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That he understood. He had no intention of isolating Alaina. No intention of keeping her separate. That wasn’t what he wanted for her at all.
She was too beautiful for that. Too perfect. And if that was all she was going to get from him, then...he would be better off letting her go.
“Fine. Point taken. What time is dancing happening?”
“Heading out at eight,” Hunter said. “See you there.”
He took his phone out of his pocket and texted Alaina.Dancing tonight?
A few minutes later she responded.Okay.
He was surprised by how satisfying that was.
He had a date. With his wife.
SHEDIDN’TKNOWwhat to wear. How silly was that? She remembered when Elsie had borrowed some stuff so they could go out and try to pick up guys. She didn’t need to pick up a guy. She had a guy. And she was the one that had flirty dresses. It was just that it... She wore them in front of Gus all the time and she wanted something special. Because they were going out together. Because she was proud to be on his arm. He never did that. Never went to Smokey’s with everyone else. But he wanted to go with her.
She found what she thought was the sexiest dress she had, and critically eyed her growing baby bump. Her chest had filled out a little bit more, along with the belly, so it seemed to add a little bit of balance. And anyway, Gus certainly hadn’t complained. She put makeup on, fluffing her hair and eyeing herself critically. And then when she went downstairs, Gus was standing there, wearing black jeans, a black T-shirt and a black cowboy hat, and every bad boy fantasy she’d never known she had roared to life inside of her. He looked dangerous.
He looked wonderful.
“Well, don’t you look amazing.”
“Me?” he asked, looking incredulous.
He was looking at her like she was special, and it made her whole chest feel like it was burning bright.
“Yeah,” she said. “You. You know...you are an incredibly handsome man.”
“Now, don’t go lying to me,” he said, crossing the space and extending his hand.
She took it, and he began to lead her out of the living room.
“I’m not lying.”
“Okay,” he said slowly, “sexy I’ve heard. But not handsome. They are not the same thing.”
“You are, Gus.”
“I’m not fishing for compliments. I’m just saying.”
And she really wished that she could make him understand. How she saw things differently now. The way she saw him differently now. How her concept of beauty felt different now.
They walked out of the house and to his truck, and he opened the door for her. She stretched up on her toes and kissed his cheek. “Handsome.”
“Get in the car, mite.”
She obeyed, that old nickname mingling with the new way they were together sending sparks all up inside of her.
It was a short drive off the ranch and down to Smokey’s Tavern, and she had a strange sensation crawl up her spine. Because she hadn’t been here since the night she had hooked up with Travis. But it wasn’t really him that she remembered. Not now. What she remembered was Gus being there. What she remembered was him being there for her. The way that he always was.
“It’s crowded tonight,” she said.
“And how,” he said.
He parked, on the edge of the lot, half the tires on the gravel, because there was no room. Inside was packed. Loud, full of honky-tonk music and people drinking beer. Dancing and flirting.
She’d found the scene exciting just a few months ago. Had seen it as her window into being taken seriously in town as a grown-up.
