Crushing on Love (The Bradens of Peaceful Harbor, Book Four) Read online

  “I think we’ll skip the bikini.”

  As they came together in another delicious kiss, the crowd applauded and the band began playing another song.

  “Well, well. Who do we have here?”

  They both looked up midkiss at the sound of Rex’s deep voice, and found Rex, Jade, Cal, Treat, Max, Savannah, and Jack smiling down at them with amused looks in their eyes.

  Rex tilted his Stetson. “Howdy, lovebirds.”

  Shannon and the girls squealed as she jumped to her feet.

  Steve rose and extended a hand to Rex, then Treat. “How’s it going?” He shook Cal’s hand. “Nice to see you, Cal.”

  Cal tipped his hat in the customary Weston greeting. “Steve.”

  “Hal’s watching the kids,” Treat explained. “So we came to hang out. Cal’s friend’s in the band.”

  Max’s eyes darted between Cal and Steve. She pulled Treat toward the grassy lawn where couples were dancing. “Dance with me.”

  “Come on, angel,” Jack said to Savannah. “Let’s give those gorgeous legs of yours a workout.”

  Savannah tugged on Shannon’s sleeve. “Come on! We can catch up while we dance.”

  “Okay!” Shannon stepped closer to Steve. “Dance with me?”

  Steve’s jaw clenched. “I don’t dance, sweet girl.”

  “I do, darlin’.” Cal offered an arm to Shannon. “That is, if you don’t mind,” he said to Steve.

  Shannon looked at Steve, who shrugged and nodded. As Cal guided her into the crowd, she glanced over her shoulder, hoping to catch Steve’s eye, but Cal spun her into his arms before she had a chance.

  “DUDE. WHAT THE hell are you doing?” Rex asked Steve. “You just sent your woman out to dance with another man.”

  “Are you going to ask me how many goats she’s worth, too? Shannon can dance with whoever she wants. I trust her, and I’m not going to stress over a dance when she’s coming home with me.” Watching Shannon dance was a whole-body experience. As she swung her hips and moved to the beat, Steve’s body awakened in all the right places. He knew Cal’s would be awakened, too. Steve gritted his teeth, feeling like a fast-burning wick of dynamite despite the fact that it was his own fault he’d never learned to dance. He couldn’t blame Cal. Hell, a man would have to be blind, deaf, and dumb not to want Shannon, and even then he wasn’t so sure they wouldn’t fall for her based on her scent and electric aura alone.

  Shannon moved like she was born to dance. She tossed her head back, laughing with Savannah and Max, underscoring her vivacious personality and her love of all things social. She was sexy and seductive, and he was jealous as hell that he wasn’t the guy on that dance floor.

  “Shouldn’t you be out there dancing?” Steve asked Rex. “You two have been known to cut a rug something fierce.”

  “I need a few minutes for my gut to settle down. Had a big ol’ steak for dinner. And you know there’s no way I’d let any other man lay a hand on my wife.” Rex pulled Jade into his arms.

  Jade rolled her eyes. “Not all men are as possessive as you, cowboy.” She turned to Steve. “Don’t you wish you’d taken those dance lessons Mom tried to get you to sign up for in middle school?”

  “Christ,” he grumbled, watching every move Cal made.

  “Treat said you asked him to go in on the Cumberland land with you,” Rex said.

  “Yeah. It was the right thing to do. He’s a smart businessman, and I’m lucky he wanted in on the deal. I think we’ll make a good team.”

  Steve explained how Shannon had come up with the Adopt an Acre campaign, and how she’d outlined the program to incorporate different levels of donations.

  “Donations can be given to adopt anywhere from one to fifty acres, and each donator will receive a certificate of adoption. You should see the work she and Max have done on the website and the marketing plan they’re working on. Shannon’s as invested in this as I am. Maybe more so. I’m lucky she and Treat are involved. I don’t have the money, or the expertise, to do it right,” Steve admitted. “Passion only goes so far.”

  “Passion is the only thing that matters,” Jade said.

  “There was a time when I believed that.” He glanced at Shannon, and he knew all the passion in the world wasn’t enough to keep an effervescent woman like her on the mountain with a guy like him.

