The smile moved off Alison’s face, and her eyes clouded over. She looked past me at the curtain, obviously thinking but not saying a word. She shook her head and smiled again, pulling herself out of it.
“Why don’t we go look for Sara?” she said, taking me by the arm and walking me out on the stage.
We looked throughout the entire room, but there was no sign of her anywhere. She was hard to miss in that dress with that beautiful smile, but it looked like she was already gone. Alison turned to me and shook her head.
“She must have had to leave,” she said. “Let me take down your number.”
“Alison,” one of the girls called from backstage. “I need you for a second.”
“Give me one minute.” She smiled.
Instead of waiting, I figured I would take a chance and run out to the parking lot. Maybe I could catch Sara before she left for the night. I went out the front door and walked around the building to the back parking lot. The street lights were few and far between, but as I turned the corner, I’d seen her standing there with the sheriff, his hand clutching her arm, and her purse on the ground. Immediately, I was irritated, and I started walking toward them. Generally, I was a calm, collected person, relatively cold in my business dealings. I had never been the guy who let much get to me, but as I walked forward, looking at the situation, I could feel the anger start to build up inside of me rapidly.
“Let me go,” Sara demanded to the guy.
I stood there looking at them, waiting to see what he was going to do. From the twitch under the sheriff’s eye and the look on his face, it didn’t seem he was the kind of man who took orders from anyone, much less a woman. I could see him grasping her arm tighter, and that was the moment I decided to step in.
“Didn’t you hear her, pal?” I said, standing in the shadow of the light. “Let her go.”
“Move on,” the sheriff growled. “This is none of your damn business.”
He gripped onto Sara tighter, staring over in my direction. Slowly, I walked forward into the light, looking at Sara and then back up at him. It was obvious this guy wasn’t going to let go, not anytime soon. He wasn’t happy I was interfering, but I didn’t back down from anyone.
“Let her go,” I said sternly. “You lost fair and square, and that isn’t her fault. If you want to take it up with someone, why don’t you take it up with me? Or do you like an unfair fight with a girl in a dark parking lot?”
I was seconds away from saying “fuck it” and paying for the inevitable lawsuit that would follow after beating the shit out of the guy, but he finally stepped down, tossing Sara at me and walking away. I grabbed her by the shoulders and steadied her, watching as he whistled out to his sidekick. Sara reached up and rubbed her arm, watching until the sheriff was nowhere in sight.
“Thanks,” she mumbled, looking like she was seconds away from tears. “He can really be an asshole sometimes. Thank you, really. I’m not really sure what he would have done if you hadn’t walked up. He was angrier than I’ve seen him in a long time.”
“Who is he?”
“The sheriff.” She sighed. “His name is Janson.”
“Did he hurt you?” I asked her.
I could feel my rage climbing another notch at the thought of her being manhandled by the sheriff or anyone else for that matter. I didn’t know where the anger was coming from, but I still felt like I could beat the shit out of the guy. He sure seemed to deserve a good ass kicking.
“No,” she said quietly, shaking her head and looking at the ground. “Nothing that won’t go away in a couple of days.”
Just the thought of a bruise on her arm made me feel terrible for not doing more. I had never been one to think any violence toward a woman was ever warranted, but with her, it was like this crazy want to take away the pain and fear I knew she was feeling. I had never felt that protective of anyone before in my life, and I wondered why it was surfacing there in that moment. Maybe it was because I saw it happening, or maybe it was her, the girl from the stage, the one I had paid five thousand dollars to go on a date with. She pulled her other arm over her chest and rubbed both shoulders, shivering in the cold night air. I pulled my jacket off and slowly moved toward her, draping it over her shoulders. She pulled it around her, and I backed away, trying not to make her feel uncomfortable at all. I knew I was a stranger, and I knew I had walked up on a private moment that she might be feeling all kinds of emotions about.
“Thank you,” she said, looking up at me.
Her eyes looked almost golden in the moonlight, and I was completely struck by how absolutely beautiful she was. Sure, I had been frozen in place when I’d seen her on stage, but up close, she was even more stunning than I had originally thought. I could barely take my eyes off her. I felt drawn to her in that moment like we were the only two people in the entire world. Her eyes were mesmerizing, and before I even knew what I was doing, I pulled my hands up and cupped her face, stroking her cheeks with my thumbs. We stood there like that for several moments, unable to pull away, not wanting to pull away from each other. It was like a trance I had never experienced before in my life. Without thinking, I opened my mouth and began to talk.
“A woman as beautiful as you should be treasured,” I said, shaking my head. “Not insulted. I don’t care what happened between the two of you, that man had no right to touch you like that. You deserve so much more.”
I could feel a rush of electricity move from my hands, down my arms, and into my chest. My heart began to beat faster and faster, and my breath was caught in my throat. All of it was from the feeling of her skin touching mine. Her eyes widened, and she whimpered slightly at my words. From her reaction, I was pretty sure she was feeling the same thing I was. I swallowed hard and pulled my hands down, putting them in my pockets. I chuckled and looked around at her truck. She leaned down and picked up her purse, grabbing the different pieces off the ground and shoving them in. I leaned down and picked up her keys, looking forward into her eyes. We both paused again as I handed her the keys and stood up.
