Brody (8 page)

“That was me saying fuck it,” he said, laughing gently.

I chewed my lip. “You should do that more often.”

His fingers touched my cheek, eventually finding their way down to my wrist to hold my hand. If there was any confusion about what this was, being here, that seemed to be gone now.

I was glad.

A set of well-worn jeans led me inside, the view of which had me distracted momentarily from the vibrant room. Neon lights with beers on tap lined the back wall behind the bar and a dance pit in the middle of the room was directly ahead of it. And a pit it was. Folks were giving it full use; spinning and vibing with each other in a group. Brody brought us to the wooden railing that sectioned the seating level off from the pit. Taking it all in, my tapping feet had me ready to dive in.

A hand went to the small of my back, resting, and my heart went into overdrive.

Brody.

He leaned in. “Do you like it?”

Even in here with all the music, the boisterous depth of his voice fought through. I nodded, gripping the railing.

He smiled at me before his breath touched my ear again. “Food first?” he asked.

I shook my head, going to his ear this time. “Beer?”

And the grin he gave me when he pulled back had my gut going all wobbly again. “I think that can definitely be arranged, darlin’.”

God, I could not handle him and that accent and that word. Nope, I could
not
.

His hand sliding down to mine, he gestured for me to come with him, but I told him I wanted to keep watching the pit. I fed off it. He let me stay, but only after making sure I was okay. I actually was. I loved the environment here and the bar was only about ten feet away.

He left with a chuckle, pointing to where he would be. After he left, I shook my hips, swaying to the latest Hot 100 track. They really played everything here. This place had a hometown country feel, but a spin on it with an urban edge. I couldn’t help but get into it. Perhaps, that’s why he brought me here, understanding my style. He’d been so absorbent our entire trip, getting to know me in all that despite how little I gave back, so that shouldn’t surprise me.

Turning, I watched Brody, his hip leaning against the bar. He was waiting his turn like everyone else, but then he wasn’t alone. A girl came up to him, a Hispanic girl, pretty, with a flurry of ultraviolet hair. Her arms covered in a full set of tattoo sleeves, she waved at Brody, which he returned with a smile. He was always smiling. I thought she’d be on her way, but she wasn’t. Instead, she chose to cross in front of him and lean back on the bar. Her position, arms rested back with the tip of her boot out, had her breasts pushed way up over a top that didn’t strike me as super revealing at first. Now, I could definitely see, and my sight didn’t fail me as she reached over and squeezed his thick arm. One I hoped to at least touch tonight when I danced with him.

My heart dropped like a stone when she moved in and got closer. It definitely seemed like Brody knew her since he didn’t pull away. He actually smiled at something she said before the expression immediately left his face. He’s the one who put his hand on her arm this time, but only to increase some distance between them. Holding up his hand, he shook his head at her and…

Turned her down.

She pouted, a joking way about it when she touched him again, and again, he put some distance between them, politely moving away. She gave him a hug, which he kept friendly before finally stepping away. Brody sat back against the bar again. He proceeded to wait his turn to order and I turned to the pit, unable to help my smile.

The music changed, a more classic, country hit this time, and the pit transformed. The room hooting and hollering, they formed into a line dance. The whole thing was something out of a movie and I loved it. Eyeing the bar over my shoulder, I could see Brody wasn’t any closer to being done. He had his arm on the bar, still waiting to order.

I’ll stay near the railing so he can see me.

Going all in, I joined the group. I hadn’t done these particular steps before, but I was a fast learner. I moved my hips, falling into the beat with my steps, and my black boots gave me my own personal edge to the traditional dance. A girl next to me started showboating a bit, breaking formation, and added her own spin to the dance. She went sharp with every move and quickly got the attention of the rest of the pit.

I guess I couldn’t help what I did next.

Getting to her side, I fell instep with her. She smiled, and together, we kept all eyes on us. Eventually, I mixed it up a little, offering a little alternative dance as well as some hip-hop. My partner stopped dancing entirely and clapped above her head, giving me the floor to do my thing. I couldn’t stop even if I wanted too. I fed off every step, took in each beat like I had at the park. Music and dancing were my life.

