Second Dance Cowboy (Second Chance) (23 page)

Some men just aren’t
meant for forever…

****

Dillon and Deckland were going over paperwork at the kitchen table when Deckland stood up. “I n
eed a break. My eyes are crossing. Want a beer?”

“No. Alcohol an
d numbers don’t mix, Deck.”

“Suit yourself, I’ll risk it.” Deckland went to the
fridge, took out a bottle and twisted the top.

“I see why you need my help. You hate the paperwork,” Dillon said with a smirk.

“Ain’t that the truth. I’ve never been a bookkeeper,” he said over top of the bottle. “What the hell are we going to do when you get married?”

That brought
Dillon’s head up. “How many of those have you had?” He knew Deckland never drank more than one or two.

“This is my first. A
nd don’t pretend it won’t happen. You’ll marry before Dante and I do.”

Dillon dropped his pen and
pushed his chair back on two legs, wishing he’d taken the beer now, but once he did he’d fall asleep. He’d slept like crap for the last week. He didn’t have time to sleep—or to dream about beautiful dancers, one in particular.

“Why do you keep fighting your feelings for Peyton?” Deckland drained his bottle and threw it into the
trash.

“I’m not fighting anything. And why do you always think my life is an open book to you?” He rubbed
his tired eyes with the back of his hand.

“Bettie said you and Peyton had a spat and y
ou haven’t called her.”

“This
is the problem with rumors. The story is screwed. Peyton and I didn’t have a spat, and I’m not calling her because she has enough going on at the moment. Sometimes a person needs alone time so they can figure things out for themselves. Get the hint, brother?” Dillon dropped his chair back to four legs and got up.

“The last thing
you
need is alone time. You’re too old to run away when things get too heavy.”

His brother’s words smacked Dillon in the face. “What the
hell are you saying?”

Deckland shrugged and leaned his elbows on the table. “The trut
h. Cassie broke up with you, and then you ran off and worked for some rancher when I could have used you here.”

“Are you going to hold tha
t against me? I get that you’re pissed off.”

“You bet your ass I am. Family don’t leave family.”

Dillon sighed and braced his hands on the counter. “If you say so, but only one of us here is a true Brooke.” Once the words slipped out, he knew he’d made a mistake. He heard rustling but not soon enough for him to react. Deckland’s grip was on him in a flash and all Dillon could do was go along with the flow. Deckland pulled him around, his nostrils flared and his lips thinned.

“Don’t you ever, ever say those words again. Not only are you feeling sorry for yourself but
you’re hurting me too. You’re my brother. You belong here with your family. Mom and Dad loved you just as much, if not more, than all of us. “

“Okay
, I hear you.” Dillon brought his hands up in surrender. “I won’t say it again.” Dillon had gotten his ass kicked by Deckland many times in the past, and now Dillon would bet that he could hold his own against the bigger man, or at least give it a good run, but he had too much respect for Deckland. His brother had been there for him when no one else was, and he knew he always would stand by him.

Deckland removed his fists from
Dillon’s shirt and swiped away the wrinkles. “Sorry, brother, but don’t repeat those words.” Deckland turned and started walking away.

“I haven’t called her because I love her,” Dillon blurted.

Deckland stopped midstride, then turned and faced Dillon. “What did you say?”

“I said I love her.” He smoothed his palm across his
forehead, hoping to ease the ache.

“And
you’re not fighting for her because—?” Confusion marked Deckland’s face.

“
I’ve never felt anything like this before. Honestly, it scares the hell out of me. Seeing her ex-husband drove home every single emotion I was feeling.” Dillon had picked up the phone a hundred times since he’d last seen Peyton, yet he’d never followed through. Images of her laughing with Richie, having her family together again, had him jumbled. “I don’t know if she wants her ex back, to have her family again.”

“Y
ou haven’t asked her.” Deckland made a good point.

“Oliver deserv
es to have his father.” Dillon choked back bitterness. He knew in his heart they both deserved better. Peyton had told him how absent Richie had been over the years. A father would never leave his kid, just as his dad had been there for him, although he could have easily shunned him. A father is made of actions, nurturing, love and discipline—everything John had given his sons. Never once had Dillon suspected that John wasn’t his father, and that’s because never once had his dad showed any difference or clue that a mistake had been made long ago.

And his father had always lo
ved his mother, even though it wasn’t a perfect romance or relationship.

His father
fought for what he wanted, even with the risk of pain.

         
“I’ve got to go, Deckland. I have something I need to do.” He vaguely heard his brother say something as he shut the door behind him.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

PEYTON PUSHED PLAY on the stereo, music filled the space of the studio as seven pre-teens showed off the routine they’d been working on for months. She examined each dance move, watching closely for the progress. Delighted, she clapped her hands. “Very good, ladies.” Pride burst inside of her chest.

One by one, each girl stopped moving as their expressions
changed from surprise to confusion to giggles. Jumbled, Peyton asked, “What’s wrong?”

Megan, the oldest of the girls, pointed a finger to
ward the door. Peyton swung around just as the music ended. Her heart skipped a beat and many sensations surged through her body. “Dillon, what are you doing here?” She attempted to keep the bitterness from her tone, knowing she had young listeners.

“I need to talk to you.
” He took a step forward.

“I’m busy. I’m teaching a class.”

“Can you take a break?”

Was he serious? “I’ll be finished in a half hour.”

“It won’t wait.”

