Secrets & Surrender: Part One Read Online Free Page B

John Travolta in Urban Cowboy and Bianca’s crush on the movie star helped his case, despite the odd looking clothing.
    I searched the room, hoping for something harder than the red soda I was drinking. I was in serious need of alcohol. That’s when I saw her.
    In between a blur of cowboy hats and blue jeans was a girl who seemed to be dancing in a world all her own. Dark curls cascaded onto a bare shoulder. Large hoop earrings tapped against flawless tan skin. Shapely legs spun on three-inch heels, and even with the extra height of her shoes, her head barely reached the tip of her dance partner’s chin.
    I placed the bottle on the bar counter and walked toward her. She was different from the other girls in the room, not because of the hot pink mini skirt or the lacey gloves or the dozen necklaces around her neck. It was something in her eyes. Those dark eyes sparkled whenever she tossed her head back and laughed. I loved the way she moved her hips to the beat, not dancing like the others and not caring who saw her.
    I brushed my hands over my hair and nervously pushed up the sleeves of my jacket. The lights danced on my white blazer, reflecting the colors of the rainbow as I moved toward the dark haired beauty. I wasn’t sure why my stomach was suddenly tied in knots. I’d never had them before and always thought it was a chick thing. She wasn’t the first girl I’d asked to dance. And based on all the gawking the girls were doing as I walked to the center of the dance floor, Texas girls seemed to like what they saw just as much as the girls in New York.
    The knots were forgotten the moment her dark eyes locked with mine. I smiled confidently as I tapped her dance partner’s back without even giving a second thought that this huge guy could probably beat me to a pulp in two seconds flat.
    “Excuse me. I was hoping to dance with the most beautiful girl in Koppe, and you happen to be dancing with her. Mind if I cut in?”
    The guy blinked, surprised at my interruption. He eyed me curiously. “Uh, I don’t know, Mandi?”
    Mandi. I smiled at the sound of her name.
    She stared at me for a moment with that deer-in-the-headlights look. I grinned. Now that was something I was used to seeing. I relaxed knowing that, at least in Texas, some things hadn’t changed.
    Then she blinked as she looked from her dance partner and back to me, her eyes narrowing.
    “I don’t think so. Come on, Buster,” she said, dragging her friend away.
    That was not what I had expected. I stood alone, surrounded by couples stepping or two stepping or whatever the hell they were doing while Mandi kept dancing with this Buster dude. I was confused. If she didn’t want to dance with me, why did she keep peeking around Buster’s shoulder to look back at me?
    Taking a breath, I went up to them again. “I’m sorry. Maybe I said it wrong. I’m new here. My name’s Nic Marcelli.”
    “Hey, you’re the guy who replaced Dillon on the team. Sweet.” Buster held out his fist, waiting for a fist bump. “I’m Buster Mills.”
    “Yeah, that would be me.” I gazed at Mandi, giving her my best grin. “I’ll be starting quarterback for the season. I was wondering if—”
    “Yeah, whatevers.” Mandi twirled around, doing a fancy dance move and lead Buster away.
    She brushed me off...again! I was flabbergasted. What was I doing wrong?
    I scanned the dance floor and marched over to Bianca when I spotted her still dancing with Urban Cowboy. “Come on. I need your help. Sorry, dude.”
    “Hey! I was dancing with Barry,” she squealed when I ripped her from Urban Cowboy’s arms.
    “You need to dance with that guy. His name’s Buster.” I pointed out Mandi’s dance partner.
    “Why?”
    “Never mind why. Just do it. You owe me.”
    She placed her hands on her hips. “I don’t think so.”
    “Come on, Bianca.” She waited, tapping her foot. She was so stubborn sometimes. She definitely got that trait from Father. “Fine. I want to dance