Second Chances (20 page)

By the
time everyone had been cared for night had long since fallen. Thunder rolled
and bright shards of lightning split the air, cracking loudly as they struck
the ground nearby. The horses shuffled nervously in their stalls, but at least
were out of the elements. As soon as the rain started pelting inside, Dusty
shut the large end doors and secured them for the night. A stiff breeze still
came in through the stall windows, more than enough to allow everyone inside to
enjoy the drastically cooler air. Rain and a moderation in temperatures was a
desperately needed reprieve from the scorching drought.

His
stomach growled reminding him they had missed supper while settling the stock
back into their home. April had only the sandwich Carrie sent with them for
lunch and he would bet nothing else for the entire day. Yet, never once had she
uttered a single complaint as she worked alongside him through the afternoon
and evening hours.

Glancing
up, he found April, sitting on a bale of straw, tiredly stroking Marmalade,
who’d been released from the office a while back, once all the horses had been
cared for. She and Ben had received their meals before Dusty and April started
on the boxes of supplies, which were thankfully finally all put away. Sure,
they could have waited until the morning to finish, but he didn’t know how to
leave a job undone.

Taking
a moment to study April, he noticed the lines of fatigue had returned as well
as the dullness of exhaustion in her eyes. She’d beaten him up this morning by
a long shot, which meant she climbed out of bed way before dawn. Now, nearing
ten, she’d just about hit her physical limit.

Once
more the sky bellowed, shaking the building, reminding him of Mother Nature’s
fury expressed outside. No way could he send her home in such weather. Not
after everything she’d done for him over the past several days. Besides, her
SUV sat in the shop behind one of the trailers, preventing her from simply
jumping in and driving out. He could drive her home, but preferred she simply
stayed the night. Under his care. At least for one night.

“Why
don’t you stay here tonight? It’s too nasty to be driving.”

April
looked up as she continued to pet the cat, her brow furrowing in contemplation.
“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.
I’d worry if you tried to make it home.” It was the truth after all.

“Okay.
My bags are still in my vehicle. I can go get them so I’ll have some clothes
and stuff.” She made as if to stand.

“I’ll
get them.” He strode closer. “Keys?”

She dug
them out of her pocket and handed them over, appreciation covering her face.
“Thanks.”

“No
problem.” He took the side door nearest the shop, sprinted through the
downpour, then shoved a key in the smaller entrance to the shop. Once inside,
he went directly to her car, collected her suitcases, and backtracked, making
sure to lock everything behind him. Five minutes later, he returned to her
side, a bit damper for his efforts.

“Come
on. Let’s go inside the house.” He led the way, glimpsing April gently
returning Marmalade to her feet, standing, then following in his wake. No sooner
had he turned the knob, than Ben nosed the door wide open, eager to get inside
to his comfortable bed.

Dusty
stopped at the living room and set her bags down. “If you want a shower, go
ahead. You already know where the bathroom is. While you’re doing that, I’ll
change the sheets on the bed, so you can sleep better.”

“I’ll
take the couch.” She stepped forward and met his gaze. “I refuse to kick you
out of your bed. I feel guilty enough over Evan and he had a backup plan.”

“I
can’t take the bed and let you sleep on the couch. It’s short and lumpy.” He
frowned as she shot him a quirky grin.

“Good
thing I’m tough, soft, and short.” Opening the nearest bag, she pulled out a
change of clothes and a smaller container the size of an average purse. “All I
need is a blanket and a pillow, if you have spares.”

He
nodded, totally unbalanced with the sheer glow around April at her stubborn
teasing. Though worn out, she still had the energy to stand up for what she
wanted. His respect for her grew even more. Most women would expect him to
offer up his bed, never consider anything less. April insisted on the couch,
putting his comfort before hers.
You can
sleep where you like, but I guarantee you’ll wake up in a bed.
His own
words came back to him. The corners of his mouth curled up as she walked to the
bathroom. She might start on the couch, but that didn’t mean she’d stay there
all night.

His
heart lifted at his good fortune. His home and stable had been saved. He’d made
amends with his brothers while narrowly avoiding the claws of a gold digger
ex-girlfriend. The rains had returned with a vengeance, the heat wave broken,
and pretty little April would spend the night in his bed.
Things are damn well looking up.

Chuckling
to himself, he ran his fingers over Ben’s head and headed into his bedroom. He
had a bed to prepare and wet clothes to shed, all before his guest stepped from
the shower. Not to mention throw some laundry in and find something to fix for
a late dinner.

