Justin took a long drink from the second mug, then put it down on the table with a loud plop. He jumped up. “Let’s go. I promise you. You’re going to be amazed.”
She rolled her eyes. “I seriously doubt that,” she muttered under her breath.
Rennen scoped the room, looking for the vivacious brunette he’d seen earlier. She was no longer sitting at the table. He’d planned on going over to talk to her after the song ended, but then she was with another guy. He’d come here tonight with a couple of buddies, and assumed they’d hang out and talk, maybe share a few laughs. But his buddies had latched onto girls almost from the moment they got here, leaving him to fend for himself. Rennen loved dancing, so that was one consolation.
The brunette appeared about ten feet from where he was standing. She was dancing with the same guy who’d sat down at the table with her. Were they together? She was stunningly beautiful with lively dark eyes, a sculpted nose, and generous mouth. Her cheeks were rosy with heightened color from the physical exertion. She was petite and curvy in all the right places, moving effortlessly in her stilettos. Long silver earrings dangled beneath her stylishly-cut hair. A spark of attraction had shot through him earlier when their eyes connected and she smiled at him. She was dancing circles around her partner, making him look like a big oaf in comparison. Rennen wondered if he should try and cut in. The worst that could happen was that the girl would tell him they were together. No, the more Rennen watched them, the more he got the feeling they weren’t a couple. In fact, the guy kept attempting to move in and put his hands on her, but she evaded him. An unreasonable surge of jealousy sparked through Rennen when the guy put a hand on her waist. This time, she took his hand and removed it, scowling. Rennen’s jaw tightened as he stepped closer. He’d watch the situation for a couple of seconds longer to make sure he was reading things correctly. And then he’d intervene and save her from being mauled.
This was getting ridiculous. Justin was more handsy than an octopus. “Stop touching me,” she warned.
He laughed. “Come on, babe. Don’t be so stiff. You know you like it.”
“No, I don’t like it,” she countered. “No one likes being pawed.” Revulsion churned in her gut as his eyes went to her chest. An incredulous laugh bubbled in her throat. Was he really ogling her chest, right here in front of her? What a jerk! As soon as she got home, she was going to contact Heart to Heart and put in a complaint. They really should be more diligent in making sure people were truthful in their profiles. Justin was nothing like he’d pretended to be, and it was obvious he was only after one thing … and it wasn’t a long-term relationship. She tensed, clenching her fists. “Hey, buddy. My face is up here.”
He snorted out a chortle. “Yeah, but you’ve got something else going on down there. For a little girl, you’ve got a nice rack.”
She froze amidst the dancing couples surrounding them. “What did you just say to me?”
He laughed. “You heard me. Lighten up.” He grabbed her waist with an iron grip. “I thought Latin girls were supposed to be loose.”
Her hand balled into a fist, and she thought about how it would feel to knock him across the floor. “I’m going to give you a half a second to let go of me.”
He grunted in amusement. “Make me.”
Heat splintered up her neck, making her feel like her head would split in two. Then cool precision took over as she calculated Justin’s height and weight. The bigger they are … the harder they fall. From the corner of her eye, she saw the blonde guy from earlier approach. “Is everything okay here?” he asked, his body taut, like he was ready to pounce.
“Buzz off,” Justin grumbled. Letting loose a string of curse words.
“Strike three,” Ariana muttered. She shot her arm straight up in a swift motion where it connected with Justin’s neck, right under his jaw line. Then she brought her arm back down, using her weight to knock him off his feet where he landed on his back with a heavy thud. Murmurs rippled through the couples surrounding them as they backed away. Justin gurgled, clutching his neck, a dazed look in his eyes.
Ariana’s hands flew to her hips. “Just because I’m Latin does not make me easy!”
Claps broke out around her. “That’s right,” a few of the women agreed. “Dirt bag,” one woman muttered, shooting Justin a death glare.
As Justin stumbled to his feet, Ariana planted herself in a battle stance, ready to do more damage if necessary. Her adrenaline was going, and she’d make short work of him, putting her training to good use. But luckily for Justin, he ducked his head and scuttled away.
“That has got to be the most awesome thing I’ve ever seen.”
She turned to the blonde guy who was looking at her in astonishment, admiration shining in his eyes. “Thanks. I appreciate you trying to help.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets, rocking forward on the balls of his feet. “Yeah, I was trying to rescue you from that creep … not that you needed my help.”
Ariana’s blood was pumping so ferociously that she felt dizzy.
He gave her a concerned look. “Are you okay?”
A wan smile tipped her lips as she ran a hand through her hair. “Yeah, I guess that date didn’t go as planned.”
He chuckled. “Life rarely does.” He held her gaze, and she felt the same buzz she’d experienced earlier. Everything around them slowed, and it was just the two of them. His voice was deeper than she imagined, with a husky edge. Her eyes traced the definition of the muscles underneath his form-fitting t-shirt. Heat fanned her face when she saw the flicker of amusement that turned his hazel-green eyes a honey-gold. He’d caught her checking him out. She jerked her eyes to his face, making a mental note to keep her focus there. He had a fine layer of scruff, emphasizing the lean line of his jaw. She swallowed, feeling she was staring at the real-life version of Thor and Captain America, all rolled into one. Captain Thor. Or Goldie Locks because of his thick tangles of beautiful curls.
