He’s right. Isn’t that what your counselor told you too? You’ll know when you’re ready.
“Fine. Fuck.” He exhaled. “What if—”
“She says no?” Tobin inserted. “You’re more worried she’s gonna say yes. Here’s the tough love. Either you take her out, or I’ll set the Mud Lilies on the hunt for your first post-Danica date. They’ve wanted to play matchmaker for you for years but Jade has held them off.”
He sent his brother a death glare. “You wouldn’t.”
“I will with absolute fuckin’ glee. You’ve got one week, bro, or I’m bringing in the big guns. Literally. Them ladies have an arsenal and you can bet they’d use them to scare up some interesting date options for you.”
“You’re such an asshole.”
“And you’re such a chickenshit,” Tobin shot back.
They stared at each other for several long moments.
Tobin broke the silence first. “Ain’t we a shining example of brotherly love?”
“And the height of maturity.”
“If only Dad and Driscoll could see us now. They’d be so damn proud we’re carryin’ on the family tradition of threats and name callin’.”
Streeter laughed. “Shut it. I hate that I can’t stay mad at you, T.”
He shrugged. “Few can.”
“Now can we talk about something else?”
“Like what?”
Anything. “Like I’m ready to choose a house design.”
“Why now?”
“Olivia starts school in the fall. Ted is ready to take on more responsibilities at the Split Rock. It’s time for me to transition out of the daily operations.”
“I hear ya. Have you mentioned it to Renner?”
Streeter shook his head. “Somehow I think he already knows. Anyway, once I settle on a house style, I wanna break ground as soon as possible.”
Tobin pointed at Streeter’s phone. “Still got access to the blueprints Holt sent you?”
“Yeah.” He clicked on an icon and waited for it to load. “The files are huge, so these aren’t high-res.”
“I left my glasses in my office, so I can’t see details anyway.”
They bent their heads together and studied every option. Then when Sherry swung by to check on them, Tobin asked her for scratch paper. While Streeter sketched out revisions, Tobin talked about his bioengineering job. Then the conversation changed yet again to building herd diversity when they turned the bulls out next month.
The next time Streeter reached for his beer, he realized it’d gotten warm. A glance at his phone indicated more than an hour and a half had passed. He got up to use the bathroom and as he walked through the bar, he saw Bailey and another woman sitting at a table around the corner.
His heart started racing even as his feet stopped moving.
Right at that moment, Bailey looked up and their eyes met.
She did a double take, and then a sly, sexy smile bloomed on her face.
What did he do?
Gave her a hat tip and booked it back to the table.
A hat tip, for christsake.
Tobin looked at him oddly when Streeter flopped down, scooted his chair in and hunched over the table. “What’s wrong with you?”
“She’s here.”
“Who?”
“Her.” He downed the last of his warm beer. “Bailey.”
“Really? Didja talk to her?”
“No.”
“Didja at least let her know that you saw her?”
“Sorta. I gave her a hat tip.”
Tobin flipped Streeter’s hat up, and he barely caught it before it sailed to the floor.
“What the fuck was that for?” he demanded as he resituated his Stetson.
“For bein’ a flamin’ idiot with a fuckin’ hat tip. Jesus.” Then Tobin lifted his gaze to something behind Streeter.
Not something; someone.
Two hands slapped on the table, forcing Streeter’s attention to the owner of those hands.
“Fancy meeting you here, Streeter.”
“Uh, hey, Bailey.”
“Were you seriously trying to hide from me just now?”
“No.”
“Oh, so you were running from me again. I thought we’d gotten past that.”
“We have.”
“Really? Then why did I see the ass end of you instead of you coming over and saying hello?”
Streeter straightened up and squared his shoulders. “Because I saw you were with someone and I didn’t want to be rude and interrupt a private conversation.” Unlike some people was heavily implied.
“Bullshit.”
Tobin snickered and Bailey focused her attention on him. “And you are?”
“Tobin Hale.” He offered his hand. “Streeter’s younger, more socially adjusted brother. You must be Bailey.”
“Yes, I am. It’s nice to meet you, Tobin.”
“Likewise. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Shut it, Tobin.
“From who?”
“Streeter. And Olivia.” He paused. “You’re Harper’s little sister, right?”
Streeter saw Bailey’s smile dim a little. “Yes.”
“I’ve known her for years.”
“As you can see, we look nothing alike. She got all the looks and the charm in our family.”
“Huh. That sounds familiar. Streeter got all the looks and the charm in our family too.”
Bailey laughed. “What is it about those middle children that turns them into attention hogs?”
“Beats me. That’s why I married an only child.” Tobin pointed to the chair next to Streeter. “We’d love to have you join us, wouldn’t we, Street?”
“Sure.” Tobin kicked him under the table; apparently he hadn’t answered enthusiastically enough. “I’d really like that.”
“I don’t want to be rude and interrupt a private conversation,” she said with a smirk.
“All right, I was a dick for not sayin’ hello to you before. I’m sorry.” Streeter pulled out the chair next to him. “Park it, Sergeant.”
