Spurs and Heels (15 page)

* * * *

Hot. Holy. Hell.

All conversation ceased around him as she walked—no,
sauntered
toward the front door. He’d known she might dress up but hadn’t known what to expect. Hell, if she was strutting up the aisle in ratty blue jeans and a T-shirt, he’d still be getting hard.

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It was the look in her eyes that did it. She drilled him with those pale, wolf-blue eyes, and he lost track of all other sensory input.

Smiling at him as she walked up, Juliana slid her key into the deadbolt lock on the front door then allowed everyone to exit, wishing them a good night.

When the door shut on the blustery breeze outside, she turned to him.

“Hi.”

“Hello,
gorgeous
. You’ve got me a little tongue-tied, darlin’.” He twirled his index finger so she’d show off her outfit to him.

“You like it?” She slowly turned for him, and he groaned when he noted the seam on the back of her stockings.

She’s wearing a g–g–garter belt and stockings.

His dick pummeled at his zipper as he imagined her sliding them on earlier then attaching the garters to what must be a lace edge. He looked into her eyes and saw that she must’ve heard the sound he’d made because her cheeks were a pretty shade of pink now. “Is this all right to go out to The Dancing Pony, Ash? Did I overdress?”

No, but I can’t wait to see what’s
under
that dress.
“You’re perfect, trust me.”

Totally fucking perfect. He took her leather coat from her and held it while she slipped her arms into the black, buttery-soft leather then tied the belt at the waist. “I’ll follow you home, and then you can ride me to the club—I mean ride
with
me to the club. Everybody is supposed to be up there tonight.”

She looked up at him and giggled softly. Stopping her as she reached for the door handle, Ash crushed her to him, pressing his lips to hers in a sultry kiss. She felt so good against his chest, and she must have agreed, judging by her sexy moan.

He wrapped his arms around her, holding the back of her head firmly but gently as his tongue swept through the silky recesses of her mouth. She tasted spicy, like cinnamon. Her hands slid slowly around his waist, holding tightly to him.

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Her scent filled his nostrils and made his pulse throb.
Everywhere
.

She smelled good, like flowers, shampoo, and woman. His woman.

He loosened his grip and looked down at her when she let loose an alluring, earthy-sounding chuckle.

“Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me, big boy?”

Ash chuckled with her and replied, “Oh, I’m packing all right, and I’m
damned
glad to see you, darlin’. I missed you.” He kissed her again, brushing her lower lips with his in a light caress.

He couldn’t wait to get her on the dance floor. He wished now he’d wrapped his arms around her before he’d helped her with her jacket so that he could feel her supple curves under his hands and against his body.

“Let’s get you out to your car, pretty lady,” he said as he put his arm around her and pushed open the door for her, shielding her from the wind as she locked the deadbolt again from the outside. He ushered her quickly to her car, which was parked near his pickup.

Following her to her house, he turned on his windshield wipers as a light rain began to fall. She locked up her car then took the hand he offered as she came to him.

He smiled at her as he pulled open the passenger door and lifted her into the pickup.

He secretly loved the light squealing sound she made, and the feel of her in his arms. After closing her door, he ran around the front of the pickup and climbed in the driver’s side door

“Ash? Are you sure I’m not overdressed? I bought some other clothing today, and I could change really quickly. I might fit in better with you. I like you dressed up in your cowboy hat, boots, and jeans,”

she said as she plucked at the crease of his freshly pressed navy sleeve. “You look sharp. I could change to…match you.”

Ash smiled up at her as he reached over and rested his hand on her curvaceous thigh.

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“Darlin’, I wouldn’t change a thing about you. I’m not at all worried about whether we match. Every bachelor in The Dancing Pony will be drooling all over you, and I’m prouder than hell to have you walk in on my arm and have everyone know that you’re there with me. I think the way you’re dressed is perfect. I especially like you in those damn sexy high heels.”

She blushed for him and kissed him again.