Twenty
minutes later, the door to the bathroom clicked, opened, and April stepped out.
Dusty glanced up, found her shoulder length damp blonde hair hanging loose and
full of natural waviness. Moisture soaked the top of her gray T-shirt, turning
the damp area much darker. Matching shorts completed the package as did white
socks. Devoid of makeup, she still outshone the sun. In that instant, he
realized he’d made the right decision not only in asking her to give him a
second chance, but in offering her shelter for the night. Her presence felt
right. Natural.

Blue
eyes landed on him and a soft smile crossed her face. “Your turn.”

“After
we eat.” He flipped the grilled cheese sandwiches once more, before he began
gathering plates and glasses.

April
stepped forward and quickly set the small table. “What do you want to drink?”

“I
wouldn’t trust the milk or juice. We probably should stick with water or soda.”

She
nodded, filled the glasses with ice, and then moved to the sink and turned on
the faucet. A low rumble of thunder heralded another flash of lightning. She jumped,
splashing some of the water from the glass back into the sink. “That was
close.”

He
grinned at her, plated their meals, and set them on the table. “Scared of
storms?”

“Not
really, but this sounds intense.” She carried their drinks to the table and sat
down.

Raindrops
pelted the roof, the clinking sound moderately loud inside. He wouldn’t be
surprised if small chunks of hail mixed in as hard as the wind blew. “A good
thing you decided to stay.”

“Storms
are better shared?” The corners of her mouth hitched up.

“Interesting
idea. I guess we’ll find out tonight.” He sank his teeth into the sandwich,
watching as April did the same. Pleasure appeared on her face. “This is good.”
She blinked at him as if surprised he could actually whip up a small meal.

His ego
buoyed with the knowledge he’d provided food she actually enjoyed. Granted, a
grilled cheese ranked far below Thanksgiving dinner, but he would eagerly take
any and all victories, no matter how small. Pleased, he tilted his head.

“Didn’t
think I could cook, huh?”

“It’s
not that. It’s just…” Her voice faded.

“Just
what?” Curiosity prodded him.

“I
don’t think any of the men I ever dated would have taken the time or energy to
cook for me. It’s refreshing.” She smiled brightly and nibbled once again.

His heart
thudded even as his manhood sat up and took notice. The tightening began
immediately as he absently considered her straight white teeth nipping lightly
at his chest, his belly, his bottom lip before he moved to cover her, find her
innermost secrets, and send them flying into blazing rapture.

Sucking
in a deep breath, he ignored his body’s reaction, determined to pursue April
with baby steps, allowing her to not only grow confident in their relationship,
but learn to crave him as many women craved chocolate. Skittish fillies
couldn’t be won over in a single day and April wouldn’t fall all over him less
than twenty-four hours after he broke things off with Colette. Despite what
she’d told him earlier, he knew his behavior hurt her. How could it not? He’d seen
the softness in her eyes, the avid interest, the wonder after he kissed her the
once.

She
smiled at him now, but he recognized the difference. While not unhappy, she
needed solid evidence to put her trust in him again. Wise woman. He knew
without a doubt he was up to the task. April would find out in time. Until
then, he intended to court her and protect her like the rare treasure she was.

After
he finished his sandwich, he washed the final bite down with water.

She
only ate half, before passing the remainder over to him with an apologetic
look. “I hate to waste food and it’s very good. I’m just full right now.”

Studying
her face, he decided she probably couldn’t finish due to tiredness more so than
not liking the sandwich. She looked ready to crash and burn. Understandably so.

He ate
the rest of her meal in two large bites, then stood and started clearing the
table. She followed suit until he shook his head. “I’ll get this. Why don’t you
go on to bed before you drop?”

April
blinked at him and sighed wearily. “I’ll just brush my teeth, then head to the
couch.”

“I
thought you were taking the bed?” He put the dishes in the sink, turned, and
collected the rest.

She
snorted. “You said bed. I insisted on couch.”

“Uh-huh.”

“That’s
what happens in your old age. You get forgetful.”

His
lips twitched. “Old, huh?”

“Definitely.
At least as old as dirt.” She grinned teasingly.

He
shook his head. “I’ll show you old…” He lunged for her.

She
squealed and dashed off toward the bathroom, her giggles carrying to his ears.
He smiled and met Ben’s inquiring gaze. “We’re not old, are we, boy?”

Dusty
stepped over and petted the dog’s head. “Between you and me, what do you think
about keeping her?”

The
dog’s mouth opened in a smile as his tongue hung out the side. Ben’s tail thumped
against his oversized pillow. A definite affirmative in dog terms.

