Second Chances (13 page)

Archer
pushed his chair back and stood. “Come on, boys. We’ve got stock to tend to.”

“I
haven’t eaten my cherry pie, yet,” Evan protested.

“Eat it
when you get back.” Archer bumped his chair. “Let’s go. It’s going to take a
few of us to keep those horses out of one another’s grain buckets.”

Dusty
inclined his head toward Archer, then met April’s gaze. “Don’t worry. I’ll take
care of your babies personally.” With a small grin, he followed his brother’s
outside, almost relieved by Archer’s timely intervention.

With the
three of them working on clearing the table and cleaning dishes, the women
finished in record time. Carrie excused herself to jump in the shower. Tess
wandered out to check on her pets. April, alone and a bit lost, plopped down on
the front porch swing to watch everyone at work.

As
promised, Dusty carried feed to both Miracle and Mischief, even stayed with
them while they ate, ensuring the geldings in the same pasture didn’t pressure
them to give up their food. Ben sat at his side, raking the horizon, constantly
searching for a threat.

What am I going to do about him?
Not for the first time since
arriving at the huge ranch, April questioned herself and Dusty. The women
lifted her spirits and confidence earlier only for Dusty to shoot her down when
he refused to answer Evan’s comment about being Dusty’s woman. He probably
didn’t want to discuss his personal life in front of the large group in
attendance. Understandable. Yet, his silence sliced into her.

Nice pickle you’ve gotten
yourself in, April.
What
to do? She’d succeeded in becoming friends with the quiet and sometimes surly
cowboy. That was her goal after all. But, she wanted more. She wanted Dusty to
look at her as Archer looked at Carrie. To tease, to kiss, to be unable to keep
their hands off one another even after five years of marriage. She wanted sheer
happiness covering both their faces. She wanted Dusty and love all rolled into
a neat little package.

Unfortunately,
he didn’t seem to be in the same frame of mind.

Yes,
he’d been burned. Horribly so, to leave him so leery of women. She’d
experienced her fair share of hard knocks in the relationship department as
well. Still, she couldn’t help thinking as well as her and Dusty clicked, there
had to be more there.

It’s only been a week, you
ninny.
She
sighed sadly. Patience. The one virtue she didn’t possess a lick of. Miracle
wouldn’t get over her fears in a week, and Dusty wouldn’t move past his issues
in the same time frame. Perhaps, with time, she’d wake up to find her dream
come true.

“Penny
for your thoughts.”

Startled,
April’s head snapped up. She found Dusty staring down at her with an
inquisitive expression on his face. “Oh, just thinking.” She gathered her wits.

“I got
that much.” He sat down on the swing next to her, sending the seat into a gentle
rocking motion. The Belgium Malinois flopped down on the porch, his tongue
lolling out as he panted. “What about?”

She
didn’t want to push, to appear clingy, yet she couldn’t lie to him. Taking a
moment to consider her words carefully, she finally answered. “So much has
happened in a week’s time. I became a horse owner, a dream since childhood
finally fulfilled.” She met his gaze. “I met you and found a man with a special
talent, a good heart, and a hard worker.”

He
remained mute, but didn’t look away. “I’ve learned so much from you. About
horses, about life, about carrying on when the chips are down.” She sucked in a
breath. “I don’t know where the road of life will lead, but I hope I’m not near
done with this pit stop anytime soon.”

The
corner of his mouth hitched upward. He intertwined his fingers with hers and
brought her hand up for a gentle kiss. “You know what they say about pit
stops?”

She
shook her head.

“Gives
people time to look around and decide if they like the scenery well enough to
stay.”

The
softly spoken words soothed her soul. No declaration of love or even a mention
of a future date. Just a philosophical statement that renewed her hope. She
couldn’t have been happier.

Maybe,
just maybe dreams could come true.

Carrying
her suitcase, April followed Carrie down a hallway complete with doorways on
either side. Tess pulled up the rear with her belongings. “Wow. How many
bedrooms did you say there were?”

“Six
according to Brand,” Tess replied.

“Yep.
One for each brother, then one for their parents. Although how they knew they
were having five children when they built this place eons ago, I don’t have a
clue.”

“Maybe
they always planned on five?” April peeked into a room, found a large bed,
dresser, and what appeared to be a bathroom along the front wall.

“I’m
not sure. I do know there’s nearly ten years between Dusty and Evan. So, either
Evan was an oopsie or they tried and weren’t successful for quite a while.”
Carrie paused in the middle of the hallway, her light footballs on the hardwood
floor ceasing. “This first bedroom belongs to his parents. We keep it tidy and
prepared in case they drop by without notice.” Walking backward like a museum
tour guide, she pointed first to her left. “This is Archer’s room, where we sleep
now. Directly across the hall is Brand’s room.”

Tess
stepped forward and into the room. “Interesting.”

Carrie
and April shared a knowing grin.

“Who
are we going to kick out?” Tess asked, still eyeing the place where the next to
oldest brother spends his nights.

“Colt
and Evan both offered up their rooms.”