“Is that sleet?” she asked, leaning forward to look at the light rain falling in front of the street lights as he backed out of her driveway.

“I think it is, darlin’. Don’t worry. You’re safe with me.” He patted her thigh and squeezed gently, smiling when she placed her delicate hand over his and held it in place there.

Once they arrived at The Dancing Pony, he was glad they’d left her vehicle at home because she would’ve had to park way out in Timbuktu like he did. After setting the security system, he lifted her from the truck and carried her to the asphalt so she wouldn’t have to walk in the frozen, wet grass in her heels.

His mom would’ve been proud of him for thinking of that.

Watching for icy patches, he wrapped his arm around her and escorted her up to the door of The Dancing Pony. After they were inside, he helped her slip off her jacket as they waited for the group in front of them to disperse into the club.

She waved at Rachel Wolf as they got closer. Rachel left her seat beside her husband, Eli, who was working the door, to greet them.

“Hey! I’m so happy you came in, Juliana! Grace told me you and Ash might be coming by tonight! It’s good to see you out of the store.” Rachel gave her and Ash a speculative glance and whispered something to Juliana.

Ash shook hands with Eli and greeted the bouncers before pointing into the club. “Darlin’, Grace is waving frantically at you.”

“She’s probably saving you seats at their table,” Rachel offered in explanation. “You’re dancing with us later, aren’t you, Juliana?”

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“Sure!” Juliana replied enthusiastically. “Just let me know. If it’s okay with Ash, that is.”

Ash and Eli exchanged a knowing smirk and bumped fists. “Oh, it’s definitely okay with me. Dance with the girls
all
you want.”

Ash wondered if Juliana knew what “dancing with the girls”

meant but hoped he’d find out shortly.

All the admiring looks Juliana received from the single men did not escape Ash’s notice. Several were blatantly ogling her as his hand slid possessively around her hip.

He escorted her through the crowd to the table in the corner by the bar, where Ethan and his crew usually sat. Grace was there, seated in Adam’s lap, with Jack and Ethan on either side of them.

Rosemary and Bernadette from Cheaver’s were there also, flanked by Wesley and Evan Garner. Anyone casually observing might think that the Garner brothers were there with both of the girls. Rosemary had confided to Juliana at the pig roast in November that she was in love with both brothers and they with her. They were planning a getaway beach wedding in the spring.

Grace had saved seats for Juliana and Ash at their table, and there were a few other empty chairs at the row of tables as well, saved for friends who must be out on the dance floor.

A waitress took their drink orders, and Juliana and Grace chatted for a few minutes, getting caught up on the news about the little visits Brenda Sanderson paid to them both.

Grace still had her back up over the obliterated crape myrtles. Ash and the unfortunate ranch hand Brenda had hooked up with did what they could to mollify her by planting replacement trees of the same variety. Juliana smiled up at him appreciatively when Grace told her that part of the story. This was the first she was hearing about it.

“Our Grace, when she’s good and
pissed
, is a sight to see,” Adam said with a quiet laugh as he squeezed her affectionately. “We barely stopped her from chucking a clay flower pot through the back window
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of that dually before that little chippie tore out of there. We’ve got some spirited women around here, huh, Ash?”

Ash couldn’t help the wide grin on his face as he remembered the sight of Juliana’s beautiful, flushed cheeks and the fire in her eyes as she told him off at Teresa’s place a few weeks before.

“Damn straight! I like them just the way they are.”

A friend came up to Ash and started a conversation with him while Grace, Juliana, and Adam talked. At first, Ash didn’t notice the ranch hand that took that opportunity to slip in and ask Juliana to dance. He turned to look at Juliana just in time to see the son of a bitch give her an admiring onceover as he engaged in flirtatious conversation. Being polite, Grace introduced the ranch hand to Juliana, glancing at Ash with apologetic amusement in her eyes. Rock and a hard place, he figured.

