Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23544 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 94(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23544 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 94(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
“There are no other women.”
Her chin draws back to her neck. “Really?”
“Yep.”
“Well, let’s say, hypothetically, there was…” She trails off and damn, she’s cute. “Ok, let’s say a woman was curious, would you… control her?”
“Hypothetically speaking, if she wanted it.”
She chews her bottom lip like she’s contemplating what letting me control her would be like. Would feel like. “What if she didn’t want you to control her?”
“Oh, but it will feel so good for her when I do.”
She brings the glass of water to her neck, most likely to cool off. “How good?”
Fuck. I want to show her how good I can make her feel. “If you let me, I could make you feel incredibly good.”
She shivers at my words, but her lips say something different from her body. “Oh, well, I didn’t mean me. I, uh, meant a hypothetical woman.”
“You sure about that?”
Ice cubes clink against the glass as she sets it down with a shaky hand. “I have to get back.” As she walks away, she glances over her shoulder with a saucy smile. “You really should get out here. I can teach you a few things.”
I’d follow this woman anywhere, and that thought has me tossing cash for the bartender and standing up. Challenge accepted.
Line dancing is the last fucking thing I thought I’d be doing when I hopped on my bike this morning, but here I am on the dance floor, hanging in the back of the crowd, waiting for direction from Dakota.
The honkey-tonk music booms from the speakers, and she grabs the microphone. “This one’s an easy one, folks. You’ll do two steps to the left”—we all shuffle our feet like hers—“and two steps to the right.”
She demonstrates the steps for the rest of the song, and I’ve already lost track and just kind of move back and forth with hope no one notices me back here.
No such luck.
Dakota sets her microphone down and joins me in the last row. “Follow me,” she says, grabbing my hand to show me the moves.
We dance, and I haven’t felt this lighthearted in who knows how long. My nights are usually spent drinking myself into a coma, so I can forget the way my father was slaughtered in his sleep. Dakota whirls around me, casting a magic spell, and I try not to weigh myself down with heavy thoughts. I have all week to deal with revenge.
Dakota has nearly abandoned her class as she teaches me how to do the dances. She giggles a time or two, and I find myself addicted to the carefree sound. Before long, the music switches to another song, and most of the students do their own thing.
“I think you’re supposed to be teaching.”
She glances around before shrugging. “Nah, they’re having fun. Why bother?”
“Can I buy you a soda?”
She beams. “No, I’m fine. But I would like to know a few things about you.”
We find a nearby table close to the bar. I order us two waters and we take a seat. “Ask away,” I tell her.
“How long are you in town? What brings you to Harmony?” She rapidly fires the questions out like I’ll disappear if she pauses.
I chuckle. “I’m staying at your inn for the night, and tomorrow I’ll meet up with some friends. Not sure how long I’ll be here. I’m in town on…” I don’t know what to say here, so I go with, “business.”
“Oh, that’s nice.” She takes a sip of water. “What do you do?”
“We have a ranch in Diamond. Breaking horses, etcetera.” The etcetera encompasses a lot of things I can’t discuss with her and thankfully, she doesn’t ask me to elaborate and listens thoughtfully as I explain my role in the motorcycle club.
“So, you’re the president, huh?” She trails a fingertip through the dew on her glass. “Sounds important.”
“A little.” I grin. “What about you? What’s your story?” Drawn to her like a magnet, I lean closer. Her scent reminds me of fragrant honeysuckles perfuming the air on a relaxing ride in open country.
“My story?”
“Yeah, you like working at the Harmony Inn?”
Her gaze drops to the table. “I like it for the most part. I mean, it’s a job.” She looks disappointed, like she wants to say more.
“And?”
She shifts in her seat. “Well, ok, for example, I have so many new ideas. Ways to increase revenue. But Hank wants nothing to do with any of it. He’s happy with the way things are going.”
“I take it he’s the owner?”
“Yeah.” Dakota sighs and it makes me want to take the burden from her shoulders and put it on mine. “This might not be an ideal situation with Hank, but it’s a stepping stone.”
“Stepping stone to where?”
She tilts her head, thinking. “I’m not really sure.”
Every part of me wants to leave here with this woman on my arm, but something tells me Dakota isn’t that type of girl. She’s not the one-night-of-hot-smoldering-passion type of girl. I guess I need to change her mind about that.