Princess Next Door(9)

“I’ve been told that my manhunt is not going all that well. In fact, I’ve been told that I shouldn’t be hunting for a guy in a bar. Can you imagine that?”

“I can, yes.”

She ran fingers through her hair. “It’s tough you know. Being a girl, and then being a woman. I mean, what do men really want?”

“Sex. Freedom. The chance to come and go as they please. Oh, and to be told they’re the greatest lover in the world.”

She laughed. “I don’t think I could lie to someone like that.”

“Now that is no way to be getting a man. You have to point out exactly how handsome, sexy, and so right for you they really are.” He nudged her shoulder, and she closed her eyes.

Every single time he touched her, she felt this fire ignite inside her.

Wynter felt drawn to him in a way that no one had ever appealed before. He was totally the opposite of everything her parents would like in a guy.

First, he’d covered his body in ink, and they really didn’t like it when anyone did that. She recalled a conversation she’d had with her father over a woman at the bank. How she’d ruined her body by having a little tattoo around her wrist.

Her parents weren’t religious or anything, although the way they talked, everyone would think they were.

No, they were just really, really opinionated, and that sucked. They wanted people to stick to their way of life, and putting ink on their body was not “the right way” to go.

Pushing thoughts of her parents aside, she focused on the bar.

“I’ve got to head back in. I’ll save a spot near the front for you, and you can cheer me on.”

“Okay. This is so going to be my first rock concert.”

****

Princess stood at the edge of the crowd as he began to sing. He and the guys had written a couple of their own songs for some fun, but it wasn’t that big of a deal. They’d been performing for years together, since they were in high school. They’d had a chance of making it big, but they completely blew it. Now they were keeping their feet firmly on the ground, keeping their focus right.

They just loved to perform.

To get the crowd wild.

Of course, if the big time ever came around again, they’d all jump at the chance to take it. No doubt in his mind that he’d take the opportunity. Throughout the entire half hour they were on stage, he struggled not to sing his heart out to Princess. The crowd was rocking them tonight, and he for one was loving the energy, but he also liked having her attention completely on him.

Any of the guys that approached hoping to dance, he saw she turned them down, and her attention would once again come toward him.

He winked at her often, and she shook her head, smiling.

When they were finished, he found her sitting at the booth with Tammy and Marshall.

“That was awesome. You guys are, like, totally awesome,” Princess said, throwing her arms around them.

“I was wondering if you’d mind if I took her onto the dance floor.”

“No, go ahead.”

Taking her hand, he led her onto the floor, signing napkins as a few people stopped them. “You’re like a celebrity now.”

“It’ll all go in the trash tomorrow,” he said.

The music changed to a slow song, and he pulled her into his arms, loving the scent of vanilla that filled his senses for having her close.

“I like dancing.”

“You’ve not danced a lot.”

“I went to dances all the time. The only problem was I had to go with my parents’ approved boyfriend, and dancing as you know, requires touch. I hated his touch.” She gave a little shiver. “I always pretended that I couldn’t dance or that I hated it so I didn’t have to dance with him. Am I rambling?”

“Nah, I like that you’re talking. It beats totally being glared at by you.”

She sighed. “I was such a horrible neighbor to you, wasn’t I? I was so horrible, and so mean.”

“I had celebrated for a week straight. You had a right to complain.”

“I don’t like your taste in music. If you’d played some of the stuff you sang tonight I totally wouldn’t have had a problem. Your voice rocked, by the way.” She chuckled. “You get it? You sang rock music and you rocked. Totally so cool.”

“You’re a weirdo, right?” He laughed, and found her so utterly adorable.

“Tammy says I’m weird. I have a question for you.”

“I’m all ears.”

“Where do you think that statement comes from? Do you think someone wanted to like make a statement to an entire bunch of people, and everyone lifted an ear? We’re all ears?”

“How many beers have you had now?”

“Five, I think.”

He glanced over his shoulder to see the couple she was with dancing and looking all loved up.

She followed his line of sight. “They’re an amazing couple. They’ve been together since they were eighteen.”

“They married young.”

“Yeah, I know. My parents were so young as well. That’s what they believed and wanted for me.”

“Your parents?”

“Yeah. They think you should marry young, have kids, raise your family, and be there for them always.”