Second Burn Cowboy (Second Chance Series Book 6) (15 page)

Then she reminded herself that things could always be worse. Hell, they had been at one time.

Elsa was thankful for her life. Money was scarce and her business burnt down, but at least she could consider herself independent—unless she counted the fact she was living in Deckland’s house. Her ego tarnished.

So much for going
into town and desperately finding a place to call home temporarily.

Tossing a wishful glance toward the van, she groaned. Maybe she could fix it
.

After lifting
the hood, she was engulfed with an overwhelming smell of grease and oil. She wasn’t dressed for this. In white silk top, dark skinny jeans and heels, she’d been outfitted for anything but working on an engine—and working on it was a longshot.

Looking down into the metal maze, she shook her head, h
oping to wipe away the cobwebs. She had no clue. Just admitting she was stuck, without phone service, would be the best thing.

Clo
sing the hood and hitting the lock button on the keypad, she started walking.

She heard the
low hum of a vehicle before she saw it approaching. The sun reflected off the black truck and she didn’t see who was driving until he stopped. Tucker gave her a wave and rolled down the window. “Need some help?”

“Can I catch a lift?”

“Sure. I was heading to town, but I can take you back to the ranch—”

Before she made her next action a debate
, she shook her head. “You can drop me off in town, if that’s okay.” He hesitated a second and she understood his reluctance. Deckland had verbally thrashed him earlier for no reason. “It’s okay. I can always walk back to the ranch.”

“No, I can
’t have you doing that. It’s too far and you’ll fry before you reach the property. Climb in.”

Opening the door, she slid into the leather seat. Once they were heading down the road, she knew they ne
eded to clear the air. “I’m sorry I got you into trouble earlier with Deckland.”

He shrugged. “Hey, I don’t blame him. He’s watchful with what goes on around his place.”

“Where are you heading in town?” she asked.

“Starkey
’s. Some boys and I are meeting up and playing a couple games of darts, drink a couple beers, you know, wash the week’s work away. After our talk today, and your advice about Hope, I need to ease the tension.”

“
I hope it works out, but if you’ve heard she is getting married, that’s serious. But you know what, a beer sounds good. Maybe I’ll join you, that is if I wouldn’t cramp your style.” She laughed.

“H
ell, I no longer have a style. Hope destroyed that for me. But I can take you anywhere you wish to go. If it’s Starkey’s, then so be it.”

She sensed
his apprehension but she wasn’t going to allow Deckland, or any man, keep her from freedom. “It’s okay, Tucker. Deckland and I aren’t a couple and it’s not as if you and I are on a date.”

He chuckled. “Then to Starkey’s it is.”

****

Deckland climbed out of the shower, dried off and went to his bedroom to dress. His blinking cell phone on his
nightstand drew his attention. Reaching for it, he had three missed calls from Tucker.

Hitting call,
he answered after the second ring. A lot of noise rattled the phone. “Where the hell are you, Tucker?” Deckland asked.

“Starkey’s. I thought you should know that Elsa is here too. I’ve tried to get her to let me take her home, but she insist
s on staying. I don’t want to leave her and I figured you’d be the only one who she’d listen to.”

His grip tightened on the phone until he heard the plastic crack. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.” Clicking off and dropping the phone, he pulled on jeans and a black T-shirt.

Twenty minutes later, Deckland stepped into the bar and found Elsa at the jukebox. He crossed the floor, watched her drop several coins in the slot and push several buttons. Once the slow song oozed from the large speakers, her hips swayed to the beat. The tight jeans fit her curves snugly, leaving little to the imagination. His pulse quickened and, out of the corner of his eye, he caught two drunken cowboys ogling her like a rack of spare ribs. He gave them each a side-glance and their laughter fizzled.

He’d like to wring their skinny necks for staring with their tongues hanging out.

She whirled and spotted him, her mouth dropped as her eyes widened. He guessed she was as shocked as he felt. “Deckland, what are you doing here?” She blinked.

“Maybe I should be asking y
ou that same question.” He lifted a brow.

“
You make no sense. It’s a public place. All of the folks here want a good time.”

“
And that makes sense?” He crossed his arms and sighed.

“Where’s Tucker?”
After a quick scan of the room, her gaze narrowed. “Did you chase him off?” she accused.

“
It appeared you tortured the poor cowboy. He’ll be no good at work tomorrow. He left on his own accord. Now, let’s do the same,” Deckland urged.

“But I don’t want to. I want to dance.
” She tucked her bottom lip between her teeth and nibbled.

“You can barely stand and you think you can dance?”

“I can stand just fine. I’m not drunk. Go home, Deckland.” She shook her head.

He wanted to do just that.
“You’ve been drinking and I’m going to take you with me,” he demanded. She brushed past him and he gently grabbed her elbow.

“Why is
everyone always trying to tell me what to do? I’m a grown woman, for goodness sake.”

“I’m not telling you what to do. I’m helping you. Big
difference.”

“Stop helping me.
” Her glare dropped to his fingers and then she tugged her arm away. She straightened her spine and her eyes sparkled defiance. “I just paid for two songs and, by golly, I’m going to listen to them.” She moved and stumbled. He caught her and smiled.

“Whoa there.” He held her until she was steady on her feet.

“These dang heels.” She reached down and slipped them off her feet, dangling them from her finger and swinging them. “Two-hundred dollar shoes are a waste of money.”

“
Then why wear them?”

“B
ecause they’re pretty.” She gave them a toss and they landed in the corner of the dance floor.

“You could hurt someone with those weapons.” He
smirked and shook his head.

“Why are you here? Was Aspen busy?” she snarled.

