The Mane Event
Page 104
Taking her hand, he spun her around and caught her in his arms. You are never to tell anyone about this, Rhonda Lee.
Lips are sealed, darlinexcept during sex.
Good girl. He started to move and then abruptly stopped, looking at her in a panic. That nightI didnt do anything else, uh, embarrassing?
She snorted while she watched and emulated the foot moves of the other dancers. I got two words for ya, hoss. Play. Bow.
Oh please, someone shoot me now.
Ronnie took a step back, wrinkled up her face, and shrugged.
What does that mean? Shaw looked down at what he wore. It doesnt look right?
It looks fine. Actually, the man looked astounding. Tuxes are just She shrugged again. Boring.
He threw up his hands. And what would you suggest?
What are you asking me for? I dont care what you wear.
Im asking you because youll be with me when I wear this on New Years Eve.
Ronnie took another step back. What? When did I agree to that?
You didnt. But youre my date for New Years.
And you decided that when exactly?
When I met you.
And you assumed Id say yes?
Yeah. Unless you have another date.
If I had another date, I wouldnt be here with you now. Annoyed, she walked up to him. I date one male at one time. I may not date em for long, but I dont overlap.
Shaw slipped his hand behind her neck, the skin tingling where he touched her, and pulled her close.
Good, he murmured. Id hate to have to kill a man for being in my way.
Dont get too attached, hoss. This is temporary. Fun, but temporary. Right?
You going somewhere I dont know about?
She tried to answer him, to tell him that soon shed be gone just like shed done so many times before. But he massaged the back of her neck and she had to grab his hand when her leg started to shake.
Staring at her, Shaw looked down at her legs and she stumbled away from him before he could start again.
Man, am I hungry! She cleared her throat so she wouldnt yell the next sentence like shed yelled the first. How about some dinner?
I know a perfect place. Great Italian and amazing desserts.
Perfect.
What about the tux?
Shrugging, If its the best you can do.
Its Armani.
She pointed at her jeans. And these are Old Navy. Dont care when Im hungry. Lets move,hoss.
Brendon took another bite of the mass of dark chocolate fudge cake with Belgian dark chocolate candy, enrobed in dark chocolate sauce monstrosity theyd ordered for dessert. The plate it came in took up half the table. Luckily they only ordered one and decided to share.
Ronnie scooped up another spoonful. Okay, have you ever been in love?
Theyd spent the whole day together and Brendon had never enjoyed himself quite so much with a female. Ronnie kept things light and funny, seemed to enjoy life in general, and adored his kids. Now they ate at one of his favorite restaurants for dinner, grabbing seats outside so they could watch the world speed by while they downed two prime rib dinners. Rare.
Brendon crunched on the walnuts his half of their chocolate dessert contained. Once, he said after a moment of thought. When I was thirteen. Her name was Denise Leweskie. I learned how to polka for her.
He expected Ronnie to laugh at him, his sister sure as hell had in seventh grade until he shoved her into his gym locker with his unwashed jock.
But Ronnie didnt laugh. Instead, she said, Thats nothing. To impress a polar bear I met in Switzerland, I once got on two tiny sticks and flew down a snow-covered mountain.
Brendon blinked. Do you mean ski?
Yeah. Never again. Which is exactly what I said when I went flying off that mountain. I also said it in the hospital, too. And while I was in traction.
Focusing on the dessert in front of him to prevent himself from laughing in her face, he asked, Didnt you take lessons first?
Lessons? Oh no. I didnt need lessons. He glanced up and found her shaking her head in disgust at her own idiocy. You see, Sissy said I wouldnt need lessons. Youre a shifter, she said. We can do anything, she said. And the fact that Id had six hot chocolates laced with tequila had me believing she was right. So, there we are on this mountain some-the-fuck-where in Switzerland, at midnight
Midnight?
Yeah. And I was standing at the little kids run, thinking to myself, Girl, have you lost your goddamn mind? and Sissy says, If youre going to impress a polar, Ronnie Lee, you better get over to that other runway up there. So, like a damn fool, up there I went.
And how old were you exactly?
Nineteen, I believe. Nineteen and dumb as a load of bricks. Dumb and horny.
And the polar bear?
Ronnie gave a slow grin that made his cock hard. Brendon had to admit, he was beginning to love that smile. Lets just say he made the nights go very fast in a lonely Swiss hospital where the staff, mostly jackals, mocked me.
