Crime and Periodicals: Green Valley Library Book #2 Read online

  I smiled at her. “Thank you, Miss Genie.”

  She nodded then headed back to the bar.

  I munched on the pickles, sipped my drink, and people-watched. People sure liked to dance close, even if the song wasn’t slow. Unless they were line dancing. But even then, I saw some ass grabbing and a few grindy debauchees.

  Humans are weird—or was I the weird one?

  I swirled the straw around in my glass and waited for Willa to come back. I contemplated the nature of weird. And the nature of hands and where one should put them whilst dancing in public. Where would I put them if I were dancing with Wyatt? It was a good thing he wasn’t here. I knew exactly where I’d want to put them—right on that epic booty.

  “I’m on break, Sabrina. Let’s dance.” I looked up at Willa, then out at the dance floor again. Garth Brooks was playing, and everyone was dancing in a line.

  “I can’t do that. Willa, I can’t line dance.” I tugged on my hand in hers, but she pulled me out of the booth to stand at the edge of the dance floor. Plus, the song was “Ain’t Goin’ Down” and it was just way too fast. I would fall down and die from an inadvertent boot stomp to the head.

  She examined me, up and down. “You’re wearing Cora’s boots,” she said. Her smile grew sad for a brief second. She understood. “You got this, come on. Do it for Cora and the power of those red boots.” She nudged me with her arm.

  “I’m not good at organized sports, Willa. You know that,” I argued half-heartedly, because I knew—I was going to do it. I had to do it. Sienna Diaz would definitely do it.

  “Hush, it’s just like P.E. class. Like the electric slide, remember that? Hold my hand, we’re going.” I looked out to the crowded dance floor. Dim light and pulsating music, people in lines and in pairs having fun. Could I do that?

  The song changed. Luke Bryan this time—“Country Girl.” Oh, God, I would have to “shake it.”

  Holding our hands above our heads, Willa tugged us into the crowd. I watched her hips sway side to side to the beat. She moved so fluidly. It was sexy. I wished I could be like her—at ease with myself. Dancers stood aside to let us in the line. Of course they did. Who could resist Willa in all her glory? Ripped black jeans, black cowboy boots, and a tight black ‘Genie’s’ tank top tied at the side of her tiny waist. She must make so much money in tips.

  She picked a spot, dead center and stopped. “Come on now,” she cajoled.

  I smiled sideways and joined her. It was like the electric slide, but with the addition of boot stomps, hip slapping, and the obligatory booty shake in deference to the song.

  “You’re doin’ great!” she yelled. “You look hot!”

  “It is getting warm in here!” I yelled back.

  Her head went back as she cracked up. “God, I missed you.”

  “I missed you too,” I mouthed the words. It felt wrong to yell them.

  She grinned back. Her eyes got big as she looked over my shoulder. “Wyatt,” she said.

  I spun around to look and crashed right into him. He steadied me with his hands on my shoulders.

  I was too shocked to freak out or say anything, so I just stood there like a ninny. Holy crap, just look at him. Blue plaid shirt half tucked into jeans that should be illegal. I took a quick glance down—cowboy boots. I gulped. I was in trouble. If he turned around and I caught a glimpse of that booty? I was sure it would be fatal. Or at the very least, completely humiliating.

  “You okay, Sabrina?” he asked.

  Pssht, no, I was not okay. I was about to dissolve into a pile of lust-addled body parts right here on the floor of this bar. I nodded at him though, just to keep up the pretense that I was sane.

  He glanced at Willa. “Hey, Willa.”

  “Hey,” she answered.

  Jealousy surged shamefully through me. I shouldn’t feel that way—he wasn’t mine. But he was totally mine, dammit.

  Wyatt grinned at me. “I keep running into you. I can’t believe you’re here. You look stunning. It must be my lucky night, darlin’.”

  “Maybe.” I grinned back. Did I just say that?

  Out of the corner of my eye I caught Willa looking expectantly past Wyatt. I hauled my eyes from Wyatt’s to see what had caught her attention.

  Holy Hufflepuffs. The jealousy I had previously—shamefully—felt disappeared once I saw the way Willa was checking this guy out. Eye effing would be putting it mildly.

