“No!” I pulled him closer to me, a pout drawing on my mouth. “I’m sorry.”
His smile vanished, a seriousness washing over him like a rogue wave. The shift in his demeanor was so quick it left me breathless. He tightened his grip on my waist, his other hand moving to tilt my chin up, forcing me to meet his gaze. “No, I’m the one who’s sorry.”
“For what?” I asked, my heart thumping so hard in my chest I could barely talk, let alone breathe.
“For bein’ an idiot.” He claimed my mouth in another soul-stopping kiss. One that stole the air from my lungs and made my nerves tingle. Dear Lord, if he kissed this good, I could only imagine what else he could do.
“All’s forgiven, cowboy,” I murmured against his lips. “Now let’s go dance.”
He groaned, even as a ghost of a grin warred with the shadows lingering on his face.
Chapter seven
Spin You Around
Maverick
The bar all butswam with people, the dance floor a sea of bodies two stepping and twirling to a fast, thumping beat that rivaled that of my heart. Cheyenne all but bounced beside me, flashing me questioning glances every couple minutes.
She finally turned on me with a sigh, her hands coming to rest on her hips. “Ugh, come on, Maverick. It’s been like five songs.” Her lips drew down into a pout, those turquoise eyes filled with challenge. “You’rethe one who askedmeto dance, remember?”
My lips tugged up slightly in the corners. She was a demanding little thing. Fiery. Feisty. Completely opposite of me.
But she was right. Ihadasked her to dance. It’s just…well, there were just too many people. I’d had a moment of temporary insanity, and, like a damn fool, asked her to do the one thing I hated most.Why?
Hell, I was still trying to figure that out.
“They’re all too fast. I said a slow one,” I grumbled.
She rolled her eyes, even as her lips pulled up into a smirk. “You’re so difficult.”
I shrugged, making her shake her head as she grabbed a shot of Crown off the tabletop and brought it to her lips before tossing it back and slamming it down. A grimace marred her features a moment.
I’d never understand why anyone would willingly drink something that obviously tasted so horrible.
The song ended, Morgan Wallen’s “Spin You Around” replacing it. Cheyenne’s gaze lit up like a firework on the Fourth of July, a smile brighter than the sun curving her lips.
“Ooh! Well, would you look at that, cowboy? Ask and you shall receive. It’s time to dance.”
She slipped her hand in mine, all but dragging me toward the dance floor. I didn’t have a choice but to follow. She was a beacon of light, a ray of sunshine, and I found myself drawn to her.
My feet felt like they’d been coated in cement or lead, each step heavy, unnatural. But not her. She all but floated around me, leading me through the motions in a way that made me feel like I wasn’t a complete idiot… But then I looked around.
People watched us. Correction—her. They watched her, because who could resist? I’d only ever met a few people in my life who held such a grand presence—her and Cash being among them. A part of me envied them, for the ease and confidence with which they held themselves. But that would be too much attention for me. Even now, with all these eyes on us, my pulse raced. A weight settled on me, making my chest constrict. My stomach clenched in knots, my nerves coiling tighter and tighter.
PTSD was a real bitch. I never knew when it was going to rear its ugly head. When it would pop up out of nowhere and ruin my time. There wasn’t much that could stop it though once it came around. Every inch of me, from the top of my head to the tips of my toes, tingled as a wave of heat made its way through me. Sound warped and wobbled, the music all but disappearing as my pulse thrummed in my ears. My breathing shallowed, making it hard to get in a deep breath.
Fuck.
Every inch of me screamed to run, to get the hell out of there and away from everyone’s gaze. My movements slowed, damn near stopping completely.
“Hey.” Cheyenne’s smokey voice sounded far away as it tried to cut through the chaos in my mind. “Maverick. Hey, look at me.”
Warm hands snaked up my chest and wrapped around my neck. It was enough to dispel the cloud of panic cloying for dominance in my mind. I inhaled sharply, the sweet, citrusy scent of her grounding me a bit. My hands trembled as I held her.
Those gemstone eyes of her swam with understanding. She placed a soft, tentative kiss to my lips. “Don’t worry about everyone else right now. It’s just you and me, okay?” She began swaying to the music once more, and it was then I realized sound had returned to normal.
“Sorry,” I muttered, my gaze falling to my boots in shame.
