Chapter 7

She was crazy.

Hell, she was more than crazy. Scarlett was sitting on top of Crazy Mountain and if it weren't for the strong arms that held her, she'd be floating all the way up to Crazy Heaven and beyond.

What. The. Hell.

She should have taken Danny up on his offer to twirl her around the dance floor. Danny she could handle because he was the opposite of dangerous. Heck, he was so far from dangerous, vanilla was his middle name. But Taz Pullman? She was playing with fire.

He pulled her deeper into the crowd, then stopped in the middle of the dance floor, turning her slowly as he slid his arms around her. She had no choice but to wrap hers around his waist and after a moment of hesitation, rested her cheek against his chest.

His heartbeat was steady and strong, and God, he smelled good. Taz didn't say a word to her, just held her while the song fell from the stage and rolled over the crowd. A ballad her brother had written years ago, it was about unrequited love, full of wistful lyrics and a melody that both haunted and inspired. It tugged at every heart string she owned.

Taz's hand was at the small of her back; his imprint burned through the thin T-shirt she wore. She nestled against him, helpless to do anything but indulge in the feel of a man pressed against her. It had been ages since she'd been held like this. And even though they were in the middle of at least fifty people, there was in intimacy, a familiarity she couldn't shake.

The thing of it was, Scarlett wasn't so sure she wanted to shake it off. Or him for that matter.

So, she let Taz hold her as close as two humans could possibly be without straying into X-rated territory. They moved together like they'd done this dance a million times before, swaying to the music, neither one of them uttering a sound. She liked this feeling. Sheltered. Cared for. Still, it wasn't enough to keep her mind from wandering to a pub in Ireland on a hot summer night when the ale had flowed, and the band played until dawn. A night when she'd given everything to Malcom David.

It was the turning point. The before to her now.

Damn, she thought, slamming her eyes closed. I don't want to think about him. I don't want him inside my head.

"What was that?"

Startled, her eyes flew open. "I…" she stumbled over her words, aware the song was over, the band was taking a break, and more than a few people were staring at her and Taz. "Nothing." She stepped out of his arms, instantly missing the heat, but suddenly unsure of herself.

"Are you okay?" His voice was gentle.

"Of course, I am." Her answer was sharper than it should have been, and she sighed. "I just…hormones I guess." Her throat was suddenly tight, and she looked up, eyes on the ceiling because dammit now there were tears poking the corners of them.

"You don't have to explain." Taz guided her off the dance floor, his hand at her elbow as the two of them walked back to the table. Lacey, Donna, and Presley were sitting with their husbands, which made the idea of a girl's night kind of ridiculous.

She watched Donna whisper into her husband's ear and smile when his hand dropped to her lap. It was such a small thing, but it brought a yearning that cut deep. No matter how many times Scarlett told herself she was fine on her own, she knew she wanted what they had. But how in hell did you get that when you were too bruised to trust?

Lacey hopped off her seat and announced that she had to go to the bathroom. She didn't give Scarlett a choice in the matter, her arm snaked out and grabbed a hold of Scarlett's wrist. She followed Lacey to the ladies' room, which, thankfully was empty.

"Okay, what's up with you and Taz Pullman?"

The door had barely closed behind them. Lacey, Scarlett was learning, was quick to the point.

"You made it seem like you barely knew him but honey, from what I saw, if you don't know that man in the carnal sense, you sure as hell want to."

"I barely know the guy." Scarlett leaned against the sink and looked in the mirror. God, her color was high. "I've only met him twice."

"I knew you were lying."

"What?"

"You told us you'd met him once."

"I didn't realize you were keeping count."

Lacey chuckled. "I don't miss a thing. It drives Johnny crazy." She paused. "When was the first time?"

"In the post office."

"The day you sashayed around town half naked?"

"I wasn't half naked."

"That's not what I heard, but it doesn't matter anyway," Lacey said, whirling away from the mirror. "You're obviously attracted to him."