“I need to let my friend know where I went.”
“She’s welcome to join us too,” Tobin offered.
“Thanks, but she’s leaving. Her ex was supposed to have their kids this weekend but he got called into a work emergency.”
“But you’re comin’ back?” Streeter asked.
“Yep. And you’re buying the first round, cowboy.”
With that, she sauntered off.
As soon as she was out of earshot, Tobin said, “I’m headin’ out.”
“Like that won’t be obvious.”
Tobin leaned across the table. “It’s obvious she likes you, dumb-ass. It’s obvious you’ve spent time with her since the last time we talked. Take this opportunity and run with it—not away from it. You have a kid-free weekend. She’s a sexy woman. Anything can happen. Be open to it, okay?”
“Fine. I’ll be my charming damn self.”
“That’s what I wanted to hear.” He stood and clapped Streeter on the shoulder. “Keep me posted.”
“Tell Jade hey and kiss those kids from Uncle Street.”
“Will do.”
Sherry the bartender/cocktail waitress arrived back at the table the same time as Bailey. “What can I get you two?”
“I’ll have a Bud Light,” Bailey said, taking the chair Tobin had vacated.
“Make it two.”
“You got it.”
As soon as Sherry left, Bailey folded her arms on the table. “I didn’t chase your brother off, did I?”
“Nope. He was getting ready to leave anyway. What about your friend?”
“Gone. When she suggested a girls’ night out . . . I’ll admit this wasn’t
where I thought we’d end up.”
“You’re not a fan of this place?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Do you come here often?”
“Rarely. It ain’t exactly kid-friendly.”
When Bailey gave him that sweet crooked grin, all he could think about was feeling those lips against his as he kissed her.
“Speaking of . . . where is Olivia?”
His jaw dropped. “Shit. I knew I forgot something at home.”
“Very funny.”
“She’s with her grandma.” He didn’t tack on that she’d be gone all weekend, because it was too blatant.
Sherry dropped off the beers.
Streeter reached for his wallet, but Sherry’s hand on his shoulder stopped him. “Tobin said to tell you he’s got it covered.”
“Thanks.” He dropped a ten-dollar bill on her tray anyway. As soon as Sherry left, his gaze snagged Bailey’s. He held up his beer for a toast. “I’m glad we ran into each other tonight.”
She touched her bottle to his. “Same.”
They drank and a lull settled between them.
Streeter would’ve been content to watch her pretty face all damn night, but that was kinda creepy, so he said, “You avoided answering the question.”
“Which one?”
“If you’re at Buckeye Joe’s on a regular basis.”
“First time since I came back. I wasn’t sure I’d be welcome in here at all.”
“I’d think havin’ a hot little thing like you hangin’ out in the bar would be good for business.”
She rolled her eyes. “Still with the ‘hot little thing’?”
“Well, you are all that.”
“I’d tell you that you moved from cute to charming, but you’d get an ego, so you’re stuck at ‘cutie,’ cowboy.”
“I’ll take it. So, tell me why you weren’t sure if you’d be welcome in here?”
“Remember when I told you my mom ran off with the married owner of a local bar? See the woman with the short brown hair running the register? Her husband is the man Mom skipped town with.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah.”
Streeter frowned. “But Harper and Bran come in here, so she must’ve gotten over it.”
“But Harper doesn’t look like Mom.” Bailey sipped her beer. “I do. So I’ve got that goin’ for me.”
“Hey.” He reached across the table and took her hand. “I didn’t get a chance to talk to you after camp today. Seemed like you and Bran were havin’ a serious talk. Is everything all right?”
“He was grilling me on what I’d done to poor Harper yesterday . . .” Bailey threaded her fingers through Streeter’s. “She didn’t come in to the store today and she was supposed to close, since Penelope opened. Bran came to get the boys and asked if I’d stay late. I said no because I had plans. Then he reminded me that Harper had closed last night for me, which pissed me off because she made me leave.” She ducked her head. “I kept my cool and reminded him that I was there to help out, and I’d done my part by working ten hours with the boot camp kids. I also suggested he initiate a conversation with his wife about whether her apathy about WWC was causing the drastic change in revenue or vice versa.”
“I take it Bran didn’t like that answer?”
She shook her head. “He had to ask Tierney to watch the store since it was advertised as being open until seven o’clock and the lodge is full tonight. So that was the long answer to your question. The short answer . . . no, everything is not all right.”
“I’d hoped things were better for you today.” He set his beer aside and put his fingers under her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. “I’m sorry you’re havin’ a rough go with your sister.”
“Thanks.”
He stroked the edge of her jaw with the backs of his knuckles.
“You’re staring at me.”
“Because I really like the look of you.”
“Is that why you’re touching me like—”
“Like I’ve thought about you every damn day since we were at the pool?”
She gave him a slow, sexy blink. “That long, huh?”
“Yep.”
Staring into her eyes as he touched her seemed too intimate, so he dropped his gaze to her mouth.
