by Sable Hunter
“Miss Emma, I have a challenge for you.”
“What kind of a challenge, Arnold?” Emma grinned, going closer to make sure she didn’t miss a word of what he had to say.
“I dare you to dance on top of the bar.”
Emma didn’t even wait to hear what the exchange would be, all she heard were the words…I dare you.
A few yards away…Josh was trying to make his way to the bar.
“I’ve missed you, lover boy. The last time we hooked up was in Houston, do you remember?”
Amber…Holloway or Hollingsworth, he couldn’t recall which, wound her arms around his neck. The last time he’d seen her was when he was nailing her up against a plate glass window overlooking the NRG Stadium in Houston, where he’d just won Championship Cowboy for the third year in a row. “I do. How have you been, Amber?” He did recall her voracious sexual appetite; it had been almost as great as his own. She was one seductive vixen and he wouldn’t mind sampling her goods a second…or third time.
“Just peachy, Mr. Long.” She leaned in to his ear. “And how well your name applies, you are so long and thick.” Rubbing up against him, she sought to make her words come to life.
And she would have, if Josh hadn’t heard something else that caused his attention to be torn from the eager woman before him to another. Namely, the redheaded one behind the bar who’d just decided it was a good idea to get on top of it and dance.
The crowd was cheering her on. “What does she think she’s doing?” Josh pulled away from Amber. “Excuse me. Can we talk later?”
He didn’t even wait for an answer. The thought of Emma stepping off the counter into nothingness made his blood run cold.
“Emma! You’re going to kill yourself. Get down from there,” Avery fussed, holding her arms up and spread out, ready to catch her friend if she fell. “I dare you to get down!” Avery yelled, exasperated.
“Just give me a second, I’m almost through with my routine.” Honestly, Emma didn’t have a clue what she was doing. The last time she saw anyone dance was on a music video when she’d been a prepubescent girl with a crush on Jesse McCartney. All she knew was that she liked to move and because she couldn’t see other people’s reactions to her attempt, it was easy to block them out. “You owe me, Arnold!”
“All right, all right,” Arnold groused. “I’ll teach you to milk a cow.”
“Great!” Emma was thrilled. There were so many things she wanted to try, to experience. She’d decided that being blind was not going to hold her back. “I can’t…WAIT!!” The last word was said in an absolute panic as she stepped down and found no surface beneath her foot.
“Caught you!”
Emma’s breath whooshed out of her lungs in a rush. One minute she’d been falling through the air and the next she was clasped to a broad strong chest. She not only recognized his voice, she recognized his scent – fresh mown grass and leather. “Josh!” Surprise replaced panic, followed quickly by relief. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, I’m just glad I was in the right spot at the right time.” He closed his eyes and willed the pain away. Truth be known, he’d barely put the crutches to one side and stabilized himself before she’d proverbially landed in his lap.
Emma was glad too. “I guess that was beyond foolish, but it was fun.” The best part was being held in his strong arms.
Fun? His heart was pounding out of his chest. If he hadn’t been there, she would have fallen, hit her head – maybe hurt herself. Setting her down gently on her feet, he steadied her. “I think you deserve to have your sweet ass spanked.”
A little shocked at his words, Emma felt her heart race. “A spanking? Gee, if I’d known that was a possibility I would’ve hopped up there a long time ago.”
Josh pushed a long lock of hair over her shoulder. “You’re cute. So, you crave excitement?”
Emma didn’t get a chance to answer.
“She might crave excitement, but I crave a drink!” A growly, grouchy voice beckoned from in front of her station.
“I guess I’d better get back to work.” She gave him a slight smile, or at least she hoped it was in the right direction. “At the very least, I think I owe you another drink, Mr. Long.”
“I want a beer, but I won’t take it in payment for rescuing you.” Josh found a stool and sat down, his eyes still on the young woman who perplexed him in ways he didn’t really understand.
“Very well,” she said, as she took care of her newest customer, “but the offer still holds.”
