Unexpected Rush (Play-By-Play #11) (31 page)

Aubry laughed. “No reason that you should.”

Harmony looked around, watching everyone spill in from outside. It was going to be crowded in here tonight. She hoped the club was a rousing success.

“I guess we should find everyone—and our table,” Aubry said. “Lydia told me we have a couple reserved tables up front.”

“Okay.”

The guys had found the bar, and she and Aubry spotted the other women at their tables. Harmony set her clutch down at a chair, then looked around for her mother.

A band had already started playing, something soft and appropriately bluesy.

And her mother was off in a dark corner, cozying up to Elijah, who also looked handsome in his suit, a perfect complement to her mother. Her mother was smiling, leaning against Elijah, and looking extremely happy.

She intended to leave her mother be, since it appeared as if she was in good hands. At least she hoped so. Drake was relaxing at the bar with Barrett, and didn’t seem to be interested in what Mama was doing, and if Drake’s radar wasn’t up about Elijah, then Harmony shouldn’t worry about him, either.

She took her seat and chatted with Mia about college, boys and what it was like growing up with overprotective brothers. That was something they definitely had in common.

“What was it like trying to date?” Harmony asked.

Mia rolled her eyes. “In high school? Impossible. Of course some of my brothers were off to college by then, but it’s like they had radar, or maybe Mom reported to them, because whenever I tried to date a guy, I’d get text messages and phone calls asking probing questions about the boy. And talk about intimidation. Trying to have a relationship was nearly impossible. It was bad enough that Dad was intimidating as hell, but try bringing a boy to a family barbecue in the summer when all four of your brothers are giving him death looks.”

Harmony nodded. “I’m familiar with the death look. I think my brother, Drake, has a patent on it.”

Mia shook her head. “I doubt that, because my brothers had
perfected the art of getting a guy to run for the hills before I could even get a first kiss, let alone get laid. I was starting to fear I’d die a virgin.”

Harmony laughed. “But then you escaped to college.”

“Yes. Getting away from my family is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I mean, I love them, but I needed some space to figure out who I was away from the shadow of all those Cassidy males.”

“Honey, I’m still trying to get away from my brother. I haven’t succeeded yet.”

“So he’s still overprotective of you?”

“You have no idea. For some reason he still thinks he can decide what man is best for me. Though for Drake, it’s like I’m forever sixteen and incapable of making rational decisions where men are concerned.”

Mia wrinkled her nose. “Ugh. Brothers.”

Harmony lifted her glass. “I’ll drink to that.”

They laughed, then the other women joined them. After a while the guys joined the table. Harmony ended up sitting with Drake on one side of her and Barrett on the other. Talk about frustrating. But she forgot all about that once the music started up, as bands and artists played.

Soon, she was lost in the strains of beautiful blues music, with occasional jazz thrown in. People got up and danced, and even her brother found himself a beautiful woman to dance with. So did Flynn.

Barrett held his hand out to her. “Dance, gorgeous?”

She smiled. “I’d love to.”

They walked out to the dance floor, and Barrett pulled her against him, keeping a respectable distance as they glided around the floor together. Since the club was packed, at least they weren’t dancing next to her brother.

Not that he’d notice, since Drake’s entire focus was on his dance partner.

Perfect.

And when Barrett danced her to the back terrace, then out the door, she welcomed the slide of his hand down the bare skin of her back and the way he’d maneuvered her away from the prying eyes of her family and his.

He pressed her up against the cement wall of the terrace.

“I need this one minute alone with you. Just one kiss.”

It was dark and intimate on the terrace. Thick vines covered the arbor and a nice breeze had kicked up, though it did nothing to cool down her need for Barrett, which raged like an out-of-control wildfire. Barrett’s lips rubbed over hers, a delicious temptation that made her grasp the lapels of his suit jacket to tug him closer.

He groaned against her lips, then pulled back.

“If I don’t stop now, I won’t stop at all.”

She fought to catch her breath and smoothed her hands down her dress. “Why stop at all? Just tell my brother we’re together.”

“In front of your family? In front of mine? Tonight? No.”

