Second Song Cowboy (Second Chance) (9 page)

His brother narrowed his gaze. “
Real interesting you have no desire to be with the one chick who you cried over for years.”

“I didn’t cry.”
At least not in front of anyone.

“I don’t think
you ever did get over her. I think after she left it was the longest you’d ever kept your horse corralled.” Deckland chuckled.

Dante groaned.
Why did they have to talk about the past? He should have known the instant Deckland heard that April was back in town, he’d start meddling in Dante’s personal life. “You’re interfering and you know I don’t like you playing matchmaker.” He pushed his chair back onto two legs.

“Is this the first time you’re willing to miss an opportunity to be closer to an attractive female?”

“I don’t think I like you making me out to be desperate, bro. I’m not a womanizer.” Deckland’s brows shot up in accusation. “Okay, I haven’t always made the right choices, but rumors are like snowballs. They get bigger and bigger.”

“I guess all of the ladies needed to find out if the tale
is true.” Deckland took off his hat and rubbed his palm across his forehead.

“And what tale is that, Deck?” Dante asked against better judgment.

“That you’re built like a horse. I’m sure there were a lot of disappointed women over the years.”

“Screw you, Deck
. You’re just jealous.” Dante bit back laughter to keep from encouraging his brother’s absurd humor. “Anyway, I can’t help that I was gifted. But just so we’re clear, I’m not looking to hook up. I’m too busy getting my shit together.” He scratched the thick stubble on his chin.

“Then start this new change
now and take our neighbor some eggs,” Deckland urged.

He hadn’t told Deckland anything about his recent one night with April. Although
, they talked about almost everything else. “No, you be the neighbor in shining armor and take them to April.” Dante shoved them across the table. “And then let’s head over to Shumaker’s and look at the horses he’s getting rid of.”

“I’m busy today. I have to
do some number scrunching before Dillon gets here. You, on the other hand, can take the day off. You’re going to work yourself to death and then who would I have to pick on?”

Dante chuckled
. “Look who’s talking. The man with the heart condition works harder than anyone I know. You keep saying you’re going to take a break, but it hasn’t happened yet.”

“You may be built like a horse, but I’m as strong as one.” Deckland winked. “Still not going to tell me what happened in Houston?”

“
Are you really this much of a nag? Seriously. Nothing happened in Houston. Not anything that matters anyway.” He averted his eyes, knowing his brother would see straight through him if he wasn’t careful.

“
You’re still staying away from Cassie, right?”

Dante exhaled. “Cassie who?”

“Guess that answers my question. Now, the eggs. Take them.” Deckland tapped the box.

“We have a grocery store where she can get all the eggs, and other grocery items, she needs. When did I become her keeper?” Deckland shrugged and turned, but Dante heard the rumble of laughter. “What’s so funny?”

“She’s not back in town for a day before you come crashing in, l
iterally. You caused her to be stuck in the ditch. The least you can do is help out in some way.”

“Yeah,
that’s really funny, bro. You have a warped sense of humor,” he huffed.

“At least I have one,” Deckland said and left the room. Dante could hear him whistling all the way down the hall and into the office.

Dante had done a good job of not thinking about April since he’d dropped her off yesterday—except for the fifteen minutes he was in the shower. And before he’d fallen asleep. Oh, and the dream he had of her. He’d gotten out of bed with a hard-on that even jacking off couldn’t ease. But still, there were some points that he hadn’t thought about her, he just couldn’t think of any at the moment.

Maybe he shouldn’t have told Deckland that she was in town. He should have known his brother w
ould come up with a reason for Dante to visit her. He glanced at the blue carton as if it were a two-headed snake. But eggs of all things? His brother could come up with some hair-brained schemes at times.

The back door opened and Peyton peeked in.
“Any cowboys around?” she yelled.

“Only one, Pey.” She swept through the door, and as always, carried a ray of sunshine with her
, and food. He got a strong whiff of something sweet and his stomach growled.

“Just the
person I was looking for.” Peyton placed her armload of packaged food in the freezer and placed a covered pie plate on the table in front of him.

He lifted the corner of the foil and his mouth salivated. “Is that strawberry pie?” He hadn’t had a slice in years.

“Yes. Dillon told me it’s your favorite.

“You’re spoiling me.” He had a feeling she felt sorry for him
, but he wouldn’t pass up a pie.

“
I also brought mac and cheese, lasagna and corn casserole. Throw the meals into the microwave and nuke them on high for five minutes. Easy.”

He c
huckled. “Just because you’re married to our brother doesn’t mean you’re responsible for me and Deckland.” Although he loved her cooking.

“What are sisters-in-law for?”

“You certainly are the best.” They’d become close over the last few months and she felt a lot like the sister the Brooke men never had. Lord knew they needed a woman’s point of view added in the testosterone mix. “No dance classes today?”

She shook her head, sending tendrils of hair falling from her bun. “I
had one earlier and I’m done for the day. Jessica will be fine without me this afternoon.”

“So, tell me
the update. How’s the house coming?” Peyton and Dillon were in the final stages of building a house on her Uncle Marty’s land.

Her
exasperated sigh echoed off the walls. She dragged a chair out from the table and plopped down. “If I’d known it would be this frustrating, I’d have decided to stay in the farmhouse. Thankfully, we’re only looking at another few months.” She rolled her eyes. “Dillon and I got into an argument over a toilet. Can you believe it? A toilet for heaven’s sake! He wants extravagant and I’m looking at function. I’m used to penny pinching.”

