Leaving in the morning for Nevada.

  Jace sent back:

  Really? Your doc said you could go?

  Lord, this was getting to be a pain in the ass.

  No, I’m just leaving. Anyway, I’ll see you next time I’m in town.

  Jace shot back:

  This is about Alexis. Bro, don’t get yourself injured just because you’re hurting.

  He knew his friend was worried about him, but he didn’t want to talk about it.

  I won’t, don’t worry. Thanks for everything, Jace. I mean that.

  By midnight, he had his clothes in the trailer and his grocery list made, and he was satisfied that he was ready to leave first thing in the morning. He’d stop at the grocery store on the way through town.

  When he climbed into bed, it hit him; hit him so hard he couldn’t breathe. This was final. Alexis was behind him. He flipped on the TV and then turned it off again. He’d been miserable for days, and now his fantasy of them somehow getting together was well and truly over. There was no miracle coming. No last-minute reprieve. She was no longer a part of his life.

  He turned over and pressed his face into the pillow as tears welled in his eyes.

  Please God, let her be free at the end of next season. Let us be together.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “I’m really not up for it, Jody,” Dane said and started back toward his horse trailer. He’d just placed second at the Red Bluff Round Up here in Red Bluff, California. He’d won at Logandale and San Angelo. The awful thing was, he hadn’t even been excited when he’d taken the prize money.

  Jody walked beside him. “Oh, come on, man. Let’s go have a drink. You need to cheer up, bro. I’ve never seen you like this.”

  It seemed he wasn’t going to get shed of the cowboy, so Dane finally said, “Okay, one drink. Then I’m hitting the sack.”

  The other man slapped him on the back. “All right! I’ll meet you at your trailer in twenty minutes. And, hey, no backing out on me.”

  “Okay, okay. I’ll be ready.”

  Forty-five minutes later, they ended up at the Rodeo Country Dance Hall. It had three dance floors, and the place was packed. Jody had insisted on driving, and Dane, too down to argue, had gone along for the ride. Now he deeply regretted that decision.

  “What are you drinking?” Dane asked as soon as they were inside.

  Without looking at him, Jody told him. The guy was assessing the women—and they were an eyeful.

  Dane headed for the bar. The sooner they had their drink, the sooner he could call an Uber. This was definitely not his scene anymore.

  It took a few minutes for the bartender to get to him, but Dane finally put in his order. As he stood waiting, he felt an arm slip around his waist, and he stiffened.

  “Hey, I’ll bet you were in that rodeo this weekend. I know a rodeo cowboy when I see one. Would you like to dance?” a pretty brunette said in a too-sweet, flirty voice.

  He literally felt sick to his stomach. This was just what Alexis had feared would happen. “No, thank you.” He removed her arm from his waist and said, “I’m taken.”

  “Well, isn’t that too bad for me,” she said with a smile, not in the least taken aback.

  He rolled his eyes as she walked off. What had he ever seen in places like this?

  The bartender brought his Maker’s Mark and Jody’s beer, and he walked around until he spotted the other cowboy. His friend was talking to a pretty blonde.

  Dane handed him his beer. Jody said, “Thanks, bro. This is Marissa.”

  Dane lifted the corner of his mouth. “Hey, Marissa.” Then he turned his back and watched the action on the dance floor. Three swallows later, he’d finished his drink.

  Jody was still talking to the blonde when Dane slapped him on the back. “I’ll see you later.”

  “Hey, we just got here,” Jody said.

  “And I’m leaving,” Dane replied as he walked away.

  He ordered the Uber on the way to the door. It was good that he’d come here tonight. It was exactly what he’d needed to make up his mind.

  It was 9:30 p.m. when he arrived back at his trailer. He still had plenty of time to prepare everything for travel. He was going home.

  Two days later, Alexis sat on her front porch, covered in a blanket and rocking in the old wooden chair that had been there since she was a little girl. It was the third week of May, and almost a month since she’d seen Dane. Although she still missed him with every fiber of her being, her broken heart had begun to mend.

  Three counseling sessions had helped her to create a calm space inside herself, a place where she could heal and think without unbearable pain.

  Mark wasn’t a monster anymore. He was just a man who had failed her terribly. She wasn’t at forgiveness yet, but she felt sure that she’d get there.

  And Dane. God, she missed him so much. And, as she continued to heal, she knew that she’d be able to trust him completely, no matter what environment he was in.

  With that knowledge had come such hope, such happiness, that her Gran had asked, “Have you done something with your face, honey? You look so much younger.”

  She’d laughed. Like she had the money to do anything to her face. She’d said, “No, Gran, I’m just feeling better, that’s all.”

  Her Gran had given her a hug and an understanding smile. That was one of the things she loved about her grandmother. She didn’t feel the need to talk unnecessarily.

  Alexis rocked some more, letting her mind wander, her thoughts more peaceful than they had been in years.

  Then she stopped. Her heart beat faster. I have to tell Dane. Have to tell him that I’m getting better. That someday, if he still wants to be together, it’s possible.

  She glanced at her phone. Ten o’clock. He was probably asleep. He’d said that he didn’t go out when he was on the road. She sighed. It could wait another day.

  Smiling, she began to rock again. Tomorrow she’d talk to her Rodeo.

  Dane had pushed hard on the trip back from northern California. The drive had taken a full two days since he had to stop every four hours and let Jessie Boy out to exercise a bit and to lay over to sleep one night. Well, there’d been one other very important stop as well.

  He arrived home in the early hours of the second day. In the dark, he turned the horse out in the corral, giving him some hay and fresh water.

  Exhausted as all get out but with a sense of elation, he went into the house and took a long, hot shower before falling into bed.

