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He slid his hands up to cup the sides of her neck as he gave her another quick kiss. “Me too,” he told her as he backed away.

As he let himself back behind the bar, Shayna reached out to touch her arm. “Here you go, I saved you a seat. I’m glad you made it.”

“Me too,” Everly told her honestly. By the time she was settled in her seat, Tanner was setting a glass of wine in front of her.

“It’s the one from last night,” he told her. “Is that okay?”

She nodded happily. “It’s great, thanks.”

She thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with them all. They were a fun group last night, and Shane and Cassidy only added to the fun. They were both big personalities, big egos, if she were honest, and she liked them a lot. It was obvious that the others did, too.

The evening flew by, and it surprised Everly just how much she felt at home with them all. It struck her that despite having worked in the bar at home for the last couple of years, she didn’t have friends like this there. Not that she’d be able to hang out with them if she did. That thought took her mind back to Ashton. Perhaps she should just go home to him. What was the point in getting to know people here when she was only going to have to say goodbye to them all at the end of the week? She missed her little boy, and as much as she needed a break for herself, it didn’t feel right to be away from him.

She was surprised when a big hand came down on her shoulder, and she turned to see Shane smiling at her.

“We’re leaving now. We’ll leave your keys at the reception desk.”

She slid down from her stool to give him and Cassidy a hug. “Thanks so much for this.”

Cassidy grinned at her. “You are most welcome. It worked out well for us, too. I wouldn’t have wanted to come out for the whole night, but this way we got to say hi to everyone for a while.”

“We’ll see you guys soon,” Shane told the others.

“Yeah,” said Ty. “We should figure something out to get everyone together. It’s been too long.”

“Give me a call,” Cassidy told him. “We’ll set something up.”

Shane laughed and looked around at the others. “That’s me put in my place. She only keeps me around for decoration.”

Cassidy laughed with him. “Are you saying that you’d rather I leave you to make the arrangements? Are you saying that you wouldn’t whine about having to do it if I did?”

Shane turned to Ty. “We all know that I’m no good at that kind of thing, but she could at least pretend that I’m useful for something.”

They all laughed when Cassidy slapped his ass and said, “We all know what you’re useful for. And I’m sure that they all know that’s why we’re ducking out early.”

“Fair enough,” said Shane. “In that case, let’s go home, woman, so that you can fulfill your wifely duties.”

Everly laughed out loud at the way Cassidy glared at him. “You know where that kind of talk will land you, cowboy.”

“In the doghouse,” said Kolby.

“No such luck,” said Shane. “The doghouse would be way better than having to sit here all evening, watching her dance with one cowboy after another, just to prove a point.” He slunghis arm around Cassidy’s shoulders and hugged her to his side. “We both know that I’m only joking, but when I push too far, my lovely wife is well within her rights to push back.”

Cassidy cupped his cheek with her hand and pressed a kiss to his lips. “Just like we both know that sometimes your lovely wife is a bit too sensitive about things like that.”

Shane chuckled. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Take me home.”

Everly laughed with the others as they watched them go. Laney turned to her with a grin. “Shane used to be just like Tanner, you know. When guys like them fall, they fall hard.”

Everly just stared at her. She didn’t know what to say. She was enjoying this, enjoying knowing that Tanner was attracted to her in a way that was out of the ordinary for him. This whole thing was out of the ordinary for her, too. But no one was talking about falling for anyone – were they?

Chapter Ten

Tanner braced his hands on the bar and leaned toward Everly, wishing that he was on the other side with her. It was a new feeling for him. Usually, he was grateful to be back here, grateful to have the bar as both a barrier and an excuse between himself and the women he was flirting with. He wouldn’t deny that he enjoyed taking women up to their rooms afterward, but he wasn’t usually interested in spending the first part of the evening with them.

He loved the way she smiled at him.

“What’s that look for?” she asked.