“I bet. Things are good with her then?” Nathan leaned in to be heard over the music.

Joe nodded. “I’m busy right now. Work and stuff. We’re not getting married in a few months or anything. But we do all right.”

“Since you broke the little-sister-of-your-best-friend rule, you best take care with her.” William gave him a look.

Joe held his hands up. “Do you think your sister would tolerate anything else?”

William’s glower softened. “I think my sister Beth has a big old soft heart, and when she cares about people, it’s far easier for them to hurt her than they might think.”

They’d managed to clear through a pitcher and some wings right as the women came in.

“What do you want to bet Nathan has had to beat them off with a stick tonight?” Lily said this as they weaved through the crowd toward the table.

“Doesn’t matter. Also, heh, you said beat off.” Anne thought this was hilarious.

Beth snickered, saying hello here and there as they made their way over. Joe had a cowboy hat on. He rarely wore one, and up until that moment, she couldn’t have said it mattered to her one way or the other. But on him it totally worked.

When he saw her, he stood, smiling.

“Hey.”

He hooked her with an arm around her waist and pulled her close, leaning down to brush his lips over hers. “Hey there.”

He pulled her chair out and she sat, his arm against her shoulders. “I like the hat.”

“Yeah? Your brother made me wear it.”

“Which one?” She laughed.

“William.”

“Ah. Well, he was right. It works on you.”

“How was the movie?” He leaned close as he spoke, smelling really, really good.

“Pretty boys. Action. Lots of sweat. What’s not to love?”

He stole a kiss. “Mind yourself, girl.”

He took her hand, their fingers tangling.

“You’re in a mood. I like it. I’ve missed you.”

He hugged her, one armed. “Have a beer, and then you and I have some dancing to do.”

“We can dance to this one while the beer is on the way out.”

He stood, holding a hand out and she took it.

She’d been to the Tonk dozens of times. For a while she hated it. It wasn’t their bar. They’d usually gone into Riverton because the denizens of Petal hadn’t always been the friendliest to the Murphy family.

But over time, as they’d become extended family with the Chases, they’d come here more often. And as it frequently tended to happen, the Murphys took it over every time they came in. It was still full of people she didn’t like. The scars of her childhood, of the torment Tate had endured, were hard to leave behind. When she saw Dolly’s face, she couldn’t forget the way she’d treated Beth’s oldest sister.

But more than the Dollys of Petal, there were people she counted as friends.

And still? It was pretty freaking awesome to be out there on the dance floor, pulled up snug against the hottest dude in the entire place. She, Beth Murphy, had the most handsome date in the whole room. He touched her like he meant it too. It made her feel like the most beautiful person in the bar.

After the song had ended, he spun her, tucking her against his body. “Beer now.”

“You’re easy to please. That’s a good quality in a woman.”

“You’re pretty good with the pleasing. Also a good quality in a man.”

Lily leaned into Nathan’s side, laughing at something Anne had said. The group had enlarged considerably. Shane Chase was there with his wife Cassie, Maggie and Kyle Chase were there as well.

A raucous greeting went up as they got back and seated. Lily pushed a beer her way, and Beth sure wasn’t going to complain that she was extra close to Joe. This was nice. Out with her man. Out with their friends. It was comfortable and fun and really lovely.

They danced and drank beer and ate wings and nachos for hours, laughing and visiting. But with each passing hour, all she wanted was to be alone with him. To have Joe all to herself. Preferably naked.

Finally she tiptoed up as they danced, tugging on his ear to get him closer. “I think we should go back to your place. You know, Buck is probably lonely.”

“Yeah?” His slow smile sent a shiver through her. “You should probably sleep over. He’s missed you.”

“Oh, Buck misses me.”

He walked her back to the table to say their goodbyes but paused at her car. “I’m going to run home and grab a few things. I’ll meet you at your place in about half an hour.”

He kissed her quickly. “All right. Drive careful. Oh and Beth? Buck isn’t the only Harris male who’s missed you.”

She had to force herself not to rush. It had been two weeks since they’d had anything more than stolen time. The chemistry between them was still solid, much to her relief. They’d had a few hard and fast sexual interludes, but sleeping over was different.

Waking up with him was really nice. He was big and warm, and he liked morning sex. There wasn’t any hurry-hurry-gotta-go-soon pressure. Just hours and hours.

She grabbed a change of clothes, her toothbrush and toiletries bag and headed over to his place.

He opened up, barefoot, all well over six feet of him looking relaxed and slightly tousled.

“Man.”

He paused, cocking his head. “What?”

She moved into the house. “You. You looking all hot and sexy. I like it.”