People around them resumed dancing, but the two of them just stood there. Ariana knew she should start dancing … or do something to break the tension, but she couldn’t get her body to cooperate.
He cleared his throat, a grin washing over his face. “Um, maybe we should get off the dance floor.”
“Oh, yeah.” She propelled her feet into action. Her mind whirled, going through all that had just happened. She could hardly believe he’d been the one to offer help. When they got to the side, he motioned to an empty table.
“Would you like to sit down?”
Her voice sounded unnaturally high and screechy in her ears. “Sure.”
He pulled out a chair for her and helped her get seated. Wow. Captain Thor was a gentleman to the nth degree. A startling contrast to Justin.
As they sat there, staring across the table at each other, Ariana scrambled for something halfway intelligent to say. “Thanks again. You’re a great dancer,” she blurted. Sheesh. She was making an idiot out of herself. Normally she was calm and cool around men, always knowing the right thing to say. But it seemed her mouth had disconnected from her brain.
His lips curved into a radiant smile, causing the edges of his eyes to crease. “Thanks. You’re pretty good yourself.”
The compliment caught her off guard, sending warm ripples cascading through her. He’d been watching her too. It was good to know the attraction went both ways.
He leaned forward. “Was that guy your boyfriend?”
She wrinkled her nose. “Heck no!” She laughed. “We’d never met in person before tonight. We were matched on a dating app.”
His eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Really?”
She felt foolish and a little desperate for resorting to a dating app. Her explanation gushed out. “It’s an app where people in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area can connect. You know, people with similar interests.” She shrugged. “It seemed like a good idea … in theory.” She scowled, darkness gathering inside her. “Of course, I should’ve known better than to go out with
a football coach. Note to self … don’t date anymore coaches or football players. Their egos are the size of a whale, their brains the size of a pea, from one too many hits on the field.”
He laughed. “That’s a bit of a blanket statement.”
Her face fell. “Don’t tell me, you’re a football player.” Of course he was. That would be just her luck.
An easy grin stole over his lips. “Well, if I were, I certainly wouldn’t admit it now.”
She pursed her lips together, assessing him. He didn’t seem bothered by her scrutiny. He just sat there, patiently enduring it. “No, you’re not a football player,” she finally said. “I don’t know what you are, but you’re far too intelligent to play football.”
He cocked his head. “So, all football players are stupid? Is that what you’re saying?”
“Nope. Not all of them. Just about ninety percent.”
“So only ten percent are intelligent.” He grinned. “See, I can do math.”
The teasing tone of his voice caused her to smile. “That’s good to know.”
He tsked his tongue. “What turned you against football players?”
“Aside from Justin?” She lifted an eyebrow, waiting for him to respond.
“Yep, aside from him. I mean, he was a douche bag, but the bite in your voice tells me there’s more.”
When her brother Ace first started playing pro ball, Ariana went out with a few players on the team. After about the sixth disaster, she swore off football players altogether. “Experience,” she finally said.
Interest lit his eyes. “Care to elaborate?”
“Not really,” she said loudly, then felt like she was yelling when the music suddenly stopped.
They turned their attention to the guy on stage holding the microphone. “Folks, we’ve got a fun evening lined up, it’s karaoke night!” He pumped a fist in the air as the crowd cheered.
Ariana’s heart dropped. Oh, no!
The emcee looked down at the sheet of paper in his hand. “To start, we have a duet by Ariana and Justin.”
Captain Thor looked at her. “Is everything okay?”
“Not really.” She groaned. “I’m Ariana.”
His eyes widened, then he burst out laughing, a deep throaty laugh that rumbled in his chest. “And the jerk you laid out is Justin.”
She smiled thinly. “Yep.” She let out a heavy sigh. “This night just keeps getting better and better.”
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the emcee said, “give it up for Ariana and Justin. They’ll be doing an oldie but goodie, Eye of the Tiger.”
A roar of clapping circled through the room.
Ariana’s heart hammered against her ribcage. She glanced at the exit door. It wasn’t too late to make a run for it. No one knew she was Ariana. Well, except for Captain Thor. She really didn’t care what the people in the club thought about her. But for some strange reason, she cared what he thought. Before her mind processed what she was doing, she was on her feet and making her way to the stage. She’d done karaoke enough times to know she could hold her own. Even so, her hand shook slightly when she took the microphone. “I’m Ariana,” she said, pointing to her chest. She plastered on a cheerful smile. “Unfortunately, Justin had to leave, so it’ll just be me tonight.”
Boos rumbled through the audience.
The emcee held up a hand. “Hey, y’all. Show the lady some respect. It takes a lot of guts to come up here and perform in front of a bunch of yahoos. Give it up for Ariana!” He brought his hands together in vigorous claps that started the audience clapping.
Ariana was glad the stage lights were shining in her eyes, preventing her from seeing Captain Thor’s expression. He probably thought she was loco. The lyrics popped up on the screen. She gripped the microphone, trying to get in the proper frame of mind to perform.
