Rein finished his beer. “Good. I’ll call Hank and get Clay’s contact information and call him myself to make arrangements. I’ll say he can move in in a couple of weeks?”
Wyatt nodded. “Yeah, and maybe we can get a concrete path laid out in the meantime.”
Dalton nodded, appreciating that the topic had moved forward from the emotional topics of family and the past. He knew how to work hard, play harder—two things he did very well. Handling emotional drama was not his forte. “We’ve got to get that roof up so my niece can sleep in her room without a bunch of noise.” They’d spent the better part of the summer repainting and refurnishing the portion of the house damaged by the fire. Gratefully, End of the Line’s finest volunteer firefighters had managed to contain most of the fire to the back of the house. Still, the completed cabins had come in handy for the family to have places to stay during the reconstruction phase.
Ten cabins—some for single occupation, others for small groups—stretched alongside the creek that flowed a few hundred yards from the barn. A wide asphalt path had been planned to provide guests with a short walk access from the cabins to the main house and everything in-between.
Dalton stood and tucked his dark hair under his hat. He owned a Stetson--several, really-- but he preferred the ratty, old Cubs ball cap. Maybe to be different, maybe because it was all his mother had ever given him. “I’m going to run down to Tyler’s place to make sure he can come out and take another look at the air conditioner and electrical wiring before the girls come home.”
Wyatt grinned.
“What?” Dalton tossed at his brother.
“Nothing, You just said the girls.”
Liberty slid out of the booth and kissed Dalton on the cheek. “You’re just an old softie.”
Dalton grimaced.
Wyatt cleared his throat. “I’m heading back down to Billings to give my girls a kiss goodnight.” He grabbed his hat. “See you all at home in a bit.”
“Guess that leaves you and me, darling. What’ll we do for supper?” Rein asked.
Liberty smiled and pulled him out of the booth. “Take me home and let’s see what we can rustle up.”
Rein glanced at Dalton. “I love it when she goes all cowgirl on me.”
“Spare me.” Dalton shoved Rein’s shoulder, causing him to stumble as they laughed and followed Liberty out the door.
***
A few days had gone by since Angelique had run into Dalton at the hospital, and with work and caring for Emilee, she’d had marginal success in not thinking about how damn good he looked.
Angelique dropped a small bag of groceries in the front seat of her car and looked up in time to see Dalton’s impressive Black F-250 roll up to the gas pumps. His gaze behind those dark sunglasses connected to hers for a brief moment and her memory flooded with a play-by-play of the night they’d met in this very store. As she climbed in the car, she reminded herself of what they’d been through, she and Emilee. Delving into her past with the handsome Kinnison who’d once stolen her heart reeked of trouble. What happened between them shouldn’t have, plain and simple. Had she been smart, she’d have turned down Sally’s invitation to their five-year class reunion in End of the Line. But she’d begged, and Angelique felt the loss of not seeing her friend in years. Passing his truck as she pulled out on the road towards home, she thought back to that night and the events that would change her life forever.
***
“Can you believe we’ve been out of school for five years?” Sally nudged Angelique who sat next to her at Dusty’s. Both of them and another classmate, Evelyn Moore, were nursing special “reunion” margaritas created by Dusty himself. It had been longer than five years since Angelique had moved to Chicago. Last time she saw Sally, they were both too young to step foot in Dusty’s bar.
“Omigod. Isn’t that Dalton Kinnison playing pool in the back room?” Evelyn whispered, leaning forward.
Sally looked at Angelique with a challenging smile. “I dare you to go say ‘hi’.”
Angelique tossed her childhood friend a curious look. One reason she’d accepted Sally’s invitation was that she’d needed time away from her boyfriend back in Chicago. He’d served two tours of duty and had recently been dishonorably discharged due to a confrontation with a superior. He’d wanted some space, and so had she. The reunion seemed a good excuse. “Probably not a good idea. Besides, he doesn’t remember me.”
