Page 86 of Saving the Rain
“Something like that. All I’m hoping is that none of us have to listen to him making dumb jokes aboutplunderingor Briar’sbounty...”Brad pinches the bridge of his nose and shudders. “Otherwise, I’ll put out a distress signal for you to shut this place down immediately.”
Chaos shakes his head with a wide grin splitting his face. “Deal. No one needs to be scarred for life by him going full method acting tonight. This shall remain a horny pirate-free safe haven.” He swirls a finger in the air, encompassing the room. Then gets called away to serve other customers waiting.
As we carry the drinks over to the bar leaner we’ve settled on for the moment, the two witches have somehow worked their magic and convinced their cowboys to join them out on the dancefloor.
It’s almost a relief, even if temporary, to be able to avoid unwanted conversations. I’m grateful for Brad, that he’s kept our conversation private. Even though Flinn is his everything, he hasn’t brought up my revelation about being attracted to men, or being gay, and he’s not pushing me to talk about it either until I’m ready. That’s just the type of friend he is. I swear, the guy has a sixth sense for knowing what others need.
But the lingering unease still sits there. My knee. My rodeo career. It all resembles a tangled ball of twine coated in spurs, and even though I’m not straight up lying to my friends... am I?
By avoiding telling them any details, does that amount to the same thing?
And right there amongst all of that is the even more precarious truth of how far things have changed between me and Raine. The fact I’m so swept up in him. Even just the thought of his name andwhether I’m going to come face to face with the subject of my ever-increasing adoration curls something low in my stomach.
“Wanna head outside with us for a bit?” Brad leans closer to lift his voice at me over the top of the music.
“Nah, you two go. I’ll stay here and keep an eye on their drinks.” I shrug the two of them off. As much as Brad and Flinn are always the first to include others—not to mention that Brad is a social fucking butterfly and would probably wither away without having the opportunity to be surrounded by people—they could use some time for themselves.
I tell myself it’s not because I’m on the lookout for Raine. I try to play it cool, and not feel a certain kind of way that he hasn’t been in contact since leaving Devil’s Peak the other day. What was I expecting? To have a steady stream of messages from him? He probably got back to work and had god knows what waiting for him to handle.
Don’t I know it. Ranching equals endless problems. If it’s not the horses, it’s gonna be the damn cows, and where Sunset Skies Ranch is concerned, they’ve got guests to accommodate on top of all that.
So, I sip my drink and lean on my forearms to people-watch.
Definitelynotstudying every broad-shouldered, tall guy with dark hair and trimmed stubble who might possibly be my stepbrother beneath their costume. I’m absolutelynotglancing at hands and forearms to see if I can catch a flash of his tattoos to let me know it's him hidden behind a mask.
Christ, is he even gonna actually come tonight? The longer I’m here, the less it seems like the type of shit Raine would willingly put up with, not without a good reason to. Honestly, he’s no different than the likes of Luke and Storm, who would never have been caught dead at a Halloween party in all their years living in Crimson Ridge. And now here they are, in the middle of a crowded dance floor, with their girls wrapped up tight and hearts in their goddamn eyes.
An unfamiliar feeling stirs deep in my chest, a flicker like a candle that might get snuffed out with one false move. Maybe that’s what I want... or could let myself believe that I deserve?
For too long, I’ve been caught in a place where I didn’t think I could ever truly let anyone in. Why risk it? Why voluntarily putyourself through heartache when, at the first sight of my painfully cracked edges, they’d want to leave? Hell, my own flesh and blood didn’t want me around—the one person who was supposed to, but chose a different place to focus her twisted brand of love—so surely no one else could ever find me worthwhile of the effort to keep close.
That’s when I feel the fine hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. It’s incomparable, the knowledge that Raine’s eyes are on me, and it might sound like madness but it’s as if every cell in my body canfeelhim before I even see him.
Scanning the crowd to take in all the costumes, the flickering lights, and the billowing red smoke weaving around people’s ankles like mischievous ghosts... I don’t find him.
Until I turn toward the furthest corner of the bar.
Our eyes lock, and goosebumps fly. When I finally spot him, the man is enough to make me feel like I could damn near float across the room, drawn to his magnetism rippling through the crowd. An alluring, hooded stare is accentuated by face paint—giving him darkened black pools around his eye sockets. It’s a devious look, straight from the underworld, and as I wet my lips, still staring, I notice he’s wearing those faded black jeans that seem custom-fitted to his body, with a black collar shirt.
Holy fuck, he’s hot.
I’ve never been struck immobile, floating in time where the sight of a man has taken my breath away at first glance. I mean, I’ve come to realize I’m finding Raine endlessly attractive, forever being sideswiped by how gorgeous he is. That in itself certainly isn’t a new revelation.
But this?
I’m transfixed. Glued to the spot. Mesmerized at the sight of his frame hugged by all that midnight black and how he looks capable of stopping my heart at will. Simply seizing it from my chest with a single glance.
Raine watches me for a moment, but it’s hard to see the exact expression on his face between the pulse of lights and people getting in the way. Something knowing twists on his lips, and he turns back to lean both forearms on the bar. It’s an open invitation, laid out for meto either take it or walk away, and I know right there in that thud of my pulse and tightening in my chest what my decision is.
Glancing back at the bar leaner, then over at the dance floor, I catch Luke’s attention. When he nods, I point at the drinks waiting for the four of them. He bends to speak into Sky’s ear, before she shoots me a bright smile and waves. Once they’re headed over, I make a show of my empty glass and slink my way to the bar. Feeling his penetrating stare with every step, utterly helpless to resist his allure.
Right now, I’m the rabbit willingly stepping into the snare.
When I get a few steps from the bar, I dart a glance at theChaos Twinsin their pig onesies, both of them too busy slinging drinks to notice us. I hate that this is the first thing I think of, that I hesitate rather than feeling like I can stroll right up to Raine and be with him.
I’m tongue-tied and fumbling around inside my own head before I’ve even gotten close. Which is ridiculous; I gotta shake this off because it’s just talking, and that’s something I do easily whenever I’m here.
My eyes do a quick once over, just a tiny, brave look as I close the final few feet to stand by his side.