She knew it was her emotions talking, but damn, this was frustrating. And irritating. “Fine.”

She turned and walked inside, grabbed another glass of champagne, then wandered around.

She was stopped by a very fine-looking black man. He was tall, with dark, mesmerizing eyes, short cropped hair with a fade on each side, and one hell of a sexy smile.

“Hello there, beautiful. And what’s your name?”

“Harmony.”

“Nice to meet you, Harmony. You’re here with our patrons, the Cassidys.”

He was very observant. “Yes, I am.”

“I’ve had my eye on you all night. Hard not to watch a beautiful woman grace our club.”

She was flattered. “Thank you. And if I recall correctly, you’re Luther Kent, one of the musicians playing here tonight.”

He smiled. “You have a good memory.”

She laughed. “I have a very good memory for outstanding singers.”

“Thank you, Harmony. I hope you’re enjoying yourself.”

“I am. Are you from Austin?”

“New Orleans, originally, but I’ve been settled in Austin for a couple of years now. And you?”

“I live in Tampa, actually. I’m here visiting with the Cassidys.”

His brows lifted. “They are fine patrons of the blues.”

“So I’ve discovered.”

“In fact, the group coming out now plays some smooth music. Would you care to dance?”

Luther seemed a little inebriated, but she was just annoyed enough with Barrett, who refused to claim her as his, that she set her champagne down on a nearby table and said, “I’d love to.”

Luther took her hand in his and pulled her onto the dance floor, drawing her against the solid warmth of his body.

She let herself fall into the music, trying like hell to feel something—anything—for this fine-looking man.

Unfortunately, her body and soul were wrapped up in someone else. But she refused to give any thought to Barrett, instead tilting her head back to smile at Luther, who used his exceptional voice to softly sing the rhythmic strains of the instrumental being played onstage.

A woman might swoon at being courted in this manner, if a woman wasn’t pining away for some other man.

Which was ridiculous, because Barrett hadn’t asked her for any exclusivity.

So instead, she nestled in closer to Luther, who then let his hand slide down a little closer to her butt.

She corrected his erroneous assumption by lifting his hand back where it belonged—on her waist.

He gave her a smile, then pulled her closer.

The one thing she loved to do was dance, so when the next song played, he kept her on the dance floor. She didn’t mind that at all, even though his hands drifted into forbidden territory again.

“A little too familiar there, Luther,” she said, removing his hand from her rear—again.

His gaze gleamed hot. “Well, it’s a fine ass, Harmony.”

Some men. Always testing those boundaries. She stepped away. “Thanks for the dance.”

She walked away, but didn’t get more than two steps when she heard the raised voice of her brother. And he was arguing with Luther.

Oh, shit.

She turned and headed back there.

“You have no right to put your hands on her.”

Luther had his hands raised. “We were just dancin’, man.”

“With your hands on my sister’s ass.”

Harmony stepped between them. “Drake. We are guests here. Remember that.”

“I don’t give a—”

Barrett stepped in. “Hey, Drake, how about we all cool down and step outside for a minute.”

By then, Grant, Tucker and Flynn had walked up as well. And while Barrett walked Drake away, Barrett’s brothers were having a conversation with Luther, all the while leading him toward the front door.

“Are you all right?” Lydia asked, a look of concern on her face.

“Honestly, I’m fine. He took a few liberties with his hands, but I was handling it.”

Lydia sighed. “He’s very talented, but new, according to DeMartin. And he’ll no longer be welcome to play here.”

Now Harmony felt awful. “Oh, don’t do that on my account.”

Lydia put her arm around Harmony. “It’s not on your account. We will never accept a man putting his hands on a woman like that. It’s unacceptable behavior for the club. He’s gone, honey.”

Harmony nodded. “All right.”

She felt awful for being the cause of this disturbance.

Barrett and Drake came back inside. Drake came over to her. “Are you all right?”

She directed her irritation to her brother, though in a very restrained fashion. “I’m fine. I
was
fine, and I can handle myself without you constantly treating me like I’m some kind of idiot who doesn’t know her way around men.”

Drake grasped her shoulders. “He put his hands on you.”

