She relaxed a tiny bit and let her arms snake around his torso.

“Hmm, that’s better. You’re not going to bolt on me, are you?”

Beth shook her head. “Feels nice.”

He swayed with her, every inch in contact. Her cheek rested on his collar, and his fragrance filled her head. Why was it that the smell of this man turned her on so much?

His heartbeat—it vibrated against her chest. He adjusted them, somehow bringing her closer until they were lined up, his erection nudging her belly. “I need to hear what you want, Beth. If it’s a dance, I’m happy. If more, you need to say the word.”

Oh God, he shifted his hands on her back, caressing, teasing. She sucked in air as if it were courage. “I want something. I don’t know what to tell you.”

He lifted her face to his, their bodies still swaying, hips touching intimately. Slowly, with lots of time for her to retreat, he lowered his head and brushed their lips together. A single touch. Chaste. When he retreated, she followed him without intending to.

A bright light shone in his dark eyes as he examined her face. “That was something. Was it enough?”

She took it as a positive sign that she definitely wanted more. “No.”

“So tell me.”

It was the hardest thing, to say the word. “Please.”

He had a wicked smile. She’d noticed his good looks, but the smile turned his whole face into sin incarnate.

“You’re having trouble articulating, darling. How about I offer you multiple choices. You look like the type who enjoys options.”

He kissed her again. Light. Fleeting. Behind them, the bathroom door opened and closed but Beth barely noticed. There could have been an audience circling them, and she wouldn’t have cared.

“You want a kiss?” He brushed a thumb over her lips and brought it back to his mouth, licking the moisture from the pad. “Hmm, you taste good. You want me to kiss you for real? Like a man kisses his woman? Or are you happy with more of the kind of pecks you give a neighbour at a church picnic?”

She swore she spoke aloud. She was sure her lips moved, but the deafening buzz in her ears outweighed the sound of her own voice. Daniel gave her another sexier-than-sin grin and came back for a third pass. She closed her eyes and hoped like hell she’d said door number one.

He gripped her tighter and lifted her, heavy brace and all, and she gasped in surprise. Then he tore the rest of the air from her lungs as he consumed her. Crushing their lips together, he thrust his tongue into her mouth and took control. She waited for panic to descend, but all that hit was a heavy pulse between her legs and the urgent desire to drop to the floor and rip off his clothes. She opened to him, accepted his demands. Clung to his neck and writhed shamelessly against him. He held her, cupping her by the ass and pushing forward until the cold wall met her shoulders. He leaned into her, supporting her with his torso and hands, pulsing his hips with small movements so the ridge of his erection ground against the apex of her mound where blood beat with an insane tempo.

He tasted fantastic. Clean and fresh, the hint of hops on his tongue from the beer, but beyond that, nothing but heat and passion. Tingles spread across her belly from the constant pressure on her clit. When he lowered her to the floor, she whimpered, suddenly fearful he’d leave her at this point, frustrated and all alone again with nothing but her own hand to bring her over the edge.

He caged her against the wall, his lips brushing her ear. He snuck his hand between their bodies until he cupped her breast. “Time for two more options. You want me to touch you over your clothes or put my fingers on your bare flesh?”

He licked her earlobe and tugged her blouse, pulling it loose from the waist of her skirt.

This was insane. She’d gone insane. This was no longer an exercise to discover if she could again bear physical contact with a man. It was a torture method to see how much her body could take before she exploded from the mere thought of a caress.

“Skin.” It was the only possible choice.

Whisper light, seductively slow. Inch by inch his hand crept up her waist, strumming the curve of her ribs gently like piano keys, lifting the bottom edge of her bra and forcing it out of his way. He cupped her, his palm calloused and rough but so tender and careful she shivered. He distracted her with strokes of his tongue against hers as his fingers plucked her nipple to a hard peak.

“God, you’re driving me mad.” He rolled the sensitive tip between thumb and forefinger and a piercing flash shot straight between her legs.

“More.” Beth ached. It wasn’t enough to have confirmation she could be touched. She wanted to come, and she wanted Daniel to be the one who brought her over the peak. It had been too long, and something in this man made her think he’d understand if she told him what she truly needed. Why.