Josh waited his turn, accepting the mug when she placed it in front of him. “Thanks.” His eyes followed her as she went about her business, he couldn’t help but admire how determined and fearless she was – moving around so bravely in a world of darkness.
Hardbodies was hopping tonight. As Emma tended bar, people were milling around, the sounds of laughter and talking competed with the noise of the jukebox blaring an old tune by Asleep at The Wheel. A movement to his side alerted Josh he had company. Cutting his eyes, he saw it was Isaac. “You’re making money tonight.”
“I am. Just wait till this auction kicks off in a little while. Are you ready?”
“Sure. A roomful of pretty women, all wanting a piece of me. What’s not to like?”
“You’re still a conceited ass.” The big biker snorted. “How was your first day of work at the ranch?”
“Good, your family has some fine livestock. I made a lot of headway. And thanks to your sister-in-law’s healing hands, I might be ready to do more in a few days.”
“Joseph’s wife helped you? I’m not surprised. If we could bottle Cady’s magic, we’d all be rich.”
“Amen.” Josh took a swig of beer. “Seems like a thousand-pound weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I still have pain, but there’s definite improvement.” He stared at the mirror behind the bar, a standard fixture in clubs like this one. Everything was doubled, the colors were hypnotic – bottles, glasses…and Emma.
Isaac followed Josh’s gaze. “I saw your hero move a few minutes ago when you caught my foolish little bartender right before she busted her cute ass on the floor. You could’ve reinjured your leg pulling a stunt like that.”
“I braced myself. Couldn’t let her get hurt,” he spoke lowly when Emma moved a bit closer. “Hey, do you serve food here? I’m starving.” Josh glanced around at the old-fashioned bar. In this case, looks were deceiving. The personality of the place fit the owner and the area. Cowboys and bikers congregated here side by side. This part of central Texas was a favorite place for both. And if what Isaac had told him about the secret room was true – well, that was just something he had to see for himself. “Do you make hamburgers here?” He looked around, but saw no one else was eating.
“Nope, no food. Just the best drinks in town. Sorry.” Isaac didn’t sound sorry. “Why didn’t you stop by the diner or Legends?” He glanced at the pocket watch that hung on the chain at his belt. “They’re closed by now.”
“Hell, I don’t have any food in my house and I can’t cook toast in a toaster.” Josh bewailed his predicament. “I sure like your watch, though. I’d give a pretty penny to have one like that.”
Across the bar, Emma heard the whole thing. “Doris,” she called, hoping her friend was standing near enough to hear, “will you cover for me a minute, I need to run to the back.”
“Sure thing, girl.” Doris came around to Emma and took the rag from her hand. “Take off. Nature calling?”
“Something like that.” She clicked her fingers and the next thing she heard was Fergus’ toenails clicking on the concrete floor. Taking his halter, she urged him toward the door. Several people spoke to her as she moved through the crowd, taking her time but going as fast as she could. Emma was just glad she’d cooked a big pan of lasagna this morning. Sharing it with Josh, would just make her happy.
In a few minutes, she’d warmed a plate in the microwave. Covering it with plastic wrap, she woke Fergus from his cat-nap and they
made their way back to the bar.
“Damn, that smells good,” a male voice announced.
“I’d like some of that,” said another.
“This is spoken for,” she told them, hoping Josh was still at the counter.
“What are you doing?”
Emma recognized Avery’s voice.
“Is Josh still here? He’s hungry.”
“Well, well…” Avery mused with a knowing smile. “Yes, he’s still here. Now, this is what I call service.”
Emma huffed, letting go of Fergus’s halter. “Don’t make anything of this. He’s hungry, I have food.” She held tightly onto the plate, moving slowly. “There’s no one in front of me, is there?”
“I’m here, but I’m out of the way,” Doris assured her. “Why don’t you use your cane like you’re supposed to?”
Laughing, Emma repeated her friend’s edict. “Like I’m supposed to? Actually, I have it here somewhere. When I’m bartending, I need both hands.” Counting her steps, as she always did, Emma waited until she heard his voice.
“You could at least serve nuts, McCoy.” Josh lamented.
