Priceless

Chapter 15: Judgement

The sound of Nessa's laughter met Thane's ears as they finished the last few steps of the line dance. Reba stood on her other side and the two had been doing their best to follow his and Bill's cues during the dance. While they both caught on fast, it hadn't stopped the laughter at every misstep.  

He loved to hear it, as it had been so rare the past couple of weeks. It passed through his heart to settle in his bones, making him smile. Tonight he'd seen a different Nessa, one who didn't seem to be trapped behind her walls and chained to her past. It started with the stage performance and continued with the impromptu kiss in the middle of the fairgrounds.

He'd been unprepared and bewildered, but that didn't mean he didn't enjoy it.

Now they'd been dancing for a couple of hours, taking breaks to keep Bailey and Kylie company. The two had claimed some chairs with an extra one for Bailey's foot. Neither one seemed to mind relaxing while their other half enjoyed the dance floor.

The final strains of the line dance drifted into the next song, a much slower melody. Bill and Reba both indicated they needed a break, heading for Bailey and Kylie. Thane didn't give Nessa a chance to follow, instead grabbing her hand and pulling her into his arms.

They'd long since dashed the hopes of any other male having a chance with her, but Thane couldn't help feeling a bit smug when she willingly stepped into his embrace.

"Dance with me," he told her.

She grinned. "I thought I was dancing with you."

"I mean only me," he clarified.

She gave a dramatic sigh but reached up to rest her arms against his shoulders, lacing her fingers behind his neck. Her touch sent chills down his spine and he reacted without thought, pulling her closer. His mind flashed back to the first time they'd danced like this in Cripple Creek and the way she'd kept herself stiff and distanced from him.

Not tonight.

Tonight she felt soft and willing under his hands, no longer apprehensive under his touch.

Hope surged through his veins, filling up his heart until it thumped painfully in his chest. He didn't know what had brought the change, but he prayed it was real and would last. He wanted her trust, wanted her heart to soften, wanted her to accept that he could care about her no matter what she did in the past.

She held his gaze, her eyes finally narrowing with a quizzical smile. "What are you thinking? Is it about my boots and hat again?"

He laughed. The boots and hat had definitely caught his attention, but they hadn't been on his mind recently. "Nope, not this time. I was thinking about the first time you agreed to dance with me in Cripple Creek and how different it is now."

Her smile turned into a smirk as she asked, "You mean how different I am, now that I'm not threatening you with a tire iron?"

Thane nodded. "I'm glad you never actually used it."

She shrugged. "I figured it was only fair, since you bought me boots and dinner instead of kidnapping me."

"Ah, so it's only a fairness thing? Repaying kindness for kindness? Has nothing to do with you actually liking me or anything?"

"Well. . . ." she drawled. "You also let me ride your horses. I'll throw that in too."

Thane cocked a dubious eyebrow and she laughed.

"Okay, fine. I also happen to like you. You're kind, you're funny, you're respectful, you're trustworthy. And you make sweat and straw look sexier than any guy on the cover of GQ."