“Wait a minute! What’s this?” the emcee said. “It looks like Justin’s here after all.”
Ariana’s heart lurched. What? She was going to lay Justin out flat, right here on stage. In the next second, a burst of sheer exhilaration ran through her when Captain Thor stepped up beside her. “Hey,” she said, unable to stop a grin from spilling over her lips. “What’re you doing?”
He winked. “Rescuing you.”
She felt light enough to float. A giggle escaped her throat. “Do you karaoke?”
The emcee handed him a microphone as he looked at the screen. “I guess we’re about to find out.”
“Ariana and Justin,” the emcee announced.
“The name’s Rennen.”
“Rennen.” Ariana committed the name to memory. It fit him.
2
Rennen probably should’ve thought this through before hopping up on stage. When he heard the slight quiver in Ariana’s voice as she explained that she’d be singing solo, instinct took over and he sprang into action. Rennen was used to jumping full force into stressful situations and making things work. He’d spent his entire life fighting for every little thing, but he didn’t often go looking for ways to put himself in awkward situations. And yet, he’d felt compelled to help Ariana, a girl he didn’t even know, twice in less than 30 minutes. Interesting.
The music started. He fumbled the beginning, mumbling through the first few lines. But he gained confidence as the song progressed. The audience clapped along with the music, helping him feel even better. By the end of the first section, Rennen was feeling pretty good about things. The charge of energy rushing through him was akin to what he felt on the field, that moment when he could see everything from the beginning to the end, knowing he had it in him to sail past the obstacles for the touchdown.
The crowd went wild when he started dancing and did a slide movement to the side. Ariana’s eyes locked with his as she tilted her head back and gave him an appreciative smile that caught the light. Heck. He’d do a thousand rounds of karaoke to earn another smile like that.
It was Ariana’s turn to sing. He marveled at how she had the crowd eating out of the palm of her hand. He’d heard it said once that dynamite comes in small packages. That was indeed the case with Ariana. She was a fascinating combination of toughness and beauty, the picture of grace as she moved fluidly in her heels. He couldn’t get over how effortlessly she’d taken Justin down.
When they reached the chorus, they leaned together and sang in unison. Rennen was pleasantly surprised at how well their voices blended. The music took over as he moved along with the rhythm, doing the motions that felt natural. There was something so liberating about the experience that he almost felt like a rock star, belting out the lyrics. He’d not wanted to come here tonight, but his buddies had talked him into it, accusing him of being too much of a homebody. But once he got here and started dancing, he felt like he was sixteen again. He’d forgotten how much he loved to dance. It was good to immerse himself in the moment and forget about the stress in his life. The intensity in the room escalated to a throbbing pulse, taking on a life of its own. At the end of the song, Ariana took his hand and raised it high in the air. The audience jumped to their feet, giving them a standing ovation.
A burst of pride shot through Rennen as they took a bow. The emcee jogged over to them, clapping. “That was fantastic!” he beamed. “One of the best performances I’ve ever seen.” He turned to the audience. “Ariana and Rennen,” he proclaimed.
A roar went through the room. As they exited the stage, people patted their shoulders. All Rennen could think about was how Ariana was still holding his hand, the warmth of her touch seeping through his skin. He loved how tiny her hand felt in his; and yet, her grip was firm, determined. When they reached their table, she released his hand and cleared her throat like she’d just now realized she was still holding it. They sat down at the table as another couple took the stage. Rennen had worked up a sweat, and the stuffy room wasn’t helping matters. Ariana seemed to be reading his mind as she fanned her face with her hands. “You wanna go outside and get cooled off?”
He grinned. “I thought y
ou’d never ask.”
It was a little cooler outside but not much. The air still held the balmy heat from earlier in the day. Texas summers were relentless as far as heat went, but Rennen was used to it, having grown up in Austin. Rennen mostly liked being outside because that meant he could be alone with Ariana to get to know her better, away from the crowd and loud music.
Ariana glanced up at him. “Where to?”
Good question. Rennen looked out over the parking lot, packed with cars. “We can go over and stand by my car.”
She nodded. “Sounds good to me.”
Rennen led her to his car, wondering how she’d react to his red, Nissan Z sports car. Most girls went gaga over it, but he got the feeling Ariana might think it was too showy.
“This is your car?” She cocked an eyebrow, amusement sparking in her dark eyes.
“Yep, afraid so.” He forced a smile. Just as he suspected. She was not the least bit impressed. Disappointment gathered in his throat as he swallowed. “You don’t like it?” He rested his back against the door, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Mind if I put my purse on it?”
“No, not at all.”
“You sure? I’d hate to smudge that fancy wax job. Did you spit-shine it before you came?”
He tensed, then saw the laughter in her eyes and realized she was teasing him. He relaxed a fraction, but still didn’t like that she was dissing his car.
“Sorry.” She winked, giving his arm a slight shove before placing her purse on the hood. “I couldn’t resist.” She leaned back against the car, standing next to him. “It’s a beautiful car. Just a little flashy for my taste.”
The Ghost Groom Page 2