“Why don’t you let me drive you home?” I said, noticing how shaken she looked.
“That’s okay.” She smiled. “I don’t live very far and wouldn’t have even driven if it weren’t for the outfit and the all the stuff I had to bring over. I’m sure I’ll be fine. I can make it back on my own.”
“I’m more than sure you can make it home,” I said. “You look like you’re a very tough girl, but tonight, you don’t have to. Think about it as me wooing you into a date.”
“You mean the date you already paid for?” She laughed.
“Yes, that one.” I smiled. “Just because I bought it, doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to be taken care of beforehand.”
I reached my hand out for her keys and smiled at her, feeling the butterflies in my chest going wild. She stood there for a moment, staring at me with my jacket still over her shoulders. I knew she was trying to decide whether or not to let me drive her, but from the look in her eyes, I could tell that she wanted to.
“Come on, I promise to be a gentleman.” I chuckled.
“All right.” She smirked. “Only because you asked nicely.”
I walked around to the passenger side of the truck and helped her inside, smiling as I shut the door. I climbed into the passenger seat and started to pull out of the parking lot. She was quiet as we drove, except for giving directions of where to turn.
“At the next stop sign, take a right,” she said sweetly.
I glanced over at her sitting in the chair next to me. I still couldn’t get over how gorgeous she was. Her tight blue dress hugged every wonderful curve in her body, and her breasts were firm and round. She was probably one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen, and oddly enough, she was tucked away in some small town in Oregon.
“Second house on your right,” she said. “The one with the red door.”
“Perfect,” I replied.
I pulled up in the driveway and stopped at the to
p, putting the car in drive and turning off the ignition. I handed her the keys and smiled. She blushed, taking them from me and putting them into her purse. She paused and looked over at me.
“If you drove me here, how are you going to get back to your house or hotel?”
“Is it that obvious I’m not from here?” I laughed.
“This town has five hundred people in it.” She smirked. “It’s kind of obvious. There aren’t any taxis in Bonanza.”
“Not a problem,” I said, pulling out my phone.
I looked at the number on her house and texted my driver, sending the message and waiting a moment. I could feel her looking at me, but I stared down at my phone until a reply came through. I smiled, and put my phone back in my pocket.
“All is solved,” I said. “My driver will be here in ten minutes. You don’t mind hanging out with me for ten minutes, do you?”
All she did was smile.
Chapter 6
Sara
I smiled at him and got out of the car, walking around and standing in front of it. He followed me, leaning up against the hood and looking up at the stars. I tried to focus and not get caught up in this gorgeous guy in front of me, but it was difficult.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many stars,” he said.
While he was staring up at the sky, I was staring at him, watching his profile in the starlight. I could feel my breathing intensify, and I tried to focus back up at the sky. However, I found myself looking back at him out of the corner of my eye. He was stunningly attractive with all the perfect features, the blond wavy hair, and the tight muscles. On top of all of that, he seemed to be a really nice guy. There definitely had to be something wrong with him. My first clue was the fact that he was in Bonanza, and he didn’t live there. What the hell was a guy like that doing all the way out here in the middle of nowhere anyway?
“You never told me your name,” I said.
“Oh, how rude of me.” He chuckled. “I’m Ryan.”
“Nice to meet you,” I smiled. “So, what the hell are you doing all the way out here in Bonanza. I mean, we’ve already established you aren’t from here.”
“That’s a good question,” he said, flashing me his charming smile. “I own a company that’s building a green energy ranch outside of town.”
“Oh,” I said, thinking about the article I’d read in the paper. “I heard about the plans for that ranch. They did a huge write-up in the paper about it. It definitely sounds like a great idea.”
“I hope so.” He chuckled. “I’m putting a lot into it. It’s been my dream since I was younger, and I just had to get to a place where I could afford to do it.”
“Well, everyone in town is ecstatic about it,” I said. “They’re really looking forward to the opportunities it could provide for us.”
“That’s really great to hear,” he said. “You never know with these kinds of things, especially next to small towns. Sometimes, they’re excited, and sometimes, they come after you with torches and pitchforks.”
“I don’t think there’ll be any rioting.” I laughed. “The town thinks you’re an angel that came to save them all.”
A smirk crossed his lips, and I knew he had seen the perfect opportunity for a little bit of flirting. He laughed loudly at the angel comment and looked up at me, pinning me with a fiery stare. Heat blew through my chest, and I shuffled back and forth in my heels, feeling like my knees were going to give out on me.
“I’m definitely no angel,” he said in a deep voice.
The look sent shivers down my spine, and the hair on the back of my neck stood up straight. He stood up off the hood and took a step toward me, his eyes dark. I swore for a second, he was going to kiss me, but maybe that was my wishful thinking.
“So, Sara,” he said with a grin. “When can I see you again? I mean for the date I paid five grand to have with you, of course.”