  When the song ended, Shannon said something to Cal; then she hugged him, and Steve’s gut churned. This was the painful price of opening himself up to such an outgoing woman. He watched them walking over. Shannon’s eyes were locked on Steve’s, with that coy smile he had etched in his mind. His insides heated and turned to mush, while the rest of him got hard, and he knew with complete certainty, that given the chance, he’d open up to her all over again. He could have gone his whole life and never experienced this incredible, all-consuming love, and he would have missed out on something more magnificent than all the mountain ranges in the world.

  Steve reached a hand out to her. “Hey, baby.” He leaned in for a kiss, settling all those jealous critters inside him.

  Cal came to his side. “Thanks for not taking me down for dancing with Shannon.”

  “Shannon, dance with us!” Savannah said. She, Max, and Jade tugged Shannon toward the dancing crowd.

  “Sorry!” Shannon yelled to Steve, but she needn’t have. Seeing her joyful smile was everything to him.

  “No problem,” he finally said to Cal. “She loves to dance.”

  “The other night, when I saw her at Buckley’s, she told me she was into you. I wasn’t trying to move in on your girl. But she’s a hell of a dancer, and what can I say? I love to dance, too.”

  She told you? Before we were together? He shifted his eyes to Shannon, who spun on her heels, their eyes connecting for a split second. Enough time for his heart to take notice again.

  “No worries, Cal. I know you’re a good man.”

  Cal offered a hand, and when Steve shook it, Cal pulled him into an embrace and slapped him on the back. “You’re one hell of a lucky guy, and she’s a lucky woman, despite the fact that you look like Grizzly Adams.”

  They both laughed.

  Steve spotted Rachel heading their way. The sight of her reminded him about getting his hair cut for the video. He ran his hand through his hair, thinking of Shannon’s hands running through it later that night. Just like that, he went half hard. Christ, he needed to get ahold of himself.

  Drawing on the techniques he’d learned in his younger years, he looked away from Shannon and thought of big hairy men. Does the trick every time.

  “Hey, you guys,” Rachel said.

  “Hi, Rach. I hate to bug you with work, but is there any chance you can fit me in for a cut tomorrow morning?” he asked.

  She tucked her blond hair behind her ear. “I’m booked all week, but if you can come over before the shop opens, I’ll fit you in. Say, seven thirty?”

  “Perfect. Thanks.”

  “Max asked me to meet everyone here,” she said, shifting her eyes nervously away from Cal, who was looking her over appreciatively. “Where are the girls?”

  “Shaking their booties.” Steve pointed to the girls, who were dancing in a circle, wiggling their butts and shaking their heads like they were dancing to a rock-and-roll song instead of country.

  “See ya!” Rachel jogged over to join them.

  “Damn, she’s fine,” Cal said under his breath.

  Steve’s eyes were trained on Shannon. Yes, she is, and she’s all mine.

  At least for now.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “YOU SURE YOU want me to cut it?” Rachel stood beside Steve in her salon at seven thirty the next morning, holding a pair of shears like a weapon. “Want me to save a lock for Shannon?” She waggled her brows.

  “It’s hair, Rach. It’ll grow. Besides, she likes it short, too.”

  She smiled. “Just making sure. Okay, say goodbye to these luscious locks.”

  Steve didn’t normally think about his hair at all,
much less care what length it was. When he remembered—which usually took someone pointing it out—he headed into town for a trim. But as Rachel began cutting, each crisp swish of the scissors brought flashes of Shannon to his mind. Images of her twirling her finger in the ends of his hair as they lay side by side sated from their lovemaking swam before his eyes. Last night she’d pushed her hands into his hair while she rode him, tugging to the point of sweet, titillating pain. He already longed for the feel of Shannon’s hands in his hair, and Rachel had only begun to cut it.

  He thought back to when he and Shannon had first reconnected at Rex and Jade’s wedding. Shannon in her pretty short dress, her hair tumbling over her shoulders, begging to be touched. And those beautiful hazel eyes of hers, drawing him in like a fish to water.

