Rustic Hearts

“If we win, you ladies cook us supper tomorrow night at Dallas’s house.”

“You’re on.”

She takes her cue and blasts into the triangle of balls, and they fly in all directions. She pockets three. Two solids and a stripe, and the game is on.

Walker buys everyone a shot and another round of drinks. This time, when I chase the shot with the iced tea, it’s not so bad.

I’m a disaster of a partner. My third attempt to line up and shoot, I dig the cue tip right into the felt.

Ugh. I bang my head against the side of the table. How did I let myself get roped into this?

I’m still bent over the stick with my ass in the air when Braxton comes up beside me.

“Don’t they have pool tables in New York?” he asks with a smirk.

I stand to answer him. “Of course they do. I just don’t have the talent for this game.”

He takes a sip from his beer bottle and sets it aside. “Yes, you do. Any girl who can ride a horse has the right hand and eye coordination to shoot pool.”

He rolls his sleeves up to reveal his ta

A shiver runs down my spine as he takes me by the waist, turns me back to the table, and continues, his warm breath at my neck, “You just have to stop focusing on where the ball is and keep your eye on where you want it to be.” He wraps his arm around, and he slides his hands down the cue stick to mine. He takes my hands and adjusts my grip. “Hold it like this. All the weight on your back wrist, so the cue slides easy, and you have control. You ready?”

I nod, and he leans into me. We bend together over the edge of the table.

“Nice and steady. Strike firm. Too light, and you’ll barely tap the other ball. Too hard, and you’ll jump the table.”

I pull back and strike the white ball, and it hits and sends the other into the side pocket.

“I did it!” I squeal as I turn in his arms.

We are so close that his breath licks across my lips. It smells like beer and ci

“Very good, Princess. I bet there are a lot of things I could teach you.”

In my inebriated state, I want to take him up on that, but better judgment grasps me before I say it out loud.

I quickly turn away from him, and five sets of eyes are all trained on us. Including Morgan’s, and they are full of fire.

Wonderful.