  This had to be one of Wyatt’s brothers. They looked so much alike, except this guy’s hair was long. It curled down to touch the collar of his shirt and he had a beard. Wyatt was usually clean shaved but he had some intriguing dark stubble right now though.

  “This is my brother Everett. Ev, this is Sabrina and Willa.”

  “Nice to meet you,” I said.

  I knew that Wyatt had three brothers. Everyone in Green Valley knew that. Were the other two Monroe brothers as hot as Wyatt and Everett? Because God bless America if they were.

  Everett held his hand out. Willa shook it because I was stuck in place staring at the two gorgeous Monroe brothers like a big ol’ dummy. I couldn’t believe I had just met Wyatt’s brother. We hadn’t even gone on our date yet, and I had already met a brother. Was that even allowed?

  “Care to dance?” Everett asked her.

  I whirled to face Willa who shook her head. “I’ve had nothing but Diet Coke all day. I’m hangry and highly caffeinated—could be dangerous.”

  He burst out laughing. “I’ll take my chances, sweetheart. I have a feeling you’re worth the risk.”

  She shrugged and placed her hand in his. He pulled her to the edge of the dance floor with a smile.

  A slow song played and the energy in the place calmed down but crackled with more emotion as people coupled up and swayed together.

  Wyatt smiled down at me expectantly. “May I have this dance?”

  I shook my head. “I can’t. I don’t know how to slow dance. Or do any of that twirly, two-step stuff.” I am a twenty-seven-year-old dork, who has never slow-danced with a guy before.

  He grinned. “Don’t worry, darlin’. It’s a slow song. Only one of us needs to know how. I got you.”

  Compelled by the power of his dimple, his smiley eye-crinkle, and absolutely every other thing about him, I took his hand and followed him to the center of the dance floor near Willa and Everett.

  He held my waist with one hand while his other hand kept mine tucked up tight to his broad chest as we moved side to side. I slid my free hand up his arm to his shoulder, feeling all the bulges and contours on the way. I vowed right then that one day I would categorize and examine each and every muscle on his body up close, personal, and naked.

  Everyone needs goals, right?

  I glanced over at Willa and Everett. He had just finished twirling her out and back, then dipped her low across his bent knee. Her delighted laughter floated across the floor.

  “Wow, he can dance,” I observed.

  I gasped when Wyatt’s hand on my waist slid up my side then up the underside of my arm to take my hand from his shoulder and link our fingers together. It was just like in Dirty Dancing, except I was facing him instead of away like in the movie. His grin grew a little bit wicked right before he used both of my hands to turn me. His front was now at my back with our arms crossed in front of us.

  I felt his warm, hard body behind mine and I felt…way too much. Tingles covered every square inch of me. The air felt different against my skin; I was burning up.

  His chin dipped low to rest on my shoulder. “Are you okay?” he whispered into my ear. His breath ruffled the hair against my neck, and I shivered.

  “Yes,” I whispered. Then I nodded in case he didn’t hear me. I felt his stubbled jaw graze the side of my face.

  Every inch of his body pressed up against every inch of mine. I began to experience heretofore unknown feelings. Feelings that differed vastly from when I was just by myself. My perception of what was possible for my life shifted. My brain had disengaged, and
I floated along on pure sensation.

  We rocked side to side like that—closer than I’d ever been to anyone in my life. I felt him sigh against my hair. His chest rose and fell against my back as his arms tightened around me. The last of my conscious thoughts dissolved and I succumbed to pure feeling. His body moving against mine became my world. His hands in mine kept me tethered, lest I float away on this cloud of sensation that was gradually becoming overwhelming.

  I had never felt anything like this. I never even thought feelings like this were possible in real life. In romance novels, sure. But to feel such contentment laced with giddiness right now was something I had not expected. Before I could succumb to the spreading tingles and dwindling brain power and embarrass myself, he raised our arms up high and twirled me around and around underneath them. I giggled and squealed. Apparently, I was that girl—a squealy, laughing, girly girl. But maybe we were all that girl in the right circumstance.