Dusty
stepped from the shower, still towel drying his hair. His chest bare, he’d
pulled on a pair of shorts in order to shelter her from embarrassment should
she wake before he did, turn over, and find him not only entirely naked, but
fully aroused as well. As much as he would love to greet her in the morning
with burning kisses leading to fiery caresses and finally a joining of their
bodies so profound, so addictive, she’d never get enough, he chided himself to
go slow and easy with the little blonde.

Automatically,
his gaze raked the room, searching for his houseguest. Ben sat up and wagged
his tail from his position right beside the couch. Sure enough a human sized
lump lay under a blanket, curled up in a ball.

He
grinned, remembering the challenge she put forth earlier. She’d taken the couch
as promised. Now, he simply had to carry her to the bed as he’d also pledged.
Turning, he tossed the towel in the bathroom hamper, and strode straight for
the couch, taking a moment to stare down at the angel come to earth. April
rested on her side, her hands curled against her chest as if chilly in the
storm cooled night. Her hair remained loose while her soft breathing spoke of
fatigue from physical labor, too many hours awake, and an emotional roller
coaster over the past few days. His gut clenched in remembrance of how easily
he forgot April in the face of his past.
Never
again.

With
equal parts gentleness and care, he slid an arm under her knees and another
around her shoulders, tenderly cradling her in his arms as he stood, while
trying to avoid waking her. She whimpered and shifted slightly as she rested
her head against his chest, before remaining still.

A
splash of warmth engulfed his soul.

Walking
across the room, Ben hot on his heels, he headed straight for his bedroom, not
stopping until he stood next to the oversized bed. Just as easy, he laid her
down, reluctantly slipping his arms from her body. She sighed, but remained
asleep as far as he could tell. Tugging the sheet and blanket up, he covered
her. Moving to the other side of the bed, he slid in with finesse, keeping the
referred mattress movement to a minimum. Once in, he drew the blankets up,
scooched over to April, and wrapped her in his embrace. With a light kiss to
her crown, he settled in for the rest of the night, holding onto his prize with
contentment.

April
woke slowly, the warmth of a cocoon nearly tugging her back into dreamland
until her senses nagged her into opening her eyes. Sure enough, her short couch
had indeed been replaced by an oversized bed.
You can sleep wherever you like, but you’ll wake up in a bed.
The
words replayed through her mind. A tiny smile followed. Overbearing men and
their penchant for chivalry. The fact only endeared Dusty to her more.

Speaking
of, she felt the light whoosh of breath on the back of her neck. A weight
around her middle told her he’d not only carried her to bed, but then wrapped
her in his embrace for the rest of the night. Protected. Comfortable. Safe and
secure.

Twisting
the slightest, she found him still dozing, sharing her pillow with his face
pressed against her neck. No shirt covered his upper body and the covers
shielded the rest of him from her questing gaze. Surely he wouldn’t come to bed
naked? The image of Dusty in all his nude glory sent her stomach into a slow,
exquisite somersault and released a handful of butterflies at the same time.

To
sleep like this every night. Wake up in his arms. Roll him over, explore his
body, then climb on board for a delicious gallop. Speaking of, an intriguing
bump pressed against her bottom.
Oh, my.
Idly,
she considered his manhood. Big feet. Big hands. Big…all over.

“What
are you thinking so hard about?”

His
quiet voice whispered across her ear, the puff of air a tempting caress.

Her
libido jumped tenfold as her thoughts centered on Dusty’s endowment. “Does size
really matter?”

He
chuckled, the rich sound sent a cascade of tingling over her quickly heating
body. April’s distracted mind took an extra beat to realize she’d just
inadvertently spoken the thought out loud. A blast furnace crossed her cheeks.

“I can
assure you size does matter. Good thing I was always an overachiever in
everything.” He lightly nibbled on her earlobe. “I’m pretty damned good in the
sack, babe, if I do say so myself.”

His ego
also crossed the line into the overachiever status. She nearly snorted, but
gasped instead as one of his hands cupped her breast, the cotton material a
thin barrier between his skin and hers. For a second, she remained absolutely
still trying to decipher the blaring messages from her body. Ever so gently, he
pinched her nipple, sending a spear of pleasure straight to the junction of her
thighs. His lips kissed a trail across her nape before he nuzzled her cheek.

“You’ll
just have to wait a little longer to sample my talents.” He rose to a sitting
position.

She
turned and looked up at him, confused and more than disappointed at the sudden
stoppage of what had been the perfect morning. “What? Why?”