“I don’t know,” I said, rolling my eyes. “That is some pretty hefty expectation on your end, sir. I just don’t know how I am supposed to live up to five thousand dollars’ worth of expectations. This town is only so big, and the fanciest restaurant we have has plastic tablecloths. You might just be in for a disappointment.”
“I don’t think disappointment is in the cards,” he said. “Especially since I think you already lived up to the five grand’s worth of expectations.”
I smiled, looking down at the ground. I could feel my cheeks growing hotter, and I just knew my entire face was red. He was so damn sweet, and it was hard to take all at once. I gathered myself and looked back up at him.
“How about Friday night?” I said.
He smiled a big, toothy smile and looked back over his shoulder as his driver pulled up to the curb. I took his coat from my shoulders and handed it back to him. He hung it over his finger and then threw it over his shoulder, still staring me right in the eyes. He looked back at the black SUV waiting for him and then at me again.
“I’ll pick you up on Friday,” he said with charm.
He reached forward and cupped my cheek with his hand again, leaning forward and pressing his lips against the other one. I could smell his cologne, and the heat of his body made me shake in the knees. A shock of electricity jolted me at the touch of his lips, and it was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. Slowly, he pulled back and winked, turning and walking down to the SUV. I stood there unable to move until the car had disappeared around the corner. I shook my head and let out the air trapped in my lungs, turning and walking into the house. I hung my dress up in the closet, running my hand over the sequins one more time before pushing it to the back of the closet. From there, I jumped in the shower and let the hot water roll over me. I was still tingly from Ryan’s kiss, and I sat there replaying it over and over again in my head. Where in the world did this guy come from?
Then, without warning, Janson’s face popped back into my head. I shivered even under the hot water, thinking about his face staring down at me, that twitch under his eye going wild. He had come back into my life in the blink of an eye, and I hated everything about it. Just thinking about him made me sick to my stomach. I turned off the water and got out of the shower, drying myself off and climbing into bed. The last thing I wanted was for my last thoughts before sleep to be of Janson, so I pushed them out of my mind and tried to focus on looking forward to my upcoming date. I drifted off to sleep, knowing the rest of my week was going to be busy.
As the week progressed, I could still feel a confusion of emotions rolling around inside of me. I tried to focus on my work, pushing all that out, but it was almost impossible to do. I was really anticipating the date. I had already had an incredible time with Ryan, and it was only about ten minutes’ worth. I knew if the date went anything like that ten minutes, I would have an amazing time. At the same time, my anxiety was rising almost as quickly. Janson had been out of my life for quite a while, and I had made sure of that by steering clear of anywhere he might be. Now that he had a taste of me again, though, he may not let it go. If he continued to pester me like that, he could make some serious problems for Ryan.
Ryan was a really sweet guy, and even though he had stepped in valiantly in the parking lot, he had no idea what Janson was capable of. Ryan was an innocent person in all of this and was not going to deserve the problems I knew Janson would cause him if we continued to be seen together. I knew I couldn’t hide away from him forever, but the first time I really enjoyed another man’s company ended up being because of Janson and that could severely backfire on both of us.
I spent Thursday afternoon at the horse rescue, doing some intermittent physical therapy, brushing their manes, and helping Alison clean out the barns. After a long afternoon there, I headed home and jumped in the shower to wash the smell of horse and manure off my skin. Even after all that time working with animals, I could still smell the pungent odor of my clothing when I got off work, which was probably a good thing. When I was done, I got out of the shower and wrapped my towel a
round me, wiping the fog from the mirror. I looked at my face in the reflection, catching some sort of movement in the windows behind me. I gasped and turned around, holding my towel tight against my chest.
Suddenly, I felt as if I were being watched. I looked back and forth, starting to panic. I grabbed my robe and threw it on before running to the windows, closing the blinds and making sure they were locked. A sound outside made me jump, and I ran to the door and pulled on it, making sure it, too, was secure. I went into the bedroom and sat down, rubbing my hands over my face. I was freaking out, and it was for no reason. It had to be stress, so I changed into my pajamas and went to bed, trying to keep my mind focused on other things.
When I woke up in the morning, I felt a bit better, so I got dressed for work and headed out. As I stepped down the stairs and turned toward my car, I shrieked, finding a dead cat laid out in front of the garage door. Chills ran up my spine at the sight of it. I covered my eyes and groaned, trying to shake the dark feeling out of my chest. I turned back around and bent down in front of the cat. It looked as if it had been hit by a car or possibly fallen and broken its neck. I shook my head and walked into the garage to grab a box. I kept telling myself there was nothing nefarious going on. It was just somebody who had brought it there knowing I was the vet, thinking they were doing the right thing. That had to be all it was. There was no reason for anyone else to do something that horrible to me.
I put the cat in a box and in the trunk of my car and headed toward work. I wanted to believe someone dropping the animal off was all it was, but in the back of my mind, there was something nagging at me, something telling me it was even more sinister than that. I reached down and turned on the music, not wanting to think about what that sinister thing might be. It was too much for me to handle.
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