“I do.” Isaac answered dryly. “You’re proof of that.”
Good. They were still discussing food. “Josh, if you’re not opposed to leftovers, I have something that will tide you over.” She sat the plate in front of him. “It’s warm and there’s a fork on the side. If Isaac wouldn’t object, maybe you could eat in his office?”
She waited expectantly for either or both of them to respond. Unlike earlier, when not seeing people’s faces made things easier, times like this – when it really mattered was when she hated her sightlessness the most.
“Wow.” Josh said, floored by the gesture. “This smells outstanding.”
“No need to go to my office, dig in.” Isaac directed him. “I’ll try to keep the hungry hyenas at bay.” He pointed the tip of his beer bottle at Emma. “You’d better watch it, little lady, or you’ll find yourself cooking for everyone.”
“I could do that. I hope you enjoy it,” she mumbled, hoping this didn’t get her in trouble with the McCoys – any more than her rash decisions to accept an occasional dare. Returning to her duties, she kept one ear turned toward Josh, who was no longer talking. Apparently, he was enjoying his meal. This was just as well, because a large party of happy women arrived about that time and for the next fifteen minutes she was inundated with orders and refills. To top it off, a group of sorority girls arrived and things really went crazy. Most of them were barely legal and they all wanted to try some fancy, exotic drink.
The first time she was able to pause to catch her breath, she positioned herself across the counter from where Josh had been sitting earlier. Emma wasn’t sure he was still there.
“Tired?” his voice asked, much to her relief.
Emma let out a sigh of relief. “Yea, my toes hurt. These cowboy boots probably weren’t the best idea.” She cleaned and straightened her station, knowing she’d be hit with a new round of orders once the auction was over. “That last hour was intense, college kids are a blast, aren’t they?”
“You’re no more than college age yourself.” Her skin looked like the finest cream and Josh had an indescribable image of him using his tongue to play connect the dots from freckle to freckle.
“Oh, I’m older than that,” she answered with good humor. “I’ve just held up well, low mileage. I haven’t been all the way around the block yet.”
Josh frowned. She had a weird sense of humor. “I never know what you’re going to do or say. One minute you’re dancing on the bar and the next you’re feeding me.”
“Hey, the man dared me. Plus, I believe in the barter system – trading something you have of value for something someone else has that you want. The dance earned me the right to milk a cow for the first time. Last week I sang with the band on a dare and earned myself a ride on a Segway. The week before that I helped a guy train his dog for some fresh vegetables.”
He shook his head, then realized she couldn’t see him doing it. “You’re something else. I wish I had something to trade so you’d cook for me every once in a while.”
They did say the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach, but Emma wasn’t under any illusions that she stood a chance of winning his heart or even catching his attention. He’d been kind to her and she wanted to be kind to him. “You don’t have to trade anything, I love to cook and I always cook too much. I can have a plate waiting for you any night you say.”
Josh was taken aback, watching her fill another mug from the tap. Instead of putting her finger over the edge to monitor how close to full it was, she seemed to be testing the weight.
“I don’t know…”
He didn’t get to finish before Isaac’s voice sounded over the loudspeaker. “It’s time, ladies.”
“Oh, no.” Josh said. “Here we go. I guess I’d better go get into position.”
“Oh, you’ll do great.” Emma encouraged him as he went to join the other men. He might do fine, but she didn’t know about herself. She hated the idea of another woman gaining his attention. Which was stupid. From what she’d learned, women flocked to Josh in droves.
Isaac continued. “To my left, lined up against the wall and ready to parade in front of the bar are a dozen…count ‘em…a dozen of Kerrville’s…”
There was a slight pause and Emma wondered what was happening, but in the next heartbeat Avery started speaking.
“Give me that microphone, Badass. Only a woman can do this special moment justice.”
Isaac barked out a laugh and there was the distinct noise of a kiss being shared.
