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Her gaze moved over to Brody, similarly attired, including the hat that rested on the top of his head. He thought his bruised face gave him a rakish appearance. His hat was pulled low over his forehead, somewhat hiding his gaze from hers, which was probably a good thing. If she could have guessed what he was thinking, she would have been scared out of her britches. Which, come to think of it, didn’t sound like a bad idea.
“You guys ready to go?” John asked, extending his arm to Elizabeth. She took hold of it with a smile and tapped the front of his hat. “You feel like riding with me, cowboy?”
“Why, yes, ma’am. I would be honored.” He followed her out to the car and opened the door for her. She slid in and he went around to the passenger’s side. John didn’t like riding shotgun, but his cast still prevented him from driving.
“Try not to muss her up too much, Brody,” Liz called from the open car window as they pulled away.
Lou licked her lips as Brody approached slowly. He lifted a lock of her hair and rubbed it between his fingers, regarding her from beneath lowered lashes. She licked her lips and fidgeted as his eyes surveyed her from head to toe again. She took a deep breath, her jaw quivering slightly. “You look amazing,” he breathed. “Any chance I could talk you into just staying home?” he asked as his mouth rested on her bare shoulder.
“And miss my very first date ever?” Lou asked. Was she excited about tonight? “This is a date, right?” Yes, she was excited.
Brody remembered their discussion at the hospital when they had first met. She had confessed that, even at her age, she had never been on a real date. She looked a little let down that he would even suggest staying home, and he realized that she was anticipating the evening for more than just the thought of going out and having a good time. She was creating a memory. A first date. And he got to be her lucky beau with whom she would s
hare it.
He suddenly sobered. “Yes, ma’am. This is one hundred percent a real date.” He held his arm out to her in the same manner that John had with Elizabeth.
They walked out to the Jeep together and Brody held open the door for her. She slid into the seat, unaware that she was showing a good bit of the creamy skin of her inner thigh as she did so. Brody looked away and caught his lower lip between his teeth, biting hard to take his thoughts off Lou’s thighs. Damn, but he was in for a long night.
Chapter Twenty
Walking into The Pour House took Lou back to the days when she would visit the strip clubs with her mother. She had to wait back in the fitting rooms and entertain herself with games and other activities while her mother danced. Sometimes, though, she would peek out at the crowd when no one was looking.
This club had the same kind of atmosphere but it didn’t feel dirty in the least. Ladies stomped across the dance floor in their cowboy boots, their men trailing close behind. People told loud stories while sitting on tall stools around even taller tables. They held drinks in one hand, peanuts in the other. Women smacked their gum and men tried to outdo one another.
Lou stepped across the threshold and felt Brody’s hand slip into hers. She raised her gaze and smiled into his eyes. Her sandals crunched across peanut shells spread around the floor.
Brody pointed out John and Liz seated at one of the tall tables. They had saved seats for them both. Lou sat down next to Liz and smiled tentatively, not quite sure what to do with her hands.
“Why don’t you go and get her a drink to hold on to, Brody?” Liz shook her own glass in his direction and chinked the ice cubes around. “Grab me another while you’re at it, won’t you?”
Brody looked at Lou. “Do you want water? Soft drink?”
Liz broke in. “Hell no, she doesn’t want water or a soft drink,” she said with a smile.
“Lou?” he asked.
“Just get me whatever you’re having,” she said quietly to Brody.
“I’m driving,” Brody said. “But I’ll get something you’ll like.”
“Hey,” John said, tipping his own bottle up. “Don’t forget about me.” He set the empty beer bottle on the table.
“Who could forget about you?” Brody muttered as he walked away.
Liz immediately scooted closer to Lou. Lou leaned over and spoke in her ear. “Is he here yet?” she asked, wondering if the object of Liz’s affection had arrived.
She nodded. “Yeah.” She pointed with her eyes to the man sitting two tables away. Lou turned to look in his direction. “Don’t look!” she yelped in Lou’s ear. “Or he’s going to see you.”
Lou laughed, feeling like she was back in high school. “Is he alone?”
“He had better be,” was Liz’s only response.
Brody came back to the table carrying one drink in a glass with ice and three beers. He passed them out and took a seat beside Lou, dropping one arm around her shoulders.
Lou heard the twangy sound of country music as the song changed and the sound of the footsteps on the dance floor took on a new beat. She tapped her foot in rhythm with the song. She lifted the beer to her lips and felt the cool glass as it pressed against them. The bitter liquid poured over her tongue and she grimaced. Liz reached into her own glass, plucked out a lemon wedge, and forced it into the rim of the bottle.
“There. Now try it.” She encouraged Lou to raise the bottle again.