“
He does spend a lot more time on the toilet than you, I’m sure.” Dante pointed out. She nodded. “And no, you wouldn’t have stayed in your Uncle Marty’s house. You love your privacy too much.”

Peyton thrummed her fingers across the table. “Okay, I do. But the biggest reason that Dillon and I decided to build our own place was because I
feel Betty and my uncle need as much seclusion as my husband and I do. Uncle Marty doesn’t need me watching over him like he once did now that he has a companion. I’ll have my own space, my own house, but be close enough if they need anything.”

“
Aren’t you really saying that since Aunt Betty moved in with Marty they’re like teenagers having wild and crazy sex?” Once upon a time, her cheeks would have flushed, but she was comfortable now that she’d gotten to know him.

“Well, just between the two of us, I think Uncle Marty is a spring chicken again. Betty has done wonders for him, I’ll give her that.
However, I’d rather not hear activities through the thin walls of a bedroom. And, Ollie doesn’t need to either.” She tucked her bottom lip between her teeth and then smiled. “Speaking of which, guess what I found underneath my son’s mattress last week?”

“
A nudie magazine?” He arched a brow.

“H
e wishes he had an entire magazine. I found a picture of a naked woman.” Her cheeks did redden now. “Dillon told me not to worry. He said this is normal for a boy who is maturing.”

Dante winked. “Trust me, it is. How did you handle it?”

“I traded the nude picture with one of Ollie and me when he was toddler.” A worried expression swept over her features. “Do you think I did the right thing?”

“You’ve probably scarred the boy for life.” He held back another round of laughter.

Her eyes widened and one corner of her mouth lowered. “Really? You think so?”

“No, but it probably did keep the tro
oper from standing to alert for a few days, if you know what I mean. How did he act when he found the new picture?” He couldn’t wait to hear the boy’s response. He’d gotten to know Oliver pretty well and Dante knew he was a great young fellow.

“He didn’t say a word, but that night during dinner he sat with a red face.”

“Maybe Dillon should have a talk with the boy, explain how the pipes work.”

Peyton sighed.
“That’s planned tonight. Thank goodness, I don’t have to. I would, but it’d be very awkward.” She stood up. “Well, I’ve got to run. You and Deckland are coming to dinner next week. I won’t take no for an answer.”

“Like I’d say no
to one of your meals.”

Hand on door, she turned and looked over her shoulder. “Is Cassie still persistent with her calls?”

“A few here and there. Everyone seems concerned about my past love life.” He wondered if Deckland had mentioned something to Peyton.

“Because we care and she’s evil.”

Once Peyton was gone, Dante’s gaze involuntarily fell to the carton of eggs. They drew his attention like a blaring neon sign.

Hell, no! He wouldn’t do it.

He refused to visit April any time soon. Although, it was killing him knowing that she was only a mile away.

Chapter Seven

APRIL FINISHED SCRUBBING
the bathtub and went downstairs. Hearing pounding in the front yard, her heart skipped a beat. She looked outside, saw sexy in Wranglers and cowboy hat, and her nether lips trembled. Dante was hammering a board on the broken fence. Moving away from the window, she leaned against the wall and managed her breathing.

What
is he doing here?
Besides pounding my fence?

She’d planned on seeing him later this evening, if she
’d mustered up enough bravery. All morning she’d thought about how she’d talk to him, rolling her words on a reel through her mind. The more she debated on what she’d say the more complicated things seemed to get. She couldn’t hide forever. Taking a deep breath and exhaling, she took a step.

From her perch at the screen door, she watched a
s the hammer lifted then came down as his bicep bulged. How could one man look so good holding a tool? Waves of heat rushed through her veins as her panties moistened. How could she be so horny? She blamed it on her whacked-out hormones.

The last thing she
needed was Dante hanging out here making her feel all woozy and sex-starved—except, she
was
sex-starved—it was just that he happened to make it feel a lot like torment rather than a mere inconvenience of not having a partner.

All of her crazy
wishes thrashing around inside of her body was his fault! Since he’d popped back into her life, everything had turned upside down. The night of hot lovemaking in Houston, the baby, the confusion spiraling through her…

Without thinking of consequences, she
darted out of the door and stomped off the porch toward him, ready to send him packing, hammer and all. It didn’t matter that she needed help, or that she carried his child. She’d hire someone eventually. Someone who didn’t share history with her and make her feel all disjointed and hormonal when he was near.

He must have sensed she was coming because his arm stopped mid-air and his chin came around. His
warm gaze connected with hers and every nerve ending squirmed. Damn that man! “What are you doing?” she asked. The sun beat down on her shoulders, making her feel lightheaded.

“
What does it look like I’m doing?” One corner of his mouth curved. His smile was toxic and he knew how to use it as a weapon.

Could a
cowboy get any cockier?

“But why? Don’t you have enough fences to mend over at that big ranch of yours?”

“Working here today wasn’t my intention, truly.” He dropped the hammer to the ground and swiped his arm across his sweaty brow.

Her
gaze fell to his smooth, slick chest and across bulging biceps exposed by the unbuttoned, sleeveless shirt. It should be illegal that one man was this virile. She swallowed the tightness in her throat and slightly shook her head, hoping it’d jar her thoughts back on track. “If fixing my fence wasn’t your intention then what, pray tell, brought you out here?”

“Eggs,
” he mumbled.

“
Well, that’s not—wait, did you say eggs?”

Nodding, he
took off toward his truck. She dropped her gaze to his bottom and rolled the tip of her tongue along her bottom lip. By the time he came back, her eyes were glued on his face. “Deckland sent these. He felt I should do something nice after the accident.” He thrust out the offering.