27. Chapter Twenty-seven

Chapter Twenty-seven

Remington

We had fun through the broncos, barrel racing, and stock roping. Hannah was on her feet half the time, cheering loudly and clapping her hands over her head. She gave zero shits about anyone’s opinion. She was enjoying herself with her whole damn chest.

And I was enjoying being here to see it.

To tell the truth, I could take or leave the rodeo, but she made it a good time and dragged Jesse into the spirit with her, doing a little dance each time one of the girls successfully roped a calf. I caught Caleb watching his kid and sister. There was a calmness to him he didn’t always have. His mouth was curved into a soft grin as he brought his beer can to his lips.

I thought I got it. Jesse was bright and inquisitive, but from what I’d seen, he spent a lot of time buried in books. Caleb let him do his thing, but it must’ve been nice for him to see his son busting loose and simply being a silly kid for once. It probably only added to Caleb’s happiness that Hannah was dancing alongside him.

Once again, a sense of loss struck me in my chest. I wished I could picture Hannah dancing with baby Jesse in her arms or Caleb toting him around on his shoulders, but I’d missed out on all that. Walking away from my life hadn’t been a mistake, but leaving these people behind had been. I couldn’t regret who I’d become outside the confines of Wyoming, but I’d always be wistful over what I’d missed. There was no chance of getting that time back. All I could do was make better choices going forward.

The change in Hannah was swift and obvious. Down below, a new set of cowboys had emerged, and bulls were being loaded into the chutes. Hannah stiffened next to me, her jaw set tight.

One of those guys had to be her ex. I scanned them, each one cockier than the next. When I landed on the man at the end, dressed in black all the way up to his hat and thick mustache, instinct told me he was the one. It was the way he stood, wide and arrogant, his hands looped in his belt, emphasizing the massive buckle. And the way he scanned the stands, like he was looking for someone.

I saw it when he found her. The man lit up, and a slow grin spread across his face. Hannah made a little growl, and two seats down, Caleb muttered an expletive.

Jesse perked up and craned his neck. “Is the prick here? I see him. There’s the prick!”

Caleb groaned again, reminding his son not to use that word. Though, he wasn’t very convincing since that guy was most definitely a prick.

“All right.” I laced my fingers with Hannah’s. “Ready to head out? I heard something about dancing.”

Her eyes flared. “You’re going to take me dancing?”

I nodded. “I was listening when Lily mentioned the band you like playing tonight. I’m not an idiot. I take hints.”

We said goodbye to Cay and Jess, and I pulled her up with me. Before we left the aisle, I glanced down at the chutes again. This time, Watkins Simms was focused on me, and his mustache was turned down, framing his heavy frown.

Maybe it was a dick move, but I stopped Hannah, took her chin between my fingers, and planted a firm kiss on her lips. I didn’t have to check if Watkins was watching. The daggers in my back were enough evidence. For Hannah’s sake, I hoped he choked on bitter regret. It pleased me to no end to be the one to remind him of what he would never have again.

“Was that for me?” Hannah swiped her thumb over my bottom lip. “Or him?”

“Me,” I told her. “All for me.”

Then I slipped my arm around her waist and got her out of there.

I appreciated Hannah’s taste in music. The band played covers—classics and newer hits. They kept it lively, bringing the crowd onto the dance floor.

And quite a crowd there was. A massive barn had been converted into a concert venue with lots of room to dance in the middle, seating around the sides, and a bar running the length.

Since we’d arrived and grabbed drinks, Hannah had been moving her body to the music. Whatever had happened with her ex had seemingly rolled off her back. At least, if it hadn’t, she was good at pretending.

I couldn’t say I was much of a dancer, but there was not a chance I’d leave her out on the dance floor on her own. She turned me into a pole, spinning and twirling around me, holding my shoulders and clinging to my chest for balance.

“Do you hate this?” she asked next to my ear.

“Not even a little.” I let my hand slide to the upper curve of her ass. “How could I hate watching you when you’re on fire?”