Christ, that was worse because now all he could think about was kissing her.
Her full lips curled into a sexy smile.
His gaze moved back up to her eyes. “You smirking at me?”
“Yep.”
“Why?”
“Because I was wondering if you were ever gonna make a move on me.”
“Is that what this is?”
“I think so. But your next move will let me know for sure.”
“Which move is that?”
“Asking me to dance.”
Emboldened, Streeter outlined her bottom lip with the pad of his thumb. “Will you dance with me, Bailey?”
Her tongue darted out and she licked his thumb before she said, “I’d love to.”
Somehow he scooted back quickly without knocking his chair over or releasing Bailey’s hand. He towed her to the dance floor, noticing there were only two other couples dancing to the tunes pouring out of the sound system, but he wouldn’t have cared if they were the only ones out there. He spun her into his arms, keeping their clasped hands together and placing his right hand on the small of her back.
She took the hint they weren’t about to two-step and slipped her arm around his waist, ignoring the “respectable distance” he’d had beaten into his head at school dances, bringing her body closer to his.
Streeter couldn’t name the song or the artist, couldn’t tell if this was a song meant for fast dancing or slow, because as soon as he and Bailey were body to body, they fell into a rhythm entirely their own.
After a few minutes, she said, “You’re a really good dancer.”
“Thanks, you ain’t so bad yourself.”
“Just following your lead. I rarely feel compelled to dance when I go to a club.”
“What do you do?”
“Listen to the music. Drink. People watch.” She paused. “How about you?”
“Mostly dancin’ around the house with Olivia these days. Last time I danced with a woman over the age of five was at Tobin and Jade’s wedding a few years back. Most of that was two-steppin’ with the Mud Lilies. Them old gals wore me out.”
“Harper talks about them but I don’t think I’ve met any of them.”
“You’d remember if you had, trust me.”
They didn’t speak for a while and a different song came on. A slower one.
Bailey rested her cheek against his chest and sighed. “Why do you have to smell so good too?”
“Too?”
“You look good and you move good. You should smell like cowshit or something so you’re not so damn perfect.”
Perfect? Never heard that word to describe him before.
He had no idea how to respond to that so he didn’t.
She sighed again. “I overstepped, didn’t I?”
“No, I’m just in shock, to be honest.”
“Why?”
“Not used to compliments, say nothin’ of a compliment from a sexy-as-fuck woman who leaves me tongue-tied if I’m not yellin’ at her.”
She smiled against his chest. “Sexy as fuck, huh? Now there’s a compliment and a step up from ‘hot little thing.’”
“You’re also sassy, sweet, bossy, ballsy, funny, honest and exasperating. But you’re still a hot little thing too.”
“You don’t seem so tongue-tied now,” she murmured.
“I am. I’m not good at this.”
She tipped her head back to look at him. “Streeter—”
“Lemme say this before I lose my nerve, okay?”<
br />
“Okay.” She resituated herself, twining her arms around his neck and nestling her face into his neck.
He moved his hands to her hips and took a moment to appreciate her soft curves. “I’ve been alone since my wife died four and a half years ago, focused on raising Olivia. I’ve not gone on one date. No hookups, no fuck-buddy-type relationships. Not because I’m still in love with Danica, I just haven’t been interested in any woman . . . until I met you. Hell, I haven’t even kissed a woman since I’ve been single.”
He lowered his mouth to her ear and whispered, “See, I met Danica when we were sixteen. Married her when we were twenty. She was the first and the last woman I asked out. The first and only woman I’ve had sex with. So I’m about as experienced as a teenage boy when it comes to this. That’s hard to admit when you’re a thirty-six-year-old man.”
“Why?”
“Fear. Bein’ this honest with you scares me, Bailey. Because even before I unloaded my baggage on you just now, I couldn’t believe that a woman like you would be interested in a guy like me.”
“A woman like me?” she repeated.
“Sexy, sassy, sweet . . . bossy, ballsy and beautiful.”
“You’re wrong. I’m very interested in a man like you.”
“A man like me?” he repeated.
“Brooding, bossy, buff . . . hot, humble and handsome.”
He chuckled. “Well, we’ve got bossy in common.”
“Mmm-hmm.” She softly kissed his neck, damn near sending his body into convulsions from the eroticism of that simple show of affection.
“Since you’ve come this far with the honesty, Streeter, I need to know if part of my attraction is you knowing I’m not sticking around here. We can get involved . . . but not too involved.”
Streeter nudged her head up to peer into her eyes. “Maybe. Is that an issue for you?”
“No. But can you do casual? Because that’s all I can offer you.”
I don’t have a freakin’ clue. “I’m willin’ to give it a shot.”
She kissed his chin. “Okay, then.”
Gripping his hand, Bailey led him through the Friday night crowd and out the front door. She turned left, heading into the shadow of the building.
Even in the near-dark he could see she was breathing hard and her pulse jumped in her throat. He knew that mad dash out of the bar hadn’t left her breathless; he’d done that to her.
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