By the time the song ended, I had just gotten going, but I stopped as a guy in a set of well-worn jeans got my attention. He also wore his strong grin and had a matching set of glasses with foam on the top in his tight fists.

The perfect image.

Brody came into the pit. He found us a set of high top tables off to the side and we took up station there. He set the beers down. “If I’d have known that’s what you were working with, I would have said to hell with the beers and stayed with you.”

For the first time, I felt bashful by what I’d done, pushing my hand into my hair as he slid a beer toward me. He took a sip himself, then watched me with a soft eye as I had a sip from mine.

He shook his head. “Where’d you come from, Alexa?”

I didn’t think he was actually asking me. It was more of a fleeting thought I imagined by what he saw me do. I knew because he never pressured me before.

I played with some dried foam on the side of my mug. “New York,” I found myself saying to him. “But originally from California. That’s where my hometown is.”

He swallowed what was left in his mouth of the gulp he’d just taken, blinking. I didn’t think he expected me to answer what I was pretty sure had been a rhetorical question. Still, he got it back though, wiping the shock from his face as he set his glass down on the table.

“New York, huh?” he asked, tapping his large finger on his glass. He didn’t push this. I was absolutely positive he was scared to and I’d given him reason. I had been so withdrawn from him before.

But I think I could trust him.

His finger left the glass with a smile. “I haven’t been. I got a brother in Miami, but that’s the closest I got.”

I giggled. “That’s not very close.”

My amusement lifted his lips, his hand going to rub behind his neck. “I’m a small town guy, I guess. I don’t even live in El Paso. Just outside of it. I’ve only really gone where my truck will take me.”

I had a feeling about that, him being more small town, but I liked it. I liked him.

“Well, it’s wonderful,” I continued. “The shows. The dancing. That’s what I went for, to dance.”

He didn’t look the least bit surprised, smiling. “It suits you. I can tell it makes you happy.”

He had no idea. The lights, the action, and excitement of the city, I had no words for how great and magical it was. I’d went there with a dream, but came out with a harsh reality.

I tried not to let that reality reflect upon my face, my failures. Instead, I lifted my head, agreeing with what he said. “Yeah, it does. There’s so much life there. It’s amazing. I just loved looking at it every day and being there in the city.”

“I can see that,” he said, his eyes shining. He took a sip of his beer, wiping his mouth after. “It doesn’t sound like you ever wanted to leave. So what’s got you traveling? You just headed home for a while?”

I was headed home for a while. But the thing was, I wouldn’t be going back to New York. My priorities were in California…and magical New York? Well, in the end, it had just been too big for me, but he didn’t want or need to hear all that.

I shook my glass before sipping around the foam. “Mmhmm. I’m headed home for a while, but what about you? Small town guy? How did you find yourself in a job like driving for a living?”

The question caused him to laugh, a light sound that warmed my ears. “I guess in the end, you gotta make money.”

 “Yeah, but you could have worked closer to home. It has to be more than that. You must like driving.”

His gaze escaped to the moving crowd. He watched them, no words on his lips. He seemed to have something resting on his mind, but whatever it was, he didn’t share it. He simply tipped back his glass, taking down the remainder. He stood, holding his hand out to me. “Dance with me. The crowd already got their turn with you.”

He didn’t know it, but he could dance with me any time he wanted. I finished my beer and let him guide me away. We went into the pit, but by the time we did, a slow song had started. It was almost as if the deejay knew my silent plea.

Brody brought me in, taking me by the hand. His other hand to my waist, he tugged me, close, and I pressed my body against his, his chest hard and unyielding. I rested my cheek there, loving the way he smelled and the feeling of his hair at the nape of his neck. I worried I was getting too personal, moving my fingers there, but he was doing it, too. His cheek to the side of my hair, he played with my short strands sending small charges throughout my entire body. He wasn’t doing anything I wasn’t doing myself and the feeling both thrilled me and scared me. We didn’t have a lot of time together.