Exasperated, Scarlett leaned over the sink and angled her head a bit. Her cheeks were flushed, and she looked more bothered than she'd like. "It doesn't matter. My life is a mess."

"Whose isn't?"

"Yours seems pretty damn great."

Lacey's gaze dropped and she picked at a button on her blouse. "It hasn't always been like that." She sighed and looked up. "I've never told anyone this. Not even Donna." She paused, the weight of her thoughts obvious. "I almost cheated on him, back before I got pregnant with Punk. I don't know if it was because we'd been together so long, or that we'd settled into some kind of routine. But I was in New York for a work thing and had one too many cosmopolitans when this handsome man started flirting with me. He wasn't even particularly attractive, but he was paying attention to me. Saying the right things, you know? It was probably the booze, but I was leaving with him. Then Johnny called. It's like some angel whispered in his ear and told him to reach out."

"What did you do?" Scarlett asked.

"I left the bar, alone, flew home and told Johnny what happened. He wasn't happy with me. In fact, he was so pissed he took a ten day fishing trip. But we love each other, and we worked on things. Being honest is your best shot at a happy marriage." She made a face. "My point is, no one has their shit together even if you think they do. We all have stuff going on. We all make mistakes, but most of us deserve a second chance. I say most, not all, because the ones who hurt without conscience, the ones who use without remorse, they only deserve a kick in the nuts." Lacey winked but stopped short of opening the door. "Can I just say one more thing?"

"Do I have a choice in the matter?"

"No."

"Go ahead."

Lacey bit her lip as if she were pondering her words.

"You don't need to use a filter now," Scarlett said dryly. "Say what you mean."

"I don't know the details about your baby daddy. I don't know his name or what he looks like or where he's from exactly. What I do know is that you're still the fun loving, kind, crazy girl you were back in the day. And I hope you don't hide your light, or give up someone as delicious as Taz Pullman because you've got one foot stuck in Europe. It's natural to have second thoughts when you've been hurt. Just don't give them power." She shook her head, eyes earnest and true. "Life is short, Scarlett. I know it's a cliché but live your life while you can. Throw away the things that hurt, the ones that don't fit, and accept the gifts given to you."

"Sounds like solid advice."

"It is. Now let's get back out there before Johnny thinks I've up and left." Lacey opened the door, a devilish grin on her face. "One more thing. If you do happen to have a tumble between the sheets with Taz Pullman, I want details. I hear that he's um," her eyes widened, "well, let's just say I've heard he's very attentive."

Scarlett laughed. "I think you're getting ahead of yourself. We had one dance."

"The night is young my friend."

By the time they got back to the table a few others had joined the group, all women, including Angel Simms. She was as beautiful as Scarlett remembered. Taz's head was bent close to Angel's and the two of them appeared to be deep in conversation. Unable to look away, she couldn't help but notice the way Angel looked up at him, or the way he smiled in return.

A sliver of something rifled through her and Scarlett turned away. What did she care that he was already on to the next woman? It's not like they were a thing, no matter what Lacey thought.

She grabbed the only empty stool left and barely had time to sit her butt down when Mike Paul slid up beside her, a lazy smile on his face. She frowned, her good mood from earlier decidedly gone.

"What?" she said sharply.

He raised an eyebrow. "What did I do?"

"I don't want to talk."

"I can see that," Mike Paul replied easily.

She reached for a chicken wing. "I just like my business to stay private is all. And for the record, Taz Pullman isn't a part of my business. In fact, he's nowhere near being up in my business so don't be asking any questions about him."

"I didn't mention his name."

She glanced at him. "Well, now you know not to." Then she snuck a look across the table. Yep. Angel was practically sitting on him. Hell, the woman could shove her tongue down Taz's throat, if she wanted to. He was single. Available. Hot.

Her first instincts were right. He was a player and she wanted nothing to do with him. She'd been an idiot to consider it in the first place. Somewhere between the dance floor and now, her bubble had burst. It was time to leave while everyone was occupied, because she was in no mood to explain herself.

