And Then You Dance (Crested Butte Cowboys Series Book 2) by Heather A Buchman Read Free Book Online Page B

other hung at her side. Her feet were bare, and her toenails were the lightest shade of pink. Her long blond hair was up off her neck, he preferred it down. Tiny pearl earrings adorned her ears, and her blue eyes didn’t blink.
    He reached up and took the clip out of her hair, and dropped it on the floor. She started to reach down to pick it up, and he grabbed her arm, stopping her.
    He brushed his lips across her cheek, to her ear. “Either let me out of your bedroom Renie, or be prepared to stay in here the rest of the night. With me.”
    She didn’t move, so he took her hand, to pull her into the room with him. She let go, turned, and walked back down the hallway to her living room.
     
    Billy walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. As though he owned the place.
    “Whatcha’ lookin’ for?” she asked.
    “Somethin’ to eat.”
    “I told you to meet me at the Hideout.”
    “Why would I do that? You’re a great cook Renie.” He pulled out a container, and put it in the microwave.
    Was there a more confident man on the planet? If so, she hadn’t met him. And she’d been looking. First at Dartmouth, and now here in Fort Collins. She looked and looked for a man to help her forget about Billy Patterson. She hadn’t found one yet.
    Wherever he was, Billy owned the air. It belonged to him, and he took it. He used as much as he wanted, and figured if you needed any, you’d take it too.
    He opened drawers until he found a fork.
    “Did you eat?” he asked, as though he suddenly remembered she stood near him.
    “It’s almost eleven o’clock at night Billy. I ate hours ago.”
    “I didn’t.” He set the dish and fork down on the counter. “Wanna know why not?”
    No, she didn’t. So she shrugged.
    “’Cause you had me all wound up Renie.”
    “You sure you weren’t just hung over?”
    His eyes flared open wider, and in one long stride he stood in front of her. He pushed her back against the counter.
    “No. I wasn’t,” he said, getting his mouth close to hers, without their lips touching.
    She couldn’t move; he had her surrounded with his body. If he got any closer, every inch of him would be touching every inch of her.
    He shook his head, stepped back, and picked up his food.
    “Would you like to sit down while you eat?”
    He motioned to her table. “Doesn’t look as though there’s much room at your table sugar.”
    Dish still in hand, he looked at the books. “Intense.”
    “Stuff you’d know in your sleep.”
    He raised an eyebrow.
    “Horses. You know more about them than I do Billy.”
    “Not all this kinda stuff I don’t.” He picked up a textbook on anatomy.
    “You may not know all the scientific terminology, but everything else?” She sat down on the couch. “I’ve never met anybody who understands them the way you do. It’s because you listen.”
    He put the dish in the sink. “We gotta talk about the other night.”
    “You were drunk Billy. I get that.”
    “And you think that’s why I kissed you?”
    She shrugged.
    He sat down next to her. “Not drunk now.” He pulled her into him, and kissed her. At first gentle, probing, his lips brushing back and forth over hers as his tongue gently pushed its way in. His other hand came up and stroked her face, then moved to the back of her neck. His kiss deepened, harder, as his hand slid down to the buttons on her shirt.
    She grabbed his wrist, stopping him.
    “Let me in,” he murmured.
    Renie twisted away from him and stood. “I can’t do this Billy.” She wiped her hand across her mouth.
    Billy leaned forward and put his head in his hands. He took a few deep breaths. “Okay. We won’t do this, but we have to talk. Have to. You’re too important to me not to.”
    Renie went into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Then closed it. She opened up a cupboard and closed it too. She leaned up against the counter.
    “Whatever answers you’re looking for aren’t in there. Come back out here and talk to