“Juliana, this is one of Jack’s cousins, Boone Warner. Boone, this is Juliana Meyer. She’s the manager of Stigall’s Department Store and my former boss. She’s also Ash Peterson’s girlfriend. Boone, you’ve met Ash before, haven’t you?”

Surprise and good humor registered in Boone’s eyes. “Oh! Yeah, hey, Ash! Good to see you again. She looked like she was about ready for a dance. I thought I might oblige her. Sorry, didn’t know she was your girlfriend,” he said as his horn-dog gaze shifted back to Juliana, suggesting that perhaps Ash was neglecting her.

Boone knew exactly who she was here with because he’d had a staring contest with him as soon as they’d walked in. He must’ve been waiting for his opportunity to slip in and flirt with her. Show her other options if she was interested. He’d be willing to bet Boone wasn’t the only man here who had noticed the seams up the back of her sexy stockings as they’d walked through the club a few minutes ago.

That thought pissed him off in a thoroughly primitive way, but he took satisfaction in knowing he was the one that would have the great pleasure of easing them off of those satiny thighs later on.

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Ash glared silently at Boone for a few seconds until he noticed Grace and Juliana were watching him.

He finally chuckled and held out his hand in greeting. He supposed he couldn’t fault the guy. Juliana was irresistible tonight.

“Good to see you, Boone. How’re things going at the old home place?”

Boone seemed to relax a bit. Probably relieved Ash wasn’t going to punch his face in.

“Good. We’re all still working out at the Rockin’ C Ranch for now. We’re working on the old ranch house, making it livable. Still saving money for breeding stock.”

“Well, keep at it. That’s a beautiful spread out there. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to dance with this pretty lady if she’ll trust her dainty toes to me,” Ash said as he offered his hand to Juliana but directed a long gaze at Boone. “Smoke Rings in the Dark” by Gary Allan began to play as he led her to the dance floor.

Boone grinned toothily at Ash and nodded. Ash’s look said “back off,” and Boone’s smile and shrug clearly communicated that Ash couldn’t blame a guy for trying.

He helped Juliana from her chair and led her onto the dance floor.

She was an excellent partner, fitting her body to his, taking her cues from him and allowing him to lead her. Their bodies fit together well.

For a woman, she was above average in height, and he appreciated not having to bend himself into a pretzel to kiss her or whisper in her ear.

Neither was she too Amazonian for his tastes. She was strong and solid with lovely, long, smooth muscles like a woman should have but also possessed luscious curves and hollows that made his mouth water just thinking about sliding his lips over them.

The song ended and another began at a slower tempo. He pressed her a little closer, loving the way her body conformed to his, his thigh sliding sensually between hers as he maneuvered her around the
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dance floor to Blake Shelton’s “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking.”

He nodded at a few friends as they took several turns around the floor. He groaned quietly when she curled to him, slid her hands into his back pockets and laid her cheek on his shoulder, content to let him guide her blindly.

His hand slid down her lower back, coming to rest at the upper swell of her ass, when he caught several men at a table gazing openly at her long legs.

Mine.

Joaquin nodded to Ash as he and Teresa passed them on the dance floor. He’d come to respect all the men of the Divine Creek Ranch as employers but also as friends. He had not known Joaquin as long but could tell he was cut from the same cloth as his brother, Angel, despite his long-ranging reputation as a playboy among the rodeo circuit buckle bunnies.

He appreciated their friendship and trust as he took over duties as ranch foreman so Angel could focus on the equine breeding program at the Divine Creek Ranch.

What he knew of Grace and Teresa made him respect them just as much. It had to be difficult to balance such unusual relationships. He sensed that if they were asked, Grace and Teresa would both insist that they were spoiled beyond belief, and their men made it easy to achieve that balance.

Ash knew he could never exist happily in a sharing relationship like they all did. He was too possessive. Coming into The Pony tonight with Juliana radiant at his side had reinforced that in his mind.