Rope My Heart A cowboy second chance romance

Chapter 20

Jax

I'm tellin' y'all I can feel the hot tension between us, I side glance Lily Mae but she is biting her lower lip and focusing on the road ahead, not that you can see all that much. Whispering Pines ain't that kinda place where we have street lights on the roads out of town. And since Foxy's is settled up the mountain off a dirt track road, she can't see shit.

"Cat got your tongue, Lily Mae?" I give her my drop your panties grin, it usually works like a charm. Not that I go round giving lots of women the panty grin, but I gotta try it on Lily Mae.

"What? Huh? No." She brushes a hand through her hair then folds it into her other hand on her lap.

"You seem a little distracted, you got somethin' on your mind, Sunset?"

"No, just you know thinking how beautiful it is here in Whispering Pines. It's so different to the city with all the trees, the moon casting shadows from their height onto the track ahead. The sounds, it's soothing."

"Why you go and leave us all then?" I take the bend carefully since there is a drop the other side and our crew men still haven't fixed the barrier. Apparently they're on it next week so I hear through the grapevine. My daddy sits in on the council meetings and represents Whispering Pines seniors and Eagle Ranch. He likes being active and it also helps for him to get stuff passed on the ranch that needs clearing by the Town Council.

She sighs and looks at me, those beautiful eyes of her looking kind of sad. "I had a dream and I wanted to chase it. I loved the idea of being a city girl, having my hair straight, heels, the suits, getting a well paid job and experiencing something different."

"Long way to go for all of that, when you could have just worked in one of the offices here in Whispering Pines, Lily Mae." I keep close eye back on the track as it twists and turns. We're not too far from Foxy's now.

"I guess, I don't expect you to understand, Jax. I wanted to have my own money not live off my folks all the time. I wanted the glitz and glamor as they say of the big city lights. You know it is pretty there too. It's just different."

"If you like concrete and glass then maybe, it's not for me that's for sure. Give me the big outdoors, open spaces, all the sky you can feast your eyes on, dark nights with stars bursting and shining brightly. You don't get that in the city with the light pollution." I veer us off down another track and see the bright lights adorning Foxy's.

It's a one storey property, more of a cabin if you like with old rustic logs making up the building, a timber roof, wrap around porch and enough fairy lights to blind you. The neon light outside of a cowboy boot with a Stetson on it flashes. Okay so it's a bit garish but we love it here, it's a place us cowboys can come and let off some steam, sink a few beers and listen to awesome live bands playing. Though I don't intend to drink tonight since I am driving and I have an injured Lily Mae as my passenger.

"Oh, Foxy's. I have missed this. Just take a look at that tacky, pink neon sign will you." Lily Mae claps her hands together and smiles so wide, it makes my heart sing. She sure is beautiful when she smiles, hell she is a stunner even when she doesn't.

Before I can even open my door she's opened hers and has jumped out the truck, I dare say that's gotta have hurt her ankle but she's off hobbling towards the open doors of Foxy's from where we can hear a band already playing.

Wes and Harley pull up a minute later and Harley dashes straight up to Lily Mae and grabs her by the arm and helps her up the steps. I can hear them giggling and wonder what they're talking about.

"Okay, Wes? You look a bit shaken, Man. What's up?"

He grunts, Wes is good at grunting, some would call him grumpy but he's not. It's just his way. "That woman can talk the hind legs off a donkey. Wouldn't shut up the whole way. Damn I wish I weren't driving tonight I could do with sinking a few beers." He takes the four steps two at a time, tips his hat to a dude standing at the doorway and marches through. Wes has a presence about him that people just move on out of the way for. He's tall like me, although I have about half a head on him and broad too.

"I can give you and Harley a lift back, plenty of room in my truck. You can come pick yours up tomorrow if you like."

"That sounds like a plan, thanks, Bro." He heads to the bar, I follow and take a look round for Lily Mae. I see her standing on the corner of the rounded, long pine bar talking to some guy I don't recognize. Damn, I am telling you that woman is a man magnet. She's only been in here a few seconds. It makes me tense watching her throw her head back laughing at something he is saying to her.

So, what do I do? You got it. I saunter up to them both casually and place an arm around Lily Mae's waist. "What can I get you to drink, darlin'." The man raises his eyebrows, furrows them and steps back. He gets the gist that Lily Mae is with me and it's cowboy respect, you don't hit on another man's woman.

"Sorry, Man. I mean no offense, I thought this pretty little lady was on her own." He holds his hands up. I nod at him.

"None taken," I say with my jaw clenched, how I got the words out is beyond me but I do.

"Jax what are you doing?" Lily Mae tries to take my hand from her waist, so I hold on tighter and bend my head down and whisper into her ear.

"I'm on a date with you Lily Mae."

"Riiiight." She smiles at the fella sweetly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to mislead you I was just being friendly."

"Non taken, Lily Mae. It was a pleasure to meet you." He moves away and heads to the opposite side of the bar.

"Jax, that was unnecessary, he was just talking. I was going to order my drink and grab a table. By the way where is Harley?" I take a look around and can see her standing by Wes who is rolling his eyes. Those two, it's so funny to watch.

Lily Mae follows my eyes, "you reckon those two will get it together one day?"

"You're kidding, right? Wes ain't never gonna settle down. He likes to sow his oats your brother. And they hate each other remember."

"Yeah, maybe."

"I'll get the drinks in Sunset, you go rest your ankle and find us a table. Harley and Wes will be over soon."

She goes off and finds a nice corner table with a sofa along the wall and two easy chairs the other side of the distressed, pine table. The band sound good, it's a female lead on vocals with a drummer, guitarist and there is a violin player in the mix too. It's a good sound as they play covers of some of the old time favorites.

I watch as Lily Mae takes a seat and catch her looking up at me. I give her a smile and a wink and see how she blushes. Damn that is so adorable and kind of sexy too.

Am I going in too deep? I mean she is only here for a month and from the sound of it, it doesn't seem like Lily Mae will give up on her city life anytime soon. My heart could stand to be broken all over again. Am I ready for that to happen a second time? Or should I try to just call the friend card and save my heart from being shattered into a million pieces?