Page 26 of Misbehaving With Minotaurs (Haven Ever After #8)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

MANORIN

M y intention was to get Cath settled in the room, fed downstairs, then maybe some alone time in the room before the barn dance.

But my sassy, beautiful woman demands the reverse schedule.

Sexy room time. Everything else later.

By the time I manage to sate her—albeit temporarily—it’s time to head to the barn dance.

Catherine emerges from the bathroom in a pair of thigh-hugging jeans, a black lace spaghetti-strapped shirt and high-heeled cowboy boots.

I’m across the room without thinking, taking her hand in mine. I lift her arm and spin her around, revealing the low-cut back of the shirt that exposes the sexy dimples above her belt.

“Gods, woman,” I manage, choking around a sudden surge in feelings. “You’re stunning, Sunshine. I’m gonna be beating other males off with a stick. Good thing I’m big.”

She spins in place, slipping both hands up my shirt and over my chest. “Pretty damn big, yeah.”

Chuckling, I dip down and nuzzle her jawline. “I’m equal parts desperate to show you off and desperate to chain you to this bed. Maybe do what my ancestors are famous for and throw you into a maze so I can hunt you down and have you.”

She shrugs. “Why not both, Manorin? Let’s go to the dance—you’ve been so excited for it. We don’t have to stay all night. I didn’t pack chains, but I’m sure you’ll figure something out.” Her wink has my cock rising again. “I can’t sort out the maze part though, sorry.”

She pops onto her tiptoes and kisses the tip of my snout, inside my nose ring. It tickles the tiny hairs on the surface of my skin, and I shake my head with a laugh, rubbing at my nose.

“Ticklish,” I admit as one of her dark brows rises.

We manage to make it out of the room with minimal fuckery, which is saying something because that godsdamned outfit is going to be the end of me.

Catherine exits the inn just ahead of me, her big ass fully highlighted in the tight jeans.

It’s perfectly peachy and round, and those dimples are begging for my tongue.

Again.

“I can feel you staring.” She cuts me a saucy look over her shoulder.

“Who wouldn’t?” I manage, pulling her to me, back to my front as we wait for the train to come through.

Catherine settles against me, pulling my arm around her soft belly. I slip my fingers into the waistband of her jeans.

I’m falling in love. Shit, I don’t know that I was ever out of love, but she was far away and eventually took a mate, and I was focused on my career. I dated, but nobody was ever her. And now Catherine’s here in my arms, and I don’t know what the fuck I’m gonna do if I don’t get the Ever job.

We said no strings attached, but I should have known it wouldn’t be possible for me to do that.

Being with her is as easy as breathing. I want to tell her, but she’s already concerned about how much romance I’m putting into this arrangement.

Part of me suspects it’s because she’s got feelings going on too.

We need to talk about that.

“Cath,” I murmur in her ear, my arms tightening around her.

She rests her head on my chest, looking up at me. “Yes, Manorin?”

Just then, the train whooshes into view, whistle screaming as she rounds the corner.

“I’m excited for tonight,” I offer. Now’s not the right time to tell her what I’m feeling. Not as we’re stepping onto a busy train full of partygoers. But soon—maybe later tonight.

Mabel chugs to a stop, every car’s doors opening wide.

We enter to find the train packed to the brim, nearly every seat taken.

“The barn dance is kind of a big deal,” I admit as I guide us toward the seats I pre-purchased.

When we get there, a pixie mother holds a small child in her lap, marveling at the scene outside the window.

Only one of our two seats is free. I offer the first to Catherine, and the pixie looks up at me with a bashful smile.

“Oh, this seat must be yours! We were just hoping to get a quick peek of downtown, but we’ll scoo?—”

“Stay.” I widen my stance. “Enjoy the view, both of you. It’ll only take about twenty minutes and I’m fine.”

Catherine grins up at me, then stands, pressing her back to my front. “If you’re standing, I’m standing as well.”

Smiling, I bury my face in her hair as the train pulls forward, steaming into the night.

It’s a quick quarter hour to the Shorthorn Double L Ranch, Rip Shorthorn’s family home. When Mabel chugs to a stop and the train car doors open, gasps rise up as the revelers see the barn for the first time.

I recognize a lot of folks on the train, but there are plenty of new faces too. Seems like the Gulch is experiencing its own tourism boost thanks to the headquarters’ new portal station.

When we exit the train and the famous Shorthorn barn comes into view, Catherine’s surprised gasp joins the other monsters’.

Shorthorn’s barn is fucking gorgeous…I’ll give him that.

It makes a hell of a first impression. Not to mention the rippling siding highlights a fresh coat of red paint.

Lights guide our way to the enormous structure—two stories with a paneled roof.

“It’s even more beautiful inside,” I say. Upbeat music echoes faintly from the open barn doors.

