Second Round Cowboy (Second Chance Series) (19 page)

Dropping
the glasses into the soapy water, she washed them with the scrubber then dunked them in the rinse water, staring out of the window into the field.

Stryker’s bright blue eyes and confident swagger came to her and she felt a twist in her heart. He belonged with her, and she belonged with him. Deep inside the fact screamed at her.
Denying it would only cause greater pain.

Finishing the dishes, she dried her hands off on the towel. She had some apologizing to do.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Leslie pulled up in front of the two-story white house at Mason Ranch and Stryker appeared at the screen door. Had he been watching for her? It was the first time she’d seen him since Duke and Lila’s wedding. She’d called and apologized, and he’d accepted it, but she had a feeling things weren’t smoothed over just yet.

        The door opened and he strolled out. As he moved closer, h
er stomach fluttered and shards of electricity sprung through her veins.

Climbing out of the
truck, she shivered in anticipation. Stryker moved toward her, his beefy shoulders coiled under a black T-shirt. He was sex appeal in worn jeans and boots.

Gaining in distance, he pushed his hat back on his forehead and caught her with a baby-blue gaze.

If she’d had a tail, it’d been wagging.

“Hi
, Lesi.” His husky tone washed over her as his eyes skimmed downward along the aching curves of her body. His heated gaze stopped at her breasts and when she inhaled, they almost fell out of her shirt. “Hi.” Her voice shook.

“Before we make it inside we’re going to talk.”

He got closer and she could smell him. The tweak of her senses brought more memories flooding in. Naked bodies pressed together, mouths suckling and exploring, entwining… “Okay.” She had to force her tongue to work.

He leaned against the door of her truck, crossing his ankles and tucking his hands into his pockets. Time seemed to slip away as they stared. Finally, he broke the silence. “I understand you have a job. Your career helps complete you. Although we both said we’re sorry for the argument, I know we still need to clear the air.”

“I agree.”

“I really am sorry that things got heated.” His brows scrunched.

She curled around everything he said. “Me too.”

“I’ve been terrified out of my mind.” She knew it took a great deal for him to tell her those words. A man like Stryker didn’t easily confess his fears. “When you get scared, you run.”

She took a step back as her breath whooshed out of her. “How do I defend myself?”

“I’m not asking you to. I’m only telling you my feelings.”

He took off his hat and smoothed his fingers along the thick locks. Heat cocooned in the pit of her stomach and she wished she could splash it away. “I’m not running.”

He pushed away from the truck. His eyes clouded with concern. “I hope not.”

Her throat clogged and her eyes filled with hot tears. She wouldn’t go there. Straightening her spine, she blinked back the moisture. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

A tagged breath escaped his lips. “
One hundred percent.”

His voice lapped over her like salve to a wound. “Then that makes two of us.”

“So, we’re good, right?” he asked.

“Better than good.”

“Then let’s get inside. I made dinner. Grilled steaks and baked sweet potatoes.”

Her mouth salivated. “I’m starving.”

“Then you’ve come to the right place. I hear the best way to get to a woman’s heart is through her stomach.” He wiggled his brows.

“I like that.” Together they
walked into the house.

****

AFTER DINNER, LILLY played on the floor in the living room while Stryker sat with Leslie on the couch. As they planned for their wedding, she jotted down a list of things to do.

    
“Are you sure you’re okay with a small wedding?” Stryker asked as he stared into her soft blue gaze.

With a nod, she swept back a lock of loose hair that had found
its way free of her ponytail. “Yes, I am. I promise.”

He wasn’t sure whether to
believe her or not. He thought all women, from the time they were little girls, dreamt of their wedding with all of the bling and pizzazz. He knew his sister had always talked about that “big day.” Unfortunately it never came. He didn’t want Leslie to miss out on something she really wanted.

“Anyway, it’s not like this is a traditional wedding.”

“What’s not traditional about it? A wedding is a wedding. No one says you have to give up on the things you want.”

She sighed and the sound seemed to b
ounce off the walls. “We’re marrying for what’s best, right?” Her gaze moved to Lilly.

He hesitated.
“No, that’s not the only reason.” He had yet to tell her what she meant to him. Every time he opened his mouth, something stopped him.

“It’s not?”
She looked at him, or rather through him. “I think that’s very much the reason. And it’s okay. It seems like I’m complaining, but I’m not. I’m walking into this, both feet forward and eyes wide open. I love her and she needs us.”

“T
here are a few things we haven’t discussed yet.” He glanced at Lilly who seemed oblivious to the conversation.

“
I’d say there are
many
things we haven’t touched on yet.” She tucked her legs up under her bottom on the cushion. Her toenails were painted a bright orange this time.

“Th
is is something important.” He had no clue how to approach the subject. His throat seemed to narrow, closing off his air.

“You look like you could v
omit. Why not just spit it out?”

“Come with me.” He took her hand and helped her up from the couch. Together they went into the kitchen.

Now alone, he could talk freely. “We haven’t talked about where we’re living.”

“Can we look at this objectively?”
she asked.

“
Sure we can.” He couldn’t deny he was a little unsure. He knew each of their homesteads were important. When she started folding and refolding the hem of her shirt, he knew she was bothered. “We can talk this through. Once upon a time we were very good at talking.” He hoped she’d relax.

