Page 9 of Roping the Rodeo Queen
I squint my eyes, hoping to get her attention."Are you still talking about that blasted 'visibility' hogwash?"
"Yes," she hisses through her teeth."Half the rodeo circuit is in this bar tonight, and they're all watching us right now.Time to get the train rolling."
I glance around and realize she's right.Cowboys I recognize from earlier today are nursing beers at various tables, their eyes tracking our every movement.Even some of the buckle bunnies who usually orbit Sterling's crew are whispering behind their hands, pointing in our direction.
"So, we're putting on a show."I rest my hands on her waist because it seems like the natural place to put them.
"We're crafting a narrative, that's all."Her fingers toy with the hair at the base of my neck, sending shivers down my spine that have nothing to do with the air conditioning."Clay McKendrick isn't just a struggling rancher anymore.He's the cowboy who caught the attention of Jo Callahan---rodeo royalty."
The sultry tone of her voice has me breathing a little harder.When she leans in closer, her lips graze my ear, and she whispers, "We're using each other to get what we both want."Her breath ghosts over my skin, warm and tempting.
Damn, I need to fuck Jo.But I've never been the type to use and discard a woman---or to let a woman do that to me.Before I take her back to the truck to screw her on the bench seat, I need to show her all my moves, the ones she's never seen before.
I brush my lips over the shell of her ear, making her shiver faintly."Time to show you my best moves, Jolene Callahan."
Her brows lift, but she doesn't move a muscle.
So, I slide out of the booth and offer her my hand."Are you tough enough to keep up with me on the dance floor?"
She holds out her hand to me, palm up, letting me pull her to her feet."Oh please, I've been burning up the dance floor since I was eight years old."
The joint is packed tighter than sardines in a can, but Jo weaves through the crowd like she's done this a hundred times.I follow, hyperaware of every eye tracking our movement, every whispered conversation that stops when we pass by.The song shifts to a softer, more intimate ballad as Jo faces me and assumes the usual pose for slow dancing.She fits in my arms perfectly.As I settle my hands on her waist, she brushes her thumbs along the strip of skin where her shirt has ridden up slightly.
"You're thinking too hard again," she whispers, toying with the collar of my shirt."Just move with me.It's not hard to do once you relax into it."
The music seems to wrap around us as if our bodies have merged, and I let myself get lost in the sensual rhythm.Jo's right.I am overthinking this.She initiates a leisurely pace while her hips move with mine and my hands sink lower to rest just above the curve of her ass.The moment feels right, as if we've always been meant to join our bodies this way.I need to kiss her so badly, need it like a starved man craves a meal after weeks in the desert with no food.
But then the ballad fades away, and a raucous number starts up as new couples take the floor.This is just what I need right now to distract myself from the feel of Jo's body molded to mine.
I wink at her."Now the fun really begins."
Chapter Six
Blowing off Steam
What could be better than a round of line dancing accompanied by upbeat country music?It's a cowboy tradition.I'm still holding Jo's hand, and I can't help smiling when I realize which dance we're starting with.It's the good ol' Tush Push.This dance is a longtime favorite of mine, and I smile even more when the music starts up.It's Billy Ray Cyrus singing "Achy Breaky Heart."Some people don't like that song, thinking it's too cheesy.But it's the perfect accompaniment to the Tush Push.
"Tush Push?Really?"Jo's eyes light up with recognition as the familiar beats fill the air.She grins and laughs, weaving through the crowd to find us a good spot."I never would've pegged you for a line dancing fan."
"What's wrong, Callahan?Can't keep up?"I tease, knowing full well that she can probably dance circles around me.
"Just watch me, cowboy."
We stomp and slide in perfect sync with the crowd, our boots scuffing on the worn wooden floor.Jo moves her body with effortless precision and grace, every step executed with the same confidence she displays in the arena.I catch myself watching her more than I'm paying attention to my own steps.
"Eyes forward, McKendrick," she reminds me when she notices I'm staring at her ass.But a playful smile tugs at her lips.
The song ends, transitioning to another line dancing favorite of mine---the Boot Scootin' Boogie.Jo gets even more into it now, and the way her body moves, especially how her ass moves, makes it hard to keep my eye on the other dancers.I bump into somebody.Thankfully, everyone's having too much fun to care.
When we pivot on our heels, and our gazes lock, sizzling heat sparks between us.I know she feels it too, based on the look in her eye.The crowd on the dance floor seems to fade away, and suddenly, it's only the two of us kicking up our heels and bumping into each other on purpose.I never used to think line dancing was erotic.But damn, with Jo Callahan it is.The other dancers, the music, the heat of bodies crammed into a small space...it all vanishes from my awareness.
Then the music shifts.It transitions to a romantic ballad that has steamy undertones.Jo doesn't miss a beat.She wraps her arms around my neck and molds our bodies to each other, eliminating the space between us.
"Is this part of your visibility plan too?"I ask, my voice huskier than I intended.
"Maybe."Her gaze remains bound to mine."Or maybe I just want to feel how solid you are."
She grinds her hips against me, making my cock jerk.The scent of her elicits a rush of blood heading south, and I know she can feel exactly what she's doing to me.
