by Em Petrova
“Maybe you’re right,” he said.
She nodded. Then her face lit up, and he looked around to see Zayden walking over. She jumped up to put her arms around him, and Dane stood too.
“What are you two talkin’ about?”
“The weather,” Esme said with a smile at Dane.
Zayden embraced his woman, and Dane took that as his cue to give them some privacy.
“I’ll be in the truck. Take your time, bro. Bye, Esme. Thanks for the chat.”
She smiled wider at him. “Always here for you.”
As he walked to the truck, he played over their discussion in his mind. Some made sense, some not so much. Either way, he had a lot to think about. Maybe after his meeting tonight, he’d head up to Brennah’s place and feel her out before making any confessions.
When he reached for the truck door handle, someone called out his name. He pivoted to see an old acquaintance, Charlie, striding his way.
He turned to clasp hands with the guy. “Good to see ya, Charlie.”
“You too. You waitin’ on your brother?”
“Yeah, he’s spending time with his fiancée during her break and we ran some errands.”
Charlie looked him over. “Looks like you just came from a job too.”
He glanced at his rumbled, grubby clothes. “Yeah, just cut down a pine down the street. What are you up to these days?”
“Gettin’ things ready for the fair. Got a horse and a steer registered.”
“That’s great.”
He nodded. “Was just up at the vet clinic too.”
His heart juddered. “Oh?”
“My girlfriend’s a vet tech there.”
“So she works with Dr. Peterson.” His mouth worked over the syllables of her name…Brennah.
“Yeah, just spoke with her. I was takin’ a pair of hogs to the fair for her. But she just registered a stallion too—”
“Stallion?”
“Yeah, says she might as well see if he can win anything and earn some cash if there’s a buyer.”
Dane stopped breathing. His chest burned like someone had lit a match and tossed it into a well of gasoline. She was taking the stallion? After telling him she couldn’t let him go? What changed her mind?
It hit him hard. The interview. She’s gonna sell out and leave Stokes.
Leave everything behind.
Leave me.
* * * * *
Brennah swallowed the anxiety bubbling up her throat and opened the church door. She peered inside, expecting to see the space dim and filled with dusty pews. But to her surprise, the interior glowed with light.
She stepped in and let the door close behind her. Then she followed the sound of voices into a hallway.
Never in her life had she considered attending a meeting to work through her feelings about her mother’s drinking. It was high time she dealt with all of it. If she wanted to move on—and she did—then she must have enough knowledge and support to walk that path.
She stopped outside a smaller room off the hallway. When she poked her head inside, she saw people seated in folding chairs and a speaker at the front of the room. She quietly walked in—then her heart somersaulted.
Dane.
How had she missed the cowboy at first glance? Emotions rushed up, and love swallowed her. He tried—and put forth his best effort. And she loved and respected him even more after seeing him here.
She slipped into the empty seat next to him. He didn’t look up at her. The speaker went on, telling a story about his own past.
Pulse pounding in her ears, Brennah reached a hand across the distance between her and the man she loved. When her fingers brushed his hand, he jerked his head up.
His gaze pierced her, and then his eyes slipped shut. His throat worked, and she continued to stare at him until he opened his eyes once more.
Without a word, he closed his hand around hers, flexing his fingers tight. She gripped him just as hard. And together, they turned their attention to the speaker.
When the meeting wrapped up, he stood quickly and pulled her to her feet. “Let’s get outta here.” The gruff tone prickled her senses.
She nodded and allowed him to tow her out of the church and into the dark parking lot. She turned to him. “Dane—”
He kissed her—hard. She gasped at the feel of the cowboy taking charge and moved to put her arms around him, but he stepped back.
“What are you doin’ here?” He searched her eyes.
“I’ve been meaning to attend a meeting, as the child of an alcoholic. But I haven’t gotten a chance ’til now. I’m always working during the meeting times.”
“You’re so damn strong.”
Tears sprang to her eyes. “I was thinking the same about you, Dane.”
Threading his fingers into her hair, he stared down at her. “Can I follow you home?” His voice sounded as though he’d gargled nails.
“I was hoping you’d want to.”
They reluctantly separated to get into their vehicles—he drove an old pickup—and she led the way to her place. Just glancing in her rearview and seeing Dane behind her gave her heart a flutter, and her breasts ached for his touch.
What heat lived between them wouldn’t leave anytime soon, if ever. And she planned to tell him how she felt—tonight.
As soon as she turned into the driveway leading home, the jitters hit. Her stomach bottomed out. Love words lay thick on her tongue. How would she keep from scaring him away?
After parking, she got out and grabbed her handbag. Dane drove up next to her SUV and cut the engine. She stood there for a moment, unsure whether to cry or rejoice at what may come.
The darkness combined with the shadow of his hat brim concealed his face from her as he climbed out of the truck and shut the door. It didn’t close the first try, and he shook his head. “This old clunker is more trouble than it’s worth.”
She gave a feeble attempt at a smile. With her heart pounding a mile a minute, she couldn’t think of anything but getting this conversation over with.
Facing each other, neither spoke.
“Well, come in,” she said quietly.
“I’d like that.”
