Raquel drags me out to the dance floor and begins showing me the steps to the dance. After salsa lessons with Layla, I catch on quickly. We dance through a few songs before my lass takes her mother’s place. There’s just something about watching her body move, the way the round curve of her arse sways with the music. When the music switches to a slower song, she starts to make her way off the floor, but I catch her, twirling her back into my arms. She starts to protest but gives up the fight when I take her hand with one of mine and slide the other to the small of her back.
“I’m not done dancing with you yet, Lovely.”
Tipping her head back so she can see me over the brim of the hat, she smirks. “What if I’m done dancing with you?”
Her words are innocent, but for a shadow of a moment, I’m pitched back to when Ashley dumped me. I wasn’t ready to end things, but she was. She’d already ended our relationship when she cheated, I was just too blind to see the signs. “Hey,” she says softly, her palm cupping my jaw. “You okay?”
I blink, coming back to the present, and give her a reassuringsmile. “Aye, sorry. Just had a moment.”
Her brows furrow and she brushes the pad of her thumb over my cheekbone. “Want to talk about it?”
“I’m okay, promise. Just…” I start but shake my head. There’s no point in even bringing this up because Layla isn’t Ashley. “Nah, never mind.”
“Teagan.” She presses her body closer to mine, eyes pleading. “I need you to talk to me or I’m going to assume the worst.”
Softening my features, I hold her tighter, and fess up. “The way you said that, about being done dancing with me? It just triggered a memory from when Ashley dumped me. I don’t miss her in the slightest, but it had me briefly wondering if there would be a time when you were done with me too.”
“Baby,” she whispers. “I’m not…”
“No, I know. You’re not her.” As awkward as I feel, I make it a point to look her in the eyes when I say, “Just, do me a favor and let me know if your feelings start to change, yeah? Even just a little? I’d rather know so I can try to fix the issue, rather than have you come to me months later saying you’re completely done.”
Layla holds my gaze for a long moment while we dance, then nods. “I promise. But Teag, you have to do the same. I want this to work just as much as you do, so let’s make it our goal to always be open and honest with each other, okay?”
The way she’s looking at me, so earnestly, makes my eyes prick with emotion. Our chemistry is off the charts, it’s true. I could spend every hour of every day buried between her legs, or with my mouth on her body, but it’s more than a desire for physical release. The love I have for her runs so deep that words aren’t enough. Only actions can properly convey the magnitude of my feelings. I told her I loved her, and I meant it, but I can see it all so clearly now. Before, it was like a cloudy day but I could see fine. Then the clouds parted, allowing the sun to break through, exposing everything hidden in the shadows. Layla is that beacon and I’ll intercept anything that attempts to dim her light.
We’ve paused, standing still in the middle of the makeshift dance floor.Removing my hand from her back, I take the hat from her head, just so I can press a soft kiss to her mouth.
“Aye. You have my word.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Teagan
By the time we get back to Layla’s family home, it’s after midnight. Rafael and Marcos decided to stay out and head to a local bar for a nightcap, while the rest of us returned to the house. Layla’s parents bade us goodnight and the twins locked themselves in their room, leaving Layla and me to either go to our separate rooms or…not.
We choose the latter.
Leaving our boots by the door, Layla leads me into her room, quietly shutting the door and locking it behind us. I sit on the edge of her bed and let my eyes roam from the top of the cowboy hat to her now bare feet.
“C’mere, lass.”
In a few steps, she’s standing at my knees. Widening my legs, I bury a fist into the fabric of her skirt and pull her closer. Slowly Layla straddlesme, her legs sinking into the bed. My palms immediately go to her thighs, coasting up under her dress. She leans in, giving me a chaste kiss before settling over my lap.
“Are you going to tell me the rule for the cowboy hat now?”
“Whoever wears the hat,” She pauses to place a hand on top of the hat. “Rides the cowboy.” She rolls her luscious body, grinding over my belt buckle.
“Fuck,” I growl out, my head falling back. “Don’t you ever take that hat off.”
Rocking her hips again, a whimper escapes her mouth. I press a kiss to the exposed skin of her chest, thanking my lucky stars that she chose a low-cut dress.
“Ride me, sweetheart,” I mutter against her soft skin.
With one hand holding the hat in place, she braces the other on my shoulder and grinds over the buckle. The thought of her getting herself off on it has me so hard it’s painful, but I’ll be damned if I stop her. So I grip her hips with both hands, raising my own to give her better access. Her eyes snap closed and she throws her head back, working herself faster.
“That’s a good lass,” I murmur against her neck. “Keep going.”
“Teagan,” she gasps. “I’m close.”