“As my handsome husband was saying, we have a dozen of Kerrville’s handsomest hunks ready to strut their stuff for you. Noah McCoy, my smart brother-in-law will be in charge of the money and my sister-in-law, Jessie, is going to be our auctioneer. The rules are simple, raise your hand, wait to be called upon and give your bid. Jessie will give you all the information on each gentleman so you can make an…shall we say…informed decision. “Avery ended her speech with a flourish. “So…if our band would give us some Chippendale-worthy background music, we’ll begin.”
At her cue, the band cranked up and a countrified burlesque tune filled the air. Emma would’ve given her eyeteeth and a year or two off of her life to have been able to see what was going on.
Josh would’ve given his eyeteeth and left nut to be anywhere else. He was last in line, bringing up the rear on a pair of crutches. His knee wasn’t paining him too much, but he was beginning to itch a little. As he scanned the crowd, he felt like he was looking at a school of toothy hungry sharks. There was no question he liked women, and hooking up with them was a joy he never wanted to give up. Right now, however, he sorta felt like bait.
One thing he never gave up was control. He might not be a Dom like Isaac, but he needed to be in charge. As the seconds passed and the first poor schmuck was introduced and the bidding began, he felt that much cherished control begin to slip through his fingers.
“Second up, ladies, for you ogling enjoyment is Denver Bolden. He’s a sexy cowboy who works at Tebow. Just imagine him going for a ride without a shirt. Denver has made plans for dinner and dancing on one of the most romantic rooftop clubs in downtown Austin.”
The women tittered and Josh moaned. The guy in front of him snickered and punched the man ahead of him, pointing to the bevy of women who were sending obvious sexual signals their way.
At the bar, Doris walked up to Emma. “I swear I have never seen so many good-looking men in such a small place before.”
Emma sighed. “Care to give me a running commentary?”
“Ha!” Doris laughed. “That I can do. Well…” As the music played and the money flew, Doris kept Emma entertained with a blow by blow description of every man who was put on the auction block. “You ought to see this one, Emma. Oh, my land-sakes-a-Goshen, his muscles have muscles.”
“Yes, ladies, up next is Canyon Brady. His p
lans for an evening together is a hot-air balloon ride over Lake Travis and a romantic evening at a Tuscan vineyard. He is our town blacksmith and lord-have-mercy he’s built like one. Wouldn’t you just love to see him glistening with sweat after swinging a big hammer…”
At Jessie’s description, Emma burst out laughing. She might not be able to witness this spectacle with her eyes, but her imagination was working overtime.
“I don’t know about you, but I need something cold to drink. I seem to be getting a little overheated,” Doris confided as she slipped both of them a beer. “Here, on me.”
“Thanks.” Emma took a swig, listening as the bidding went well over a thousand dollars. “I wonder if he’s going to be worth the price.”
“I don’t know,” Doris whispered, “but I sure would love to shake him down to see.”
“Who’s next?” Emma asked, not wanting to just come out and inquire about Josh. Earlier, she’d entertained the idea of putting in a bid herself. After some debate, she’d talked herself out of it. Dare or no dare, she hated to think her first date would be one she had to buy.
“I don’t know his name, girl, but he is red hot.”
“Our next bachelor is Devon Lancaster, another Tebow cowboy. And don’t tell my husband I told you this.” Jessie winked at Jacob who was sitting at a table right in front of her. “But I have seen this man use a rope. And ladies…you are going to beg him to tie you to the bedposts. He’s offering an evening of dancing on 6th Street and dinner on a riverboat sailing down Lake Austin.”
“Oh, my goodness!” Emma giggled. “Jessie is as bad as Avery. What is it about these McCoy women?”
“I can tell you what it is.” Doris leaned in to confide. “They’re all rode hard and put up well-satisfied, that’s what.”
Emma blushed at the thought. After Devon went for twelve hundred, Emma was trying to mentally calculate how many were left. “Was that the last one?”
“No, Mr. Rodeo Romeo himself is coming this way. You ought to see him, Emma. Josh Long is dressed in all-black. The man is fallen angel handsome. His shoulders are wide, his eyes are dreamy and if you don’t bid on him, I will.”