He
grinned down at her, reached out, and drew his fingers across her lips. His
eyes sparkled with desire laced with mischief. “Because I intend to savor you,
inch by delectable inch.”

Sign me up right now.
Her mouth opened but nothing
emerged.

Once
more he laughed, then threw back the covers and stood at the side of the bed.

She
raked his body, noting not only the wide, muscular chest she’d taken in before,
but matching thighs, promising stamina and power. Her mouth dried up as she
blatantly stared at the most perfect male specimen she’d ever seen alive, in
magazines, on television, or anywhere else. Scars dotted the tanned skin here
and there, not deterring from his gorgeous looks in the least. Instead, they
provided a roughness, a hint at the warrior inside which only added to the
overall beauty of the entire man.

Dusty
walked to the dresser, pulled out a pair of jeans and slipped them on, giving
her a primo view of his perfectly sculpted backside.
If I only had a quarter.
“Wow.”

Glancing
back, his gaze met hers. His brown eyes danced as a wicked smile crossed his
face. After buttoning his jeans, he headed toward the closet, opened the door,
and pulled out a short sleeved western shirt. He slipped the garment on without
bothering to button up the front, leaving the sides parted and hanging, giving
her another splendid view of his chest and six pack abs. If the man carried an
ounce of fat, she couldn’t see it.

“I’m
going to get started on the chores. Sleep some more. You’ve earned it.”

He
called to Ben and strode out of the bedroom. A moment later, she heard the door
to the stable open, then click shut once more.

Rolling
to her back, she released a pent up sigh. Sleep some more? No way. Daydream
about being covered by Dusty and finding out for herself if size did matter?
Bring it on.

Mentally,
she kicked herself. No sense in lying around being lazy. She would save the
images for her dreams at night. Until then, she needed to pull herself
together, quit sizing Dusty up for a romp or three hundred in the hay, and get
busy. After all, he needed food to keep his strength up for a good, savory
round of bliss.

Crawling
out, she quickly made the bed, then headed toward the kitchen, determined to
throw something together for breakfast before driving into town for some much
needed grocery shopping.

Dusty
couldn’t wipe the smile off his face as he traversed the length of the stable,
heading directly for the feed sacks and waiting buckets.
Damn, I feel good. Except for my jeans presently chafing the hard-on
from hell.
He shook his head and pulled the door open to allow Ben outside
to do his business.

In all
honesty, he’d been granted a renewal on life. The fire, as horrible and
devastating as it was, had a silver lining. He’d made up with his family,
re-forged the bond that held them together through thick and thin. His stable
had been spared, his assets all intact, the rains finally arrived, and April
spent the night in his arms.

Talk
about being damn lucky.

He’d
felt the tension encompassing her body at his intimate touch. While she quickly
softened, he dared not press her further. Patience proved the key to winning
over skittish fillies and women. Besides, taking the time to tame the little
blonde would prove pleasurable and intoxicating for both of them. He’d make
sure of it.

A
steady beat of raindrops met him as he stepped out into the morning. In a
single night, everything appeared to not only soak in the much needed moisture
like a man lost in the desert gulped down an entire gallon of fluid, everything
looked greener. The once lackluster pastures perked up a smidgen, the leaves
glistened with beads of rain, and even the dreary sky couldn’t put a damper on
such a wonderful morning.

Shit, when did I become so
sappy?
He
snorted to himself, drew in the smell of rain, and went back to work, heralded
by the whinnies of hungry horses. With practiced ease, he poured out grain into
waiting buckets, his mind returning to the woman still inside. April. He’d
expected her to at least grumble about their sleeping arrangements. Instead,
she snuggled up against him like a cold kitten in a warm blanket. If that
didn’t surprise him, her muttered comment about whether size mattered would
have shocked the boxers right off his body, if he could have stopped laughing.
She threw him for a loop, and proceeded to stare at him with a look of
downright appreciation, enjoyment, and sensual longing. In all his experience
with women, he’d never had a single one look at him like the sun rose and set
on his shoulders. He carried too many scars and remained rough around the
edges, compliments of his time as a SEAL. Never would he fit into a pretty boy
mold, but then, April didn’t seem to care. Judging by her expression, she liked
him just fine and already wondered what lay hidden under his shorts.

She’ll
find out.
Soon.
He promised himself
as he gathered up feed buckets and started handing them out. His earlier words
were true. He meant to savor her. Lick her. Kiss her. Make love to her until
they were too exhausted to do more than exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Only after he gave her ample time to acclimate to him, come to terms with
intimacy in their relationship, and make sure she wanted him as much as he
wanted her. Because one thing was certain, once he had her, come hell or high
water, he wasn’t letting go.