  He closed his eyes as Rachel chatted about the upcoming barn dance. They’d stayed out late with their friends last night, and they’d had a good time. It had been a while since he’d spent time with friends, and seeing Shannon light up at every conversation, watching her outshine every other person on the dance floor was torture and bliss. His life on the mountain was no match for her. He’d known it from day one, and still he couldn’t keep it in perspective.

  When he opened his eyes, he caught Rachel looking at him skeptically. Her green eyes moved from one side of his head to the other. She snipped and clipped and then stepped back so he could see the mirror. She’d slicked his hair back, like he’d worn it at the wedding, and his only thought was, I hope Shannon likes it.

  “There you go, big guy. Clean-cut and sexily scruffy.” Rachel handed him a mirror, but he waved it off. “You don’t want to see the back?”

  He ran his hand over the closely shorn hair on the back of his head. “Feels right to me.” He rose to his feet and pulled out his wallet, following her to the front of the salon.

  “You two make a cute couple,” she said as he paid. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you look at a woman more endearingly than you look at that mountain.”

  “Thanks. And thanks for coming in early to hack off my hair.”

  “Anytime. You look good, Steve.” She smiled warmly. “You look happy.”

  “Yeah?” He was happier than he could ever remember being, which meant when Shannon left, he’d crash hard. He dug his keys from his pocket and reached for the door. “It’s all her, Rach. My mountain’s got nothing on my girl.”

  “Think you can convince her to stay?” she asked.

  It was the one question he refused to allow himself to ponder. “She’s got a whole life back in Peaceful Harbor,” he said, and pushed through the door.

  He couldn’t ask her to give up her life, but he could sure as hell become more of the man she wanted and deserved while she was here. He pulled out his phone and called Mack. His buddy picked up on the first ring.

  “Dude, I got a call from Treat’s attorney. Looks like you’re really trying to make a go of it after all.”

  Feeling the breeze against his scalp, Steve ran his hand over his head. He didn’t want to talk about the property. There were major price negotiations that needed to take place in order for the deal to actually go through, and he and Treat had agreed to let their attorneys handle that end.

  “Yeah, we’re moving forward. A lot needs to come together for it to happen, but we appreciate the sixty-day window.” He unlocked his truck door and climbed inside. “Listen, Mack, that’s not why I’m calling.”

  “Sorry, buddy. What’s up?”

  “Do you…dance?” He winced as he said the word.

  “What?” Mack laughed. “You wanna go to the prom with me?”

  “Shut the hell up. Do you know how to dance? It’s a simple question. Yes or no?”

  “All right, geez. Settle down.” Mack snickered. “No, I don’t dance. Will tries, but he looks like a one-legged chicken. Why? Shannon got your balls in a knot over not dancing?”

  Steve started up his truck. “No. Forget it, man. Talk later.”

  He fisted his hand and banged the steering wheel, pissed off that this was going to be harder than he’d thought. He clenched his jaw as he punched in Rex’s number.

  “Hey,” he said when Rex answered. “I need a favor, but I need you to keep it to yourself. Think you can do that?”

  Rex scoffed. “As long as you’re not asking me to find you a herd of goats.”

  “Where can we meet?”

  “I’m at the ranch. Come on over.”

  “Too visible. I’d rather do this in private.”

  “Do what?” Rex asked. “You make a move on me and I’ll kick your ass all the way to Texas.”

  “I’d love to see you try. I need your help with something. It’s going to take about half an hour. You got that much time?”

  “Hey, Steve,” Rex said more seriously. “You need my help. I’ll make the time. Come to my barn. We’ll have privacy there. You okay, man?”

  “Hell no, I’m not okay. A certain cousin of yours has totally wrecked me.”

  He arrived at Rex’s house twenty minutes later and was glad to see Jade’s truck wasn’t there. Steve felt guilty stealing Rex away from his other duties on his family’s ranch, but there wasn’t much he wouldn’t do for Shannon.

  He entered the tall wooden barn and inhaled the scents of his youth: hay, horses, and leather. He walked by the empty stalls, thinking about how much his sister had always loved horses. She preferred riding them to cars, the way Steve often preferred nature to people.

  Sensing Rex’s presence, he turned, catching him as he approached the barn, carrying his sleeping son in one arm. The baby had jet-black hair, like Rex and Jade, and he wore the tiniest pair of jeans and flannel shirt Steve had ever seen.

