control, not my hormones or his pheromones or whatever. Enough!
I shoved the door open. It bounced back at me and I heard a whoosh of breath as Danesh staggered back from the car.
I gasped. “I’m sorry!” I tried to leap out of the car, but my seatbelt jerked me back. Heat rose in my face as I fumbled with the catch and finally made it out.
Danesh was half bent over, rubbing his knee. “I get it. You don’t like guys to open doors for you. Won’t happen again.”
“It was an accident! I didn’t see—”
He straightened and I realized he was laughing. “No real harm done—despite your best efforts.”
My face burned. “It really was an accident.”
“I know. Come on.” He took my hand.
I jerked my hand away before I realized what I was doing. He stared at me and I had to look away.
“Kylie? Why don’t you like me?”
“Who says I don’t?” I mumbled.
He laughed. “Boy, do you sound guilty!”
“I don’t—it’s not—” I shook my head and groaned. “I feel like an idiot.”
“That wasn’t exactly my intention. But if you want me to keep my distance....”
I sighed. “Look, it’s not you. Really. I’m just... I get kind of jumpy around men. It’s not personal. It’s like my body reacts before my brain even has time to think about it.” The silence stretched as I waited for him to ask for an explanation.
“So no fast movements?”
I managed to look at him. “That would help.”
I saw the familiar almost-smile come back with relief. He said, “Do you think you could manage to dance with me, with advance warning?”
I nodded. But I couldn’t quite bring myself to take his hand as we walked toward the door. Dating had been easy once. I’d always felt in control. Now I struggled to even figure out what I wanted. I guess I hadn’t returned to normal yet.
The bar screamed “cowboy” inside, from the customers in jeans and cowboy boots to the scuffed wooden floor left open in the center for dancing to the country music playing. I even saw some cowboy hats and giant belt buckles. The softball players had taken over one end of the big room and most already had beer. Maureen waved us over to the chairs she’d saved. I decided one beer would only keep me from driving for an hour, and I had to stay that long to be polite. I drank half of it quickly, quenching my thirst and trying to steady my nerves.
A tall man with thick, snow-white hair and a full beard bowed in front of me. “Duane Stevens. I make a point of dancing with every newcomer. Well, the ladies anyway. May I have this dance?” I nodded and he whisked me across the floor, regaling me with tales of raising horses, goats, and rabbits, and ending the dance in a deep dip that had me laughing. I was meeting more characters in one day than in a year in Boston. I was sure Boston had plenty of characters, too, but they didn’t mingle as much.
Most of the softball team hit the floor as soon as they finished their first beers. I hardly had time to thank one partner before someone else took my arm. Maureen and a couple of the other women even grabbed me for some hip shaking during one rowdy rock song. I glanced at the tables and saw Danesh, leaning back in his chair with his leg stretched out. He was talking to someone but his gaze held steady on our group. I couldn’t tell if he was focused on me or someone else, but I edged behind one of the other girls to hide my blush.
A catchy tune blared and the crowd roared. Those who had taken a break rushed to the floor and lined up in groups of four or five, linking arms. I ducked away and took advantage of the empty bar to get a glass of water. I downed it and limped back to the tables. If I’d known I would be dancing, I would have brought dancing shoes.
Danesh was shaking his head at a woman trying to wave him onto the floor. I collapsed into a chair and frowned at the cluster of beer bottles, which had multiplied. I’d never find mine again. In any case, I knew better than
I shoved the door open. It bounced back at me and I heard a whoosh of breath as Danesh staggered back from the car.
I gasped. “I’m sorry!” I tried to leap out of the car, but my seatbelt jerked me back. Heat rose in my face as I fumbled with the catch and finally made it out.
Danesh was half bent over, rubbing his knee. “I get it. You don’t like guys to open doors for you. Won’t happen again.”
“It was an accident! I didn’t see—”
He straightened and I realized he was laughing. “No real harm done—despite your best efforts.”
My face burned. “It really was an accident.”
“I know. Come on.” He took my hand.
I jerked my hand away before I realized what I was doing. He stared at me and I had to look away.
“Kylie? Why don’t you like me?”
“Who says I don’t?” I mumbled.
He laughed. “Boy, do you sound guilty!”
“I don’t—it’s not—” I shook my head and groaned. “I feel like an idiot.”
“That wasn’t exactly my intention. But if you want me to keep my distance....”
I sighed. “Look, it’s not you. Really. I’m just... I get kind of jumpy around men. It’s not personal. It’s like my body reacts before my brain even has time to think about it.” The silence stretched as I waited for him to ask for an explanation.
“So no fast movements?”
I managed to look at him. “That would help.”
I saw the familiar almost-smile come back with relief. He said, “Do you think you could manage to dance with me, with advance warning?”
I nodded. But I couldn’t quite bring myself to take his hand as we walked toward the door. Dating had been easy once. I’d always felt in control. Now I struggled to even figure out what I wanted. I guess I hadn’t returned to normal yet.
The bar screamed “cowboy” inside, from the customers in jeans and cowboy boots to the scuffed wooden floor left open in the center for dancing to the country music playing. I even saw some cowboy hats and giant belt buckles. The softball players had taken over one end of the big room and most already had beer. Maureen waved us over to the chairs she’d saved. I decided one beer would only keep me from driving for an hour, and I had to stay that long to be polite. I drank half of it quickly, quenching my thirst and trying to steady my nerves.
A tall man with thick, snow-white hair and a full beard bowed in front of me. “Duane Stevens. I make a point of dancing with every newcomer. Well, the ladies anyway. May I have this dance?” I nodded and he whisked me across the floor, regaling me with tales of raising horses, goats, and rabbits, and ending the dance in a deep dip that had me laughing. I was meeting more characters in one day than in a year in Boston. I was sure Boston had plenty of characters, too, but they didn’t mingle as much.
Most of the softball team hit the floor as soon as they finished their first beers. I hardly had time to thank one partner before someone else took my arm. Maureen and a couple of the other women even grabbed me for some hip shaking during one rowdy rock song. I glanced at the tables and saw Danesh, leaning back in his chair with his leg stretched out. He was talking to someone but his gaze held steady on our group. I couldn’t tell if he was focused on me or someone else, but I edged behind one of the other girls to hide my blush.
A catchy tune blared and the crowd roared. Those who had taken a break rushed to the floor and lined up in groups of four or five, linking arms. I ducked away and took advantage of the empty bar to get a glass of water. I downed it and limped back to the tables. If I’d known I would be dancing, I would have brought dancing shoes.
Danesh was shaking his head at a woman trying to wave him onto the floor. I collapsed into a chair and frowned at the cluster of beer bottles, which had multiplied. I’d never find mine again. In any case, I knew better than
Similar Books
