Her Gentle Giant, Part 2: Remember to Dance (12 page)

Chapter Thirty-nine

Rachel felt his big, protective presence beside her and looked up into his handsome face. His knuckles grazed her chin, and he peered at her with concern.

“Angel? Are you all right? Mike said you were out here. He said it looked like something was wrong. What is it, angel?” He pulled her to him and then said seriously, “Rachel, you’re trembling hard. What happened?”

The strong, independent nature in her wanted to keep this to herself. She’d already dealt with it, gotten over it, and moved on. No good could come from involving Eli. It was old history. Since falling in love with him, she was learning that dependent was not all bad, nor was independent all good. Balance had changed her perspective. She could admit that she loved having a freaking huge alpha male for a fiancé, one who made it clear he’d fight battles for her. A tiny primal cavewoman spark flared inside of her, and the shaking stopped.

Reaching for him when he leaned to her, Rachel wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him hard.

“Did something happen just now?” he asked, confusion and worry showing on his face.

“Yes, but you’re working, and I don’t want you distracted with my issues. Later tonight will be soon enough. Right now, I need a stiff drink and to hold on to your hand for a little while. I’ll tell you all about it later, but for right now, just be with me?” she asked, her heart beating with intense love and passion for the man standing with her. “I love you like crazy, Eli Wolf.”

“I love you, too, angel. Let me see you,” he said appreciatively as he released her and looked her over.

Untying the belt on her coat, she allowed it to slide down her arms. She draped it over a forearm and modeled for him. He gave her an admiring grin and said, “You look beautiful tonight.”

His eyes trailed down to her feet, and she gave herself a mental fist pump when she saw them open wide at the sight of her high-heeled black pumps. What was it about that school-girl style combined with five-inch heels that drove men wild? She didn’t get it, but she felt victorious nonetheless at the little beads of sweat that popped out on his upper lip.

“Holy shit, you have no idea how hot you are in those heels,” Eli growled. She did a little turn and modeled for him to give him the full effect.

“A woman loves knowing she’s dressed in a way that affects her man so…viscerally.” She moved close to him and brushed her abdomen ever so slightly against his bulging cock, which was becoming more noticeable by the moment.

He growled low. “You’re playing with fire, little girl.”

“I might get burned?”

“You torture me.”

She shook her head and murmured, “I love you.”

“Let’s get you that drink before I nail you right here in the entryway.” He grinned at her, but she could tell he was a little concerned for her by the look in his eyes. He was patient with her, though, and did not press her for any more answers.

Eli ordered her a mixed drink from Quinten, and she sipped it slowly while she quietly visited with Eli and Mike. Eli talked about the hunt and told them that Ethan planned on roasting both pigs, one on a spit and the other one Yucatan style, in an in-ground pit. Ethan came and visited with them for a while and chatted enthusiastically about digging and arranging the pit for the roast.

Rachel saw a lot of people she knew and asked Eli if he would mind if she went and mingled for a little bit. He drew her to him and embraced her gently then smiled and told her to go have fun. She took her purse and made a stop in the ladies’ room first.

Besides all the lewd gossip she usually heard in the restroom when the club was busy like tonight, there were a few stray remarks about the handsome hunk working the door. She rolled her eyes and gave herself another mental fist pump when the talk didn’t faze her all that much. Now, if one of the bimbos put her hands on Eli tonight, Rachel was liable to lose it, but they could talk all they wanted. She was the one he would come home to. Two women were talking over the bathroom stalls to each other about him, not even trying to be discreet.

One of Rachel’s friends looked down the counter at her and rolled her eyes. Rachel smiled and shrugged as she refreshed her lip liner. She didn’t comment at all but saved her energy for anyone who acted on what they talked about.

 Rachel left the bathroom to mingle and visit with friends. Rosemary showed up during the evening, and Rachel gave her an enthusiastic hug. “You look like royalty dressed like that, Rosemary.”

