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The jukebox continued playing preselections while Leroy tapped out the drulass front Jessy wasn’t sure why she was even looking at the record choices They hadn’t been changed all summer

“Hey! Bring me another beer!” It was Ty who shouted the order, and Jessy turned He was passing the pool stick to another player when he spied her at the jukebox The record changed and the song “Cotton-eyed Joe” came over the speakers

“How about this one?” Leroy asked and she looked to see which one he’d picked, already certain she wouldn’t like it

An arm hooked her around the sto into her lungs in stunned surprise Ty sleah while her shoulder and arainst his chest She felt her heart knocking crazily against her ribs

“I ain’t seen you dancing once all night, Jessy” His husky voice had a faint slur to it “Let’s see if you’re as good on a dance floor as you are on a horse”

“Ty Calder, you’re drunk,” she accused

“I ask you to dance”—he frowned irritably—“not give n contempt at her date “You don’t mind, do you, Andersen?”

“I don’t mind, Mr Calder”

“Did you hear that?” A dark eyebroas arched unnaturally high into his sun-browned forehead as he looked again at Jessy “Mister Calder has permission from your date to dance with you” His head made a wobbly nod of mock formality

“All right, we’ll dance,” she agreed “If you can stand up that long”

She was loosened frole file the few steps to the s area When Jessy turned to face hiainst his body Their hips were nearly joining as she straddled his thigh so there would be so on his boots The contact signaled his everyit easy for Jessy to follow his lead, but the closeness that let her feel every ripple of his

In the first few turns around the small area, he seemed to ht pattern Jessy was beginning to wonder if Ty was as drunk as she’d first thought Then his concentration broke and he stumbled

“Sorry,” he muttered, then nearly stepped on her toe

His hold on her tightened, and Jessy realized he was relying on her balance His hat was pulled low on his forehead, shading his features so they wouldn’t show his struggle for a moment’s sobriety

“Maybe I should lead and you follow,” she suggested