing fit.
“Come to think of it, maybe I’ll ask Daisy to dance,” Cash says.
“If you wanna father children someday, you’ll stay seated right where you are,” I say menacingly, and then I cross the room.I signal Alexis for another and angle my body so I’m leaning up against the bar with a view of the dance floor while I wait.Alexis serves a few more customers and then pulls a cold one from the fridge, pops off the cap, her tits bouncing as she does.I avert my eyes, because my mama raised me right, but sometimes I wish she hadn’t.She places the beer down in front of me with a cheeky smile.“Well, if it ain’t my favorite Winchester.”
I nod and pick up the beer, but her hand encircles mine and she glides our joined fingers up the outside of the cold bottle, condensation sliding over my skin.
“Alexis,” I warn.
Her smile is bright and full of mischief.“It’s been a while since you and I have had any time to visit, West.”
“Yep, I reckon it has.”
“I get off at midnight.”
“That’s nice, but you won’t be getting off with me.”
She pouts and I wrestle the beer free of her grasp and bring it to my lips, taking a long pull.Cold amber slides down my throat and I glance across the room, seeking out the only woman I want to get off with.Daisy’s gaze locks with mine.She was watching that exchange.Her lips flatten into a tight line, and her cheeks are pink with heat.Is she jealous?I chuckle to myself.If this woman only knew how I’d give up everything just to hold her and never let go.For a heartbeat, I just watch her, milky skin and flowing blonde hair, and those pretty brown eyes staring back at me with something akin to hurt in them.I set my unfinished beer back on the bar and storm across the room.“You about ready to get out of here?”
“You haven’t danced with me yet, cowboy.”
“Don’t dance,” I say gruffly, because I’m fighting like hell not to just kiss her in front of everyone.“Especially don’t dance in front of the whole town.”
She swallows hard, and her cheeks pink up even more, but she nods and lowers her gaze.Was that hurt in her eyes?Well, shit.I didn’t mean that I was embarrassed to dance with her, just that if I touch her, I won’t be able to keep from kissing her, and I don’t want the town gossips to have a front row seat.
Daisy gives me a tight smile.“I should probably get home anyway and relieve your mama.God knows Waylon has probably worn her out by now.”
“Come on, I’ll run you.”
“Just give me a minute to say goodnight to everyone.”
“Sure.”I slip back to the bar and pay our tab, and then I head back to the group and lean down to whisper in Daisy’s ear, “You ready for me?”
Fuck.I don’t even know why I worded it that way.I don’t know what the hell is wrong with me.It’s not like I haven’t spent months fantasizing about Daisy-Mae beneath me, but it’s like Lemon got right inside my brain and cleaved it open for the world to see, and now I can’t hide how I feel any more.Not that I was really doing a bang up job of it anyway.
“Yeah,” she says—and, is it just me, or was that reply breathier than usual?Daisy turns on her heel and squeezes through the throng of people, but I’m busy glaring at my baby sister who’s waggling her eyebrows up and down and making lewd gestures with her hands like a fucking teenager.Colt whispers in her ear, and her jaw drops as he nuzzles in against her neck, and it seems I’m all but forgotten.Gross.
Daisy-Mae is already edging her way through the throng of dancing bodies.I fall into step behind her and press my palm to the small of her back as I lead her outside to my truck.
I open the door for her, and she climbs in, offering up that sweet smile as thanks.Once she has fastened her belt, I shut the door and move around the truck, discretely adjusting my cock which is thickening in my Wranglers.
We don’t say much on the way home and when I pull up to my house, I find I want to keep her in my truck just a little longer.I shut off the engine and listen to the sharp tick of it cooling, as the cicadas’ shrill cries drown out the silence.
“Did you have fun tonight?”
“I did.I mean, I spent almost every second checking my phone and texting Mama, until Lemon took it off me, that is.”She smacks her forehead.“Oh shoot.I forgot to get it back.”
Hearing her call my mother “mama” makes my chest ache.A few months ago, I never thought it was possible to love two people this much, but I want her at my family table, I want her calling my mama that not because she insisted, but because it’s true.I want Daisy and Waylon to stay, I want them in my home forever like I’ve never wanted anything.
“I’ll go get it once they’re back.”
“Oh, no.That’s okay.I’m sure I’ll see her tomorrow at breakfast.I don’t want you to have to make a trip over there just for me.”
“I don’t mind.”