Sally’s arm shot up as she waved across the room to get his attention. “Too late, he’s coming over. Holy cow, the man keeps looking better and better.”
Angelique watched Sally’s face, knowing by the joyous look in her eyes that he was standing right behind her. “Hey, Dalton. How’s that good-looking brother of yours?”
“Sitting home pining away that he’s not out with you tonight, I suspect.”
His voice, precisely as she remembered, reverberated in Angelique’s heart. The crush she’d had on him was maddening, insane if you look at the fact that he was an upperclassman and didn’t know she was alive. Wait, what did he say? “You’re dating a Kinnison?” She looked at Sally, aghast at the revelation.
“Just started dating Rein. Did I forget to mention that?” She shrugged.
“So Evelyn, how’s it going?” A shadow fell over the table as Dalton moved around so that Angelique had to face him without being rude. She made a mental note to drop Sally head first off the nearest cliff. He slid into the booth next to Evelyn, who nearly fainted. Angelique rolled her eyes, tossed aside the straw, and drank deeply of her margarita.
“Well, this is a fine group of lovely ladies.” His gaze swung to hers. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Dalton Kinnison.”
Angelique stared at him, hoping he’d remember her name. The knowledge that he didn’t was superseded by her preoccupation of how damn fine he looked. He’d not only matured well, but working hard and outdoor living made him even more handsome.
A shadow of a beard framed his solid jaw and his hair was longer than she remembered in high school. He wore it just above his collar, tucked behind his ears. And lord have mercy, when he smiled those eyes the color of fine whiskey glittered with life. She pulled herself from his mesmerizing gaze and looked to Sally, pleading silently for help. She felt the heat rising to her face. “Sorry, I‘ve got to go.” Angelique scooted out of the booth and headed for the door. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Good to see you, Angelique. Don’t stay away so long next time,” Dusty called out to her with a wave of his bar towel. She glanced over her shoulder in time to see Dalton’s startled face. She just prayed that Sally wouldn’t share with him the massive crush she used to have on him before she was forced to move to Chicago with her mom.
She hurried to her old car, grateful that it had started and was almost to the road toward the house when she realized her aunt had asked her to stop at the store. With an exasperated sigh that Dalton Kinnison could still rattle her cage, she pulled the car around and into the Git-n-Go parking lot. There was a chill in the air and it smelled like rain. Stepping from the car, she glanced up to see thick black storm clouds rolling in over the mountains. Hurrying inside she found the refrigerated section at the back of the store and stood searching for the brand of butter her aunt had requested.
The bell on the door gave notice of another customer.
“Hey, Travis, how’s it going?”
She glanced down the aisle in time to see Dalton step up to peruse the cold beer in the cooler. Seeing him, she allowed a quick skim of his fine, muscular body honed from hard work, no doubt on the ranch. He was dressed casually in faded jeans and an untucked snap rodeo shirt, and her heartbeat kicked up a notch imagining the body underneath it all. She chose to blame Dusty and his special “reunion” margarita for the confused way she felt. Blinking from her daze, she grabbed the butter and ducked behind a display of bagged snacks, hoping he hadn’t seen her.
“Are you avoiding me, Angelique?”
Damn. Her he
art came to an abrupt stop as she looked up and met his wicked grin. Stay calm. Just speak to the man. How hard can it be? “Of course not. It was clear you didn’t remember me, which is nothing new, honestly.” She waved her hand, dismissing the situation, him, and her wayward emotions. “Listen, really, it’s okay. See ya.” She turned on her heel.
“Hey.”
Do not turn around. “Yeah?” She spun to face him and slapped on a smile. Be brave, girl.
He frowned and shifted his six-pack to the other hand. “I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you. I guess we all change over the years.”
Yes, and you look even hotter. She sighed, uncertain it was wise to dredge up emotions, dangerous emotions that she had over time and with great care tucked neatly away in her brain.
“You definitely have.” He smiled.
“For the better, I hope?”
