Chapter 10

Melody held on to Tallis and breathed deep of his scent, letting the warmth of his body wash over her as they rode toward the dance that he was taking her to. Even though she should be worried that he’d figured out her secret, the one she was obligated to tell no one, she wasn’t. Saying those three brief words at supper had set her free. She’d meant every one of them, and they still floated in her head. “Because I’m yours” and she was.

There was no use denying what her heart and soul had known since she’d first laid eyes on him. She belonged to Tallis Ryder just like he belonged to her. Melody should be scared that she’d fallen for him and would be yanked 147 years away from him by Reverend Johnson in just five and a half short months. Yet somehow she knew she had nothing to fear. She didn’t know why she had nothing to fear. She knew that somehow Tallis, her Tallis, would be triumphant. Melody would spend her life in his arms, as his wife.

The slowing of his ride again interrupted her thoughts. This time the lights and sounds pulled her attention from his warmth and scent. Before her was a huge barn-like structure with bright glowing pink and blue words saying, “GIDDY UP CLUB!”

The noise coming from inside resembled music slightly, but just slightly. What really was too much for her to take in was the outfits some women leaving the surrounding vehicles had on. Dresses and even britches that barely covered their private places. Bosoms on almost full display with scraps of cloth smaller than the garment Sara had bought her earlier called a bra. Shoulders, necks, and arms on full display and even their midsections.

She stepped off the motorcycle and turned to stare at Tallis. “What kind of place have you brought me, Tallis Ryder? All your talk of treating me with respect and not damaging my reputation. This is a dance hall, isn’t it? Or is it worse; have you brought me to a brothel to dance with me? Is this what you think is a safe place to dance?”

Before he could answer, her eyes locked on something over his shoulder and she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. The woman in the truck beside them had climbed on top of the man sitting beside her. They were doing things she was pretty sure only a husband and wife were supposed to do behind closed doors. Maybe not even then. “Take me home right now!”

Tallis laughed. “I’m sorry, Melody. I know this is a shock but where did you think we were going? A barn dance or church social?”

“Of course I did. That is the proper and respectable place for dancing. Well-lit and chaperoned.”

He shook his head and took her hands. “Look at me, Love.”

She did only because she was sure that she shouldn’t be looking at the couple beside them. Their actions were shocking. He pulled her close so that she focused on his eyes. “My world now, Melody, not yours. The rules here are different. What you’re expecting only happens for children in school. If grown men and women want to dance, they come to places like this. We call them Clubs.

This one is a Country and Western club, meaning the music they play is what most farmers and ranchers listen to. Yes, the clothes on some women are shocking. Some of them are more morally loose than is even acceptable nowadays.

But you are here with me. We are going to go inside, drink iced tea or lemonade, and dance a few two steps. I’ll help you learn some line dances, kind of like a reel or square dance; only in a line. I’ll hold you in my arms and we’ll dance. Nothing else. As much as I want to kiss you, I won’t even do that till we get home and I’ll restrain myself to one or two before I send you alone to your room to sleep.”

She looked at him and saw the honesty of his words and shivered at the flaming desire of his eyes. “Fine, but if you think that I’m going to dress like that ever or do what those people in that truck are, you are sorely mistaken.”

Tallis looked to the side and then quickly back at her. “Darlin’ I don’t want you dressing like these women for anyone but me behind closed and locked doors. As for what those two are doing, ain’t no-one ever going to see you doing those things but me. And I won’t be seeing them because it will be me you’re doing ‘em too, and only after a preacher says we’re husband and wife. Got it?”

She blushed and could feel the heat of it from the top of her head all the way to the end of her toes. “Fine then, let’s go do this dancing so I can go home and take another shower. I feel filthy just standing here near those two.”

“So do I, honey, so do I.”

He took her hand in his, and together they headed into the loud, dark building that Tallis kept assuring her was perfectly acceptable for them to be in. Once inside, he leaned close and said, “Stick close to me, Melody. No matter what, stay right by my side. If anyone tries to give you something to drink besides our server or me, don’t take it, and don’t agree to dance with anyone else. Not everyone here is a gentleman.”

“Then why are we here?”

“Because the only other place to dance with you is at home. If I’m honest with you, I don’t trust myself to be alone with you and that close.”

“I’d trust you alone with me more than I would the men in this place.”

Tallis looked at her and sighed. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe this is too much modern life too soon. Come on, I’ll take you home and dance with you in the front room. At least there we can have Sara Marie come chaperone you.”

As he turned and led them back outside, her heart swelled in her chest. He’d listened to her and accepted her suggestion as a suitable solution and even thought about her need for something resembling the normal she knew and was going to provide it. Tallis pulled the device he called a phone from his pocket. She knew that somehow it allowed him to talk to people elsewhere. He pushed a button and she could hear a buzzing sound that came and went quickly followed by, “I told you, Tallis, the Giddy Up was too much.”

He laughed. “Alright Sara, you were right, and I was wrong. We’re headed home. Can you find some good slow two-steps and a few fun line dances for the Bluetooth system and get dressed to help me teach Melody to line dance and keep us honest during the two steps?”

“Sure, you want me to get a ruler like old Mrs. Richards used to do in high school?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Sara. I said honest, not in different zip codes.”

“I’ll be ready, but you’ll owe me.”

“See you in a few.”

“Yep, and hey Tall, bring her straight home, no moonlit kisses along the way.”

“Nope, only two kisses tonight to say goodnight. That was what she agreed to.”

“Umm hmm. Maybe so, but I know what I know, Tall.”

“Yeah about that; we need to talk before Dad comes, just you and me.”

“Umm, something important came up, did it?”

“Exactly.”

“See you in a few then.”

He pushed the big red button and the little thing went dark and silent. “That’s amazing.”

“It is, and I need to get you one on Monday. It’s important in case of an emergency on or off the ranch.”

“I wouldn’t know how to use it.”

“We’ll teach you, it’s simple, you’ll be an expert in no time if Sara has anything to do with it. She insists every woman can’t function without one.”

“I have until now.”

“Yes you have, but life is changing for you from now on, Melody. That you can be certain-sure of, as my ancestors used to say.”

He climbed on the motorcycle and helped her on again. She wrapped her arms around him and felt at home again instantly. She suddenly realized that with her acceptance and declaration of whom she belonged to; home had changed. It wasn’t the ranch she’d grown up on anymore or the time she’d grown up in. It wasn’t a place at all. Home was Tallis Colton Ryder and it always would be.

*****

Tallis raced home faster than he really should have with an inexperienced rider on the back of the bike. Had Melody not been so tight against him, it was like she was glued there, he might have slowed down. But like the horsewoman she was and the natural rider she was turning out to be, they had moved like one.

He couldn’t wait to get her inside and see if that connection continued on the dance floor. If he was honest with himself, he wanted to see if it continued in other places as well. He knew he’d been wise to not only bring her home but make sure his nosy little sister was up monitoring them.