Page 32 of If You Loved Me

“I am,” I smiled up at him. “I feel like I’ve been missing out on something special my entire life.”

His laugh skated over my skin like velvet as I watched his Adam’s Apple bob up and down. “Next time you see your mom you’ll have to tell her that ladies do, in fact, line dance.”

Rolling my eyes, I snorted. “I don’t think that would go over too well. Best to keep this secret between us.”

When I looked back at him, his eyes were questioning and a flurry of nerves took over me as I realized what I’d said. My mother was the last person I wanted to think about tonight and I silently hoped he wouldn’t find the need to start asking questions.

His hand shifted upward from my hip along the edge of my rib cage, leaving a trail of fire in its wake before I felt the rough callouses of his palm settle on the nape of my neck. He pulled me into him, the brim of his black cowboy hat grazing my cheek as he leaned his lips to my ear. “Here’s to hoping we have a lot more secrets to share.”

Shivers coursed over my entire body as his lips found the bottom of my neck. When he pulled away, his eyes had shifted from vivid blue to a stormy gray so beautiful they rivaled the winter clouds hanging over the Blue Ridge Mountains.

“Here you go.” I jumped at the sound of the bartender’s shrilly voice and backed away from Ranger’s warmth.

“Thanks,” I muttered, wrapping my hands around the cool glass as I tried to reel myself in. But there was no use as Ranger gripped my right hip, rotating me around until my back was flush against him. He draped an arm over the side of my shoulder, letting his hand settle on my opposite hip. I was trapped against him and yet I’d never felt more alive as I let myself settle into his hold.

I let my head fall against his chest as I slowly sipped on my drink, wondering how in the hell it had taken me this long to realize what a pivotal piece of my life was missing. If this was what it felt like to fall for someone, I didn’t want to stop.

I’d chased a singular dream for the better part of my life, never letting myself want for anything else. Maybe I thought it was too selfish. To have grown up with such privilege and have the ability to start my own business. But this moment,feeling Ranger’s strength surrounding me…feeling the need to be even closer to him went way beyond the thrill of defying my parents’ wishes for me. There was a thrum in my blood that had never been there until Ranger came back into town.

I was thankful that despite all the hell this town shot his way, he decided to stay.

“Let’s go dance.” His chest rumbled against my back with his words. I couldn’t turn it off. The acute awareness of every place his body met mine. I wasn’t even sure what song was playing as I leaned back and pressed a gentle kiss to the stubble along his jawline.

“Those lips are going to be the death of me, woman,” he growled before nipping my earlobe, sending me squealing into a fit of giggles.

“Right back at you, cowboy.” I flicked the rim of his hat and he winked at me.

His hold on my hip tightened before I felt him moving us forward. Unwinding our tangled limbs, he reached for my drink and set them both on the bartop before he grabbed my hand and led us toward the dance floor.

A loud smack sounded behind me right as a hand came down on my rear. I was so shocked it took me a moment to register that someone had smacked me on the ass. In public. When I didn’t know their name. And while I was very clearly with Ranger. But even if I hadn’t been. A fucking douchebag stranger had just smacked my ass.

Ranger went deathly still in front of me.

Shit.

If there was a look in someone’s eyes that indicated they were about to commit murder, Ranger had it. All the joy and ease had left him. Those blue eyes that stole my breath away were honed steel, aimed right at the guy I knew was standing behind me because I could feel his presence like the edge of a razor against my neck. He was dangerous and lacked any respect for women.

But I had something far more dangerous. A man who didn’t want his woman to be touched by anyone else.

Ranger gripped my hand and tugged me toward him like we were on the dance floor. Spinning around, I found myself behind him, nestled safely against the edge of the standing bar that surrounded the dance floor.

The guy who smacked my ass laughed drunkenly to his friends, not seeing that the giant in front of him was on a war path for revenge.

Ranger’s hands found their way around the man’s neck—quick as a snake bite, the man jumped. His body didn’t waver far as Ranger yanked his chest toward him.

“Didn’t your parents ever teach you to keep your hands to yourself?”

Wide, frightened eyes darted back and forth between Ranger and where I stood behind him. His drunken brain was trying to make sense of the situation. Unfortunately for him, it moved too slow.

Ranger reared a fist back and clocked the guy right on the chin sending him straight to the sticky floor. His large frame bent over the guy and Ranger stabbed him in the chest with his pointer finger. “If you ever touch a woman withouther consent again, I’ll find you and finish what I started. I don’t give a fuck if you leave town and try it somewhere else. I’ll know and I’ll fucking hunt you down and remove your meaty hands so you won’t be able to do it ever again.”

The entire bar was silent, listening to Ranger’s tirade before he rose to his full height and stalked toward me. His breaths were heavy, but so were mine.

He draped his arm over my shoulder. Pulling me in close, he kissed the top of my hair as I slid my hand into the back pocket of his jeans.

“Let’s get the hell out of here,” he said as I looked up at him, the wild still tingeing his eyes.

Chapter 14

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