Page 60 of The Scars Within
“Right heel – right heel – left heel – left heel,” I chanted, focusing on my footwork. “Right toe – right heel – left toe – left heel.” I stepped forward on my left foot, turning towards him, then repeated the step until I was facing forward again. “Now get jazzy and repeat!” I finished with a final back-and-forth step of the rotation, clapping my hands above my head before jumping back in line with Rhodes, feeling the energy of the dance pulse through me.
Still watching my footwork, Rhodes leaped into the line dance like he had nothing to lose. His loud and carefree laughter rang out over the music every time he tripped over his feet, but he didn’t let it stop him. I could see him mentally calculating when to jump back into rhythm, trying to sync up with me. We bumped shoulders when I moved into the left grapevine, which sent us both intolaughter.
The line dance stretched on, the steps shifting with each new song, but we kept pace with the group, never missing a beat. At one point, Rhodes grabbed my hand and spun me around in a twirl, so naturally, I did the same to him. He bent his knees, ducking down to let me twirl him, and the sight of his broad frame dipping low nearly sent me doubling over with laughter.
One dance variation had us facing the bar, with Rhodes positioned behind me instead of side-by-side. I stepped forward on my left foot, preparing to turn towards him, expecting to see his back. Instead, he had moved forward into my path, and I crashed into his solid chest as I looked up at him, feeling the rise and fall of his breathing against me. He pulled me close, our bodies molding together on the dance floor. My hands rested on his chest, and I could feel his racing heart.
We were both breathless. And I could see the resolve in his eyes as if he, too, found a missing puzzle piece of himself tonight.
And when Rhodes fully smiled down at me, I felt myself slipping into the heart of a wicked storm.
Chapter 23
We ended up closing down the bar. Once Walter saw us hit the dance floor, he put my second drink away for safekeeping. By closing time, I’d managed to catch my breath and finish the delicious lemon drop martini. Everyone in the tavern whom I had spoken with seemed friendly and genuine. Rhodes introduced me to a handful of people I probably won’t remember in the morning—though not because of the martinis. I’m simply terrible with names and faces. On the other hand, I’m surprisingly adept at picking up line dances.
We made our way to the hitching post, and Rhodes whistled cheerfully, saying, “Hello, Dahlia darling. Did you miss us?” The horse neighed in response as he stroked under her snout. He helped me onto the saddle like before and climbed on behind me. As everybody turned in for the night, we left the quiet, cozy village.
The only sound was the steady click of Dahlia’s hooves on the cobblestone as we headed back toward Mageia. Like before, Rhodes had one hand on the reins and the other wrapped securely around my waist, a comforting presence in the quiet night.
Maybe it was the martinis, but his hold didn’t make me feel awkward at all. In fact, I didn’t notice how much they’d hit me until a few miles inwhen I realized—I really needed to pee. Rhodes’s firm grip and the sway of Dahlia’s steps weren’t helping either.
“Hey, um, Rhodes.”
“Hey, um, Scarlet,” he mimicked my tone, a smirk tugging at his lips.
I rolled my eyes. “Can we stop for a minute, please?”
He tensed slightly, concern flickering in his voice. “Everything alright? You’re not saddle-sick, are you?”
I giggled softly at his worry. “No, I just need to…”
“Need to what?”
“Relieve myself.”
“Relieve yourself of what?” he asked, feigning innocence.
I rolled my eyes so far that I thought they might get stuck. “I need to pee, Rhodes!”
His chuckle rumbled through his chest, a sound that brought a wave of relief. “You’re such a thorn in my side.” He tugged at Dahlia’s reins, signaling her to stop, then hopped off the saddle with ease and reached up to help me down.
As I started to walk off the path, I hesitated, realizing how dark the forest was without the sconces’ light. I turned back to Rhodes. “Do you have a small torch or something?”
He walked over, his features obscured by the shadows. I heard the rustle of his sleeves before a bright ball of flames conjured in his hand. The fire element was magnificent, glowing fiercely as it rested on his palm, illuminating his face in the darkness.
“I applied a protection shield around the orb so you can carry it without burning yourself or setting the grass on fire. Here,” he said softly, reaching down to grab my hand, moving slowly in case I rejected his touch. He raised my hand, palm up, to his, and before he transferred the orb, our eyes locked—a silent promise of trust passedbetween us.
He gently rolled the orb into my palm, and I gasped at the unexpected sensation. The flames felt like a cool, smooth glass ball resting in my hand. It was mesmerizing, but I really needed to empty my bladder.
After finishing, I walked back to Rhodes and Dahlia. He stood with his back to me, giving me as much privacy as possible. Just then, the rustling of leaves came from the trees behind me. I spun around, angling the fire orb toward the bushes, but saw nothing. My heart pounded—darkness always messed with my mind, reminding me too much of the shed. Fear crept up my spine, making me shiver in the cool night air.
“Scarlet?” Rhodes called.
“Yeah, I’m coming. Did you hear that?” I asked, my voice shaky.
“No, what was it?”
I took a moment to calm myself, convincing my mind it was just a small critter in the woods. But as I walked back to Rhodes, I felt a prickling sensation between my shoulder blades, like eyes were watching me.
