The beat dropped, a heavy hollow thud that vibrated through my teeth, and we all fell into the synchronized rhythm. On the count of four, every cowboy and cowgirl on that dance floor slammed their heels into the wood at the same time.
It sounded like a gunshot.
Colton was still learning the dance, but he was catching on shockingly quickly. He was even starting to put his hips into it, surprising me. When he caught me looking at him, he gave me a cheeky smile and exaggerated his hip movements.
I laughed and copied his over-the-top moves.
In high school, of course, I had shaken and shimmied allover this floor. I wanted to be rebellious, cause some trouble, and dare anyone to tell me what to do.
I shoved that version of myself in the old cardboard box with my cowgirl boots, but how I longed for her confidence.
With every beat of the song, I could feel that carefree energy creeping back into my body.
Or maybe it was just the ease of being around Colton’s infectious happiness.
By the third round, Colton had caught on and was perfecting the dance. He was jumping, clapping, and kicking at all the right moments. I was doing my best to pretend that no one was watching us dance, andlet loose. My hair was flying around my head, my dress whipping my thighs at each spin. I shot a look over my shoulder at Colton and even winked!
Me!
We spun around, and this time, I was facing Colton’s back. His hair was barely hanging out from under his hat, but the loose curls were swinging around as much as he was. He was still twisting his hips as he stepped to the beat.
We gravitated to the right, and as we twisted back around, he let out a big, “YEE-HAW,” which was met with a gracious “YEE-HAW” from the rest of the crowd. His confidence reminded me he wasn’t just a cowboy; he was a pro athlete who knew exactly how to command a room.
I laughed out loud and whipped my hair up dramatically. Colton raised his eyebrows, and I did my best not to blush.
And it was over, just like that.
The audience gave a thunderous applause. I turned my gaze to Colton, who took off his hat and bowed dramatically, the same excited smile on his face he wore after a ride.
He was born to be in front of a crowd. Once he had soaked in the applause, he turned to me and laughed. “That was so much fun.”
I nodded. I forgot how much I had loveddancing.
“Wow, you’re, like, really good.”
Colton and I whipped around to see an incredibly gorgeous girl fighting for his attention. Long hair that hung down her back, enough makeup to be in a beauty pageant, and a long V-neck shirt that didn’t leave very much to the imagination.
“Thank you, ma’am,” Colton said kindly.
“I hope you save a swing dance for me,” she said, crossing her arms under her chest to make her boobs look even bigger.
Colton’s arm swung around me and pulled me close to his warm body. “Actually, I’ve got a dance partner, butthank you.”
She glared down at me and turned on her heel to leave.
“Are you hungry?” He asked, having to lean down over the chatter in the crowd.
“Yes,” I said, relief flooding my body. There was no way Colton would’ve just ditched me in the middle of our date, but I hadn’t realized how grateful I was he hadn’t until she left. “Let’s eat.”
There was no question that Colton was insanely handsome. He turned heads everywhere he went, so to have himpickme, even after I had almost ruined everything, made me feel incredibly special.
He kept his arm slung around my shoulders, and I reached up to lace my fingers in his. I felt comfortable under his strong presence. He led me as far away from the dance floor as he couldand only released me to pull out the chair for me.
“Can I buy you a steak?” Colton asked as he scanned through the menu, his face covered by his looming cowboy hat. “The reviews online all talk about how insane they are.”
I hadn’t had a good steak in a long time, and suddenly my mouth was watering like I hadn’t eaten in days. “I would love a steak as long as you’ll let me pay.”
He looked up sharply. “What kind of man would let his date pay for her own steak?”