Scarlett waited until one of the guys asked Mike Paul about some stud bull coming to auction, and then slid off her seat. Everyone was busy talking, laughing, eating, or drinking. Not one of them was focused on her. It was sad really; how easy it was to sneak off without anyone noticing. She was an interloper. The girl who'd left Big Bend for bigger and brighter things only to fuck up her life. Everyone here had moved on. They'd forged adult friendships. They were in a different place, and she was still stuck somewhere in the past.

It made that hole inside her feel bigger than ever.

Well, she thought as she turned away, she'd given it a shot. Scarlett slid through the crowd easily; in the dark she was just another sweaty body. Still, it took a bit to maneuver past the throng on account the bar was so packed, and by the time she got outside, she was ready for the fresh air. It was raining, a gentle growing rain her daddy would say, and as she took a moment to inhale that summer scent only found in this corner of the world, the melancholy of it was bittersweet.

She'd been having so much fun. How in hell had she come to feeling this low? Of course, she didn't need to think too hard to find the answer. Scarlett had made the mistake of thinking she could turn the page and forget the past. Hard to do when the new chapter wasn't going so well.

Slowly she made her way down the steps, lost in thought and uncaring of the rain. She slid her phone from her back pocket and called her younger brother Ryland. He answered after a few seconds and didn't hesitate when she asked him to come pick her up. He was in town at a friend's so he would be less than ten minutes.

She wandered over to the side of the building, where a few lonely picnic tables stood; they were wet, and she was too restless to sit. Arms crossed over her chest she closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of rain on skin. Sounds echoed from inside the bar, but they were muffled, as if she were farther away than she was.

"What are you doing out here?" His voice slid through the darkness, and she jumped, startled at the sound. It kickstarted her heart and Scarlett had to work to keep calm as she turned. Taz stood near the entrance of the Sundowner.

She didn't answer at first, because all she could think of was how fine he looked with the soft rain glistening on his hair, lit up from the old neon sign hung in one of the windows. His face was shadowed, so she couldn't read his expression, and she kept her voice light as she answered him.

"I'm waiting for a ride."

If he was surprised, he didn't show it, but he moved forward, a predator on the hunt, those long legs of his eating up the distance between them in no time. He didn't stop until he stood a few inches from her.

"Did something happen?"

"No," she replied lightly. "I'm not feeling it anymore. I want to go home."

His light eyes appeared dark and intense as he moved closer still. "You seemed to be having a good time."

"I was."

His gaze narrowed and he ran a hand over the hair on his chin. "I have a feeling we're looking at this evening from different angles." He waited a beat. "I was hoping to get one more dance."

"Ask Angel. I'm sure she'll be more than happy to accommodate your need." She regretted the words as soon as they fell from her lips. What the hell was wrong with her? Suddenly annoyed with all of it, she turned around, and exhaled. "Look, I just want to go home."

She didn't have to see Taz to know he'd moved closer. She could feel him.

"Angel is a friend. She works for me. That's all."

"I'm sorry. I'm in a weird mood." She squeezed her eyes shut, mortified at the way she was acting. "You don't owe me an explanation. It's none of my business."

"But I want it to be." His mouth was near her ear. "Your business that is." He slid his arms around her waist from behind. "You're the lady I want to dance with." She froze, his breath warm against the side of her neck. At first her body was rigid, but then she relaxed, unable to resist him. Because he felt so right.

God, why does he feel so good?

Her head fell back onto his chest and two of them swayed together, alone in the dark and rain. His mouth began to trace a path up the side of her neck, and she inhaled sharply, feeling the sensation sink through skin and bone until lit up her blood. Blindly she turned in his embrace and reached for him, but he was ahead of her. His hands were on each side of her face, and for one moment their eyes met…a moment where she could have pulled away and stopped the kiss. Instead, she pressed against him, loving how hard and masculine he felt. He bent his head and brushed her lips with his mouth, a featherlight touch that zinged through her body, lighting a fire she couldn't control.

