She was the most beautiful woman in the room, and even though she had the attention of every man (and several women) around her, Pete Lattimer did not feel one pang of jealousy. If there was one thing Pete was sure of more than anything else in the world, it was how much Myka Bering loved him. He didn't need a vibe to know it, though he definitely got them every time he looked at her, and he loved the way that a blush formed on her cheeks whenever she caught him staring. Of course, there wasn't much about Myka that Pete didn't love. Right at that moment, he loved just how happy she looked as she danced along to the music being played by the live and admittedly quite good band occupying the stage of the Univille bar. It was of course Claudia who had found out about the Country & Western night that the bar had decided to host. All Bambi eyes and innocent smiles, she'd burst into the Warehouse office clearly intending to make a passionate presentation to the team, but it hadn't been necessary. Myka, to Pete's bemused surprise, had been the first one to jump on board, and the others had of course followed suit. Claudia immediately volunteered herself as their wardrobe designer, and Pete had to admit she'd done a fantastic job of ransacking the thrift stores of nearby towns. Pete sat perched on a bar stool, dressed in his own faded denim jeans, a beat up pair of cowboy boots, and a button down flannel. A cowboy hat that had seen better days rested on the bar counter beside his red solo cup full of root beer. Leaning against the bar beside him was Steve, who was gently and not-really complaining about the fact that Claudia had tried to make him look like one of the Village People. She had admittedly dressed him as a sheriff, but there was no campness to his outfit at all, and Steve was most definitely drawing the attention of men and women alike. Over on the dance floor, Claudia wore a turquoise-coloured western style shirt decorated with rhinestones on the shoulders, tight black jeans that were practically painted on, and black cowboy boots with pink stitching. Claudia had found a pretty sundress in a pastel plaid for Myka to wear, pairing it with a cropped denim jacket and some of Myka's own boots. Claiming their complete impracticality for work, Myka hardly ever wore dresses, and Pete made a mental note to thank Claudia for her choice later. Myka looked beautiful, and so completely free, as she laughed along with Claudia as they jumped and twirled along to the music. Her curls, normally a wild mass but in that moment tamed into soft ringlets, fell prettily around her face as she danced, and Pete felt yet another surge of pride at the fact that he could claim that she was his. Taking a sip of his soda, Pete smiled to himself as the song the girls were dancing to ended, and the pair tripped off the dance floor and over to their partners. Claudia flipped one of her plaited pigtails over her shoulder as she climbed onto the barstool Steve had been saving for her, while Myka draped her arms around the back of Pete's neck, taking the opportunity to kiss him enthusiastically on the cheek.
"I did not dress you two like that so that you could spend the night propping up the bar," Claudia quipped, signalling to the bartender of her need for tequila. Steve rolled his eyes as a row of shots almost instantly on the bar.
"You're going to have to give me more than a few of these to get me on that dance floor," he told his friend, picking up a shot glass nonetheless and swiftly downing the contents. Claudia gave him her most devilish grin as she followed suit.
"That can be arranged, Jinksy," she purred. Chuckling at the exchange, Pete watched as Myka quickly swallowed her own shot, and then he used a hand to lift Myka's curls off her sweat-dampened neck. Myka's lips curled into a happy grin, and she pressed herself more firmly into the vee of Pete's legs as she tilted her head from side to side.
"Myka Bering, I think you're drunk," Pete teased, tracing his fingers down her back.
"No I'm not!" Myka protested, and then let out a goofy little laugh. Pete chuckled in reply.
"Ok, maybe I am, just a little bit," Myka conceded with a slurred giggle, but almost immediately a frown appeared on her face.
"Am I allowed to be drunk?" she asked Pete, cupping his face with her hands. "I mean, because you can't, does that mean I'm not supposed to?" She wrinkled her nose in concerned worry, and Pete lifted his hands to wrap his fingers around hers.
"You're allowed to have fun, sweetheart," he murmured, pulling one of her hands to his mouth so that he could kiss her fingertips. "You don't have to worry about me."
Myka still didn't look convinced, and Pete noted that she declined when Claudia offered to buy her a beer. As Claudia teasingly pushed a wedge of lime into Steve's mouth, Myka turned in Pete's arms so that her back pressed against his chest, and Pete wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. Myka nuzzled her nose against his cheek.
"Do you wanna dance?" she asked hesitantly. Pete smiled.
"I thought you'd never ask," he said to her, and he watched as Myka's entire face lit up with unexpected joy. Pete slid off his bar stool and pushed his cowboy hat in Claudia's direction before allowing Myka to entwine her fingers with his. Together the pair wound their way through the crowd until they found the dance floor, and then Myka let go of Pete's hand as she started to sway to music. Rocking back and forth to the beat, Pete took the chance to watch as Myka put her hands in the air and spun around on her boot heels, giggling to herself as she danced. Pete gave her some of his best 'white guy' dance moves in reply, and Myka let out a delighted laugh that only egged Pete on. Reaching out to grab Myka's hands, Pete spun her around and then lowered her into a dip that caused Myka to emit a gasping squeak of surprise. Still giggling as Pete pulled her upright again, Myka flung her arms around his neck just as the band finished their song, and immediately segued into a the opening strands of a pretty ballad. Myka suddenly looked unsure, but Pete pulled her body flush with his and held on tight as he swayed them both softly from side to side. The blush returned to Myka's cheeks, and she couldn't stop the bashful smile that pulled on her lips. Pete kissed her, long and slow, and then Myka let out a happy sigh as she rested her head on Pete's shoulder. Over her head, Pete noted that Claudia and Steve had commandeered a table, and Claudia perched in Steve's lap, Pete's cowboy had planted firmly on her head. Steve playfully twirled one of Claudia's pigtails around his finger, but both of them were smiling fondly as they watched Pete and Myka together. On the stage behind him, the band's lead singer crooned out an admittedly cheesy line about finding a dream right in front of your face, and a feeling of contentment settled in Pete's heart. He raised a hand and stroked his fingers down Myka's cheek.
"Hey Mykes," he murmured, and the woman in question lifted her head so that her pretty celery-coloured eyes met his. She looked so happy Pete felt like his heart might burst.
"I love you," Pete told Myka softly, and he watched as Myka's whole face lit up.
"I love you more," she said with a gentle smile, and Pete chuckled as he shook his head.
"I'm gonna spend the rest of my life trying to prove you wrong," he teased. Myka gave him a crooked grin.
"Bring it on, Lattimer," she murmured throatily, pressing her lips to his for a moment before snuggling back into his embrace. Still chuckling, Pete rested his chin on her head and continued to rock Myka back and forth to the music. Pete didn't need a vibe to tell him that he was onto a good thing, and if proving his love to Myka took til his dying day, he'd happily play along every step of the way.