What we had was borrowed, but in those moments, that didn’t seem to matter. He played with my hair and I played with his and we both allowed ourselves to forget. I guess they called that living in bliss. I brushed my lips against the collar of his t-shirt, that place right before shirt met skin. He breathed in and I knew I hadn’t done so discreetly. His hand bunched the back of my shirt, bringing me closer. I believed he didn’t want me to stop, so I didn’t, pressing my lips harder. Eventually, I touched skin, his, and the feeling warmed me down to my toes.

His head rubbed against mine and I continued, kissing him, breathing him in, and with every kiss, I just wished he’d take me away. He made things so much better. He made me feel…
safe
. I didn’t deserve that. I didn’t deserve him because I was selfish. I knew because my selfishness was what had kept me away from home so long, my stubbornness.

“Hey, buddy. Quit hogging her. Why don’t you give the rest of us assholes a chance?”

The voice immediately sent my back up and when Brody swiveled us around, it stayed there. A guy in a dark Stetson hat stood to our side and he smelled so strong of whisky, my nose burned. He appraised me, a smile on his lips, and his swaying let me know I wasn’t far off about the alcohol in his system.

Brody brought me back to him, ignoring the guy. He attempted to dance us away without confrontation, but the drunk’s hand touched his arm. Brody’s hand left my waist and I immediately wanted it back. He stepped in front of me. “I think you should take a step back.”

The guy got into Brody’s face and I seized up, gripping Brody’s waist. The guy lifted a finger at Brody. “And I think you should chill out. I just want to dance with her.”

He slurred every word and Brody wouldn’t relent. He gestured to the side, calmly, but I didn’t know how much of that was an act. I’d seen him obliterate a guy. He’d done so for me.

“Imma need you to take seat,” he said. “I won’t say it again.”

“And I will. After I get a dance with the lady.” He stared around him at me. “Hey, baby girl. You wanna dance—?”

Brody initiated the first shove, but he didn’t step back. Not this time. Moving me to the side, he looked to charge right into the guy on the crowded floor.

“Brody!”

And he stopped. Just like that. Turning, he glanced my way briefly before facing the guy again. His face red, Stetson hat snorted like a bull.

“Just fuckin’ let me dance with her,” he growled, his jaw clenched.

Brody shook his head. “She doesn’t want to dance with you.”

“But you haven’t even fuckin’ asked her! You speak for her or something?”

His hands shaking, Brody brought them together, cracking his knuckles, and I knew what would happen next. I’d seen him in action first hand. If I didn’t do something, he would and I had a feeling if it weren’t the right something, Stetson hat would instead. He was clearly drunk, a loose canon…

I put my hand on Brody’s arm, not wanting to take the risk. “I want to dance with him.”

Like before, he came to a full stop. He stared over his shoulder, his own face red now. He pushed a hand through his hair. “You, what?”

“She said,” came Stetson hat, pushing around Brody. Stetson put his hand out. “She wants to dance with me.”

The guy didn’t allow me to come the rest of the way. He simply grabbed my hand, yanking, and I faced Brody, my feet dragging underneath me.

“Just be cool,” I told him, going with the guy. It was my last ditch effort to talk him down. I wouldn’t risk him getting hurt over this guy. It wasn’t worth it. It was just a dance. “It’s not a big deal.”

Brody let me go, his fists releasing, and he disappeared within the crowd when I was pulled away. Whipped around, I was pressed against a chest I didn’t want to be anywhere near and forced to slow dance with someone I wanted nothing to do with. Grabbing my hips, Stetson forced me against him and I choked on the fumes from his breath.

“I told him you wanted to dance with me,” he grunted, sliding a hand on my ass. “Don’t you, sweetness?”

I fought the bile from raising, nodding. I had to let him think I wanted this. If I fought, it would be worse. This guy was all hands like most were who felt fit to touch me, only one guy hadn’t been in so long, only one, and I tried to find him during the dance. I needed to keep him in sight, not for protection, but to make sure he was okay. I couldn’t find him though, and the dance continued on without relenting. And the whole time a stiff erection pressed firmly against my stomach.

I wanted to vomit.

After it was finally over and the song changed, Stetson leaned down, brushing a kiss on my cheek. I cringed.