“Get a room!”

Laughter burst behind them. Daniel twisted, covering her with his body, protecting her from the giggling girls exiting the bathroom and traipsing back onto the dance floor.

A cold flush descended. What was she thinking? Groping in a hallway with a stranger. All the passion she’d felt, the sense of being truly alive, drained away like air from a balloon. She struggled upright and fumbled to put herself back in order—her bra, her blouse. He helped, his hands remaining careful and slow, redoing the buttons that had slipped open, tucking her hair behind her ear.

“Beth. Don’t. Don’t start thinking this was a mistake.”

She glanced up in astonishment. “How did you…?”

He brushed a hand over her cheek and she stilled again, her skin burning hot. “Your only mistake was thinking a short encounter in a back hall would be enough. I’m not that type.” He shook his head, his eyes fixed on hers. “I don’t think you’re that type either. Not really.”

She hesitated, then nodded with reluctance. He deserved that much honesty. It was all she was willing to give.

“Let me get to know you better. We’ve got the chemistry. I’d like to find out who you are when you’re not trying to be someone else.”

Every word drove another nail into her guilty conscious. “Sure. Let’s go back to the table. Darleen must be wondering where I am.”

He kissed her once more and she took it eagerly. Trying to store up the memory of his taste, the way he tugged his fingers through her hair just right. None of the fear she’d expected was there. When he drew back, she had to fight to keep tears from falling. He had no idea, but he’d helped remind her she was free. Samuel had tied her in knots, and Daniel had cut some of the remaining cords that held her bound.

They headed to the table, but their previous space was filled with strangers. Beth spotted Darleen waiting beside the bar door, wearing a frown so deep it was almost comical.

“Shoot. Looks like there was trouble in paradise.”

Daniel pointed to the far side of the room where Jesse and Joel tossed back beers at the long bar counter. “Double shoot. Jackasses. I’ll whoop their butts if they—”

She shook her head. “Knowing Dar, it’s just as easily her fault. It’s only a night out on the town.”

He turned her in his arms. “It’s more than a night on the town for me. I like you, Beth. There’s something about you…”

His gaze traced her hair and she flushed. She hadn’t intended the evening to finish this way.

Daniel pulled out his wallet and handed her a card. “It’s for the family business, but my contact numbers are on there. You can email me, or phone.” He handed her an extra card. “Write your number on the back for me.”

He pulled her close, and she used his chest as a solid base to scribble her name. Beth Jackson. Jotted down a number. He took the card and tucked it away, his dark gaze burning a hole in her conscience. “I’ll call you a cab.”

She held up a hand, refusing his offer. “We have a car. We’re fine.”

Dar flounced out the door and Beth rolled her eyes. With the rest of her dilemmas, she had no energy to deal with her temperamental little sister. She took one last look at her cowboy, wishing things could be different.

“Thanks, Daniel. It was great meeting you.”

He brushed her cheek with a kiss. “I’ll call you in the morning. I’d love to take you for coffee.”

She smiled and stepped away, the relentless noise and the situation making her head and heart hurt. “That would be great,” she lied.

The cool night air brushed her face, refreshing after the heat of the bar, and she sucked in a calming breath. Dar brought the car around, and Beth manoeuvred herself into the passenger seat, the leg brace frustrating and cumbersome.

“Where the hell were you?” Darleen griped. “I’ve been wanting to leave forever.”

Beth dropped her head against the rest and groaned. She was sexually frustrated, her leg ached, and she really didn’t want to listen to whining right now. “I thought you were busy. With two guys.”

Darleen had the grace to look embarrassed. “Yeah, well, they were nice enough. Then one of the Stampeders asked me to dance. I mean, one of the linebackers from the professional football team? I had to say yes, and when I got back, the guys had left.”

Stupid child.

“You went and danced with someone else and expected them to wait for you?” Darleen didn’t say anything. Beth rolled down her window and let the sounds of the city streets soothe her soul. “Can’t have it all, girl.”

Darleen flicked a hand in her direction. “Whatever. It was still fun, I guess. How about you? Their older brother was hot. Did you hit it off with him?”