Promise Me This(26)

“Looks like we won’t have to go far to find a drink,” she said.

“Lucky for us,” I said, parking the car. She looked down at her lap and smiled.

We walked inside and got our room situated after I made it clear that it would be charged to my credit card and she could pay me cash later.

After she dug in her purse and shoved money in my hand, we headed toward the exit with our room key. I was too exhausted to fight her about it, so I just pocketed the bills and would decide later how to get the cash back in her possession.

Since Lucky’s was such a hit, our only option was to squeeze in at the bar. Two guys in cowboy boots looked Jessie over and I had the urge to put my arm around her, slide her against my side to keep her protected.

Yeah right. If I was being honest, it was more than that. I wanted to claim her as mine. But she would probably think that was a dick move and besides, there was no claiming a girl like Jessie. She didn’t take shit from any guy, which was why I let myself become friends with her in the first place.

After flagging down one on the bartenders, I ordered us two beers and a couple of shots. There was a country band playing and Jesse looked so out of her element, it was hilarious.

“What the hell are you laughing about?” she asked after taking a sip of her beer.

“This just doesn’t seem like your kind of bar,” I said, turning and sliding the shot her way. “Sorry, pretty sure there’s no biker bar anywhere close.”

“Well then I guess these guys would be safe from Cory,” she said, shouting over the loud music, and I laughed. “Is this your kind of thing? Are you a closet country music lover?”

“Maybe,” I said, messing with her. “What if I am?”

Her eyebrows rose. “Then I’d say you’re even more of a puzzle.”

“A puzzle?” I said, surprised by her answer. That was the second time this weekend she had hinted at that.

Two women in tight jeans and cowboy boots stood up from their seats at the bar and I motioned to them so we could grab them first. I grasped for Jessie’s hand and tugged her a couple of feet along with me. That was the way to deal with Jessie, I now realized. If you surprised her, she didn’t have time to react.

One of the girls was a knockout blonde with a little too much makeup on. She held my gaze and smiled at me. When she looked down at our entwined hands, I felt Jessie’s grip tighten.

“Thanks for the seats,” I said. “Have a good night.”

The blonde opened her mouth as if to say something else, but I just nudged past her and pulled the seat out for Jessie to slide into. Jessie’s gaze shot up to mine, a hesitant look in her eyes. She leaned forward and said, “Do you want a minute, to . . . you know, do your thing?”

She was referring to the blonde and I’ll admit her question dumbfounded me. And then incensed me. Did she really think I’d want to go hang out with some random girl when I had Jessie all to myself for the night?

I shook my head, not even giving the girl another glance. “I’m here with you.”

Before she could respond, I raised my shot glass toward her and we did a silent toast. I hoped that would help get my skittering pulse under control.

We made ourselves comfortable on the seats and watched the band for a couple of minutes. She stared at me and then back at the dance floor.

“What?” I shouted, because the music was so loud.

“I’m just waiting for you to belt out a tune and then ask me to square-dance, mystery man,” she said raising her glass and then taking a sip.

I leaned over and found her ear. She shivered, which completely threw me for a loop. Unless I had just startled her because I’d been so close.

“What’s so mysterious about me?”

She shrugged and turned toward me in her seat.

There were people behind us trying to push their way into our space to get to the bar, so I put my hands on either side of her thighs and tugged her chair directly next to mine, creating a barrier between us and the rest of the world.

I kept my hand on her seat near her leg and she looked down at my fingers. Then she tucked her head toward mine and said, “Lots of things have been surprising about you.”

“Where is this coming from?” I turned my chin toward her and now we were huddled together as if in our own little safe haven. I could feel her breaths on my neck and the hairs on my arm stood at attention. “Have you always felt that way about me?”

She shook her head. “Only recently.”

My eyes met hers and she looked so damn serious right then. It felt almost like she could see right inside of me. See all of my secrets. All of the ways I was keeping myself locked in a cage. It was like she was offering me the key to let myself out.