I smiled and nodded. “Good luck with that one.”
Bill smirked. “Shit, she’ll be walking out with me in less than two hours, dude.”
I watched as he walked toward Courtney, and then I glanced back over at Whitley. She was throwing her head back and laughing at something Richard was saying.
You don’t like her, Layton. Who cares who she’s talking to?
I walked up to the bar, and Misty came over to me with a shit-eating grin on her face.
“Hey, handsome,” she said with a wink.
“Hey, girl. Looks like you got help tonight. You might even have time to spin around the dance floor with me.”
She laughed and winked. “Oh, I want to take a spin a time or two but not on the dance floor. We still on for tonight?”
I wanted to tell Misty that what had happened those two times was just pure fun and nothing more, but then I’d gone off and invited her home with me tonight.
What in the hell was I thinking?
When the music changed, I turned and looked out toward the dance floor. Whitley was dancing with Richard and noticed me looking at her. I smiled slightly, and she looked away. That was when I saw Olivia dancing behind them. She was grinding her ass into Justin’s dick as she smiled at me.
Fuck me.
I turned back and grinned as I leaned closer to Misty. “You bet that sweet ass we’re still on.”
She reached across the bar and kissed me. She let out a small moan as she bit on my lower lip. When she pulled back and walked away, I felt like shit. I had no feelings for this girl. All she was to me was just a fuck—and not even a good one at that.
She walked back and handed me a Dos Equis with a wink. “Reed and the rest of the guys are in the back.”
I smiled as I thanked her and turned to walk away. I glanced quickly one more time at Whitley. She seemed like she was just trying to be nice to Richard by dancing with him. As I was walking by a table, I saw Courtney sitting there. I stopped and smiled down at her.
“You look like you’re searching for someone or something,” I said.
She smiled as she looked up at me. “A cowboy. You’re the only fucking cowboy I’ve met since I’ve been in this damn town.”
I laughed as I felt someone nudge me. I turned to see Richard smiling at me as Whitley sat down and grabbed the beer out of Courtney’s hand. She practically downed it as she looked everywhere but at me.
“CG! You having fun?”
The look she shot me caused me to start laughing. I looked back over toward Courtney.
It’s time to have a little bit of fun with the city girls.
“Courtney”—I flashed that smile I knew melted any girl’s panties—“you want to meet some cowboys?”
Courtney lit up like a Christmas tree. “Fuck yeah. I do believe we just went over this, Layton dear.”
I reached my hand down for her to take. “Well then, my dear, let’s go meet some cowboys.”
Whitley stood and reached for Courtney’s arm. “No, I don’t think that’s a very good idea.”
Courtney and I both looked at her. “Why not?” we asked at the same time.
Whitley peered between both of us. “Um…Courtney, really, you don’t want to meet his friends.”
The way she’d said his sounded like she was disgusted with me.
“Oh yeah, I do, Whit.” Courtney turned back toward me and smiled as she held out her hand. “Show me the way, cowboy.”
We started to walk toward the back. I turned around and winked at Whitley. She had her hands on her hips, and she looked so goddamn cute, being all pissed-off.
I turned back, and leaning down, I told Courtney, “Keep your panties on tight. These boys are nothing but a bunch of horny men, and one is fresh on leave from the Marines.”
Her smile practically lit up the room. “Sweetheart, it’s been so long since I got laid. I don’t care how horny they are. They just better have functioning dicks.”
I laughed as I shook my head. I like this girl—feisty and tells it like it is.
More women needed to be like her. I looked back to see Richard walking with Whitley. My smile faded, and I quickly turned back ahead. As we walked up closer to the table, I saw Reed and then Kevin. My heart started pounding, and it felt like my knees were about to give out.
“Layton, are you all right? Did you get dizzy or something?” Courtney asked.
I tried to give her a smile as I shook my head. “Nah, I think it’s from not eating today.”
“Holy motherfucking shit! It’s Layton Morris. And the bastard brought us a friend.” Kevin stood and made a beeline right toward Courtney.
Courtney smiled as she held out her hand, and Kevin kissed the back of it.
“Who is this beautiful creature?” Kevin looked Courtney up and down.
I turned around and reached for Whitley’s hand. I was surprised when she took it, and she let me lead her to the front of me. The look that Richard had given me wasn’t lost on me.
“My God, there are two beautiful creatures. Layton, what did I do to deserve this?” Kevin asked when he saw Whitley.
I smiled as I took in Kevin. He was as fit as ever. He was the same height and build as me. He’d always been known as the black stallion with the local girls. All the girls would go crazy for him. I didn’t think I’d ever seen him with just one girl.
I introduced Whitley and Courtney to Kevin and explained to them that he was home on leave from the Marine Corps.
After talking for a few minutes, Reed finally noticed Whitley and Courtney. I knew it was going to be a long night when I saw his face light up as he looked them both up and down. I’d never in my life wanted to punch my best friend in the face before, but the way he was looking at them caused me to ball up my fists. He got up and walked over toward us.