Surely that boded well for the state of her heart, right? If he looked forward to being alone with her, his aim couldn’t be to walk out of her life forever.
She unlocked the front door and the songbirds twittered in greeting.
“They sound kinda pretty,” he said.
“I’m growing fond of them. I might decide to keep them.” She turned on the light. A warm glow bathed the room—and magnified Dane’s rugged beauty. Hardly able to think about anything but having her arms around him and his lips on hers, she set aside her handbag and stepped up to the birdcage.
Silence stretched.
When she finally got the guts to turn to him, she found him staring down at her, an odd expression on his face.
“Brennah, I got somethin’ to say.”
Here it comes.
She swallowed.
A huge banging noise outside on the lawn jerked them apart.
“Yeeehawwwww!” The holler had them both rushing to the door. Dane ran out, throwing his arm to the side.
“Get back inside. Let me handle it.”
“What is it?” she asked, frantically peering into the darkness.
“Dunno. Could be trouble.”
Her first thought was young kids making mischief. Then she remembered what Dane had told her about her field possibly being burned by the debtor he owed.
She ran back in for the baseball bat by the front door and joined him in the yard.
“Dammit, woman, I told ya to go back in.”
“It’s my property.”
Another commotion echoed to them, along with a second cry.
Dane set off toward the ruckus, and she ran at his heels, bat at the ready. What Dane couldn’t do with his fists, she’d finish with the help of her Louisville Slugger.
They circled the barn and followed
some loud cursing to the llama pen.
“Oh God.” The pen door was open, and while some llamas gathered in a corner of the pen, one remained missing.
“Stay here, Brennah.” Dane took off. Seconds later, she heard him say, “Jesus Christ. Asher, what the fuck?”
She blinked at the name. His brother? The third Moon?
“Look! I always wanted to ride a buckin’ bronco. This is even better—more neck to hang on to!”
She walked out to see a man clinging to the back of one of her llamas. Oh, this won’t be good.
* * * * *
What kind of friggin’ idiot tried to ride a llama? His brother Asher, that was who.
Dane lunged forward just as the poor creature bolted across the yard with Asher bouncing on it. They only got a few steps before Asher hit the dirt and rolled.
The llama ran off into the night.
“Dammit, look what you did!” Dane took off after the animal, but he’d chased them down once before and knew this time wouldn’t be any easier. His best chance would be to run at the llama and hope to chase her into the pen again.
“Hell.” He hit a spot of uneven ground and nearly rolled ass over boots. Somehow he managed to stay on his feet, but that near miss only pissed him off further. When he got hold of his brother, he’d wring his damn neck.
The llama bolted past Dane’s vision, and he lunged forward, using his body to herd her toward the pen.
“Shut her in when she passes the gate, Brennah!” he ordered in a bellow.
“I got it!” A second later, he heard the heavy clang of the metal gate closing.
His chest heaved with the sudden exercise and burst of adrenaline—and a fair share of anger about to be directed at his brother.
The figure crumpled in the dirt attempted to get to his feet as Dane came near. Asher stretched to his full height, and then he folded in half with laughter.
“Did you see that, man? I always knew you could ride a llama! Remember, when we were kids we made bets about it?”
“Shut up, Ash. What the hell are you doing here? And why in the world would you try to ride a llama?”
“Mimi said you were over here at the old Connally place. I came to find ya, and I saw the llamas just standin’ there all pretty. Well, I got the urge and—”
“Jesus. You’re such an idiot. Are you drunk?”
“No.”
“High?”
“Hell no. Just wanted a laugh and a bit of fun with my brother I haven’t seen in how many years now? Four? Guess you lost your sense of humor along the way, though.” Asher stuffed his hat down on his head and looked at Dane through the darkness.
He shook his head. “Go back to the ranch, Asher. I’ve got something to do here, and I’ll see ya later. All right?”
“We aren’t celebratin’ then?”
“Not tonight. And not in the way you probably want to. Go on home.”
With a huff of irritation, Asher started walking. Then he pivoted and walking backward, called out to Brennah. “Sorry about your llamas, lady.”
She didn’t respond. Great—just as Dane decided to spill everything in his heart for Brennah, his dumbass brother showed up with one of his famous escapades and left her wondering why she’d ever given the Moons the time of day.
Closing his hands into fists, he watched his brother cut across the field back toward home until the darkness swallowed him.
Brennah moved up beside him. “Haven’t seen Asher in years.”
“Uh-huh. Fucking asshole. I’m sorry, Brennah.”
“No harm done.”
“Yeah, but he could have let them all out to roam the countryside and then we’d be chasing them for a week. Are you sure he didn’t hurt the one he managed to jump on?”
“I don’t think so. They’re sturdy. I’d be more concerned about him breaking a bone or getting a concussion.”
He grunted. “Concussion might calm him down and rattle his brains into the right order.” Turning to her, he burned to take her hands and give her all the love words trapped inside him.
“Dane…”
“I wanted to say some things to you, but I’m not sure now’s the time.”
“Why? We’re alone. Just get it over with.”
He blinked. “Get it over with?” What did she imagine he was about to say?
