Risk (Gentry Boys #2)(6)
“A drink?” Say was asking, or rather yelling. “My treat!”
I shook my head. “I’m just getting a soda.”
“Hold on, I’ll get it for you.”
As Saylor elbowed her way over to the bar the ‘Low Places’ crowd ended their song with a lot of whistling and clapping. I was starting to feel rather conspicuous in my dress. A few of the snobbish girls dripping with designer accessories were sneering and even more of the guys were checking out my rack with leering interest.
Saylor returned with a couple of sodas and pushed one into my hand. The noise surrounding us had died down a little and it was now possible to talk without screaming.
“You having fun yet?” she asked me.
“Any minute now, I’m sure.”
She cast a sly glance around the bar. “Don’t look now but the boys are watching.”
“Boys will do that.”
Say laughed. “Of course they’re staring at you tonight. Remember when I said you were looking hot? That was a completely unbiased no bullshit view from a heterosexual female. I can imagine what you’re doing to some of the oversexed crotches staring you down.”
I didn’t really have a nice answer for that so I just took a drink. The casual game wasn’t my thing, not anymore. I’d gotten hurt badly enough when it was supposed to mean something. Yet as I watched all the hormones reeling around it occurred to me that maybe I’d missed a step somewhere. Maybe one night of passionate risk should be on the menu after all.
Saylor was distracted, staring over at Cord. I knew she’d rather be with him and was hanging around up here just for my sake. Cord seemed to be engaged in a tense exchange with his brothers. He said something to Creed and Creed shook his head, looking away.
Seated there at that table in the corner, Creedence Gentry had the sprawling manner of an arrogant king. I still couldn’t stop myself from wondering what it would be like to feel the muscles of his broad shoulders under my hands. From there I started thinking about the thick strength of his body. I wondered how wide I would need to stretch in order to straddle him.
Creed’s blue eyes fastened on me with such sudden force I was sure he must have heard those nasty thoughts as clearly as if I’d yelled them across the room. I didn’t back down, not right away. I met him stare for stare. Creed didn’t blink. The heat coming from his gaze was too much. If I didn’t break free now it would be impossible. I spun in the other direction so quickly that Saylor stared at me.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. A girl just gets worn out from carrying plates of chicken for ten hours.”
One song ended and another one began. I recognized it even before I heard the soulful tone of Alan Jackson’s voice singing ‘Between the Devil and Me’. A peculiar spasm shook my heart. I remembered how he’d always been a favorite in whatever temporary home my mother had scrounged up for us girls.
“Truly,” said Saylor absently as she gazed at Cord. “I’ll be right back. Don’t think about leaving. I forbid it.” She gave me a quick smile and a brief squeeze of the shoulder before heading over to claim her man.
He saw her coming and rose immediately. He took her in his arms as naturally as if they were made to hold her.
There’s nothing lonelier than standing by yourself in a sea of couples. A few more of them began swaying as they clung to one another. Saylor was in ecstasy, the side of her face pressed against Cord’s chest as his hands circled low around her waist. She would forgive me for ducking out early. I’d been entertaining too many foolish ideas tonight. It was time to leave before any of them happened.
Creed Gentry stood up suddenly. When his eyes locked on me this time I simply couldn’t move. I couldn’t do a goddamn thing but stand there all weak-kneed and biting my lip like a teenager. It seemed to take an ungodly eternity for him to reach me.
“Hey,” he said, coolly nodding.
It was all I could do to keep my mouth from watering. Creed was tanned and muscled with dark blonde hair and blue eyes able to bore straight through me. He was one of the finest looking men I’d ever seen up close. He was also a big son of a bitch. I didn’t fully realize how big until he was standing two feet away from me.
“Hi,” I croaked and then cleared my throat. “You might remember me. I’m Saylor’s friend. My name’s Truly.”
His eyes traveled over me with a heat I felt across every inch of my skin. “I know,” he finally said.
“Your name’s Creedence, right?”
He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. “You know it is.”
Something about the certainty in his voice rolled straight through my belly with a bolt of erotic hunger. He knew why I’d been watching him. He knew what was going to happen next.
I had to stiffen my body to keep from trembling when he moved in closer. His eyes went from my face down to my breasts, lingering as if he was already seeing me naked.
More couples began to move together softly. I didn’t know what the hell to do. Creed seemed to be waiting for something.
I looked around. “You want to dance?”
He seemed to find the question amusing. He smirked and then grabbed me close, his big hands reaching around my waist and pulling me flush against him. It was on purpose. He wanted me to feel how hard he was.