  He was right. I did not need to know how to slow dance when I was with him. We danced close—so close his knee was between my legs. I delighted at the feel of his soft, warm skin when he placed one of my hands on the back of his neck. He moved his free hand low on my waist, hooking his thumb in my belt loop to guide me in slow, small circles over our spot on the dance floor, then back and forth using his hands to push me out and pull me back into his body. He coaxed me where I needed to go. I felt weightless and graceful.

  The whole bar and everyone in it disappeared until it was just us dancing together, bathed in the moonlight filtering in through the high windows, and the little lights—so much like stars—illuminating the dance floor with their tiny rays. As the song ended, he spun me out—just like Everett did to Willa—then back up against his body to dip me low with his arm wrapped tight around my waist. He grinned down at me with those gorgeous lips and beautiful chocolate brown eyes and I—

  I would never forget this moment. Not ever.

  I beamed at him as he pulled me up without letting go. He held me close and we continued to slowly sway, even though the song had switched to a fast one. His eyes held mine captive.

  “I don’t want to let you go yet.” His words were soft, like a whispered caress.

  “Then don’t,” I murmured.

  He smiled, but it wasn’t the big dimple-icious smile that drove me crazy. It was better. It was sweet and simple—a small smile that was meant just for me to see. At least the way his eyes burned made it feel like mine. I exhaled slowly.

  Quit imagining things.

  The fast song cut off, right in the middle. The Dixie Chicks replaced it. “Cowboy Take Me Away.” I wrenched my eyes from Wyatt’s and looked around. Genie and Willa were behind the bar, each giving me a thumbs-up with goofy smiles on their faces. Everett was sitting on a barstool next to Jackson, both holding a beer. Everett winked at me. Sexy winking must be a Monroe brother thing. Jackson waved at me with a grin and a shake of his head.

  Wyatt was not a cowboy, but he had taken me away. I wasn’t on earth anymore. I wasn’t in Genie’s Bar and I was no longer in my right mind. I was flying; I was falling.

  I felt my face heat. He pulled me closer and twirled me out of their sight. He moved us to a dark corner of the dance floor and turned so his back was to the room, keeping me hidden from view. We weren’t alone by any stretch of the imagination, but it felt like we were.

  I wondered if he felt like I did. I would be brokenhearted if I never saw him again. I couldn’t help but think of tonight as a beginning. But I had no frame of reference for whatever was happening between us, so I let those thoughts drift out of my mind.

  I tilted my head back to see if I could get a hint about what he was thinking. His eyes were already on me—like he had been waiting for me to look up and see him. I smiled softly. His face dropped low as he leaned into me. His arm tightened around my waist and his hand splayed low to grip my hip as his other hand sifted into my hair. I tightened my arms around his neck and pressed as close as I could get. He felt big and strong against me and I didn’t want him to let me go.

  My eyes drifted closed. My lips parted and my tongue darted out to wet them.

  Kiss me.

  I felt his breath against my mouth right before he brushed his lips over mine. Gentle at first, then more firmly as I melted against his body and parted my lips beneath his.

  His hand in my hair softly tightened as he tilted my face to the side and deepened our kiss. His tongue slid against mine and I gingerly met it with my own. This wasn’t my first kiss, but I couldn’t help but wish it was.

  I felt his kiss from my lips to my toes. My knees grew weak. I leaned further into him and gave him my weight. I had to; I was about to melt to the floor.

  His hand drifted out of my hair and slid down my back to join the other at my hips, where he gripped me tight and pulled me closer to his hard body. His leg went back between mine for a moment before he pulled back slightly and took half a step back.

  My eyes shot open. I had felt something right before he pulled away. Low against my stomach, he was hard. I couldn’t help but think of it like evidence. He liked me as much as I liked him. Was that bad? We were in a bar—it probably was. Holy crap, I did that. I lifted my head and grinned up at him.

  He shook his head slightly; a slight smile crossed his face. “What are you doing to me, Sabrina?”

  “I…don’t know,” I whispered.

  “I forgot my manners. You’re making it hard for me to act like a gentleman. I’m sorry, darlin’,” he apologized. But he didn’t let me go. He took my hand back into his, and we continued dancing.