“I’m not on fire,” she laughed. “This band just plays all the songs I like. I will never be a person who doesn’t dance to my favorite music. It’s just not gonna happen.”

“I admire your conviction, sweetheart. I might not be a dancer, but if I’m alone in the shower, you’ll catch me belting out some tunes.”

“Remi”—she clutched the collar of my shirt— “you can’t keep something like that from me. I demand you sing to me next time we shower together.”

“Aw, Hannah.” I gave her ass a squeeze, pulling her hips into mine. “You think I can remember lyrics when you’re standing in front of me all naked and slick? Not possible.”

“You can close your eyes.” Her bottom lip poked out. “I want a serenade, Remington.”

“You tell me what you saying my full name means now and I’ll consider it.”

Taking my hand, she raised it up above our heads and twirled away from me, laughing.

“Not a chance,” she sang, whooping when I reeled her back in hard and fast, making her collide with my chest. “So rough.”

I scraped her hair from her face, aiming a smirk at her. “I heard you like me a little rough.”

Her eyes rolled, but I’d earned a smile, so all wasn’t lost. “What kind of rumors are you listening to, mister?”

“Not rumors. I was referring to how loud you scream when I spank your sassy ass.”

Groaning, her forehead knocked against my shoulder. “Good lord. Are you trying to get fucked in your truck? If you keep talking to me like that, it’s going to happen.”

This woman…my dick was thick and hard, pulsing against my zipper. There was no way she didn’t feel it prodding her belly. I bet if I lifted the hem of her dress and checked her panties, I’d find them wet. She got off on teasing me. I didn’t mind it since I’d come to discover she always followed through.

“Do you think I’d object to that, Hannah?”

“No, but I’m not done dancing yet, so stop saying sexy things to me.”

“By all means, I wouldn’t want to cut your dancing short. And that’s purely for selfish reasons. I’m enjoying watching your moves too much to want it to end.”

The crowd had gotten denser when the rodeo ended. Rowdy people pressed in on all sides, and soon, we were covered in a sheen of sweat. Hannah didn’t seem to notice or care, singing and swaying with the beat of the band like she was all alone. Well, not entirely. She kept a hand on me at all times, at the least making it clear to those around us we were together. I appreciated that since there were a number of guys giving her the eye. I wasn’t a fighter, not if I didn’t need to be, but my fists had curled a few times when someone got too close, or their eyes drifted to parts of her they shouldn’t have.

Eventually, we took a break and grabbed water from the bar. My back was against the rail, and she was leaning into my chest, facing away from me. Arm around her middle, my fingertips trailed over the thin cotton of her dress, feeling her warm stomach rise and fall with each breath.

We stayed like that for a while, relaxing with each other, listening to music, watching the world go by. Then Hannah tipped her head back and kissed the underside of my jaw.

“We should get going, huh?” she said.

“We can stay as long as you want.”

“The drive home isn’t short.” She twisted to face me. “I’m ready; I just need to use the restroom first.”

“Anything you want, sweetheart.”

I walked her to the long hallway where the bathrooms were. As usual, the women’s had a line, so I kicked back against an empty wall within sight of the door so she could find me when she was finished.

It wasn’t long before a man came to a stop in front of me. The first thing that registered when I looked up from my phone was the oversized belt buckle then the coiffed mustache. Hannah’s ex wasn’t bad looking, but he bordered so much on the side of ridiculous I questioned her taste in men.

“You’re with Hannah Kelly.” He issued this as a statement and then offered me his hand. “Watkins Simms. You can call me Watt.”

I didn’t bother shaking his hand. “Don’t think I’ll be calling you anything. We’ll be gone in a minute.”

He shook his hand out and slid his fingers along his mustache. “She tell you she was my girl?”

“Funny, we didn’t talk about you at all.”

He grinned, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “I had her for a little more than a year. Things didn’t work out, but I’ll always hold a special place in my heart for her. She’s a good girl, even if she is…a lot.”

“I know what Hannah is. We don’t need to do this. You can walk away.”

