smacking the smirk off of Lydia’s heavily made up face.
* * * *
Lydia put her red-clawed fingers on Jesse’s nape and began to twirl one of his curls around her finger. Angela gagged. If they didn't get to the bar soon, she was going to lose what little she'd eaten today.
Angela swallowed hard a couple of times and took a deep breath.
This too shall pass .
The remainder of the trip wasn’t long, but the awkward silence made it seem like days instead of minutes. Dusk blended into night.
The city lights flashed in gaudy neon along the downtown strip. The Raven nightclub was a squat, square, single story building set in a Best Western hotel parking lot.
Every Saturday night was Latin dance night, live band and all.
Tonight a large colorful banner hung from the tiled roof, advertising the Havana Nights Salsa Contest.
* * * *
Jesse pulled up to the valet parking, not even bothering to look for a spot in the crammed parking lot for his oversized ride. Even if he Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to [email protected].
80
Missy Lyons and Cherie Denis
could find a parking spot it wouldn’t have been wide enough for anyone to open any of the doors on the vehicle. The valet could worry about what to do with the beast.
Jesse stepped out of the truck taking care not to scuff his shoes.
Angela had helped pick them out at a store specializing in dance shoes. He handed the red-coated kid a twenty and the keys. “Take it easy with my baby,” he warned the young man.
“Yes, sir.” The kid’s voice quivered as he held out a trembling hand.
Angela smiled at the kid, and he returned her smile with a wide, dimpled grin.
Lydia had a death grip on Jesse’s arm. He looked down to see her white knuckles. “Lighten up, Lydia.”
“Mmm? Oh, sorry, Jesse. I’m so excited about tonight. We’re gonna knock ’em dead.”
“Whatever.” Jesse didn’t sound as if he were looking forward to it.
“You’ll do fine,” Angela whispered. “Quit stressing out, Jesse.
You’re a good dancer.”
“Thanks, Angie. You’re a doll.”
Oh goody. Now she was a doll. What next? Would he ever think of her as anything else?
Angela couldn’t bear watching Lydia touching Jesse. No one would ever love Jesse as much as she did.
No one. Especially not Lydia. Lydia was only out for Lydia and Jesse's money. Angela planned to get good and wasted tonight. She was going to get Jesse out of her hair and out of her life tonight. She might even pick some sexy guy and take him home for the ride of his life.
As if she could do such a thing. She’d never done it before. Why start now? She'd hurt herself enough being Jesse's whore.
Angela wondered how much booze it would take to forget Jesse and everything else.
Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to [email protected].
Cowboys Don't Dance
81
Beau crushed out a cigarette with his heel when the three of them walked up onto the wide wooden porch. He eased Angela’s hand off of Jesse’s arm and gave her a brotherly kiss on the cheek. “Hey, baby girl. I was beginning to wonder if you’d forgotten we had a date.”
Angela brushed the smoke away. “I thought you were going to quit.”
“Guess you were wrong, huh?”
“It’s a bad habit, Beau. Are you trying to kill yourself? Remember what happened to Grandpa?”
“Sure do, but it isn’t going to happen to me.”
“Since you’re my favorite brother, I'll have to forgive you, but you'd better stop or you'll be sorry. Not many women like kissing an ashtray.”
“Favorite brother, hell. I’m your one and only brother.”
Angela wrapped her arms around Beau’s firm waist and hugged him tight. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Something the matter, Angie?” Beau whispered.
“Nothing, Beau.” Nothing that Jesse couldn't fix.
His eyebrow shot up, and Angela shrugged. “Honest, Beau. I’m fine.”
“If you say so, but I
* * * *
Lydia put her red-clawed fingers on Jesse’s nape and began to twirl one of his curls around her finger. Angela gagged. If they didn't get to the bar soon, she was going to lose what little she'd eaten today.
Angela swallowed hard a couple of times and took a deep breath.
This too shall pass .
The remainder of the trip wasn’t long, but the awkward silence made it seem like days instead of minutes. Dusk blended into night.
The city lights flashed in gaudy neon along the downtown strip. The Raven nightclub was a squat, square, single story building set in a Best Western hotel parking lot.
Every Saturday night was Latin dance night, live band and all.
Tonight a large colorful banner hung from the tiled roof, advertising the Havana Nights Salsa Contest.
* * * *
Jesse pulled up to the valet parking, not even bothering to look for a spot in the crammed parking lot for his oversized ride. Even if he Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to [email protected].
80
Missy Lyons and Cherie Denis
could find a parking spot it wouldn’t have been wide enough for anyone to open any of the doors on the vehicle. The valet could worry about what to do with the beast.
Jesse stepped out of the truck taking care not to scuff his shoes.
Angela had helped pick them out at a store specializing in dance shoes. He handed the red-coated kid a twenty and the keys. “Take it easy with my baby,” he warned the young man.
“Yes, sir.” The kid’s voice quivered as he held out a trembling hand.
Angela smiled at the kid, and he returned her smile with a wide, dimpled grin.
Lydia had a death grip on Jesse’s arm. He looked down to see her white knuckles. “Lighten up, Lydia.”
“Mmm? Oh, sorry, Jesse. I’m so excited about tonight. We’re gonna knock ’em dead.”
“Whatever.” Jesse didn’t sound as if he were looking forward to it.
“You’ll do fine,” Angela whispered. “Quit stressing out, Jesse.
You’re a good dancer.”
“Thanks, Angie. You’re a doll.”
Oh goody. Now she was a doll. What next? Would he ever think of her as anything else?
Angela couldn’t bear watching Lydia touching Jesse. No one would ever love Jesse as much as she did.
No one. Especially not Lydia. Lydia was only out for Lydia and Jesse's money. Angela planned to get good and wasted tonight. She was going to get Jesse out of her hair and out of her life tonight. She might even pick some sexy guy and take him home for the ride of his life.
As if she could do such a thing. She’d never done it before. Why start now? She'd hurt herself enough being Jesse's whore.
Angela wondered how much booze it would take to forget Jesse and everything else.
Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
Report ebook piracy to [email protected].
Cowboys Don't Dance
81
Beau crushed out a cigarette with his heel when the three of them walked up onto the wide wooden porch. He eased Angela’s hand off of Jesse’s arm and gave her a brotherly kiss on the cheek. “Hey, baby girl. I was beginning to wonder if you’d forgotten we had a date.”
Angela brushed the smoke away. “I thought you were going to quit.”
“Guess you were wrong, huh?”
“It’s a bad habit, Beau. Are you trying to kill yourself? Remember what happened to Grandpa?”
“Sure do, but it isn’t going to happen to me.”
“Since you’re my favorite brother, I'll have to forgive you, but you'd better stop or you'll be sorry. Not many women like kissing an ashtray.”
“Favorite brother, hell. I’m your one and only brother.”
Angela wrapped her arms around Beau’s firm waist and hugged him tight. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Something the matter, Angie?” Beau whispered.
“Nothing, Beau.” Nothing that Jesse couldn't fix.
His eyebrow shot up, and Angela shrugged. “Honest, Beau. I’m fine.”
“If you say so, but I
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