Second Dance Cowboy (Second Chance) (20 page)

She hopped off the table and grabbed her
purse. “Goodbye.” She darted past him.

“Whe
re do you think you’re going?” He stomped after her.

“
Anywhere but here with you.” She kept walking.

When they reach
ed the front room, Doctor Henshaw came around the corner, his eyes wide in curiosity. “Are you over the dizziness?” he asked.

“I was until Dillon walked in.
He’s capable of turning my stomach and raising my blood pressure all at the same time.” She pushed a hand through her disheveled hair. Realizing it must be beyond a finger combing, she dropped her hand.

“I could hear you y
elling all the way in here, Dillon. She shouldn’t be stressed.” Doctor Henshaw scowled.

Dillon turned his attention to
his friend. “And what do you know? You’re a veterinarian.”

Peyton’s gasp bounced off the
walls as Doctor Henshaw shook his head. “If I’d thought it necessary, I would have sent you to the hospital.”

“
You’re a vet? As in a doctor for animals?” Peyton shrieked. Doctor Henshaw smiled, as if that would smooth her irritation. Nothing was hilarious about her pale skin, bruised face and shocked expression, but Dillon laughed. Hell, it had to be better than raising his voice again. He could see by Peyton’s glare that she didn’t like his amusement. “Is this funny to you?” she snapped.

“Come on, sweetheart,
admit it, this is slightly funny. Don’t worry though, Doc Danny is as smart as any doctor I’ve ever met. He chose animals instead of people because he doesn’t have much of a bedside manner.”

“You’re just not right, Dillon. My bedside
manner is fine.” The doctor snorted and scratched his balding head. “It’s a good thing you and I have been friends for as long as I can remember. Otherwise, I’d take your poking as an offense.”

“I guess I should be saying thank you, old friend. I do
appreciate you making sure Peyton was okay. I’ll get her out of your hair now.” Dillon gave the doctor a friendly slap on the back as he passed.

Doctor Henshaw
smiled until he thought over Dillon’s words. “Is that a poke at my lack of hair?”

Peyton sniveled
. “If you two are done pestering one another, I’d like to find out where my car is and how can I get it back. Any idea where it was taken?” she asked the doctor.

“You’ll find it at Gr
over’s Wrecking Service.”

“Good to know.” She turned to Dillon. “Can you take me there?” He knew her sugary sweet smile was an act.

“That could be a problem. The shop will be closed.” Dillon told her. “But let’s get out of here and let the doc get home to his family.”

“Make sure she gets plenty of rest, you hear?” Doc
tor Henshaw said as they walked out the door.

Once they were in Dillon’s
truck and out on the road, he slipped a glance on her profile. He hated seeing her hurt and bruised. And although he’d been angry at first that she came all this way, he had to admit he felt a large dose of flattery. “Tell me, Dillon,” She turned in the seat and he could see her features in the dim dashboard lighting. “How are you?”

“I’m peachy.” What more could he say?

“Oh, sarcasm is alive and well.” She huffed.

He couldn’t target her with his
resentment. She wasn’t the source of the pain. “I’m sorry.” He rubbed his forehead. “I do appreciate you coming out here, although crazy. We’ll get your car taken care of first thing in the morning and send you back home.” He needed to be alone.

“Are you going to skirt around the bigger issue?’

Would she give up? He doubted it. “You know the story. What can I say? The people I trust have lied.”

“It doesn’t change
who you are. They don’t see you any differently, and neither should you.”

He darted a glance over at her
as his chest ached. He wondered why she’d come? Did she feel pity for him? “Who sent you here? Did they want you to talk me into coming home?” He gripped the steering wheel tighter. “Not going to happen. Not yet.”

“
Bettie and Deckland were worried, but I made the decision to come on my own. They both feel bad. Deckland thinks this is his fault because he brought the subject up to you and of course Bettie is beside herself.”

He couldn’t feel sorry for either of them at the moment. “There’s nothing wrong with a man being alone
for a week or two.”

“As long as you’re not melting away in a puddle of self-pity.”

He narrowed his gaze. “I’m far from feeling sorry for myself.”

Her
hand came up and swept through her hair, giving it a toss. “I’m sorry, that didn’t come out as I meant it.”

“Sho
uldn’t you be home with Oliver?” he asked.

“
Ollie has a whole crew watching out for him. I bet between Deckland, Bettie and Uncle Marty, he’ll be spoiled by the time I get back home.”

“Don’t ask me to come back with you.”
He stared at the road ahead.

“I won’t,” she answered.

Turning the truck, they continued onto the dirt road that led to the cabin his parents had bought when he was a kid. He guessed they’d needed to work on their marriage, and what better place than a getaway? A few minutes later, he pulled in front of the cabin and, like always, his heart inflated. He loved it here. The silence welcomed him and a man could get plenty of it away from the world.

He slid ou
t of the driver’s seat and met Peyton in front of the truck. “Welcome to the hideaway in the woods.”

“Deckland wasn’t joking when he said it was a cabin lost from
people.”

“I guess I know my way around here as well as I know every line and callous on my hands
. My brothers and I practically grew up here. Every summer we’d visit. I have some great memories.”

He pushed open the door for her.

Luckily, embers remained in the fireplace and after he stoked them, the fire made the room toasty. He grabbed a blanket from the back of the couch. “Here, let’s put this around you.” He wrapped it around her shoulders.

She stared up at him, several emotions flick
ed across her bruised features. The woman could reach inside of his chest and stroke his heart. Having her here should be a trespass, but instead, he liked her company. He wanted to hold her, but he couldn’t allow his wall to drop. He pulled back.

