Page 82 of One Wild Chance

I take one step toward her. “Would you like to dance?”

“I’m dancing with her!” Blaine protests.

“Were dancing,” I correct him. “Around these parts, when a man asks to cut in, you step aside. Unless the lady says no.” I glance her way, desperately hoping she agrees, or else I’m the one who’ll look like a fool. “What do you say, Summer?”

That’s when Blaine steps between Summer and me. “I only got like, half a dance. How is that fair?”

“You want fair?” I say in a low voice. “I’ll show you fair, Blaine.”

“Guys!” Summer finally yells. “I’m not a horse to be fought over.”

Blaine and I both stare at her.

“I get to choose who I want to dance with next.” She swallows. “And I choose…Jaxon.”

I want to fist-pump the air, rubbing it in Blaine’s face. But I go full-on country gentleman instead, holding out my hand to her. “Will you have this dance, Miss Daniels?”

She bites back a smile. “It would be my pleasure, Mr. Chance.” She steps around Blaine to take my hand as the smell of lavender and jasmine wafts through the air—the same scent as her denim jacket—and it drives me wild.

Blaine’s jaw drops. “For the record, I get the next dance.”

“Buddy, that’s not happening in any universe she’s in,” I growl out.

Summer stifles a laugh as Blaine turns on his heel to storm away.

I slide one hand to the small of her back, the thrill of touching her driving my pulse into a frenzy. As her body folds into mine, my world tunnels down to her. The soft curve of her waist, the way her eyes shine like blue waters, and how her bare shoulders taunt me. I think of how I’d like to leave a line of kisses at the curve of her neck. Along her collarbone. Down the inside of her wrist. My heart bucks against my ribs, and I wonder how I’m going to keep it together during this dance.

I clear my throat. “Sorry for making a scene.”

“Are you actually sorry, Jaxon?” she asks, tightening one hand around my shoulder, sending a thunderbolt down my spine. “Because I’m guessing you’re thrilled to cut in on Blaine.”

I lift an amused brow. “Now why would you think that?”

“Oh, maybe it was the smug look on your face,” she says with a dry laugh.

“You’re right. I’m feeling obnoxiously smug about cutting in on Blaine.”

She laughs, then bites her lip. “Just for the record, I said no to a date with him.”

“You said no?” I ask.

She nods. “I didn’t want to give him false hope. Even if I thought about saying yes just to spite you.”

I laugh. “Why am I not surprised?”

She lifts a shoulder. “I can’t stand to lose to you.” She smiles up at me, and I have the strongest urge to run my thumb over her cheekbone, just to see if her skin’s as soft as it looks. She has no idea that I’m the one who’s already lost this fight.

“All I know is you didn’t look happy with him,” I murmur. “That was enough for me to step in.”

Her eyes find mine, uncertain, as the breeze catches a tendril of hair, brushing it against her cheek. I reach up slowly, giving her every chance to stop me, and tuck the strand behind her ear. “You look pretty tonight. With your hair down.”

She smooths her hand over it. “I don’t wear it down much. Not practical for farm work.”

“Well, I like it,” I say. “You should wear it down more often.”

She tilts her head. “You don’t have to say that just because we’re dancing.”

“I want to,” I reply, before I can stop myself. “You’re the most beautiful woman here, Summer.”