April
frowned wondering why Dusty didn’t do the same. Then she recalled his bad
dreams and realized that waking up in a strange place might make those
nightmares worse and, thus, need more time to recover once he did wake up.
Status quo sounded like the best bet for a man like Dusty troubled with brutal
memories of his time spent in the service.

“Colt’s
room is on your left. Evan’s is one door down.”

“Which
one is Dusty’s?” April hated to ask, but curiosity drove her to catch a glimpse
of where the serious former SEAL grew up.

“This
one.” Carrie gestured to her left.

April
unashamedly looked in, found blue walls, a large bed with a bright quilt, a
dresser, and a small desk complete with old wooden chair. Neat and well
arranged, the room seemed spacey despite being smaller than the front two
bedrooms. She could imagine Dusty sitting at the desk, doing his homework, or
perhaps laying across his bed pondering the meaning of life.

Immediately,
she compared this room with his house back in Colorado. She hadn’t seen past
the kitchen and main bathroom, but didn’t believe his bedroom now could stand
up against his old one, not in organization, belongings, or interior design.
This was his place of sleeping in his youth. Now, as a grown man, a retired
warrior, he most likely preferred everything much more simple and plain. Maybe
he just didn’t want to take the time to paint or spend his energy trying to
fancy up the place. Or, deep down, he’d spent so many nights curled up on the
ground that a ritzy room no longer felt comfortable.

“What’s
wrong?” Tess asked as she halted beside April.

“I was
just thinking.”

“About?”
Carrie asked.

“How
much Dusty’s changed since he left home.”

A
pregnant pause filled the air before Carrie broke the silence. “So, Colt’s room
or Evan’s?”

April
frowned. “I hate to boot them out of their beds. Can’t I just sleep on the
couch?”

Tess
nodded. “Me too. You all are so kind to take April and I in, I can’t bear to be
any more of a burden.”

Carrie
waved her hand dismissively. “The guys volunteered. Besides, they’d no more let
you girls sleep on the couch than they’d let a cow go without food during a
snow storm. Their mother raised them right, and years of her lectures actually
stuck.”

“But—”
April started to protest only for her host to cut her off.

“If you
try to sleep on the couch, don’t be surprised if one of the men come along,
scoop you up, and deliver you to a bedroom.”

April’s
heart fluttered. The thought of Dusty cradling her against his chest, nuzzling
her cheek as he carried her up the stairs to his bedroom, then placing her in
his bed sped her heart and made her stomach flip-flop. He would tuck her in,
and climb in beside her, spooning together under the covers as they drifted off
to sleep.

A
woman’s laughter broke through her thoughts. April blinked as Carrie chuckled.

“Oh,
my. You’ve got it bad. Both of you.”

April
looked at Tess, then they both grinned.

“Can’t
help it if my imagination took a bunny path.” Tess cleared her throat and
shrugged.

April
concurred.

Carrie
shook her head. “Okay. Just in case that plan fails, let’s consider where to
stash your belongings.”

Both
women strode forward, not stopping until they stepped into the last room.
“Where will Evan sleep?”

“With
one of his brothers or the couch if he snores too loud. Knowing him and his
playboy nature, I wouldn’t be surprised to find him trying to sneak in to sleep
in between you two.” Carrie grinned with genuine humor.

“I
wouldn’t mind,” April replied honestly. “It’s his bed. Besides, it’s not like
we’re going to do more than just sleep.”

“You
might not mind, but I bet Dusty and Brand might not be as accommodating.”
Carrie winked at them and started to retrace her steps. “The bathroom is
directly across the hall. There’s another downstairs if you need it, as well as
one in the master bedroom,” she rattled on, completing the tour in quick
fashion.

Tess
plopped her suitcase down inside their designated bedroom. “Do you want to
shower first or second?”

April
shrugged.

“You can
both go at the same time. Tess, why don’t you use the hallway bathroom? April,
follow me and I’ll take you to the master bath. That way you won’t have to
wait.”

Twenty
minutes later, April brushed out her hair, having already slipped on shorts and
a T-shirt, the sleeping attire she normally wore in the summertime. The pink
shorts were loose and comfortable along with the white shirt. Her hair dampened
the top where tendrils dripped droplets onto the cotton material, but she
didn’t care. The loose strands would dry soon enough and besides, who would
actually see her travel from the bathroom to the end bedroom?

With
one more stroke with the brush, she packed up her small bag, folded her dirty
clothes into a neat pile, and headed back to the bedroom. No sooner had she
stepped from the doorway than she collided with a hard, unmoving body.

“Oh,
I’m sorry.”

Strong
arms reached out and steadied her.

She
looked up to find Dusty staring at her as if she’d grown wings since the last
time he saw her. His eyes raked her from head to toe, before lingering on her
wet shirt a second longer.

“Ummm.
Hi.”

Dark
brown eyes met hers. “Hi, yourself.”

The
corners of his lips curled up in either amusement or quirkiness, she wasn’t
sure which. Either way, her mouth went dry and her heart picked up the pace as
he stared at her with a look rife with interest, longing, and something
resembling hot desire. Not that she had much experience in reading lust in a
man’s eyes, but the appreciation she noted couldn’t be ignored.

