Awakening Veronica by Heather Rainier

blush filled Veronica’s cheeks. Travis followed her gaze, and then grinned at him and nodded.
    They moved up behind her and Hank smiled at her soft squeak as they crowded in at her sides. Travis kissed her temple and stroked her hand which was resting on the table, as Hank kissed the top of her head and stroked the cheek she’d cradled protectively earlier. Because her body was pressed between them, he felt the shudder that quivered through her.
    Hank spoke in a husky whisper. “Imagine it, Veronica. Two men, both desiring you, wanting to be near you more than anything, wanting to touch you—together.”
    “Oh my—” Her breathing was shaky as she turned to him, placing her lips within an inch of his.
    Travis slid his hand up her forearm and then stroked her inner arm from her elbow upwards. She gasped and jolted in her seat, and Hank realized Travis must’ve caught the side of her breast with his knuckles. Her nipples peaked against the silky fabric of her dress and whatever sinful lingerie he could feel underneath it.
    “They’d want to slip this sexy dress off of you, Nika.” Travis spoke so only the two of them could hear him. “So they could see and touch what’s underneath.”
    She turned her gaze to Travis. “You two are potent, you know that? You could probably charm any girl out of her clothes.”
    Hank stroked her lush reddish-brown locks off her shoulder and said, “The only one we’re trying to charm is you…Nika.”
    Her eyelids slid closed and she bit her lip. “I love the way that sounds coming from your lips.”
    “We like it, too,” Hank murmured. He glanced around at the club patrons surrounding them and happened to catch Grace’s eye. She pressed her lips together to keep from grinning from ear to ear, but her eyes twinkled and she winked at him before turning away.
    Another song began to play and all the girls climbed from their chairs, with Grace leading the way. She turned and waved at Veronica and then gestured at Hank and pointed at Veronica.
    Hank chuckled and said, “Travis, Veronica, I’d like to introduce you to a tradition at the Dancing Pony. It’s known as the girls’ dance, and Nika, you’ve just been invited to join the girls on the dance floor.”
    A look of horror passed over Veronica’s face and she shook her head. “That’s not a good idea. I’ll pass.”
    Hank had always— always sympathized with the exasperation that some of the men in Divine suffered over these girls’ dances. Seeing it from a law enforcement officer’s standpoint, these dances were like waving a red cape in front of a bull—it was only a matter of time before someone got hurt.
    When he was around for the dances, he always made sure, like the bouncers did, that each of the ladies was safely back with the man—or men—she came in the club with. It didn’t matter that he was off duty. He couldn’t stand the thought of any woman getting hurt and he’d always do whatever he could to keep that from happening. The fact that women kept running into harrowing circumstances in his fair town was the cause of the silver that had been infiltrating his formerly black hair over the last few years.
    Well, that and age, Hank. You aren’t getting any younger.
    But tonight, he felt differently. He wanted to see Veronica have a good time, but he should’ve known better. Not only was she not going out there, it was written all over her face— No way, no how am I going out there .
    “That’s all right, Nika,” Hank said, his tone consoling as he brushed his lips against her temple. Her gaze followed the group as even Grandma Kate shook her tail feathers and the sad smile on her face and the way her eyes got shiny made his throat swell in empathy. She wanted to dance. Badly. But something was stopping her.
    “You don’t like to dance?”
    “I don’t know how. Or rather, I learned but I’m no good at it.”
    “Who taught you?”
    “I don’t want to talk about it.” She chewed her lip and