Whitley was standing so close to me that I could smell her perfume.
Jesus, her scent is driving me fucking nuts.
“So, are you the city girl Layton here rescued today?” Reed asked with a smile and a wink as he extended his hand.
Whitley shook Reed’s hand. “The one and only.” She gave a wink of her own.
I glanced over and noticed Courtney eyeing Reed up and down.
Reed could pretty much look at any girl, and she’d be his. Almost every girl at every bar we had gone to would tell him he looked exactly like Colin Farrell.
Reed started laughing. “Don’t worry, Jack will take care of your car. He’s the best. Welcome to Llano. What in the world made you want to move here?” he shouted over the music.
Whitley’s smile faded for a quick second before she flashed that beautiful smile at him. “New town, new life.”
Reed smiled and shook his head. “Folks normally say they want to leave Llano to start a new life.”
Whitley winked. “To each his own.”
“Amen, sister,” Reed said.
I leaned over and said, “Whitley Reynolds, this is my best friend, Reed Moore.”
Whitley grinned. “What? That’s your name—Reed Moore?”
Reed gave her his big ole country-boy smile. “Yes, ma’am. You like to read, do you?”
Whitley threw her head back and laughed. “No, no, I really don’t. I hate reading. Sorry.”
Reed laughed as he turned his attention to Courtney. He stood there and just stared at her as she talked to Kevin.
Whitley leaned up, close to my ear. “If you were any kind of friend, cowboy, you would reach over and lift his jaw off the ground. He acts as if he’s never seen a girl before.”
I laughed as I looked at Reed practically drooling at the sight of Courtney.
“Courtney is going to love his name!” Whitley said with a giggle.
Her hot breath on my neck was driving me insane.
I rolled my eyes and shook my head. “God, he tries to use that to his advantage all the time. If a girl loves to read, he plays it up. Why will Courtney like it?”
Whitley turned and gave me an evil smile. “She’s a freelance editor. She edits books for a living. She loves to read. It’s her damn life. Her last name is Will. She is constantly saying, ‘Oh, Courtney will…’ It drives me nuts how she stresses the word will.”
I laughed as I said, “No shit?”
“No shit!”
Kevin must have seen someone walking by who caught his attention because he excused himself from talking to Courtney. Courtney turned and smiled when she saw Reed standing there, and Whitley jumped into action.
“Courtney, this Layton’s best friend, Reed,” Whitley said with a huge grin on her face.
It was almost like she couldn’t wait for Courtney to find out Reed’s last name.
Reed reached out and shook Courtney’s hand. “Reed Moore,” he said with a smile.
Courtney’s smile spread from ear to ear. “Oh, Courtney Will.”
Both Whitley and I busted out laughing. Reed looked confused as hell and then laughed.
“Nice last name I have, huh?” he said with a wink.
Courtney nodded. “Especially for an editor whose job is to do nothing but read.”
Reed started laughing. “Seriously, what’s your last name?”
Courtney looked at him and tilted her head. “Will.”
“Seriously? I thought you were being a smart-ass.”
Courtney smiled and winked. “Oh, honey, trust me, you’ll know when I’m being a smart-ass and when I’m not.”
I leaned over and put my lips up against the back of Whitley’s ear. “Looks like they’re hitting it off just as well as we did.”
She snapped her head around and slowly grinned. She was just about to say something when she glanced over my shoulder, and her smile faded for a brief second.
I felt someone put a hand on my upper back and move it down to my ass. Lady Antebellum’s “Dancin’ Away with My Heart” started playing.
Misty got in between Whitley and me. “Hey, babe. I’m on a break. Dance with me.”
I smiled down at Misty and nodded. I looked back at Whitley, who was looking Misty up and down.
“Excuse me, CG,” I said with a wink.
Whitley smirked and gave me the finger before turning and walking back to her table. Courtney followed behind, and Bill trailed her.
I took Misty’s hand and led her to the dance floor. Then, I watched as Bill somehow got Courtney to dance with his drunken ass. I glanced around the dance floor and saw Olivia dancing with Justin. He was holding her tightly up against his body as she rested her head on his chest. I pulled Misty close to me and started dancing.
“God, Layton. It feels so good to be in your arms,” Misty said.
I couldn’t even answer her. I kept staring at Olivia. I watched as she looked up at Justin, and he leaned down and kissed her. I wanted nothing more than to look away, but I couldn’t. I just kept torturing myself by staring at them.
Then, I saw Kevin, and I closed my eyes. All I could see was Mike laughing and loving life as he twirled Jen around on the dance floor. They’d had so many dreams. They were meant to be together. Now, she was alone with their five-year-old daughter, Kate.
He left us.
My heart started pounding, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I looked back at Olivia, who was still kissing Justin. Kevin was dancing with some girl I’d seen around, but I had no idea who she was. Courtney was dancing with Bill, and she actually looked like she was enjoying herself.