Scarlett sank her hands into the hair at his nape and opened her mouth fully, starving for his kiss. And good Lord, but the man could kiss. His mouth was both soft yet forceful, his tongue inquisitive and bold. He kissed her until her head spun. Until her bones liquified. If not for his embrace she would have been a puddle of need melted into the Montana earth.

The kiss lasted forever it seemed, and when they broke apart, she could tell that Taz was just as affected by their connection as she was. Breathing heavily, they watched each other in silence, bodies still connected by touch. Gently he smoothed a wet strand of hair behind her ear, and followed up by nibbling the lobe, which only managed to awaken more need than she could cope with.

"Stop," she whispered roughly. "I have to go."

Taz exhaled and dropped his arms just as a set of headlights cut across the parking lot. It was Ryland.

"My brother," she managed to say.

"I need to see you again," he said, voice low and intimate.

"I don't…I don't think…" she began but he placed his finger over her mouth.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow night."

Panic blossomed in her chest, and she shook her head. "I don't date, Taz. Especially men like you. Not anymore."

"A normal man might take offence with that. But I'll let you in on a little secret, sweets." He winked. "I'm not normal."

"No."

"No, what?" He asked.

"We're not doing this."

"Give me one good reason."

"You're so infuriating."

"Got me there." The look in his eye was enough to melt a girl's panties. Which in turn made that need in the pit of her stomach ratchet up to the point she would either jump his bones or go home and have at it with her vibrator. The fact that she thought about it for two seconds told her just how dangerous he was. This had already gone too far.

The vibrator was safer.

"I have a son and you have two little girls. We can't…"

Her growled or something. Because the sound that came from him called to the basest, most animalistic need she had. She needed a force field to combat it.

"We can't hang out or anything or… Until we know what this is… I mean, we're not even friends. Not really." Her words died at the back of her throat, drowned in all that need that had bubbled up from a place inside her she thought was dead.

He leaned in real close, and the air practically sizzled with heat. "I'm going to take that as a win." He practically growled the words. The man was an alpha through and through, and if they were wild animals, he'd have her bent over the nearest car and she'd be screaming his name.

Her eyes were on his mouth. Was he going to kiss her again? She wanted him to kiss her again. Scarlett might have whined. And maybe it was the tequila shots that gave her the balls to inch forward, but Taz did something most folks never could. He surprised the ever-loving crap out of her.

He stood back, a devil of a grin on his face. "I'll be seeing you around peaches."

Wait. What? "Peaches?" she managed to say.

"You smell like peaches."

"Did you just give me a nickname?"

"I guess I did." He winked. "That's what friends do." A heartbeat passed. "And trust me, we're going to be real good friends."

Scarlett had nothing. No comeback. No words. No actions. She pushed past the man and didn't stop running until she hopped into her brother's truck.

"Were you just making out with Taz Pullman?" Ryland looked at her like she had two heads.

"What if I was?"

"You have a baby."

Was that judgement coming from her kid brother? "And?"

"Well, I don't know. Is it allowed?" His expression was comical, and any other time Scarlett might have found it amusing. But right now, she had other things on her mind.

"Just drive," she replied sinking back in her seat. "And don't tell anyone you saw that."

"Not even Millie Sue?"

"Especially not Millie."

"She probably wouldn't like you shoving your tongue down her best friend's throat."

"I didn't shove my tongue down his throat."

"If you say so."

She gave him a look, the look, but Ryland kept his eyes straight ahead as they drove out to Dry Lake Road. "Scar?"

"Yes?"

"You look real pretty tonight."

"You're just saying that because you know I'm pissed off."

"Yep." He grinned at her and winked. "But it's 100% the truth."

She rested her head against the window and stared out into the night. She was buzzed, love drunk on the kind of need she hadn't felt in ages. Shit, she thought with a frown.

I hope I have batteries for the damn vibrator.