  “It’s okay. You don’t have to be sorry for anything.” I dipped my chin into my chest and let out a silent gasp of surprised pleasure and amazement. Clearly, I was never getting over this.

  He chuckled softly and smiled at me. Holding my hand, he escorted me back to my booth. Jackson and Everett were there with their beers. They made room for Wyatt and me to join them. I slid in and Wyatt sat across from me.

  Willa strolled up to take my and Wyatt’s order. “What’ll it be, you two?”

  “May I have water?” I asked. I didn’t want more alcohol. I wanted to remember every single detail about this night.

  “Just a beer for me. Where are you going to park tonight, Willa?” Wyatt asked before she could turn around and leave.

  Park? What?

  She shot him a shut up look. He raised his eyebrows and sat back in the booth.

  “How do y’all know each other? And park? Are you sleeping in your car?” I had to know.

  “We know each other from Nashville.” She shoved her little waitress notebook in her apron, put her pencil in her ponytail, and glared at Wyatt.

  Wyatt’s eyebrows got higher as he looked at her. He seemed to want her to tell me what was going on. He turned to me. “Her ex was my partner on the police force in Nashville.”

  Everett and Jackson just sipped their beers their gaze flicking between us like they were watching a tennis match. “I can’t believe I don’t know what’s going on right now,” Jackson said, causing Everett to laugh.

  “It must be killing you,” Wyatt teased him.

  “Willa,” I interrupted their joking. “You’ve been in Nashville this whole time? Did something happen with Tommy?” I couldn’t believe she had been so close and not reached out to me.

  “No, just for the last few years. And we’re divorced,” she admitted. There was so much more she was not saying. Her eyes were screaming to drop this topic. I would have to wait until we were alone to push. I decided to drop the Tommy subject when I considered that she may not want to talk about it in front of Wyatt and the others.

  “Park?” But I was not going to let that go. I was not about to let her be homeless. “Are you sleeping in your car?”

  “I have a camper van. I live in it. The long-term campsites here in Green Valley are full. I’ve been staying in a Walmart parking lot in Maryville until one opens up.”

  “You can stay with me
,” I offered.

  “You really should,” Everett added. “It’s not safe to be alone like that.”

  “I’ve been alone for a long time. I think I can handle it,” she shot back at him. “And, Sabrina, I can’t stay with you.” She took a step back and started to head for the bar again.

  I stood up to stop her. “If you don’t want to stay in the main house, you could park out by the barn. There’s a trailer hookup right next to it. You can plug in. We have a satellite dish—so there’s Wi-Fi and you could have electricity, running water.” I grinned as I sweetened the offer.

  Her eyes widened. She wanted to say yes. “Are you sure?”

  I nodded. “Absolutely.”

  “Thank you. I won’t get in the way.”

  “Willa, stop being crazy. You’ve been to my house a million times. You practically lived there before.”

  She closed her eyes. Sadness clouded her features for a brief second before she wiped it away. “I want to tell you everything. Just—later okay?” she whispered.

  I nodded. “Yes, we’ll talk later. I’ll give you the gate code. You remember where the barn is? Just drive around the garage and you’ll see it.”

  She passed me her notepad and I wrote the code down.

  “I have missed you so much,” she whispered. She gazed out at the dance floor looking lost.

  “We’ll catch up. Everything will be all right, you’ll see.” I watched as she headed back behind the bar.

  I spent the rest of the night dancing with Wyatt. I danced with Jackson and Everett too. And when Willa had a break, she joined us. I stayed at Genie’s until it closed. I, Sabrina Louise Logan, stayed at a bar until closing time. I bet Sienna Diaz would stay at a bar until closing time—I had done something she would do, and it was fun. So much fun. All I had to do was get out of my head and forget to be embarrassed. It seemed so simple when I thought of it that way. Yet, I knew it was far from simple.

  Wyatt had told me I was beautiful and kissed me goodbye at my Jeep. And just like dancing, kissing required being out of your head. If I hadn’t been so wrapped up in Wyatt, I might have freaked out and bungled our kiss. Instead I lost myself, followed his lead and it was wonderful. My lips tingled whenever I remembered it.