Lips are sealed, darlinexcept during sex.
Good girl. He started to move and then abruptly stopped, looking at her in a panic. That nightI didnt do anything else, uh, embarrassing?
She snorted while she watched and emulated the foot moves of the other dancers. I got two words for ya, hoss. Play. Bow.
Oh please, someone shoot me now.
Ronnie took a step back, wrinkled up her face, and shrugged.
What does that mean? Shaw looked down at what he wore. It doesnt look right?
It looks fine. Actually, the man looked astounding. Tuxes are just She shrugged again. Boring.
He threw up his hands. And what would you suggest?
What are you asking me for? I dont care what you wear.
Im asking you because youll be with me when I wear this on New Years Eve.
Ronnie took another step back. What? When did I agree to that?
You didnt. But youre my date for New Years.
And you decided that when exactly?
When I met you.
And you assumed Id say yes?
Yeah. Unless you have another date.
If I had another date, I wouldnt be here with you now. Annoyed, she walked up to him. I date one male at one time. I may not date em for long, but I dont overlap.
Shaw slipped his hand behind her neck, the skin tingling where he touched her, and pulled her close.
Good, he murmured. Id hate to have to kill a man for being in my way.
Dont get too attached, hoss. This is temporary. Fun, but temporary. Right?
You going somewhere I dont know about?
She tried to answer him, to tell him that soon shed be gone just like shed done so many times before. But he massaged the back of her neck and she had to grab his hand when her leg started to shake.
Staring at her, Shaw looked down at her legs and she stumbled away from him before he could start again.
Man, am I hungry! She cleared her throat so she wouldnt yell the next sentence like shed yelled the first. How about some dinner?
I know a perfect place. Great Italian and amazing desserts.
Perfect.
What about the tux?
Shrugging, If its the best you can do.
Its Armani.
She pointed at her jeans. And these are Old Navy. Dont care when Im hungry. Lets move,hoss.
Brendon took another bite of the mass of dark chocolate fudge cake with Belgian dark chocolate candy, enrobed in dark chocolate sauce monstrosity theyd ordered for dessert. The plate it came in took up half the table. Luckily they only ordered one and decided to share.
Ronnie scooped up another spoonful. Okay, have you ever been in love?
Theyd spent the whole day together and Brendon had never enjoyed himself quite so much with a female. Ronnie kept things light and funny, seemed to enjoy life in general, and adored his kids. Now they ate at one of his favorite restaurants for dinner, grabbing seats outside so they could watch the world speed by while they downed two prime rib dinners. Rare.
Brendon crunched on the walnuts his half of their chocolate dessert contained. Once, he said after a moment of thought. When I was thirteen. Her name was Denise Leweskie. I learned how to polka for her.
He expected Ronnie to laugh at him, his sister sure as hell had in seventh grade until he shoved her into his gym locker with his unwashed jock.
But Ronnie didnt laugh. Instead, she said, Thats nothing. To impress a polar bear I met in Switzerland, I once got on two tiny sticks and flew down a snow-covered mountain.
Brendon blinked. Do you mean ski?
Yeah. Never again. Which is exactly what I said when I went flying off that mountain. I also said it in the hospital, too. And while I was in traction.
Focusing on the dessert in front of him to prevent himself from laughing in her face, he asked, Didnt you take lessons first?
Lessons? Oh no. I didnt need lessons. He glanced up and found her shaking her head in disgust at her own idiocy. You see, Sissy said I wouldnt need lessons. Youre a shifter, she said. We can do anything, she said. And the fact that Id had six hot chocolates laced with tequila had me believing she was right. So, there we are on this mountain some-the-fuck-where in Switzerland, at midnight
Midnight?
Yeah. And I was standing at the little kids run, thinking to myself, Girl, have you lost your goddamn mind? and Sissy says, If youre going to impress a polar, Ronnie Lee, you better get over to that other runway up there. So, like a damn fool, up there I went.
And how old were you exactly?
Nineteen, I believe. Nineteen and dumb as a load of bricks. Dumb and horny.
And the polar bear?
Ronnie gave a slow grin that made his cock hard. Brendon had to admit, he was beginning to love that smile. Lets just say he made the nights go very fast in a lonely Swiss hospital where the staff, mostly jackals, mocked me.
