Stefan: Le Beau Brothers: New Orleans Billionaire Wolf Shifters with plus sized BBW for mates (Le Beau Series Book 3) (9 page)

Dancing with Dale

“Come on, Stefan, get the lead out.”

Lucas was itching to check out the local bars after traveling for the past two years. He’d seen a lot and learned even more. He only had a short time in the bayou before he moved to a new ranch in Texas with his cousin, Krystal. Krystal, who was more like a sister, was tagging along to get away from her overbearing mother.

The family had decided to expand their real estate portfolio and take advantage of his interest in ranching. He already had a realtor searching for the perfect property. It wouldn’t be long and he’d be stepping out with the beauties across the state line. His two-step was rusty and needed practice. He had a reputation to uphold, and looking like a Yankee on the dance floor wouldn’t cut it.

Stefan stuck his head out the bathroom door. “I’m only going with you to keep you out of trouble, little brother.”

“I think you have that wrong,” Lucas clowned. “It’s me who will be keeping you out of trouble, ladies’ man.”

“Not any more. I have hung that lifestyle out to dry.” Stefan joined him in the living room. “I’m a one-woman man now.”

Lucas cringed. “That’s too many levels of wrong. We have a duty to the women in the area to share our affections equally.”

“Nope. I can no longer help you with that.” Stefan patted Lucas on the back. “You just wait until you find your mate. It’ll change for you, too.”

“Well, if you have found her, where is she? Aren’t you supposed to be with her instead of alone in this bachelor pad you call a house?”

Stefan’s expression became serious. “Believe me, I’m working on it.” He saw the worried expression on his brother’s face and tried to smile. “Let’s head out so you can start spreading the love.”

*****

The boys strolled into Lucas’s favorite honky-tonk like he’d never left home. Every female head in the bar turned to admire the brothers like they were celebrities.

Stefan uncharacteristically ignored the attention. “I’ll get the drinks. Why don’t you get a table.”

Lucas gave him a nod and walked to the back of the bar. From the empty table, he could see every woman in the place. Perfect.

Twenty minutes later, the second round of drinks had arrived and Lucas was taking a break from the dance floor.  Stefan had his back to the crowd, about to sip his scotch when the expression on Lucas’s face had the hair on the back of his neck rising and him turning.

El stood at the door with Dale. Snarls began to rumble and increased in volume the longer he stared.

“Now, don’t get riled, Stefan. It’s probably nothing.”

Unconsciously, he rose from his chair. A loud growl ripped from his throat when Dale draped an arm around El’s shoulder.

Lucas gripped Stefan’s arm tightly. “I’m guessing that bothers you,” he said trying to lighten the tension. Stefan focused on the hand and issued another threatening snarl. Lucas snatched his fingers back before he lost one.

An iron fist tightened around his heart at the sight of El in a tight leopard print blouse, fancy boots, and painted-on blue jeans. Nothing was left to the imagination.

His mouth watered despite the angry snarls.

They walked into the crowd and out of his line of sight. That wasn’t acceptable. Craning his neck, he caught an occasional glimmer as the DJ lights reflected off her flowing chestnut waves. For a moment she stopped in a small gap between bodies, her skin was an adorable pink. What the hell was she blushing about!

*****

She let Dale take her hand and weave them through the crowd. He had a knack for making a space in the sea of bodies. There were so many people in the bar it was difficult to maneuver.

The DJ already had the crowd dancing a line dance on the gleaming wood floor. She hoped a booth would still be available. She loved the soft leather seats and little bit of privacy they offered.

Somehow Dale scored one. For some reason, it emptied like rats leaving a ship when he leaned in and spoke to the gentleman sitting against the wall. He must have either paid the guy off or bribed him somehow. One day she would learn his secrets.

Settled with a glass of wine, she looked at the lovely Christmas decorations. The owner had really gone all out hanging evergreen swags and twinkle lights from the wooden ceiling beams and around the booths. She also spied Mistletoe randomly dangling over booths and tables.

She drew in a breath when her gaze reached the full-size decorated tree in one corner. It looked like old-fashioned popcorn strings entwined with ribbons graced the branches. Silver and gold shiny balls glistened festively, and the angel on top, breathtaking.

*****

Dammit!

He lost sight of her again. He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath into his lungs. There it was, the enticing aroma that belonged to his mate: El’s new car scent. Even amongst this crowd he could find her. No amount of sweaty bodies, over-perfumed women or booze could mask her delectable bouquet from him.

Following the trail back, he realized why he couldn’t see her. She was in the booth three down from where he sat.

He needed to get her away from Dale. A plan, he needed a plan. He was so absorbed in El he hadn’t noticed Lucas leaving their table. Shit, he was in trouble if he couldn’t keep his wits about him. An unfocused wolf was a dead wolf.

Ice cubes clinked as he tapped his glass in thought. What was the best approach that wouldn’t put her on the defensive? He was mulling over options when Dale walked past, leading El by the hand to the dance floor.

Unfortunately, he not only noted Dale’s hand on his mate, he also noticed all the hungry male eyes following her through the room. His wolf roared a challenge and had him on his feet before he could stop himself.

Long strides made short work of the distance between them. He didn’t bother to glance at the other dancers, they mattered little. His mate needed his protection and he would gladly provide it.

*****

Dale shouldered their way to the center of the two-stepping couples. The man had serious crowd skills. It had been a while since she’d gone dancing. She missed the lighthearted fun she and Dale used to enjoy.

Wednesday nights had been their weekly date night. Somehow it had gotten rescheduled so many times they stopped going. She would have to make it a point to do this more often. 

