It was the first time we met, and it was the day my whole life changed.
I was at the bar with Walker and a few of the other guys. We were just getting started with the Ghost Team, and then we were located in Texas. Emery and her friends walked into the bar, and I could feel my heart stop. Literally, it stopped beating for a few seconds. I couldn’t breathe or anything. All I did was stare.
She’s still the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met. I tried to pay attention to the guys talking, but I couldn’t take my eyes off Emery. She saw me too. She’d look at me and then glance away real quick when she noticed me watching her.
I was working up the courage to go and talk to her when the song changed on the juke box, and she and all her friends squealed and jumped up from their seats. The song was going on about this is how we do it, and she knew it word for word. She danced and laughed and shook her ass as if she didn’t have a care in the world. She was way out of my league, but I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
And it seems, no one else in the bar could either.
As soon as the song was over, she and her friends were laughing and talking, waiting for the next song when a man came toward her. I was up in an instant, and so were Walker and the rest of the guys. It sort of comes with the business to be on high alert and ready for anything. I held my hand up to them. “I got this. I’ll be back.”
I stalked across the room, and by the time I got close, the stranger had his hand wrapped around Emery’s elbow. My hands were fisted at my sides, but that was the only tell I was pissed. I didn’t want to risk scaring her off. “Sorry I’m late, sweetie.”
I reached out to Emery, and she came to me instantly. I held my arms open, and she stepped close to me. I put one arm around her waist and pulled her soft body against mine.
The man was big and obviously stupid. “Hey, she was just about to dance with me.”
I had been hoping to avoid any confrontation, but if this was what it came down to, fine. I looked down into the green eyes of the woman in my arms. She pressed one hand to my chest, and I brought up one hand to hold it there. Her palm spread out right over my heart. Huskily, I asked her, “You want to dance with him?”
I held my breath because I didn’t know what I’d do if she said yes. I didn’t think I could let her go.
She shook her head side to side, and I finally started to breathe easier. I forced my gaze off her and to the man, who was still standing there. “The lady doesn’t want to dance with you.”
The man was pissed. His cheeks were ruddy, and I was sure he was embarrassed because all eyes in the bar were on us. It’s times like this, where egos are on the line, that men sometimes do stupid things. I didn’t take my eyes off him. He seemed to stand up straighter and puffed his chest out. I was ready for the attack when I heard four chairs behind me make a loud grinding sound across the floor. I didn’t even have to look. I knew it was Walker and the guys, ready to come to my defense if need be. The man must have noticed them because he shrugged his shoulders, and with one last menacing look, he walked away.
Emery sighed loudly beside me. “Wow. Uh, thank you for that.”
Her friends were still standing off to the side, watching us. Emery tried to pull her hand away, but I didn’t let go. “You’re welcome. Can I ask you... two things?”
She looked at her friends, and they were all encouraging her. She looked back up at me. “Yes.”
I turned so we were facing each other. “What’s your name?”
“Emery. What’s yours?”
“Hunter. But everyone calls me Nash.”
She swallowed. “Nash, what’s your second question?”
“Emery, do you want to dance with me?”
She let out a small gasp and stuttered, “But, uh, there’s no music.”
Right then, the jukebox started playing a slow song. I looked over and Walker was leaning against it. I never thought Walker was a romantic type of guy, but I’d take all the help I could get.
“What about now?” I asked her, not wanting to pressure her but hoping and praying she wouldn’t say no either.
“Sure, I’d love to dance with you.”
I pulled her to me, afraid she’d change her mind. I’d never been good with women, and I was a blunt person, but with her I didn’t want to screw this up. I couldn’t think of anything but how Emery felt in my arms. I was committing it all to memory, the smell of her, the way her long hair brushed against my arm as we swayed back and forth, the way her body seemed to melt into mine. Everything.