Page 29 of Home to the Cowboy

She got up quickly. A distraction was just what she needed. “Yes. Thank you.”

Chapter Ten

Dylan immediately noticed June’s empty chair as he approached the table with their drinks in his hands.

“Nash Johnson,” Willow chuckled. “He pounced the moment you left the table.”

Gnashing his teeth, Dylan sat down. What the hell?

“So, Mom,” Willow was saying. “Tell us about your friend, Jeff.”

Arlene put the glass of wine in her hand down. “There’s not much to tell. We knew each other way back when. It was nice to see him again.”

“Come on, Mom,” Hayden said giving Willow a warning look, “let’s dance.”

“So your mother has never spoken about the fight?” asked Carson after Arlene had left with Hayden.

“Never,” said Becket. “She always said if our dad wanted us to know about it, he’d tell us. He never did.”

“Neither did our dad,” said Dylan. “Jeff mentioned they both liked the same pretty girl. Maybe the fight was about her.”

“A more urgent matter,” Cooper said, “is that the music has changed and Nash is still dancing with June.”

Dylan shrugged as he got up. “If that’s what she chooses, there’s not much I can do about it. Anyone else wants a drink?”

*

When the music changed again, June quickly dropped her hands. “Thank you, I want to get back to my table now.”

“What about another dance?”

Not answering him, she made her way to the table. Why she’d thought dancing with someone else would stop her thoughts from turning to Dylan she had no idea.

He wasn’t at the table, though.

Leaning closer, Willow winked. “Our Dylan is a bit upset.”

Frowning, June looked around to see where he was. “Why?”

“Why do you think? He’s over at the bar.” Willow motioned with her head.

Sighing, June grabbed her bag before making her way through the tables to where she’d spotted Dylan. She wanted to visit the bathroom as well. He was standing with his back turned to the festivities. Slipping a hand through his arm, she leaned her head against it.

For a few moments, he was quiet. “You done dancing with Johnson?”

She nodded. “I’m a bit freaked out if I’m honest. I’ve never felt what I feel when you kiss me. I’ve read about stars exploding, one’s world rocking, and your blood reaching boiling point, but I’ve never experienced any of that before. It was a myth, I’ve decided. Things like that don’t really happen in the real world.” Inhaling deeply, she turned to him. “Until you kissed me.”

“Damn it, woman,” Dylan growled and gripping her hand, he pulled her behind him toward the exit.

“Dylan, what …?”

But ignoring her, he lengthened his strides, forcing her to do the same. In the foyer, she grabbed his arm. “I can’t walk this fast in the heels I’m wearing …”

Before she’d finished her sentence, he’d picked her up in his arms as if she weighed nothing. Nudging the doors of the hotel open with his shoulder, he walked outside.

“Dylan, what …?”

“Do you have any idea,” he said, his breath coming in gasps, “what your words just did to me?”