El threw her head back laughing as Dale spun her like a top. God, she missed doing this. Much like riding a bike, all the dance steps came rushing back.

They’d just finished a line dance when her shoulder bumped the person to her right. “Sorry about that,” she laughed as she turned to see who she’d connected with. Stefan’s eyes gazed back, not two inches away.

Irritation flooded El. “What are you doing here? No, don’t tell me. You followed me, didn’t you?”

He ignored her outburst. “I’d like to know what you’re doing here, and why you’re with Dale.” Stefan asked in a strangely calm tone. “I’m out with Lucas, which I told you I would be doing. You, on the other hand, kept your plans conveniently secret.”

The urge to slap the proprietary expression from his face was overpowering. As her palm rose, he grabbed her wrist and yanked her to his chest.

“If you want to dance, you’ll dance with me.” When her eyes began to blaze and fear wafted around him, he softened his tone. “Please, El. Dance with me.”

The sudden change in his demeanor brought the retort forming in her mind to a screeching halt. Heck, it brought all thoughts to a screeching halt. Her IQ hit an all-time low in a span of five words.

The grip on her wrist eased as he repositioned their hands and bodies to match the Garth Brooks song that began to play. Of course it would be ‘The Dance,’ why not?

Stefan felt the tension ease from her body.

He hid his grin in her hair. Goddess knew if she saw his sappy expression she’d try to slap him again. Regardless of the words that often flowed from El’s lips, she desired him. A person’s body language rarely lied, and hers was springing to life in two of his favorite places.             

She had on one of those wrap blouses that offered fantastic access. He loved those! The designer who’d thought that one up was worshipped by every red-blooded male on the planet. The urge to slide his hand through the two pieces of crossed over fabric was killing him.

Stefan chose the next best thing and pulled her closer, pressing her incredible breasts to his hard body. The excited rise and fall of her chest must have created a delicious friction, her nipples beaded hard and the scent of her arousal surrounded him.

He slipped one palm lower, over the curve of her left cheek and added a little pressure. He left her no doubt about how aroused she made him.

Her sudden inhale pressed her nipples harder against him, an instant before her gaze jerked to his, then dropped to his mouth. A flash of pink tongue on her lips made him miss a step. He hadn’t missed a dance step in decades.

*****

What the hell am I doing?

She hadn’t allowed a man to touch her like this since Chet. And what the hell was up with her out-of-control libido? This man was the epitome of ‘not her type’ and exactly what she had avoided. Yet here she was, pressed against every hard inch of him, and he had a lot of inches. Not a sliver of light to be seen between them. No panic attack in sight...strange.

Ah, hell. Who was she kidding? She salivated like Pavlov’s dog whenever Stefan walked into a room. She had some serious reevaluation to do once she got home. Was she going to keep fighting her attraction to this big lug, or give in and put her heart on the butcher block? 

The visual of the butcher block stiffened her spine. She would not be that stupid, naive girl again. Problem was, beneath her palms, his heart hammered and his breathing grew harsh. She wanted this sexy man in her bed, like ‘she hadn’t been laid in years,’ wanted him in her bed.

That ticked her off like nothing else could. What the heck was Pamela telling her when she was under anyway?

Her hands didn’t want to push him away. No! They wanted to rub all over his solid, manly body. They wanted to grip his incredible shoulders and ride him hard. Stupid hands. To control her urge to throw him to the floor, she dug her fingers into his hair. Perhaps pulled a little too hard out of frustration. Pervert seemed to like it.

She felt his fingers flexing and kneading her ass. Instant wet panties. Not just everyday wet, frickin’ tsunami wet. She might as well throw in the towel now, because her body sure wasn’t listening.

Warm breath warmed her earlobe and his leather aftershave enveloped her.

Lord have mercy, that man smells amazing!

Dammit! She didn’t act like this.

There was that warm breath again.

“I want you, so badly.”

Hot kisses trailed up and down the side of her neck.

Ah, hell.

The song ended with her mind still in a fog. It didn’t even register that she’d been pulled behind the Christmas tree out of the line of sight of most of the room.

He gently tugged her hair until her gaze met his golden eyes. This was the first time she noticed how long his lashes truly were.

“I meant what I said,” he whispered in a low, sexy drawl, drawing the pad of his finger down her jaw to her lips.

What was he doing? They were in the middle of a bar. People might see. She really should stop him. Problem was, her body was no longer taking orders from her brain.

“Please, give me a chance,” he pleaded.

Where were her defenses when it came to BR? Dang it! She didn’t want him, did she?

He held her close behind the tree, waiting for a response of some sort. Her brain was so jumbled, her gray cells had stopped functioning all together.

Leaning against the wall, she attempted to get a little distance. That and a little support, her knees were about to give out.

When she didn’t respond, he expelled a frustrated breath. “Maybe we can find a private place to talk.”

She nodded without speaking and exited the tree to gather her jacket.

He followed her to the parking lot before he took hold of her arm.

“Let’s chat in my truck, its warmer.”

“All right.”

Stefan started the engine and adjusted the heat.

El wanted to get this over with quickly; being close to him was too tempting. “So, what’s up? Why are we out here?”

“That’s what I’d like to know. Why do you repeatedly reject me? What’s so repulsive about me? You don’t seem to have a problem with Dale.”

She opened her mouth to answer, then shook her head. “I…don’t like handsome, wealthy men.”

Frowning, he cocked his head. “What? Why?”

“It’s a long story and one I don’t care to tell.”

“All right, instead of telling me your story, how about you give me a reason or two why handsome, wealthy men are off your list?”

“Because they’re...unsafe. A threat.”