One Wright Stand

“Only here a week, huh?”

“Hollin is family. That’s what I’m here for. Plus, he’s giving us free drinks. So, hey, worth it.”

I leaned forward against his chest, looking up into those big brown eyes. “Definitely.”

Just then the band went from one song to the next, and I gasped.

“What?”

“I love this song,” I said, bouncing up and down. “And I know the dance.”

“The dance?”

I grinned devilishly. “You didn’t think we just came here to drink, did you?”

7

Jordan

That was exactly what I’d thought.

I had no intention of dancing. I could dance in the more generic terms of most dudes’ ability to dance. But I wasn’t from around here, and I had no idea what they were doing out on the dance floor. The most line dancing I’d ever seen done was the Electric Slide at a friend’s wedding. I’d been drunk, and I still hadn’t participated in that.

There was an entire troupe dipping and spinning and kicking out on the floor. I was a confident guy, but I knew my limits. Line dancing was definitely a limit.

But fuck, she looked so happy. Like she couldn’t wait to get me out on that dance floor and show off her moves. So, I followed her away from the bar and into a corner, where a group of her friends hooted and hollered at her to join them.

She waved at them but turned all of her considerable attention to me. When she looked at me like that, I wanted to crush her to me and capture those perfect lips. I’d heard other girls say that confidence was a turn-on when describing me. I wasn’t sure that I’d ever used it to describe a woman. Not until Annie.

No wonder I was in a dirty barn in the middle of nowhere.

“Stand here,” she said, moving me into position at her side.

“What exactly are we doing?” I asked.

“I’m going to show you how to do the dance.”

My brows rose. “This does not seem wise.”

She laughed. Her halo of red waves bounced as her body rocked to the music. “It’ll be fine. It’s really easy. Promise.”

“Uh…”

“This one is my favorite. You’re going to love it.”

I had some doubts about that. I didn’t just look out of place in this barn. I was out of place. Even the guys were jumping in to do the dance. I straightened my shoulders and listened to her as she spouted the directions, showing me the moves at what she must have thought was a slow enough speed for me to pick them up.

“You were a cheerleader, right?”

She glanced up at me. “Yeah?”

“So, you’re good at dancing.”

“Pom,” she said with a shrug.

“Pom?”

She giggled. “Pom is what we do in the South. Well, you probably have pom dance in Canada, but we have pom competition teams.” She did a few structured arm movements, and I realized she was trying to explain that cheerleading arms were a whole dance style now.

“I have no experience with this,” I said, gesturing around us.

Her eyes glittered with mirth. “I didn’t think you’d have any experience. That’s why I brought you. I thought you’d have fun.”

And I was having fun. Completely out of my element, but I hadn’t smiled this much in…years. She brought it out of me. Even while I was simultaneously more uncomfortable than I’d been in years.

“Okay,” I said with a nod. “Let’s try this again.”

She went back to being the patient teacher. Kick right, left, right, left. Cross leg forward, hit your foot. Cross leg backward, hit your foot. Turn to face the other direction. We were going at half-speed compared to everyone else in the place, but I was kind of getting the hang of it, and her million-watt smile kept me going.

“Now, speed it up!” Annie called and fell instantly in step with the troupe of dancers.

I chuckled and held my hands up. “I can’t keep up.”

“Come on!” she urged. “You were doing so well.”

But I took a step out of the group of dancers and gave in to defeat. I’d had it slower, but to tempo was beyond me, and that was fine. Shockingly, I was out of breath. I ran five miles a day and lifted weights, but five minutes of dancing could leave me winded. Guessed no one was in shape for all forms of exercise.

The music switched from her favorite song to the next, and she continued dancing. Her breathing was even, and she didn’t seem at all out of breath. Her boots were dirty, hair flying, smile wide.

Oh fuck.

What had I gotten myself into?

I’d told Julian that I was here to have fun. That Annie had no reason to worry. I was the king of heartbreak, but I’d never thought there was any chance of that happening here. Annie wasn’t interested in anything more. Plus, I was leaving tomorrow.

Still, I hadn’t anticipated this…her.