I slip an arm around Catherine’s waist as we walk with the crowd toward the giant barn. Lights under the trim illuminate the left side, where a huge mural of dancing monsters hints at what’s in store tonight. I point Cath toward it.

“Rip Shorthorn’s grandfather painted that about a century or so ago, when they first started doing a barn dance to accompany the moving of the cattle.”

Catherine glances up at me. “That part happens tomorrow, right? You mentioned something about staying out of the street between noon and four.”

“Oh yeah.” I chuckle. “Don’t wanna get trampled. It’s more symbolic than anything at this point, but the local ranchers drive their cattle through downtown to the pastures south of town for winter. It gets cold up in the mountains, and most of them own southern land too.”

Catherine gasps anew when we arrive at the barn doors and find monsters already swirling around a jam-packed dance floor. Another dozen or so monsters hang on giant rings dangling from the ceiling. They spin, gyrate and swirl, putting on a show for those of us below.

I point toward the left-hand wall. “Bar’s over there. Let’s grab a drink. The opposite wall’s all food for when you’re hungry. ”

Keeping her protected with one arm around her, I guide us through the milling throng to the bar, where four monster bartenders work quickly to provide drinks.

The moment I catch a stout shorthorn’s eye, he comes over, slinging a rag over his shoulder. “Dad’ll be happy to see you here, Manorin. Been talkin’ lots of shit about your team this year.”

“Which one?” I snark back. “Seeing as how I’ve got responsibility for two.”

The shorthorn snorts and smiles down at Catherine. “Don’t know how such a beauty got mixed up with this rabble-rouser, but what can I getcha to drink?”

Catherine strokes my forearm. “Surprise me.”

The minotaur bartender jerks his head toward me. “You?”

“I’m afraid to say ‘surprise me,’ so how about an autumn mead if you’ve got any?”

He disappears behind the bar as I press Cath to it, wrapping both arms tightly around her. “You hungry, Sunshine?”

“No. Dying to dance, though.”

“Admit it,” I say as I nuzzle my way along her shoulder. “You just want these big hands all over you, moving you around where I see fit.”

She spins in my arms, irises flashing gold. “Perhaps, Manorin.”

That look tightens my balls, my cock hardening in its sheath.

“Catherine,” I warn. We can’t play like that here, or I’ll lose my mind and fucking stampede the place to get her home.

Red-painted lips curl into a wicked smile. “Yes?”

I bend down and collar her throat, my touch light but commanding. “Don’t unleash me here, woman. I just managed to get us out of the bedroom, and I’m bound and determined to get at least a few dances in.”

She snorts. “You started it.” But she can’t resist swaying along with the raucous music .

And I can’t resist staring as she moves those hips and sidles along next to me.

The bartender returns, saving me from myself as he slides two drinks across the bar. I drop a few bills into his tip jar and thank him, but he’s already moved on to the next partygoer.

“Manorin Longhorn, the nerve of you to show up here.”

My laughter rumbles as I spin in place to see Rip Shorthorn standing there, a lazy grin on his face. His scarlet eyes drop to Catherine and wrinkle at the edges as he holds out a big hand.

“Hello, darlin’. I know you by reputation, of course, on account of you breakin’ Manorin’s bitty heart, but how’d you get wrangled into comin’ to my party with this ruffian?”

Catherine laughs and tucks herself close to my side, lifting her chin. “You’re the second monster to ask me that in the span of sixty seconds. He convinced me with those gorgeous long horns.”

I hold back raucous laughter as Rip’s smirk becomes a playful scowl.

“Length ain’t always a good indicator of value, if you know what I mean,” he offers, tapping the short, pointed tips of his own horns.

He waves around at the party. “Party’s never been quite this big, but I’m lovin’ it.

Enjoy yourselves. There’s food on the opposite side, and apparently, I’m supposed to give a quick speech here in a minute. ”

He steps closer to me, clapping his hand on my shoulder. “Call me sometime tomorrow, if you would.”

Oh fuck. If he’s asking for a call; I’m gonna guess Alarion’s in even more trouble than I thought. Rip Shorthorn doesn’t get involved in others’ business, not if he can help it. I don’t want to open that can of worms here at the party, though, so I nod. “Will do, Rip.”

His mouth flattens, and he nods before disappearing into the crowd.

A band positioned along the back wall picks up a rowdy tune that elicits a huge cheer from the crowd. They play a few notes, and I recognize a fan favorite song I’ve been dancing to since I was a calf.

Finding an empty table, I set my mead down and look at Catherine. “Dance with me, Sunshine?” I’m gonna have plenty of time to worry about Alarion tomorrow, but for now, I wanna get lost in those gray eyes of hers and forget.

She sets her drink next to mine and takes my hand with a playful little bow. “Lead on, Mister Longhorn.”