  “What’s going on, besides Shannon having your briefs in a bunch?” Rex’s eyes ran over Steve’s head. “Holy shit. She really does have your head turned around. Man, you went from Fabio to Hugh Jackman overnight.”

  “That wasn’t because of her,” Steve said gruffly, wondering how Rex could teach him to dance with a baby in his arms. “We’re making a video for the crowdfunding campaign. My old man thought it would attract a wider fan base if I cut my hair.”

  Was he really going to do this? Ask Rex Braden to teach him to dance? Steve’s gut twisted and burned. He turned his thoughts to last night.

  Yeah. He was really doing this.

  “He’s probably right.” Rex set his Stetson on a hook and shook out his collar-length hair. “Lucky for me, I don’t have to worry about what anyone but my beautiful wife thinks of me. I know you didn’t come here to show off your new haircut, so lay it on me. What’s going on?”

  “I…uh…” I’m starting to get used to the taste of pride pie. “I need you to teach me to dance.”

  Rex laughed. “You need me to what?”

  “You heard me. Shannon loves to dance. I need to learn. But you cannot, under any circumstances, tell her I’m here. For all I know I’ll suck at it.”

  Rex shook his head. “I am not taking you in my arms like Brokeback Mountain.”

  “Get over yourself, Rex. I need help here.”

  “How do I get myself into this shit? I’m kidding about the Brokeback crack. I got nothing against same-love situations. But I do have something against me dancing with a dude.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and brought it to his ear. “Sweet darlin’, I need you in our barn.” His lips curved up in a sinful smile. “I wish, baby. You hold on to that sexy thought and get your sweet little body down here for me, ’kay?”

  As he shoved his phone in his pocket, Steve turned his hands palm up. “What the hell? I asked you not to tell anyone.”

  “Jade’s not going to tell anyone, and if you want to learn to dance, you need a woman.”

  “Don’t you think if I wanted my sister to know, I would have asked her?” Steve paced, until his sister—and Max and Savannah—appeared in the doorway. “Aw, for Christ’s sake.”

  “What’s going on?” Max asked.

  “Holy cr
ap, Steve. You cut all your hair off. Look at you, all slicked back and sophisticated.” Savannah stood between them, hands on hips, her auburn hair tied back in a thick plait.

  She reached up to touch Steve’s hair and he ducked away.

  “He cleans up nice, doesn’t he?” Jade hugged him. “What are you doing here?”

  This was not what he’d planned.

  “I…um…” No way was he doing this.

  “He needs to learn to dance,” Rex announced. “And you need to help him.”

  Steve glowered at him. “Dude, really?”

  Rex shrugged, chuckling under his breath.

  “Oh, this will be fun!” Max said, looking around. “Where’s Shannon?”

  Savannah pulled out her phone. “I’ve got music!”

  “Shannon’s doing research, and you can’t breathe a word of this to anyone. Especially not Shannon,” Steve insisted.

  “Here we go!” Savannah set her phone on a wooden railing, and country music filled the barn.

  “Why not? This is so romantic.” Max’s brows knitted with confusion. “She’d love that you were making the effort. I’m going to call her.”

  Steve grabbed her hand. “Don’t you dare.” His eyes trailed over each of the girls. “I will walk out of this barn and deny I was ever here if she catches wind of this. Got it?”

  “Fine,” Max said. “But for the record, you have no idea how much she’d love to be the one teaching you.”

  “First of all, I might suck so badly that she wouldn’t want to dance with me anyway. Second of all, while I appreciate y’all jumping in to help, this was supposed to be a private half-hour lesson,” Steve said. “Just me and Rex.”

  Savannah laughed. “You thought Rex would teach you to dance? Do you even know my badass brother?”

  “Okay, okay. Let’s cut him a break. He’s making a real effort here.” Max, the ever-organized coordinator of their group took Steve and Savannah’s hands. “You two are partners. He’s got half an hour, and we’ll need every second of it. Rex, you and baby Hal dance with Jade.”

  Jade smiled up at Rex, and they began to sway, melding together like candles in the sun. Steve studied them, determined to learn to dance well enough to share that type of familiarity and intimacy with Shannon.