A Hero to Dance With Me Read Online Free PDF Page A

right. Too big in the legs but tight in the waist.
    It had been a long few months. After the run-in with Mike at the grocery, she’d done everything she could to avoid the Carvers. Any time they came to the Roadhouse, if they sat at one of her tables, she begged a co-worker to serve them. Sometimes, she took on two or three tables to get rid of that one. Logically, she knew she couldn’t keep it up, but she’d cross that bridge when she came to it.
    As if thinking of the situation conjured it, she approached one of her tables and, before she realized it, she was face to face with the entire clan of Carvers. Including Steve.
    Just like that, the tentative hold she had on her sanity slipped. Elle’s world tilted. She stumbled backward, snagging a chair for balance. All the pain and confusion, all the longing came rising back with dizzying intensity. Her vision closed in as stars glittered around the edges. Elle fought not to pass out. She could hear people around her asking if she was all right, but was unable to process exactly which direction the question had come from. Her ears roared loudly and everything sounded as if it came from a well. The struggle to stay conscious and on her feet brought on a wave of nausea too strong to combat. There was nothing she could do about it. She was definitely going to throw up.
    Covering her mouth with the back of her hand, Elle turned and sprinted for the back exit. How she made it outside, Elle had no idea. She was sure she’d stumbled into several people, but managed to make it to the Dumpster before collapsing to her hands and knees beside it. Vomit exploded from her in a wave of intense nausea. Over and over again she heaved, the sick feeling overwhelming any sense of modesty she might have. Sweat covered her body even in the cool December air as she emptied the contents of her stomach. Dimly, she was aware of voices near her and knew she should be mortified for anyone to witness this, but all she could concentrate on was taking her next breath. Tears streamed down her face from the intensity of her sickness and she brushed them away as she tried desperately to regain control of her body.
    As she gradually came back to herself, she realized a man’s strong thighs caged her in. She gripped his knees for support as one of his arms wound around her middle while his other hand held her hair away from her face. He murmured in a soothing tone, nuzzling the top of her head with his chin.
    “It’s okay, baby. I’ve got you. You’re all right. I’m not letting you go.” His voice was gentle, like he was soothing a hurt child. It was oddly comforting.
    Until she realized who had her.
    When she would have stumbled forward into the mess she’d just made, Steve gently pulled her back, helping her to stand. That didn’t stop her from striking out.
    “Don’t you dare touch me!” she screamed at him. “You don’t ever get to touch me again, you prick!” Elle knew they weren’t alone, that his whole family was witnessing their fight. She knew she needed to rein in her temper, but once unleashed, she couldn’t seem to stop the tide of anger. Or the tears.
    “I know, baby. I was a complete jerk to you, but let me get you home and I’ll explain.” Steve sounded so reasonable when Elle felt anything but reasonable.
    “I’m not going anywhere with you! Get away from me!”
    “Jezelle, I think there’s just been a big misunderstanding. All my fault, of course. But I swear to you I’ll make up for it.” Steve held his hands out to her, like he was trying to calm a wild animal. In that moment, Elle felt feral enough to be an animal.
    “A misunderstanding?” She was shrieking at Steve now and just couldn’t seem to help herself. “What part of, ‘You’re mine. Now. Forever’ did I misunderstand? Sorry, but that seemed pretty goddamned clear to me!”
    Steve winced, probably at her use of profanity in front of his mother. Elle knew she’d be mortified later, but right now,