“Yeah, if you’re going to tell me you can’t see me anymore, then just say it. I’m dying inside, and the waiting is making things worse.”
He choked on his words. “Can’t see you anymore? Christ, Brennah.” He grabbed her up, yanking her tight against his body and leaning over her until she tipped her head back to see him.
In the moonlight, her eyes glittered. “Dane, what are you doing?”
“Tryin’ to tell you how I feel about you, woman.”
She sucked in a breath. “How do you feel about me?”
“I’m in love with you.” The simple statement falling from his lips didn’t feel as foreign as he expected. In fact, speaking the words felt like freedom—like a horse galloping wild across the fields or a bird soaring over the mountaintop.
“You…”
“Love you. Fuck, I never knew how good I’d feel to say those words.” He threw his head back and roared to the sky, “I love her! I want this woman, and I will do anything in my power to keep her!”
A choked noise left her. She slid her hand around his nape, directing his attention back to her. “Dane! You’re serious?”
He stamped his mouth over hers, hard, claiming. When he tore away, he studied her shocked expression. Hell—she might not return the sentiment.
“Brennah, how do you feel about me? Tell me. Please don’t hold back. If you think I’m in way out of my league, I believe you. I think the same thing. But if there’s even a glimmer of hope that you could feel something for me…”
“Oh my God. Dane, I’m in love with you too. I haven’t been able to stay away from you. At first I thought it was my childhood crush on you.”
“You had a crush on me?”
“Big time. Then I thought my obsession with you might be hormones—”
“Hormones?”
“Yeah, like I’m single, alone and in the prime of my childbearing years. It’s biology.” She let out a feminine groan that had his cock stretching in his jeans. “Then I wondered if I might be drawn to you because of my past. That I’m pulled to someone who had a similar upbringing as I had with my mother.”
“Fucking hell, Brennah.”
“Shh.” She slapped her hand over his lips. “None of those reasons are true. I’ve thought and thought about them, examined them from every angle. And the only thing I can come up with is that I love you for you—the man you are and the man you strive to be.”
He couldn’t get enough air. Or enough of her.
Words fled his mind, and all he could think about was having her wrapped around him, making her feel good and hearing all the squeaks of pleasure escaping her lips.
He bent to her mouth. And she returned the kiss stroke for stroke.
* * * * *
The scent of man filled Brennah’s head. Her fingertips prickled, and she twisted them in the sheets. A rough jaw scraped over her breasts, and her breath hitched. Then the sensations vanished but continued to linger in her dreams.
Next thing she knew, the good smell of frying eggs reached through the sleep fog and shook her awake.
She sat up in bed and looked around. Daylight streamed through her curtains in the east-facing bedroom. Her bed sat empty, but the rumpled sheets indicated where Dane had laid beside her all night long.
Now her nose detected that he stood at the stove, frying a hearty cowboy’s breakfast.
Smiling, she climbed out of bed and spotted his T-shirt still laying discarded on the floor. She picked the garment up and put it on, wrapping herself in his masculine scent all over again.
She quickly went into the bathroom to brush her teeth, and one glance at her happy expression told her that confe
ssing her love to Dane was the best decision she’d made in a while.
Still smiling, she walked into the kitchen to a view like no other—the broad back of a cowboy wearing only boxer shorts, flipper in hand and a plate in the other as he settled two sunny-side-ups on the dish.
A small shiver of excitement coursed through her body. She stepped up to him and wrapped her arms around his middle, pressing her cheek to his muscled back.
“Mm. Mornin’, baby doll. Hope you’re hungry.”
“I am. I used all the energy I had last night.”
He tossed her a look over his shoulder, a grin on his face. “You sure did. Here, sit down and I’ll get your toast ready.”
“Has anyone ever told you how amazing you are?”
“They could try but I won’t believe it.” That crooked smile felt like a prize for her efforts, one she hoped to win every chance she got.
She went to pour herself coffee and then drifted to the table just as Dane put the finishing touch on her toast with a smear of jam.
“All you got is store-bought strawberry jam,” he said.
She blinked at him over her coffee mug. “What else is there?”
“Mimi’s homemade jam. I’ll see if she’s got some extra to bring up here. I’m not eatin’ that sugary mess.” He set the plate before her.
“Oh, but you’ll let me eat it,” she teased.
“Well, you bought the stuff.” He chuckled and moved to the stove once again, where he cracked four eggs into the sizzling pan. “We got eggs a-plenty at the ranch too. Mimi’s chickens are layin’ like crazy. I’ll bring some of those too.”
“You’ll have to if you’re eating four a day.”
He sliced a look her way. She cut a bit of egg and brought her fork to her mouth.
“You cooked this perfectly.”
“What did you expect? I told ya I got my start with rabbit and squirrel. Eggs and steak are easy after that.” He winked and while she ate, she watched him complete his own breakfast.
He sat next to her, gazing at her for a long moment.
“Do I have egg on my face?”
He shook his head. “No. You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen this morning. And you look hot as hell wearin’ my T-shirt.” He bit into his toast.
Heat covered her cheeks but quickly spread much lower, so she had to clamp her thighs together beneath the table.