He chuckled. “Now who’s jealous?” He pushed his hat back on his forehead and slammed his gaze over her. Wild blonde hair framed rosy cheeks and twinkling eyes were framed with smudges of mascara. She was the sexiest damned drunk he’d ever seen. He wanted to be angry, but how the hell could he manage that when she looked like she needed a passionate kiss. His gaze darted down her thin shirt with the outline of her hard nipples pressing against the fabric, tight jeans that gave a new meaning to denim, and bare feet and pink-tipped curling toes. He wanted nothing more than to toss her over his shoulder and carry to his truck outside, but he guessed everyone deserved a fun night now and again. He’d had his fair share in his younger days.

“Take a picture. It’ll last longer,” she snapped.

The pulse in his neck quickened. “I haven’t heard that since high school.” He sighed.

She gave him another glare as she folded her arms over her chest.
Her lips lifted in a sultry smile as she skimmed her gaze over him. “And me? Jealous? Puhhleaze! Don’t flatter yourself, cowboy. Why should I be jealous?”

He shrugged a shoulder, hearing a seam burst. “Because you want me.”

Shock flitted across her features, but she recovered quickly. As she swept her tongue along the soft curve of her bottom lip, his cock jumped. He needed to readjust himself, fast, but he knew patrons watched them. Hell, they liked a good scene for entertainment. It kept the rumor mill turning around these parts.

She didn’t want him here interrupting her evening, so maybe h
e made a mistake in coming. She’d told him she didn’t want him, although he was beginning to see she didn’t know what she wanted. He wasn’t a foolish man, but he knew for damned sure the look she’d given him after she’d met Aspen wasn’t a bless-your-relationship expression. If she’d had a weapon, he guaranteed she’d have shot him dead right on the spot.

Nothing
happened between him and Aspen and when the time was right, he’d explain it to Elsa. He hadn’t planned for the ladies to meet while Aspen was wearing his shirt, which he hadn’t loaned to her. She found it on the bathroom hook after he’d gone to bed. He wanted Elsa to realize that Aspen had slept in Dante’s old room.

Elsa’s
tense laughter pulled his attention to her. “I want you? Really? Your ego is overflowing this evening, Deckland.”

“Call it what you like, but I bet your panties are turning wet as we stand here.”
He went out on a limb, he realized.

Something he
couldn’t quite identify splashed through her eyes. Anger? Vulnerability? 

“You wish.” She turned and started
to walk away, but he caught her waist and gently turned her back around to face him. She blinked and her bottom lip trembled.

“How about that dance?” He lifted a brow. If she wanted to sashay around the floor, he’d more than happily oblige. He sure as hell kn
ew he wasn’t going to leave her here for anyone else to hold.

With
only a slight hesitation, she walked into his arms and wrapped hers around his neck, pressing her firm breasts against his chest. He’d always been cool and steady in every circumstance, but right now, with her leaning into him and an image of her naked body flashing through his mind, he was losing the battle with his control.

Bringing his hands to her waist, he bent his mouth to her ear and whispered, “Let me lead, sweetheart. There are times when I invite a woman to take the
reins, but on the dance floor, I like to lead.”

Her body r
elaxed—some.

His fingers dipped a few inches below her waist, the mounds of her bottom in the tight jeans swayed to the beat of the musi
c. He wanted to forget the dance and head straight for what his body ached for.

Pushing her long hair away from her neck, she laid her head on one shoulder and gazed up at him. Her eyes penetrated every pore.
She moved and her breasts brushed his chest. He’d like to knead each mound until she cried his name. He knew she would because she’d done it before. “Why are you such a good guy, Deckland?”

“
We’ve been through this, remember?” He stared down at her.

She gave her shoulder a slight roll. “You can’t always be nice. I know there’s a locked away tiger somewhere in your bod
y.”

He narrowed his gaze. “Is that what you want in a man? A bad-ass?”

Bringing her fingers to the inside of his elbow, she followed thick veins, smoothed them along the sensitive skin. “No, that’s not what I want.” She moistened her lips. “But it seems that’s what I always get. I’m a magnet for the wrong men, until now.”

“And you find it difficult to believe that a good guy can actually find you attractive. Wow, you don’t give yourself much credit
, do you?”

Her eyes filled with mystery an
d he wanted to read each page, like a novel. “There are things you don’t know about me.”

“That’s true. That’s why I want to get to know those things. Trust me, I’m not an open book.” He lowered his face and inhaled her sweet coconut
-scented hair. He loved her smell. “I should nickname you Cupcake. You always smell like a sweet treat.”

A smile curved her lips. “I think I have you pegged pretty good, cowboy.”

“I bet I can surprise you.” He slowly smoothed his palm along her spine, drawing her closer, nuzzling his chin along the slender curve of her neck. He wanted to lick the pale skin—and he did. She tasted like a heady combination of honey and chocolate. A low moan escaped her lips.

“I. Like. Surprises.” The words rode on an exhale of breath.

“Are you sure.” He lifted his gaze, molding his with hers. She nodded. “I have a heart condition called Valvular Heart Disease. It’s a mild form and I take a pill every day. I will for the rest of my life.”

She blinked. “I knew.”

“You saw my bottle in the medicine cabinet, didn’t you?” He lifted a brow.

“I did.”
Her eyes filled with moisture. “I would never have known you have an illness.”

“I don’t call i
t an illness. I’m as healthy as a racehorse. But don’t you dare pity me, darlin’. I’ve gone all my life as strong as an ox and nothing will get me down.” He smiled. “Now it’s your turn.”

“My turn?” Her voice was thick.

“Tell me what demons lurk in your past. Let me help connect the dots to get you over the chains that keep you from giving fully.”