It Started with a Crack by Piper James

Chapter Four

Noah

“Do you want to dance, beautiful?”

She nodded, her grin nearly knocking the breath out of me. She slid her hand into mine, and I tightened my fingers around it, pulling her up from her chair. The bar didn’t have a dancefloor, but there was enough space between the tables for the two of us.

I stopped, but she kept coming, not halting until her body was plastered against mine. Her arms circled my neck, her fingers twisting into the hair at the nape. My hands landed on her hips, and we started to move to the slow, heavy beat echoing from the jukebox.

Dakota’s back arched, giving me a spectacular view of her breasts as she leaned backward. The move brought our lower halves closer together, and I took the opportunity to slip my knee between her legs. She straightened, a feline smile on her lips as she started to undulate, riding my fucking knee in a way that made my dick jump up and stand at attention.

We’d just met, all of us finally making it to an outing Belle planned to introduce her friends to me, Ethan, and Chase. I’d been drawn to her instantly, with that waterfall of dark hair and those big teddy bear eyes. I’d immediately flirted with her, she’d flirted back, and we’d been attached at the hip for the entire two hours we’d been here. She listened to me like she cared about what I had to say. She laughed at my jokes. She had a brilliant comeback for every teasing comment I made. And she flipped off her friends when they ran their mouths about our close proximity.

Now, having her in my arms, feeling her heat as she bucked against my thigh…fuck. I needed to know what she tasted like. If that smart mouth of hers was as hot and wet as I imagined.

Before I could make a move, she jerked out of my arms.

“I have to pee. I’ll be right back,” she said, giving me a heated look and a seductive smile before she twirled around in a cloud of dark hair and disappeared through the crowd.

I leaned back against the couch, pushing the memory away. That was the last time I saw that side of Dakota Jones. I went to the bar for a drink, and when I got back to the table, Belle told me Dakota had come back, claimed she had a headache, and left.

I got her number from Belle and tried to text her a few times, but she never responded. And when I saw her at group gatherings? Well, she stayed as far away from me as possible. I had no idea what happened. Maybe she sobered up a little in the bathroom and realized she didn’t want me. Which stung, sure, but it was all I could come up with.

Picking up my phone, I stared at her number. I needed to call her, which was what brought up the memory in the first place. Sucking in a deep breath, I sighed and tapped the call button, bringing the phone to my ear.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Dakota. It’s Noah.”

“I know,” she said. “What can I do for you, Noah?”

I gritted my teeth at the annoyance in her voice. Biting back several smartass answers, I strove to be professional.

“My brothers decided I should be the point of contact for the sale of the ranch. I’m calling to get an update on where we stand. Have there been any offers, yet?”

“No,” she said, her voice cracking the slightest bit. Clearing her throat, she added, “I’ll be sure to send you the offers as soon as they come in.”

“How many people have looked at it this week?” I asked.

“None,” she said, her professional tone dropping. “Unfortunately, no one in the area is in the market for that kind of property right now.”

“Okay,” I said, softening my tone. “There’s no rush.”

She sounded defensive, like she thought I was blaming her for the lack of interest in the ranch. I’d seen the listing. It looked amazing, with clear, well-lit pictures and an enticing description.

“Is there anything else?” she asked when the silence became uncomfortable.

“No, that’s it, I guess,” I said.

“I’ll be in touch,” she replied, and before I could respond, the line went dead.

I glanced at the screen of my phone, and sure enough, the call had ended. I dropped my phone to the couch with a sigh. Apparently, nothing had changed. She still had no desire to speak to me, after all these months, and my new status as her client didn’t make a damn difference.

I told myself it didn’t matter. That the only reason I cared at all was because of her relationship to my sister-in-law and my other, someday-soon-most-likely sister-in-law. They were thick as thieves, along with the blonde one, Ember. And there was no telling how Dakota’s dislike of me was coloring their perceptions.

It was just better if we all got along. That’s all I wanted. Dakota had made her opinion of me clear, and I could accept that. Probably. Maybe.

Fuck. I didn’t know what my problem was. I’d always been pretty self-aware. I knew I wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea. People usually either thought I was funny as shit or annoying as hell. There wasn’t a lot of in between.

So, why did this woman—one of many who’d quickly decided I was too much—and her avoidance of me grate on my nerves so much? I shook my head. I knew why. It was because she didn’t think I was too much. She’d liked me as much as I liked her. And the sexual chemistry between us had been off the charts. And then…bam. Complete one-eighty. For no apparent reason.

That’s why it bothered me so much. Because, fuck, I could still smell her perfume. I could still feel her heat as she rubbed her body against mine. I could hear her laughter, her husky voice. I could see that secret smile and the sparkle in her eyes.

And…my dick was hard.

“Shit,” I muttered as I reached down to adjust myself.

Maybe living alone wasn’t such a good thing after all. It was too quiet, giving me too much opportunity to get inside my own head.

“Maybe I should get a dog,” I muttered. Nothing big like Belle and Ryder’s beast, but maybe something small like the dog Chase adopted for him and Sage. Small. Fluffy. Something that wouldn’t suffocate me or crush my bones if it jumped in my lap.

Then I remembered this rental house had a “no pets” policy, and my excitement waned. I’d been checking the real estate sites daily, and still hadn’t found a place that suited me. The houses listed were sore in need of repair and renovation, and unlike Ethan, I had no desire to spend my free time doing the same thing I did all day for my job. No, I didn’t want a fixer-upper.

But I did want a home. Something that was mine. And until I found the perfect place, I’d just stay here. There was no point in moving into a different rental just because this place was too big for me.

I’d just sign another six-month lease and hope the housing market in Red River picked up before it ended this time. I picked my phone back up and sent an email to the homeowner requesting a new contract.

With that decision made, I felt better. There was no rush to get out of here, and I could take my time finding the perfect home for myself.

And my dog, because I was definitely going to get one.