Page 29 of Mountain Freedom
“It matters to me,” he said, following my line of sight with a puzzled look on his face.
“Forget it.” I gave him a reassuring smile. “I want that dance now.”
Chapter Twelve
Jackson
Penny Johnson had clearlyupset Allison. She had been fine until I left to dance with Mrs. Steinbeck, but she was back to being embarrassed and awkward when I returned. She shook it off quickly though and insisted she didn’t want to talk about it. She just wanted to dance, and I couldn’t say no.
But when the dance started, part of me wished I could have.
Allison stepped forward and put one hand in mine and the other on my shoulder. I slipped my arm around her waist as we started to move in time with the music, a soulful ballad about finding love that would last a lifetime. In some ways, it felt familiar—we’d been dance partners at plenty of town dances before. But that was Allison the kid.
This was Allison the woman.
I’d done a great job of keeping things light and friendly all night. But with her in my arms, gazing up into my eyes, I couldn’t keep an easy smile on my face. Couldn’t hide the fact that everything within me was at war.
I couldn’t pretend not to notice how incredible she smelled or how amazing it felt to be this close to her. How I wanted to pull her even closer and feel her body pressed up against mine. How I wanted my hands in her hair, to press my lips to her pretty mouth.
How I wanted this song to be about us.
All things I could never have.
My no-relationship rule wasn’t going to change, and Allison was way too important to ruin everything by crossing the boundaries of friendship for a fling. So I’d have to squash those feelings down tight and keep things safe and platonic for both of us.
But that was hard to do while holding her this close. It felt wrong to avoid her eyes, but when I looked down at her, everything I was feeling threatened to spill out of me in a mess of words I knew I shouldn’t say. So I closed my eyes and gave myself the rest of the song to pretend that things could be different.
As soon asthe song ended, I made a lame excuse about needing to leave so I could get to work early the next day.
“Really?” she asked, disappointment clear on her face. “It’s still so early.”
“Yeah,” I said, tugging at the collar of my uniform. “Sorry. I’ve been in this all day and I’m ready for a shower and some sweats.” Though in reality, it wasn’t the uniform making me uncomfortable—it was the way she looked in that blue sundress. An innocent, classy sundress that had me thinking all sorts of thoughts that weren’t classy at all.
“Hey, I get it,” she said. “Thanks so much for introducing me to everyone and helping me get established here. I’m glad you made me come.”
“I’m glad, too,” I said, staring down into those gorgeous blue eyes. They looked up at me with so much trust, so much affection. Things I knew I could lose in a heartbeat if I didn’t get out of here before I acted upon the feelings she was bringing up in me.
“See you soon?” she asked hopefully.
“Soon,” I promised.
I walked outside and nearly ran straight into Russell. “What are you doing here?” I demanded, not at all in the mood to deal with him.
“I’m a citizen, same as you.” He smirked. “Don’t I have the right to come to town events?”
“No, you don’t.” It wasn’t true, of course. I just didn't want him anywhere near Allison.
A challenge rose in his eyes. “I do,” he said. “Unless you’re about to cross the line and try to deny me my rights?” He threw his glance toward the open door like he was searching for someone inside. But then he looked back at me with a sly grin on his face. “I feel like I’m in the mood for a dance, young Jackson. Might want to go inside and find me a pretty young thing to dance with tonight. Take her home, show her a real good time.”
My pulse skyrocketed. “You need to go home. Now.” I crossed my arms and stood my ground.
He studied my eyes. Maybe he saw I was edgier than normal, because in a move that was totally unlike him, he backed down.
“Fine, I’ll go,” he said, scowling. He spit in the grass beside my feet. “No one worth talking to in there anyway.” He stalked off, away from the entrance.
I sat alone inside my truck, keeping guard, until the party started breaking up and I saw Allison leave. It wasn’t until I saw her safely pull her car out and head toward home, unfollowed, that I breathed a sigh of relief and went to get the rest—and space—I desperately needed.
SeeingRussell again had me shaken up enough that I didn’t get that rest after all. My night was marked by nightmares, and I woke the next day feeling even more exhausted than before. I kept to my routine but felt like I was constantly looking over my shoulder, just waiting for him to pop out of the bushes somewhere.
