Second Chances by Cheyenne Meadows

shade for all the horses to ward off the heat
of the unrelenting sun. If she thought things were hot right now, wait a few
hours. Temperatures had passed the century mark most days for the past month.
    Her
stomach growled, reminding her she’d skipped breakfast in order to arrive early
at the stable and the noon meal came on fast. “What sounds good for lunch?”
    Dusty
turned toward her, his brow furrowed. “It’s only ten.”
    She
nodded. “Yep. But, I have some errands to run in town. Figured I’d pick up some
food and bring it back.”
    “Thanks
for the offer, but no thanks.” He turned and started back for the stable.
    Perplexed,
she hurried after him. “What do you mean no thanks? It’s just food.”
    He
stopped and stared down at her. A severe frown marred his handsome face while
intense anger snapped in his brown eyes. “Listen lady, I don’t know what your
game is, but I’m not playing.”
    His
gruffness hit her like a slap in the face, causing her to bite off each word.
“There’s no game. I figured since I was going for food, it would be hospitable
to bring you some as well.”
    “I can
take care of myself. Have for years.” Dusty’s back straightened, his hands
tightened on the lead rope in his hand. After taking one more second to glare
down at her, he strode forward, long steps eating up the distance.
    April
sputtered, completely bumfuzzled by the moodiness and abruptness. She thought
they had bonded a little just a couple of hours earlier. Grumbling under her
breath, she made her way back to the stable. “Care to tell me what’s wrong with
lunch?”
    He
swung around with a scowl. “Don’t get any fancy ideas in your head about me,
lady. I don’t date, don’t care to hang out with women at all. In fact, the only
way I want a woman these days is on the bed with her legs spread for a couple
hours of hot and heavy fucking.”
    The
caustic and crude words shocked her, then fed into her anger. She clung to her
patience with steely determination, recognizing his motive of trying to drive
her away before she got the wrong idea in her head. Message received. Too bad her stubbornness refused to back down.
She loaded and fired.
    “First
of all, I didn’t have anything in mind besides actually eating and perhaps
learning more about horses from you. Secondly, I don’t do one-night stands. As
far as I’m concerned, men suck in the relationship department, so why would I
want to waste my time?” Hands on hips she glared back at him, daring him to
argue.
    For a
long moment he stood silent, but gradually a ghost of a smile crossed his face.
“Men suck, huh?”
    She
narrowed her eyes. “You have no idea.”
    “Yeah,
I do.” He spun around and ventured farther into the stable.
    She
bobbed her head in understanding. “So chicken, fish, or beef?”
    “I
said—” His voice increased in decibels.
    She
waved her hand dismissively. “I’m bringing food. Eat it or not, I don’t care.
You might as well choose instead of find something you hate in a bag.”
    He
pinned her with his gaze, before puffing out a long breath. “I’ll pay you—”
    “No
way. My treat. Don’t complain, just say thanks.” She shot him a quick grin,
trying to ease the tension between them.
    He
paused to look at her for another long moment, then his shoulders lowered, and
he shook his head. “Chicken and thanks.”
    With a
winning smile, she walked back out the door. “Was that so hard?”
    “Yes,”
the word pried from his lips.
    She
laughed and slid into her vehicle.
     

     
    “You
and Ben seem so close.” She looked down at the dog resting at his feet.
    Dusty
bit into his biscuit, chewed, and glanced at Ben. “He saved my hide more than
once.” The statement slipped out. Immediately, he wished the words back as
April’s face lit up with curiosity.
    “You
were a soldier. Afghanistan?” She sipped her drink.
    He’d
grudgingly invited her into his home when she arrived back around noon with
their food. For her