She shrugged off his grasp. “Lots of men have put their hands on me. Some I accept, some I don’t. Stop treating me like a child you have to monitor, Drake.”

She turned and walked away from him, stepping outside on the terrace. She wished she could go home right now.

She was tired of men—all men. Every single one of the men in her life pissed her off.

Barrett walked out and he was the last damn man she needed to see right now.

He leaned against the wall with her, but didn’t say anything.

Finally, she did. “Okay. I get it. My brother is a ridiculous hothead and I understand why you don’t want him to know about us.”

Barrett pushed off the wall, moving in front of her. “Harmony, you realize that’s not why I came out here. I wanted to go over there and beat the shit out of that guy for putting his hands on you. So I’m no better than your brother, I guess.”

That made her feel marginally better. “But you didn’t. And your reaction came from a different place. So you were jealous?”

“Hell yes I was jealous, Harmony. I don’t want anyone’s hands on you but mine.”

She rubbed her temple where a headache was forming. “Well, isn’t this just the shit?”

“Yeah.”

“Would you take me back to the hotel? I have a killer headache.”

“Yup. Let me tell my parents—and your brother.”

“Thanks.”

She didn’t want to be rude, so she found Lydia and Easton and thanked them for an amazing evening and said she had a headache and wanted to go back to the hotel.

“I’m so sorry about this,” Lydia said, grasping her hands. “We’ll see you back at the ranch tomorrow morning for breakfast.”

She hugged Lydia. “Thank you so much for today and for tonight. I really had a wonderful time.”

She also found her mother, who was sitting at the table having an in-depth chat with Elijah. Fortunately, Mama had missed the chaos between her and Drake.

“Are you all right, baby?”

“Just a dustup, Mama. Nothing more. And Drake being a hothead.”

Her mother shook her head. “That boy. I’ll talk to him.”

“No. Don’t. I dealt with it already.”

Her mother hugged her, then Barrett came to claim her. They got into a car and headed over to the hotel. She was quiet and looked out the window, reflecting on what had happened. She was a mix of emotions—embarrassment, anger and frustration.

“You can just drop me off,” she said once they reached the hotel.

He grabbed her hand, forcing her to look at him. “Not a chance in hell of that happening.”

He helped her out of the car, then inside the hotel.

Barrett walked her to the elevators and she pushed the button, then turned to him. “I’ve got this.”

He gave her a look. “I’m taking you upstairs.”

She really just wanted to be alone, but Barrett was currently glued to her side, his hand at her back, and he appeared to be going nowhere, which, okay, was a comfort to her hurt feelings.

So maybe she didn’t want to be alone as much as she thought.

When he pushed the button that was not her floor, she gave him a look.

“I’m taking you to my room. I already texted Flynn and told him to take a hike tonight. He’ll get another room.”

“Great. Someone else I’ve inconvenienced tonight.”

He laughed. “First, you didn’t inconvenience anyone. Second, Flynn’s a big boy. He can handle it.”

She sighed, and her head pounded even worse.

When they got to the room, he got out his key card, slipped it in the door lock, then pushed the door open, holding it so she could walk in. She flipped the light on and Barrett closed the door behind them.

The room was really nice. It had a living room and a bedroom with two beds and a nice, oversized balcony.

Barrett came up behind her, laying his fingers on her shoulders. “Tell me what you need.”

She took a deep breath and let it out. “Right now all I want is to put on my pajamas, crawl into bed and eat ice cream.”

Not a romantic thing to say, but it was how she felt.

“Sure. Let’s do that.”

She swiveled to face him. “You brought your jammies?”

His lips curved. “No. But I could go for some ice cream. You order up what you want. Give me your key and tell me what you want from your room.”

She couldn’t believe he’d be down for that, but she couldn’t deny the idea appealed. “Okay.”

After he left, she kicked off her heels and sat on the bed, then called down to room service and asked for ice cream. When they asked her what flavor, she realized she hadn’t asked Barrett what kind he liked, so she ordered several different kinds, from vanilla to chocolate to strawberry with all the fixings. And a couple hot fudge sundaes with whipped cream, along with a bottle of champagne.