Always one to spit in the face of convention, Rosemary was dressed in all white tonight. From her polished white cowgirl boots to her jeans and white silk western top. The contrast with her long, curly black hair made her stand out in the crowd even more. Her ivory complexion, violet-blue eyes, and dark red lip color reminded Rachel of a china doll’s.

“Why thank you, Rachel. You’re not so bad yourself. How are wedding plans coming?”

Rachel chuckled easily. “Kelly and Grace have taken the reins. My dress is supposed to be ready this week sometime. I sure did enjoy the lingerie shower last weekend.”

“Mmm, me, too! Such
excellent
service we had, huh?” She winked at Rachel.

“Stellar, and so thoughtful, too.”

They spoke for a few minutes, and then Rosemary went in search of Bernadette and some other friends who were meeting her there. Rachel wondered if Wes and Evan would put in an appearance tonight.

Rachel mingled through the club and caught up with other friends she had not seen since before the accident. A little later in the evening, she encountered Adam and Jack talking to Ace Webster and Rosemary’s friend Kathleen Stevens, who must have come in recently, as well. Jack saw her coming, and the men stood to greet her.

“Hello, Rachel. You sure are lookin’ pretty tonight,” Jack said and kissed her cheek.

“Thank you, Jack. You’re such a sweet talker. Hello, Adam.” She hugged them both. “Everyone is looking forward to the bonfire and roast this weekend. Rosemary told me she and the boys will be there.”

“Oh, good. Grace was hoping they would come over,” Adam replied. “Grace was looking for you when she came in, but she brought supper for Ethan, so they’re in the office at the moment. She should be out in a bit.”

“Ace and Kathleen are going to be at the house this weekend, too,” Jack added.

Rachel smiled at Jack’s reference to them as a couple. More of Grace’s work, no doubt. “Good! The more the merrier.”

“We may have to add a third pig by the time Grace is done inviting people.” Adam grinned indulgently.

“Will you tell Grace I’m looking for her when she comes out of the office?” Rachel asked. “I need to go check in with Eli. I’ve been wandering around for a while, and I don’t want him to feel
neglected
,” she said teasingly.

“We can’t be having any of that, now can we?” Jack said with a crooked smile. He gestured with his dark head toward the front of the club. “He looks like he’s got his hands full right now.”

Eli was surrounded by a small group of big-haired blondes. They were flirting and talking with him, and Rachel could hear the giggling from across the room. They must have just come in. She didn’t recognize any of them.

Rachel smirked at Jack and Adam, and they promised to pass the message on to Grace. She stopped at the bar and asked for a Coke from Quinten, who also slid her a shot of tequila for Eli and winked at her.

“On Ethan,” he said softly and wiped down the bar.

She thanked him and lifted the glasses and made her way to her poor beleaguered sweetheart. She caught his eye as she sauntered toward him, moving slowly, allowing him to look his fill. The heat and love in his eyes did her heart good.

There were only four of them this time, so she had no trouble wading through the group. She placed her glass and evening bag on Eli’s table and then turned to him to give him his shot. Three of them looked like nice enough women, but she noticed one of them looked her dead in the eye and slid the back of her hand over Eli’s biceps in an inviting caress.

Eli ignored her touch, reached for Rachel, and gave her a loving, wet kiss. As he did so, she maintained unwavering eye contact with the forward blonde and slowly slid her hand up the same arm and over his biceps. Her right hand stopped and caressed the spot the woman had touched. Her engagement ring sparkled in the light.

Eli said, “Girls, this is my fiancée, Rachel.”

Rachel continued to stare at the other woman until she averted her eyes and backed away slightly. Rachel turned to one of the other women, a petite blonde, who behaved more circumspectly, and said, “I love your dress. I noticed that table of guys over there was checking you all out a few seconds ago. They’re all single. The one with the white hat is a nice guy and a good dancer, if you came to dance.” Then she turned back to the other blonde, who was staring daggers at her, and continued, “But if you’ve come to ‘horn in’ on couples, I gotta tell you, this isn’t the place for you.”