He held up his hand that wasn’t holding a beer. “I’m just being friendly, bud.”

“I have enough friends,” I intoned, but he wasn’t taking the hint.

He chuckled like he amused himself. “All right. I get it. You’ll see for yourself. Girl’s gorgeous, but she’s too needy. It got suffocating after a while. But hey, you might like that.”

I wasn’t a jealous man. Had never felt particularly possessive. In past relationships, I’d trusted easily and given miles of freedom without question. Never cared too much about them having guy friends or texting their exes. Looking back, that probably said more about the state of my feelings for them than anything else. Standing here in front of Hannah’s ex, I wasn’t the least bit calm. Knowing he’d touched her and carried intimate memories of her made my blood boil. But what really drove me to the edge was the way he casually disparaged her, like I needed a warning from a man like him.

I remembered what those women had said at Joy’s the night we’d played pool. This guy had cheated on her yet had the audacity to point out her perceived flaws. Made me spitting mad.

“Heard you stepped out on her.”

He cocked his head. “I thought you didn’t talk about me. Sounds like you did.”

“Nope. That was the word around town. And not only did you step out, you didn’t have enough care or respect for Hannah to be discreet about it.”

“Nope.” He breathed a laugh, his hand raised. “No way. I may have been a dick and went somewhere I shouldn’t have, but Hannah was the one who’d brought it to the public forum. She didn’t have to put me on blast at Joy’s. And the crazy bitch definitely didn’t need to dump a beer on my head and lodge a fuckin’ dart in my ass. But she did. Right in front of half the town. If people are talking, that’s on Hannah, not on me.”

Before I could tell him he’d gotten what he deserved, Hannah came blazing up to my side, her face flushed with anger.

“I’d do it again in a heartbeat, Watt. How about you beat it before I beat you ?” she snapped.

He laughed even harder. “You’re pretty when you’re mad, firecracker. Damn, I missed you, girl. Kinda sad you didn’t stay for my ride tonight. Remember when you were my good luck charm?”

Her hands flew to her hips. “You don’t miss me. Only thing you miss is having my adoring audience. I think you know I’m not stupid enough to ever let you have that again.”

He smirked at her, and there was nothing kind about it. “Funny you think I’d want you back. Yeah, you’re pretty, but you’re too fucking much, Hannah. Always have been, always will be. Good luck to this new guy. Hope you don’t smother him too.”

“That’s enough. We’re outta here.” I hooked her around the waist and pulled her against me, meeting Watt’s beady little eyes. “You and your mustache are gonna have a nice life together, Watkins. Hope he keeps you warm at night.”

I guided Hannah out of the barn into the cool night, not stopping until I had her strapped in my truck. Once the seat belt was secure, I leaned in and covered her mouth with mine. Lips parting on a whimper, she let me in. My tongue found hers, sliding over and winding around it. Her fingers tangled in my hair, and her body arched toward mine.

I kissed her breathless, then I kissed her some more. I could’ve offered her words, let her know I didn’t agree with anything he’d said, but instinct told me to show her. There was no world in which Hannah Kelly was too much. Yeah, she was a lot, but no more than I could handle. That was because I actually liked this woman. Her strength was a turn-on, not a threat, and I was happy to hand the spotlight over to her. That way, I got to see her light up the way she deserved.

I didn’t know if I got that message across with my lips, but by the time I pulled away, Hannah was wiggling in her seat, and her lips were puffy and swollen.

Closing her door, I rounded the truck. With one hand on her knee, I drove out of the parking lot, getting us on the road home.

We were miles out of Cheyenne when Hannah’s legs fell open. With her hand over mine, she guided it up her inner thigh to the warm spot between them. There, she made me cup her over her panties. The wetness was unmistakable.

“Hannah…” I warned.

“Pull over, Remi. I need you to pull over.”

Unlike the last guy, I didn’t have any inclination to deny this woman when she was needy. The next turnout we crossed, I did exactly as she’d asked.

I pulled over.