“April?
How would you like to go out? For lunch. Today?” He nearly stumbled through the
offer, a bit unsure if he pushed too quickly. Sure, she slept in his arms last
night and they had found a truce as well, but that didn’t mean she was ready to
take a leap of faith and start dating.

He’d
tossed the idea around all morning as they worked side-by-side, debated, then
decided to just go for it.
Nothing
ventured, nothing gained.

She
glanced up from her seat on the straw bale, petting Marmalade. A slow smile
appeared. “I’d like that.”

Relief
and a small sense of victory flashed through him. He grinned in return. “The
Corner Cafe has excellent food. We could go there.” The small restaurant kept
the locals coming in for decades for the delicious offerings while providing a
hangout for the retirement club, drinking their coffee and sharing the latest
gossip.

“Okay.”
She lightly petted the cat. “Looks like I need to get up, girl.” She picked the
cat up and set her down on the floor. “Since it’s close to lunchtime, I
probably should get cleaned up.”

“Go
ahead. I’ll be in shortly.”

Dusty
stretched his legs out from his seated position on another bale and watched her
walk back into the house. Absently, he reached out and scratched behind Ben’s
ears. “Wish me luck, boy.”

Ben
wagged his tail and licked Dusty’s hand.

“Thanks,
buddy.” Standing up, Dusty headed inside as well, the dog on his heels.

Thirty
minutes later, they sat at a corner table in the small restaurant. The
middle-aged waitress dropped off glasses of water along with menus earlier.
After looking over the available options, Dusty quickly selected. April did the
same. The waitress gathered up the unneeded pieces of cardboard and trotted
away.

April
glanced around the room, interest written all over her face. “I’ve never been
here before.”

Dusty
sipped his water. “Really? I thought everyone in a twenty mile radius ate here
at least now and again.”

She
shook her head. “I rarely eat out, to be honest. It’s just easier to make
something at home, even if it’s just a sandwich.”

He
easily read between the lines. She’d been saving her money for so long to
afford her dream of horse ownership. Probably had long since gotten into the
habit of pinching pennies and wouldn’t be dropping a small fortune on designer
shoes anytime soon. Just another difference between her and the other women who
had sought him out simply for his money. Scratch that. Not his money, his
family’s money.

Rain
pelted the window next to them, much lighter than the rough storms of a few
hours ago, yet more than welcome. The land, water levels, and pastures would
recover if the moisture continued to fall in consistent fashion. He prayed that
would be the case.

“Well,
look what the cat dragged in.” A man’s voice carried over to him. Glancing up,
Dusty spied Sam, the county sheriff, standing just inside the door. Making a
beeline over, the tall, brown-haired man smiled wide. “Dusty, how the hell are
ya?”

Standing,
Dusty held out his hand and shook Sam’s with strength. “Better now that it’s
raining. How’s your day? Handing out speeding tickets right and left?” Dusty
smirked. Every time he saw Sam, he couldn’t resist teasing him about one of the
many stereotypes about cops.

Sam
snorted. “You’re thinking of the city police. I’m the one out beating the
bushes for bad guys.”

Dusty’s
gaze flickered to April. “Where are my manners? April, this is Sam. Sam, this
is April.”

They
shook hands. Sam smiled at her brightly. “My pleasure.” The words tumbled
easily off his tongue.

She
grinned and a pink tinge colored her cheeks when Sam kissed the back of her
hand.

Biting
back a small wave of jealousy, Dusty refrained from kicking his friend in the
butt. “She’s my girlfriend, you ox.”

Sam
spared him a glance which said it all. He’d gratefully take his chance at April
if she were free, but not now. Friends never poached from other friends. “My
rotten luck.”

April
chuckled. “You’re very kind.”

Dusty
snorted. “That’s not what the criminals say.”

“That’s
for damn sure.” Sam smiled wolfishly.

“Did
you want to join us?” Dusty offered, silently hoping his friend would decline.
He liked Sam, considered him as close a friend as he had, yet he didn’t want
any distractions from his time with April.

“Can’t.
Sorry. Just stopped by to pick up lunch on the go.” Sam met his gaze knowingly.
“Give me a call sometime and we’ll go to the shooting range. I still owe you
from last time.” With a quick nod, Sam headed to the register, collected his
bag of food, paid, and left with a wave.

April
watched him go. “Something about the way he moves. Not the carriage you have,
the absolute confidence, but yet, more than an average man.”