“
Stryke, I know in the end we will be living here, on your ranch.”

He swallowed. His chest burst with relief
, but the feeling didn’t quite reach other parts of his body. He knew she loved Shelby, the place had become her home and where all of her friends lived. “If Shelby is where you want to live, then Lilly and I will come there.”

She looked at him through the fringe of her lashes before shaking her head. “No. I’ve
given this a lot of thought. This is your family’s home. It’s been handed down for generations. Above all, this is Lilly’s home. No matter what I say, how could I justify you two moving to Shelby to my small home in the center of town? There’s barely enough room in the backyard for a swing set, let alone a child who needs to run and play.”

He c
ould see her point—yet still feeling no sense of reward. “I understand that, but you do know that Shelby has other houses. We could find one.”

“You’re b
eing too kind. You know where your heart is.”

“
Yes, yes I do.” And it was scattered at the moment.

“
Then it’s settled.” Her smile was forced.

“Is it really though? Are you going to hate coming back here?” What good would it do
if neither of them were happy?

Her shoulder moved
and the neckline of her shirt dropped, showing off the thin strap of her bra.

They hadn’t made love in a
while. His body reminded him.

He wanted to
unbutton her shorts with his teeth, throw her back onto the counter, and ride her as wild as he had the stallion that afternoon.

Once a man got a good thing he couldn’t get enough of it—and
Leslie, well, she was more than a good thing. She was like a drug and he was a goner. Always had been, so how could he expect it to change now?

“Will you hate me, Lesi?”

“I won’t hate you. Not possible. And I can find another job.”

The disappointment in her voice
struck a nerve in him. “Or, maybe we can travel on the weekends.” The words were out and he wanted more than anything to grab them back.

“What do you mean?” Her brows curved over a curious gaze.

“We could keep both locations. I’ll come there and you can come here.”

“
Is that what you want?” she asked.

Hell no!
“I can’t expect you to give up everything.”

Her chin tilted. “And a long distance relationship
would work?”

He shrugged, hearing a few seams break. “If that makes you happy.
It’s only two hours away, not thousands.”

“I guess I could rearrange my schedule and only work three days a week and then travel here the other
four. A change of work hours wouldn’t hurt.”

So why did he still feel less than s
atisfied? He was a confused man, but at least the smile returned on her lovely face.

“Now, it’s time for Lilly’s bedtime. I read that children her age need at least nine to ten hours
of sleep a night,” Leslie said.

He had to give it to Leslie, her intention was to help Lilly and he appreciated
everything. “I’ll remember that.”

“She also needs lots of fruit and veggies. Eating out is unhealthy.” Leslie placed her hands on her hips. “I’m going to have to go get groceries.”

He watched her walk back into the living room. Leslie sat with Lilly and he watched the twosome. This could easily have been his life if things had been different for him and Leslie. They could have had a family of their own. She seemed to fit here with him and Lilly, things seemed right. His heart raced when he pondered all of the possibilities of the future.

Leslie and Lilly gathered the toys off the floor and placed them in a basket.

Happiness mingled with the sadness in his soul. What had he agreed to with Leslie? A long-distance marriage?

I’m
screwed
.

Lilly ran toward him and wrapped her arms around his legs. He lowered his gaze and his chest tightened at the affection the child gave him. He knelt down, looking into the sweetest blue e
yes and held back the ache of emotion. “Are you ready for bed? You have fantastic dreams of horses, okay?” He didn’t get a response but the hug pacified him.

     
Later, Stryker heard Leslie’s footsteps coming back down the stairs. He looked up from his paperwork as she rounded the corner into the room. “Is she asleep?”

“Two bedtime stories later, yes.” She stopped to stand before him.

Her hips were at eye level and he slowly followed the soft curves encased in tight shorts, skimming each button on her shirt, sweeping across her long neck and to a pair of eyes that attached to him. “Now that’s a look that I’d classify as impish.”

“I hate to interrupt.” She took the papers off his lap and set them on the couch cushion.

“Are you sure you hate it?”

“No, not one bit.”  

Excitement rushed over him as he
she brought her fingers to the top of her shirt and slid the button open. “If you have the time—” Two more unsnapped. “—I’ve been thinking about something.” She released each snap and he licked his lips in anticipation. She shimmied her shoulders, sending the shirt sliding away to reveal her pale mounds of flesh popping out over top of the lace. She certainly knew how to drive him crazy.

“
I can’t wait to hear what’s been tinkering around in your mind.” He had a good idea he’d like where this would lead.

“Remember that trick you showed me the last time we were together?” Her eyes glistened
with mischief.

“Hmm…you might have to refresh my memo
ry.” His finger itched to touch her silken skin, but instead he gripped his thighs and waited for the show.

She took a step back and placed her hands on her waist, rolling her hips.
“The move where I put my legs over your shoulders, our bodies pressed together, and you hold my ass in your palms. Does that ring a bell?”

It became harder to tal
k as his body blocked logic. “Yes, that one. Wow! I reached every part of you and I came so quickly.”

“What would a ride be without flexibility?
” Her words oozed from her lips like honey, and all he wanted to do was lap the sweetness up.

He could no longer wait
. He stood and reached out, grasping her bare waist and tugging her against him. “Flexible and sexy as hell. I wonder if you’d be interested in trying a few other positions.”