“Why did you
tug away?” Her curious gaze broke through him.

“B
ecause I want to kiss you,” he admitted.

“Would that be so wrong?”

“In my book, yes. You’re hurt.” He pushed his hands into his front pockets.

“I have a
couple of bruises. I’m fine. I’ve had worse injuries while dancing.”

The light of the fir
e cast a golden hue to her skin. Pure radiance. “Doc said you needed rest.”

“And like you said, what does he know? He’s a vet,” she said.
Her eyes sparkled, beckoning him.

“I was only teasing him
.”

****

Peyton looked across the room at Dillon, his hands were wrist deep in his pockets and he shuffled his booted feet. The man had a lot on his mind.

Before she thought
about her next move—or any move for that matter—she dropped the blanket from her shoulders and went to him. His eyes were on her, warm and willing. Touching his cheek, the stubble of his beard scraped against her sensitive fingers. More than anything, she wanted to soothe him, but at the same time, she couldn’t deny she ached to sink into his arms. It’d been too long.

“Why
did you come, Peyton? Truly why?” His voice was like a soft breeze to her heated thoughts.

“I c
are, Dillon. Maybe I shouldn’t without knowing where your heart is when it comes to Cassie, but heaven help me, I can’t stand to think of you hurting.” She’d just divulged so much in a short sentence. Vulnerability snaked its way through her. Yet, she knew here was where she belonged.

“Cassie is a blip on the map of my history.
That’s all. Believe me.”

“
Tonight I want to feel you all around me,” she whispered.

He
stepped closer, cupping her face. “You are beautiful.” Warm chills spiraled through her as his breath swept across her neck. She whimpered in need. Every nerve ending came to alert, especially the profound ones between her legs. Her clit throbbed and the moist lips grew wetter.

Sa
ying she cared for him didn’t quite match the true feelings inside her heart. Maybe all she had was here and now with no future on the horizon. Would she change her mind?
Not in a million years.
She’d still want him to make love with her—to touch her in all the delicate places with his magic stroke. If this could only last one night, then she wanted to experience everything.

His lips lowered to the dip between her neck and collarbone, the tip of his
tongue slid out to moisten her skin, leaving a slick pathway. Her breathing stopped as she absorbed the feeling, the scent, the waves of heat. Moving her chin, she gave him better access to all of the parts that longed for his attention. Her nipples ached and her breasts throbbed with a desire sparked by wanting him. He slightly moved and his beard scraped against one breast as she sucked in a quick breath. His mouth grew closer… “Dillon…”

“You smell delectable,” he whispered against her skin.

She brought her hands up and threaded her fingers through his hair, clinging to him. Worry melted away as a feeling unlike any other floated through her. His mouth fell on hers and she ran her tongue along the curve of his. He tasted good and she wanted more and more. She gasped as his teeth scraped her bottom lip and tingles burst through her body. His tongue plunged in and out of her mouth, dipping and teasing, sampling and leaving sweet promises.

His hand slipped inside of
her shirt and cupped her breast, flicking the nipple underneath the pad of his thumb. She arched, wanting all of his devotion on that part of her. Her core seared with desire and juices soaked her panties.

“You’re fu
cking hot,” he growled. He clenched the hard nipple between his fingers, gently squeezing and tugging. The heavenly attention made her insides throb as she dropped her hands to his brawny back, scraping his skin through the material of his shirt.

“
Please, put your mouth on me,” she begged. The smile he gave her told her she wouldn’t have to ask twice. He grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head then made quick haste in removing the bra. Barrier gone, he dropped his head and suckled the nipple, dragging the skin deeper into his mouth, circling his tongue across the sensitive nub. A groan echoed in the room and she realized the sound had come from her, from a place where only Dillon had reached. Skilled at lovemaking, she knew he’d take her to new place.

Peyto
n closed her eyes, rejoicing in the sweet sea of torture. As the scorching grew between her legs, she lifted her hips and felt the bulge behind his zipper. She wanted his hard cock deep inside, pounding her flesh until release came. Opening her eyes, she stared up into the lines of his face. She loved how her broad shouldered cowboy could work miracles with her body.

Her cowboy?

She wanted him as her cowboy…

The
thought faded as he took the other nipple into his mouth, playing a game of how much he could fit inside of his mouth. This was as close to heaven she’d ever be on earth.

The pleasure became too much to handle. A red-hot flame
burned her insides, sizzling logical reasoning. “I love you.” The words penetrated the air and for a mere second, she stiffened, realizing what she’d said. If he’d heard, he didn’t acknowledge her slip of tongue. He continued his action on her breasts.

His hand moved to his waist and she heard the clang of his belt buckle and the unzipping of his jeans. His hand moved fast between their bodies. “Touch me,” he said in urgency.

Without hesitation, she found him and wrapped her fingers around his erection. The iron smoothness grew against her palm as she pumped the muscle. She barely processed when her jeans were loose and pulled down to her knees. He gently removed her hand, his breath ragged in her ears, as he guided his tip against her moist sheath. He pressed, sliding inside of her, filling her. Then came a powerful thrust that buried his cock deep within and she bucked her hips. He possessed her as the feelings tripled and threatened to rupture like flames. She clawed at his shirt, dragging it upward on his body, across his shoulders, wanting skin contact. Her nails marked him, claiming him…

An orgasm washed over her as
she closed her eyes and rode the wave.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

DILLON AWOKE WITH
Peyton beside him, her head lying in the crook of his arm. Her naked breasts pressed against his chest and one long, shapely leg stretched across his stomach. He could feel the heat radiating from her core. His dick jerked and came alive. He couldn’t wake her, not yet. He wanted to watch her sleep.