Southern Secrets (Southern 7)

"Only two hours to go," he says, walking away from me, and I laugh.

People slowly start to leave, and before I know it, I look up and it’s empty. Reed and Christopher are picking up the last of the stray empty glasses.

The music plays softly as I clean up the bar. “I’m going to help the boys bring out the garbage.”

"Okay," I say, drying up a couple of glasses and making sure that everything is in its place.

"I’m out," Dolly says, coming over to me, bringing her black bag. "I always think we are never going to top the weekend before, and then bam, it blows it out of the water." I smile, looking at the empty bar. "You did good."

"Thank you," I say. "See you Monday."

I walk over to the sports section and turn off the lights. Making my way toward the pool tables, I make sure everything is cleaned up.

I step out and see Asher walking back in. "Where are the boys?" I ask, walking toward him and meeting him in the middle of the dance floor.

"Told them to take off," he says, and his hand grabs my hand and pulls me to him. He wraps his arm around my waist and slowly lowers his lips to mine. My tongue comes out eagerly to meet his, and my hands go to his chest as I kiss him back. He lets my lips go softly. "I waited all night to do that," he says softly, pushing the hair from my face. "There is also something I’ve wanted to do all night." He lets me go, walking over to the radio on the stage. Taking out his phone, he plugs it in and the song, “Cowboys like Me,” plays through the speakers, filling the room. Turning, he walks toward me with a smile, and his eyes turn a soft brown. My stomach flips, and a smile fills my face. He holds out his hand when he reaches me. "Dance with me."

Chapter 23

Asher

"Dance with me." I hold out my hand to her. I don’t know what I’m doing because I’ve never been in this position. I’ve never been with someone I couldn’t wait to see again. I haven’t been with someone who causes a sense of peace to wash over me as soon as I see her.

She places her small hand into mine, and I pull her to me, smashing our chests together. "I didn’t know you were a dancer." I wrap an arm around her waist while she puts one hand around my shoulder. I look down at her smiling face, her eyes turning soft blue right before my eyes.

"I don’t dance," I say as we turn around in a circle. "If we are being honest." The words come out so low I don’t know if she can hear them.

She stops moving, and I can sense her whole body going stiff. "Being dishonest is not an option between us.” The words come out curt and direct.

"I know," I whisper. She nods her head, and I can feel her relaxing in my arms again. "Like I was saying …" I kiss her forehead as we turn around in a circle. "I’ve never danced with anyone before," I admit. The thought of her in someone else’s arms is almost too much to bear.

She looks up at me. "Are you saying I’m your first?" she jokes, tilting her head back, her index finger coming to rub my cheek. My head turns to catch her finger with a kiss.

"I’m saying you are the first girl who I’ve ever danced with. You are the first girl I’ve wanted to dance with," I admit.

"I’ll take it." She laughs. I bend my head, and she tilts her head back, waiting for my kiss. My mouth lowers to hers. My hand moves from her hand to her neck, intertwining my fingers in her hair. Her tongue comes out to slide with mine. Her hand falls to my hip, her thumb holding the side of my jeans. The arm around my shoulder comes down to hold my arm, her touch like an electric shock bringing me to life. I close my mouth and open it again, my tongue coming out to seek hers. She moans into my mouth, and it shoots straight to my cock. Her hand goes to the back of my neck as her fingers go into my hair.

The song ends, and all you can hear in the dimly lit bar is the sound of us kissing. My head moves to the other side, deepening the kiss. My lips let hers go, and I rub her nose gently with mine. Our chests are pressed against each other. "Another thing I was dying all night to do." I kiss her lips. "Is kiss you."

"Really?" She kisses under my chin. "What else have you been dying to do?" she asks me in a wicked way. This past week has been pure torture for me, lying with her and kissing the shit out of her.