Page 23 of Spurred On

“He told me to keep my distance or he’d break my kneecaps.”

Something swirled through her, she wasn’t sure if it was fury or some kind of bizarre delight. “Did he?”

Mr. Green’s Adam’s apple worked. “He, um, did.”

“Well, isn’t that special.” She couldn’t help but grin. “Will you excuse me for a moment?” she asked.

Mr. Green nearly collapsed in relief. “Sure.”

Sidney tossed her napkin onto the table. “I’ll be right back,” she said and headed for the stage.

***

Cody saw her coming and couldn’t still the trill of excitement in his gut. He ignored his brother’s smirk, but couldn’t help noticing that Cade gave her a wide berth. In fact, when she bounded up the stairs, Cade slipped off the stage altogether, giving the two of them a modicum of privacy. More when she took his arm and yanked him behind the curtains.

He was pretty sure she was going to kiss him.

Until she snarled and said, “What the hell were you thinking?”

What was he thinking? He was thinking she was going to kiss him. But, yeah, given her snarl, probably not.

“About what?” That he had to ask seemed to infuriate her more.

“Warning him off.”

“Who?” He knew damn well who.

“Mr. Green.”

He gulped. “Do you . . . like him?”

“What?”

“Do you like him? He is . . . good-looking, I guess.”

He didn’t expect her to smack him. Or maybe he did, because he’d braced himself for it.

“That is hardly the point. You didn’t need to scare him like that.”

He set his teeth. “Didn’t I?”

“He’s just a dancer.”

“He was touching you.” He couldn’t help leaning in, dominating her space, breathing her scent.

“People touch each other.”

Her declaration made his nerves fizzle. “Goddamn it. I’m tired of watching you flirt with all those men.”

“Hardly flirting.”

“You were flirting with Logan.”

“What? When?”

“On the hayride. I was watching you.”

“I wasn’t flirting.”