His smile widened. “Hell, yeah, girl.”
Okay, then, now what? Angelique searched for something to say to the man who had dominated most of her teenage dreams.
“Where are you now?”
She blinked, realizing she’d been mesmerized yet again by his captivating eyes. “Um...still in Chicago.”
“Yeah, you and your mom moved there before my sophomore year, I think, wasn’t it?”
He remembered this how? “Um, yeah, she met a guy, and for a while it looked like it would work, but it didn’t. And mom started drinking again, so much so that she wrapped her car around a telephone pole one night.” She stopped suddenly and realized how callous she sounded. “I’m sorry. I guess I’m a little desensitized.”
“Sorry, that must have been pretty rough.”
She chuckled quietly. “You have no idea.”
He studied her for a moment and she knew he didn’t have more to say. Truly, what more did they have in common?
“Listen, it was great to see you. Take care.” She quickly paid for her items and was grateful for the cool, fine mist that had started. Sticking her keys in the ignition, she turned it. Getting no sound, she tried twice more but with the same results and a check engine light. Pounding her hand against the wheel, she started to call Sally, but a tap on the window startled her. She rolled it down.
“Trouble?”
She swallowed, staring into the eyes of what surely was trouble and always had been. “Won’t start. Engine light comes on.”
The mist had turned to a steady rain. “Listen, I’ll drop you at home. No one is going to get out tonight in this.”
What choice did she have? “If you’re sure you don’t mind?” She gathered her things, and he grabbed her hand as the gentle rain turned to a frog-strangling downpour.
Tucked inside the cab of his truck was the epitome of her teenage angst. How many times had she wished for this? She laughed, not realizing she’d done so out loud.
“What is it?”
“Nothing.”
“Come on,” he said, poking her arm. “What are you thinking?”
She brushed back the now-sodden strands of hair from her face. “Tell me what you’re up to these days, Dalton.”
He shrugged as the truck came to life, its gigantic motor sounding as though it could eat her car for breakfast. “Working at the ranch. Rein and I handle the cattle sales; Wyatt pretty much stays on property handling things there.”
“I’m sorry about Jed. I didn’t hear about it until later. I feel like I’ve been gone forever.”
“It’s okay. Jed made sure we knew how to run every aspect of the ranch. We’re keeping things going, hanging in there, you know.” He pulled the truck out of the space and hesitated before turning toward her aunt and uncle’s place. “Hey, have you seen the new addition to the school? They put in a skywalk between the middle and high schools.”
She chuckled, remembering how many times she’d trudged through the snow to a class held in the other building. “That would’ve been handy on the number of tennis shoes I ruined in the snow.”
He laughed, and though he didn’t ask if she wanted to, he turned toward the school. “It’s pretty impressive, really, especially for a school that size. And they’ve put up a new football field with metal bleachers. I hear rumblings of a new baseball diamond next year.” He waggled his brows and turned to her with a big grin. “Next thing you know they’ll be putting in those new-fangled automated hand-dryers in the restrooms,” he said with a laugh.
She laughed with him, and while her heart cautioned her to be wary, she enjoyed this more open, friendlier version of Dalton.
He followed the road to the edge of town and turned into the parking lot of the school. Finding a spot where the headlights illuminated the new field and the annex, he shut off his truck. They sat in silence staring at the structure. Angelique’s mind raced with a million scenarios, most of them involving her avid crush on Dalton. “Plan to drink all those yourself?”
He glanced at her in mild surprise, unbuckled, then reached over the seat, grabbed two beers, and handed her one. She unbuckled, accepted the bottle and took one long swallow. “Thanks.”
He took a pull on his and leaned back in his seat. “I used to love hanging out here after school. Football and baseball practice every night. Guess that sounds pretty pathetic, pining over your glory days, doesn’t it?”
She shrugged, wishing she’d had the chance to participate more instead of caring for her mom. “You were good. I always thought you’d go further with your baseball career.”