“It’ll have to.” She darted to the
stereo and searched for the next song.

His heat reached her before he did. His hand on her elbow made her slightly jump. “Please.”

“Let me get this straight.” She lowered her voice and tossed a look over her shoulder at all of the girls staring. “You haven’t called me in a week and now, because it suits you, you want to speak to me? If you’re not a paying customer then you need to leave the studio. I have work to do.” She hissed. The music started and she turned her back on him.
How dare him!

From the corner of her eye, she saw him reach into his pocket and pull out something.
His wallet!
“What are you doing?” she murmured between clenched teeth.

He dug
in and pulled out several bills, laying them next to the stereo. “Okay, now I’m a paying customer.”

Shock numbed her thoughts
. It took her a good ten seconds to come to grips. “This won’t work. This is an advanced class for pre-teen girls,” she snapped.

“I’
ll do my best, but I won’t leave here until you and I have talked.” He moved across the floor, taking a place in the front row, which got another round of giggles from the girls. “You don’t care if I join do you?” he asked Chastity who stood on his left. She immediately shook her head, sending curls bobbing about her flushed cheeks. Peyton huffed. Even young girls weren’t immune to his charm.

“Take it from the top
, girls,” Peyton yelled in a trembling voice. They stood staring at each other, not sure how they should respond. “Start,” she demanded.

Megan began her routine
, followed by another until they all were dancing.  Dillon took a step back and followed the front row. He made a very good effort, but the routine ended with the girls bursting into laughter.

“This is a
circus!” Peyton stomped to the stereo and punched stop. Turning on Dillon, she lifted her chin and stiffened her spine. “You!” She pointed her forefinger at him. “Outside in the hall.”

The group quieted. Peyton heard on
e of them say, “Uh-oh, you’re in trouble. You’ve made Miss Peyton mad.”

Once
away from peering eyes, she stuck her finger into his chest. “What are you doing? Are you crazy?”

“I told you I need to
speak to you,” he whispered.

She inhaled deeply and got
a healthy dose of musk soap— instantly she was dizzy, in a very good way. She’d dreamt of his touch, his caress, his affection. Yet, her stubborn side reminded her that he’d disappeared and it was unacceptable. “It’ll have to wait.”

“No it won’t. I’m sorry
that I haven’t called. I’ve been a jackass.”

Crossing her
arms, she looked up at him. “Yes, you have. Vanishing when things get tough doesn’t work!”

“I need you to know that I’m going to fight for you. Your ex is your ex for a reason.”

Had she heard right? “Why do you want to fight?”

“To win you,” he said.

“Before you start looking to punch someone, you should know Richie is gone,” she said.

His jaw loosened.
“He’s gone? And are you okay?”

“I’m better than okay. How could you think any differently?”

He shrugged and she swore she heard a seam rip. “Just as you were curious over my feelings for Cassie.”

He had a point, but it didn’t lessen her anger. “My
relationship with Richie ended years ago. But, your relationship with Cassie ended recently. You came back here for her.”

“You’re wrong. Cassie and I were over long ago. Coming back here wasn’t to get her back, but to keep my brother from making a mistake. Cassie isn’t go
od for anyone.”

“
Still, you disappeared. That tells me all I need to know. What we had, what we shared, was nothing more than a good time. And let me make this clear, I’m no one’s good time girl. If I wanted a relationship like that I’d have stuck it out with Richie.”

“Then it’s
definitely over between you two?” he asked, the area between his brows scrunched.

“
Even if he had decided to stay, I’d still not want anything from him besides being a father to Ollie. And that’s not going to happen. Blood doesn’t make any man a dad.” She sucked back frustration.

“
I want you, Peyton. I also want to be a part of Oliver’s life. What would I do without you? Every part of me loves every part of you. I love the way your eyes twinkle, your soft skin glows, your never-ending smile—as if you’re lit up from inside. I feel like I’m drowning, yet I’m breathing better than I have in as long as I can remember. I’m asking for everything, Peyton. Give it all to me and I promise you’ll have every part of me.”

She
couldn’t get her tongue to move.

“What’s going on in that beautiful min
d of yours?” he asked.

“I—I don’t—know.”

“Is it hard to see that you’re my beginning, my end, my forever? I only started living the moment I came home and saw you again. I adore you. I need you. I want to spend every day with you. Please, say something.”

Her mind swirled. “I’m—
I’m scared.”

“Of what, sweetheart
?” He grabbed her hands, holding them in his large grip. “I’ll never let anything happen. I fell in love with you that night at Starkey’s. He dug into his shirt pocket and withdrew a small back box. “Understand, if you say yes, I’ll never go anywhere. I’ll remain by your side, always.” He opened the lid. A lovely princess cut diamond nested in white silk. “Will you marry me, Peyton?”

“What took you so long?” She fell into his arms, wra
pping her arms around his neck.

“I’ll never go anywhere again. I love you,” he whispered in her ear.

“I love you.”

Their mouths met as
laughter and claps roared from inside the studio. Shouts of, “Go, Miss Peyton” and “Miss Peyton is getting married” made Peyton and Dillon laugh.

“Sweetheart, I’ve got to learn to dance. I want to be your partner in everything,” he whispered next to her ear.

“Our life is a dance. At times a tango. Sometimes dirty. Steady and flexible as ballet. But we’ll always come back to the two-step as we work together. You are a gift, my love.” She kissed his cheek.

“Forever,
darlin’.”

The End

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