“Shut up, Carver.” He looked back at Elise as she wiped down the bar.
“Honey, it wasn’t like that at all. I really meant that we could get together at the bar or something when I said meet at my hotel.”
“Sure you did. Now, can I get y’all a drink or what?” She glanced around at the crowded bar, and he figured now was not the time to push. But he would get her in his bed, one way or another. She was too sexy.
“We’ll take two beers and don’t be a stranger down this end. I like to watch you smile.”
She shook her head at him.
“I don’t think that your plan is going too well,” Carver stated then took a sip of his beer and looked around the dance hall.
“I think it’s going great. She likes me. That’s the first step in seduction.”
Carver leaned closer. “But you ain’t just trying to seduce her, you’re planning on abducting her.”
“If necessary, when the time comes. But for now, I’m working my charms. I have a feeling if her friends can talk her into that photo shoot and Tysler Cobbs get’s a look at her, he’ll be way interested. Now, what we need to do is get more information on these challengers for the contest. I need to know if they have families, girlfriends, et cetera, so we know what strings we can pull to bribe them into the ring back in Tennessee.”
“I’m already working on it. Plus James and Stucky are in town now, too. We’ll work it, as we always do.”
“Good. Real good,” Tagart stated as he looked at Elise.
Maybe he could get the photographer to talk Elise into wearing a bikini on the bull. Now that would be a fucking hot sight.
* * * *
“There is no way that Elise is going to pose for pictures in some getup for the promotions. Is that Tagart’s idea? I don’t like how thoroughly interested he is in her,” Susanna expressed to Ava as she looked over the balcony and down to the floor below. She had a great view of Elise’s small bar and Tagart and Carver. Tagart was smiling and watching her every time she walked away from him.
“It’s not like she has to wear a bikini. She’ll wear what she usually does,” Ava stated.
Susanna looked out toward the bar then back at Ava.
“I’m a little worried about Elise. She was acting kind of funny yesterday and then she disappeared for a bit.”
Ava turned away and smiled to herself. She knew that the Ollsen twins had finally confronted Elise about their attraction to her.
“What? What do you know but aren’t sharing?”
“My lips are sealed.”
“Oh no you don’t. Y’all keep referring to me as the mother hen, then this mother hen needs to know that her Dixie Chix are okay.”
Ava chuckled. “God, that sounds so funny coming from you. You’re only twenty-six.” Ava laughed.
“Well, any time you’d like to take over, miss twenty-seven, you let me know.”
“Ah, hell, no one mothers like you do, Susanna. By the way, how do you feel about being a grandma soon?”
Susanna gasped then gave Ava a gentle smack on her arm.
“Don’t you dare start that shit.”
Ava was laughing hysterically and then Susanna did, too.
“It was a funny one. I’ll give you that.”
“Sure was,” Ava replied.
“Now, back to Elise. What’s going on?”