“Really?” He brushed his dark hair back over his head, revealing his chiseled features.
“Why didn’t you? You went to college, right?”
He stared into the semi-darkness. Only four tall light poles illuminated the deserted parking lot. They flickered and a flash of lightening split across the black sky. The lights went out, plunging them into blackness.
He picked up the conversation as though nothing had happened. “I don’t know, I guess after Jed died I felt I needed to be there for Wyatt and Rein.”
Angelique nodded and finished her beer, her brain settling into the sweet buzz of the number of drinks she’d had. “I understand.”
He leaned forward and put his hands on the keys. “Yeah, I don’t think so.”
“Trust me, Dalton,” she said, placing her hand over his.” I know what it’s like to have to put your dreams on hold.”
“It sucks,” he responded quietly, not looking at her, not moving away from her touch.
She was playing a dangerous game. God help her, she was on fire. Every fantasy, every dream was roiling inside her, fueled by the storm raging outside. A gust of wind rocked the truck and his eyes met hers.
“I should get you home,” he said.
Angelique held his gaze and nodded. Then his mouth was on hers, his hands pushing aside the buttons of her blouse. Frantic, needing to touch his skin, she tugged his t-shirt over his head, pressing her palms against his rock-hard chest.
His hands skimmed over her flesh, leaving her shaking with need. His hungry mouth found hers, drugging her senses, exceeding her every fantasy. In a tangle of limbs, ferocious need stripped away all barriers between them. Easing the seat to allow more room, he cradled the small of her back, teasing her with teeth and tongue until she squirmed against his hardening length. She met his heated gaze as he moved his hand down her belly, stroking the ache between her thighs, igniting her body and bringing her to a dizzying height until she surrendered with an audible sigh. “I want you,” she whispered against his lips as she lifted to accept him, joining her body—long awaited—to his.
Rain pounded against the windows, coming down in heavy sheets that blew across the lot. Steam fogged the windows as she rode him, clinging to his waist, feeling his hard muscles bunch and move beneath her palms. Furious, unrelenting, they drove each other, building, pushing until her body splintered apart. She clung to his firm shoulders, riding his fervent, deep thrusts, climaxing again as he followed her over.
The sound of the wind and rain echoed across the roof, permeatin
g the silence.
She lay across him, his heart pounding wildly against hers. After a moment, she felt his hands slide up her arms, easing her upright.
“Wow.” His sexy grin followed, but little else. She should’ve known better not to dream of promises, or confessions of unrequited love. In an instant, she saw the guarded curtain fall over his face.
“Yeah, wow,” she repeated. Clearly, neither had meant for this to happen.
Amid hooded glances, neither spoke as they hastily dressed. She moved back to the passenger seat and wrapped the seat belt over her still thrumming body. Dalton sat for a moment with his hands on the wheel, staring out the window.
“Your aunt and uncle will be wondering where you are.”
Angelique fought to stay composed. She’d made the first move, given him the green light and hadn’t stopped when things got heated.
Like a couple of reckless school kids.
“Probably,” she answered.
He started the truck and didn’t speak again until he’d pulled into the gravel drive of her aunt and uncle’s house. He kept the motor idling, offering no acknowledgment of what had just occurred between them.
Confused, she chided herself for her behavior and quickly unbuckled. Gathering her things, she paused. “It was good to see you, Dalton.”
His dark eyes met hers and his closed expression spoke volumes about the enormous mistake she’d made. Had she really thought she could win over Dalton Kinnison with her sexual prowess? She lifted her chin, determined to hang on to her pride. Well, she’d gotten that fantasy out of her system. It was time to move on. “Good luck with the ranch.”
“Yeah, good luck to you, too. Good to see you.”
He swallowed hard, the corner of his mouth lifted in an attempted smile before he averted his eyes from hers. “Oh, Angelique?” He reached over the back of the seat. “You almost forgot this.”
Renegade Hearts (The Kinnison Legacy Book 3) Page 3
