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“You’re welcome for the dance, Tripp,” she called over her shoulder, giving me a half-wave as she strode out the door.
My eyes stayed glued to her hips as they swayed in those damn jeans, each step hypnotizing me. She was like a siren, drawing me in with every movement, and I knew right then and there I wasn’t letting this one go.
Normally, I didn’t like the chase. But for Eleanor? I’d chase until my legs gave out and I was forced to crawl.
Chapter 3
Colton
FUCK IT.
Clearly, she was from out of town, which meant this was my only shot. Most people who stopped in Lucky Lake, Montana, were just passing through. With one stoplight and little more than a diner, a bar, and the occasional cattle auction, there wasn’t much to keep anyone here. Well, except for my ranch on the outskirts of town. But I’d been holed up there the last few days and didn’t recognize her as a guest. Trust me, I would’ve remembered.
I tossed back the last sip of my drink, the burn flooding my throat, and bolted for the door into the crisp Montana night. I scanned the parking lot, heart racing, desperate to catch sight of her before she disappeared for good.
Rejection wasn’t something I was used to, and my bruised ego only fueled my determination. Maybe if I’d used my real name, she would’ve thought twice before turning me down. But that wasn’t how I played this game. I had an alter ego for nights like this—a way to test my appeal without the weight of my bank account tipping the scales. Most women didn’t know my face, and I made damn sure it stayed that way by avoiding the social media circus. Privacy was priceless.
Under the dim glow of the single parking lot lamp, I spotted her fumbling with the keys to a black sedan. My pulse quickened. This was it, my last chance. I broke into a jog, closing the distance as quickly as I could.
“Whoa, hold up!” I called, my voice cutting through the quiet night.
She didn’t flinch. Her focus stayed locked on the car door, but I knew she heard me. There was no way in hell she didn’t.
“Eleanor,” I tried again, louder this time, my boots crunching against the gravel as I jogged closer.
She finally turned, her hand still gripping the car door handle. Her eyes flicked to mine, a mixture of annoyance and curiosity flashing in them. “Are you stalking me?”
I came to a halt a few feet away, holding up my hands in mock surrender. “Not stalking, just...pursuing. There's a difference.”
She raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Pretty sure both are equally creepy when a guy yells at you in a dark parking lot.”
I couldn’t help but grin. She had bite.
“Fair point,” I admitted. “But to be honest, I’m not usually the one chasing. You caught me off guard back there.”
“By walking away?” she quipped, crossing her arms over her chest.
“By not giving in,” I countered. “That’s usually how these things go.”
She let out a dry laugh, leaning back against the car. “Let me guess. You’re not used to hearing no?”
“Not from someone who obviously should’ve said yes.”
Her jaw dropped slightly, and a flicker of amusement sparked behind her glare. She shook her head, muttering something under her breath I couldn’t quite catch.
Our bodies had just been one on the dance floor, the tension between us so thick it felt like it could have snapped at any second. And then, just like that, she’d switched gears, pulling away as if nothing had happened.
But I wasn’t about to let her brush me off that easily.
I stepped closer, pinning her against the driver’s door. Her confident facade faltered ever so slightly, and that tiny crack was all the encouragement I needed. She hadn’t told me to back off—hadn’t said no—and her body language spoke volumes. There was heat in her eyes, a hunger that mirrored my own, even if her lips wouldn’t admit it.
The way her gaze swept over me, slow and deliberate, with the faintest curve of a smirk, stoked the fire inside me. She was testing me, daring me, and I’d never been one to back down from a challenge.
“Come on,” I murmured, closing the space between us even more, leaving us a breath apart. “Let me make good on my promise from inside. You can’t tell me you’re not a little curious.”
Her breath hitched—a subtle sound, but I caught it. She was stubborn as hell, and I knew she’d never give me the satisfaction of admitting how much she wanted me. But I could feel it in the way her body responded, the way her pulse fluttered in the hollow of her throat. She was on the edge, teetering, and I wanted nothing more than to pull her over with me.
Eleanor’s hand reached up, landing on my side. Her touch sent my head into a spiral. The air between us was electric, charged with unspoken tension.