“We’re
sleeping in Evan’s room. Although I still think I should sleep on the couch so
he can have his own bed.” The words slipped out as she tried to deal with a
surge of heat owing nothing to the temperatures outside and everything to do
with his proximity and the sparks in his eyes as he studied her.

“Evan
won’t mind. He’ll bunk with Colt.” Dusty’s low baritone voice carried no
further than her ears, sending a thrill over her entire body.

They
had spent hours together before, but in the process of chores or simply sharing
a meal. Standing face-to-face in a hallway seemed definitely more intimate than
they’d been before. Barring that one kiss which still prompted her dreams, both
during the day and at night. “You have a nice room.” She nearly groaned at the
lame compliment. Her mind ceased to functionally normally as long as he stood
there, arms hanging relaxed at his side, his short black hair ruffled from the
breeze. Jeans covered his lower half while a button down western shirt covered
the top. Tan arms stood out against the brightness of his clothing. She knew
the skin color reached at least his waist from working outside without a shirt.
Just another tidbit that added to the overall yumminess that made up Dusty.

“Thanks.
I wouldn’t have minded you taking my bed.”

The
offer didn’t surprise her as much as the exquisite tightening in her stomach.
For a second, she wondered if the sheets still carried his scent, but quickly
decided after so long and a few washings, they would smell like detergent
instead of musk and horses, Dusty’s normal everyday cologne. “I wouldn’t kick
you out of your bed. Heck, I still feel bad about burdening Evan to move.” She
sighed. “Carrie wouldn’t hear of Tess and me taking the couches, but I might
just do it anyway.”

He
cupped her chin and lifted until her gaze met his. “My mother would jump on a
plane, dash home, and take a switch to my rear and the rest of my brothers if
we let you ladies spend the night on the couch.” His grin was rife with
promise. “Sleep where you like, but you’ll end up in a bed before the night is
done.”

Butterflies
took flight in her stomach. “Who’s bed?”

Dusty’s
smile widened to show teeth even as his eyes twinkled down at her. “Who’s bed,
indeed?” He traced his finger along her jawline.

She
swallowed and found herself sinking into the charm of a man she’d only known
for a week. If he carried her off to his castle and kept her, she wouldn’t
utter a single protest at that moment. Instead, she soaked up the rapt
attention to the fullest before kicking her floundering brain into gear.

Footfalls
announced someone trotting up the stairs. Dusty released her, but didn’t move.
April’s feet refused to budge as well.

Evan
stepped into the hallway, spied her, and grinned. “Hey, April. I hear you girls
are stealing my bed for the night.”

“Yes.
I’m sorry.” The words came out a bit more breathless than she’d intended. Dusty
glanced down at her, but remained mute.

“Don’t
worry about it. I’ll share with Colt.” He approached her, leaned down, and
whispered in her ear. “Besides, I’ll have the privilege of knowing two
beautiful ladies not only slept in my bed, but dreamed of me too.” He waggled
his eyebrows.

Dusty
rolled his eyes and snorted, but his lips twitched just enough to give him
away. He found his little brother entertaining, just wouldn’t own up to such a
fact.

April
jumped on board. “Oh, I’m sure Tess and I will have all kinds of dreams.
Wonderful dreams. Filled with handsome men.”

“Naked
men and women?” Evan asked excitedly.

Her
face heated, yet she continued, unwilling to let the humor end. “Maybe…”

Dusty’s
eyebrows shot up. “Erotic dreams?”

“You
know about erotic dreams?” She turned the tables on Dusty.

His
grin could only be called sinfully wicked.

Evan
coughed loudly. “I think that’s my cue to leave.” Without another word, he turned
and headed back down the stairs.

The
mood faded quickly with the departure of Evan. Dusty shook his head and shifted
his weight. “I better jump in the shower before Evan uses up all the hot
water.”

“Okay.”
She blew out a breath. “I know it’s late and everyone has an early morning.”

“Yeah.”
He looked at her. “You should sleep in. I know you were already worn out from
work when you came over earlier today. I’ll take care of the animals. Just use
the opportunity to catch up on your sleep.”

“I
needed to be there, to do what I could…”

His
mouth opened, and then shut again.

Waiting
patiently, April finally decided whatever Dusty intended to say would be
forever a secret. “Thanks again. For bringing me along.”

“You
bet.” He didn’t budge an inch.

Neither
did she. “I guess I should go on to bed.”

“Okay.”
Still he stayed put, staring at her as if trying to work out some unique
puzzle.

“Goodnight,
Dusty.”

“Goodnight,
April.”

They
remained in place for a bit longer, before April forced her cement laden feet
to move. Brushing past Dusty, she went directly into Evan’s room, shut the door
behind her, and flopped down on the bed.

Tess
blinked at her from a small recliner. “Problem?”

“Men.”
April threw her arms over her head. “I don’t understand them.”

“Welcome
to the club.” Tess walked over and sat next to her.

April
propped herself up in a sitting position, tucking one leg under her. “Don’t you
have to take a class in medical school about men and relationships or such?”