The woman had the decency to blush, so Rachel turned back to the blonde she’d addressed before. “
See
? He’s looking right at you. I’ll bet he’s going to ask you to dance. He’s kind of a hero to the ladies around here, but he’s a little shy.”

The blonde smiled at Brice Huvell, and he smiled back then excused himself from the table of men where he sat and approached the front as the women watched. The little blonde blushed a little and glanced uncertainly at Rachel.

“Brice is very nice. He’ll treat you like a
lady
.” As she said the word lady, she glanced back at the other blonde pointedly, before checking Brice’s progress crossing the club. “Oh! Here come two more. Looks like your dance partners have arrived,” Rachel said, winking at Brice, Andy, and Vince as they made their way over to help Rachel extricate Eli from the friendly women’s attentions. What good guys.

Eli introduced Brice to the sweet little blonde whose name was Corina Scott, and he asked her politely to dance with him. Within the minute, they were all gone, including the pushy blonde, who sauntered over to the bar partnerless to get a drink while all her friends danced.

“Angel, you are a force of nature.” Eli chuckled and kissed her cheek.

“Thank you, honey. I just made three new friends. That other one?
Meh
,” she said with a shrug and a little wave of her hand.

“You handled that with real class, angel.” He nuzzled her throat. “Are you having fun?”

“Yes, did you see Rosemary Piper when she came in earlier?” Rachel asked happily.

“I think the safer question would be to ask who
didn’t
see her. Even if she weren’t dressed all in white, she would be glowing, judging by the smile on her face when she found her men over at their table.”

“They all look so happy together. It’s sweet. Do you get a break tonight?”

“Yeah, I was fixing to come carry you onto the dance floor.”

“Don’t worry, big man. I’ll go willingly anywhere you want me to,” she said with a suggestive arch of her eyebrow.

He cleared his throat and told Mike he was taking a break.

After he had her in a close embrace on the dance floor, he whispered, “I don’t know what it is about those shoes, but every time I look at you in them, I get hard as a freakin’ rock.”

“I noticed that you seemed to like them,” she murmured. “Wait until I dance for you in them.” Encouraged by his low growl, she added, “Maybe I’ll wear them the next time you fuck me.” Sliding her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck, Rachel stroked tenderly, and asked, “Does this qualify as bad behavior?”

“Nuh-uh. This is good behavior, just bad timing. I want you to rest tonight,” he said firmly as he led her in the dance.

“I won’t tease you anymore, Eli. But remember I can have these shoes on and be ready and waiting in two minutes.” She smiled and held up two fingers, giving him a naughty little grin.

“Bad girl,” he drawled and squeezed her to him.

Brice and Corina twirled by and looked lost in a little world of their own as they gazed into each other’s eyes.

Rachel nodded toward the couple. “That looks promising.”

 “He and Ethan have been talking a lot the last few weeks. I think some of Ethan’s charm and manners may be rubbing off on Brice.”

“Good for him,” Rachel said, genuinely hoping this was the clean slate Brice needed in his life. It was hard to change a person’s image in a small town when everyone knew them.

Eli’s hands slid up to her shoulder blades and then down over her hips to the upper swell of her ass and squeezed her gently. “I love you, angel. You make me a very happy man, you know that?”

Rachel tilted her head up to him as he leaned down and kissed her tenderly on the lips, stroking her tongue gently with his. A delicious burn began in her clit, a fire kindled by his hands on her and stoked by his kiss and sweet words. He stroked her hips and waist, and his thumbs slid up the sides of her abs lightly in that tickling touch that drove her crazy. Her shuddering gasps against his lips made him smile in satisfaction, and he squeezed her tightly to him when her hips tilted reflexively and pressed against his stiff cock inside his leathers.

“I love you, too, Eli,” she murmured dreamily when he released her lips. “You make me feel so…”