  His phone woke him just before noon. Bleary-eyed, he picked it up, and then his heart began to pound. Alexis?

  Without thinking, he answered, “Sweetheart?”

  “Dane, am I interrupting you? I know you’re on the road—”

  “Alexis, I need to talk to you.” He sat up and rubbed his eyes.

  “Oh, Dane, I need to talk to you too.”

  Crap. Is something wrong? “You do?” Shit, I can’t think straight. “Hold on just a sec.” He jogged to the bathroom and splashed water on his face. “Okay, tell me what’s wrong, honey.” Damn, I did it again. “I’m sorry. Alexis, can I just come see you?”

  “Huh?”

  Now she sounded as confused as he had. “I’m in town. I just got home.”

  “You did?”

  He chuckled. This conversation was going nowhere fast. “Alexis, I can be at your place in, say, an hour? I have so much to tell you. Would that be okay?”

  She sighed. “I’d love that. And Dane?”

  “Uh-huh?”

  “I’m glad you’re back.”

  “Me too, honey.” He’d done it again—and this time he didn’t care.

  Alexis had never showered and made herself presentable in faster time. In fact, she was more than presentable. She’d put on her emerald-green dress and curled her hair, leaving it flowing around her shoulders the way Dane loved it. She’d also taken particular care with her makeup. Looking at her, anyone would think she was going out on the town. But she just wanted to look good for her man.

  She finished just in time and headed out to the front porch and her favorite rocking chair. A few minutes later, a dust cloud appeared down the ranch drive. Her heart started to pound. She took a deep breath and stood to watch Dane’s big Ford truck growing larger and larger in her vision.

  When he pulled to a stop in front of the house, he threw open his door and strode up the porch steps. He reached for her, but then hesitated. “Alexis, you look beautiful.” His voice sounded choked.

  She wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tight. “Oh, Dane. I’ve missed you something awful.”

  His arms went around her so tightly they felt like iron bands. “Sweetheart, I nearly lost my mind. I’ve quit the road. I just can’t do it. I want to be here with you.” He kissed the top of her head. “I’ll make it work. Don’t worry.”

  She looked up at him. “Honey, that’s what I needed to talk to you about.”

  His brows drew together. “You did?”

  Taking a step back, she said, “I did. Dane, I’ve been going to counseling. I know that as I keep working through my trauma, I’ll be able to trust you, no matter where you are.” She caressed his cheek. “You don’t need to quit rodeoing, sweetheart. I know now that I’m going to heal.” She felt such freedom in being able to say that. It washed through her like a warm wave.

  He drew her into his arms again. “Alexis, I can’t leave you. Not while you’re still working through your pain.”

  God, she’d missed this. Being wrapped in his arms, her face against his broad chest, his rich, masculine scent surrounding her. She took his face in her hands and looked into his eyes. “Dane, I love you. I love you with everything I am and everything I’ll ever be.”

  She brushed a tender kiss across his lips. “Rodeo, when I’ve healed, when I’ve finished all the counseling I need, will you marry me?” She reached into her bra and took out the two twenties and a ten that she’d put there. “You win.”

  He burst out laughing and picked her up, spinning in circles. “I love you too, sweetheart, and hell yes, I’ll marry you.”

  He put her down then and reached into his shirt pocket, coming out with the ring he’d bought the day before. “Let’s make it official, beautiful.”

  “Oh, Dane.” She started to cry as he slipped the emerald-cut diamond solitaire onto her finger.

  Alexis brushed her long hair back from her face and peered into the brisk wind coming off the ocean. She and Dane had just gotten off their flight from the States following their amazing wedding. Fourteen long hours in the air had left her drained of energy, and she’d had little sleep on the plane.

  They’d landed in Fiji at Nadi International Airport and were now on their way to the small Mamanuca Island of Tokoriki. Dane had made reservations at a boutique luxury resort there, and everything she’d read about it had her tingling with excitement.

  Dane slipped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple. They both wore jackets against the sea spray as the speedboat they’d chartered cut through the waves toward their tiny island destination.

  This first week of May gave them clear blue skies, and they’d arrived ahead of the coming peak tourist season by several weeks.

  She and Dane would truly be living the island life, with no air-conditioning in their thatched roof bungalow. They would even be showering outside in a fascinating, rock-walled enclosure. The furnishings and other amenities were all first-class.

  Dane nuzzled her neck, then said loudly to be heard over the engine roar, “How did you like your first taste of Fijian food?”

  “I loved it,” she yelled into the wind. Their plane had arrived at six in the morning and, after claiming their baggage and going through customs, they’d asked their taxi driver to take them someplace where the locals ate breakfast.

  She’d had a lolo bun, traditional bread steamed in coconut milk, just because she’d wanted to try it, and pancakes, boiled eggs, and fresh fruit. And, of course, she’d had the customary Fijian breakfast drink of draunimoli (lemon) tea. It was a good, filling meal—and thank goodness. She’d been starving.

  Dane, having traveled more, had been more adventurous, trying a local fish with babakau, a Fijian fried bread.

  The speedboat suddenly rode a particularly large wave, and water spewed back over them. She laughed and edged closer to Dane.

  He grinned and pulled her into his warm embrace, shouting above the motor noise, “We should be nearly there. We’ve been out here almost an hour.”

  She nodded, keeping her face pressed to his chest and out of the cold, damp air. Despite the sun high overhead, there was nothing warm about racing at fifty miles an hour across the South Pacific.

  Eventually, the craft slowed, and she spotted an island in the distance. Soon, a graying jetty came into view, and ladies in floral dresses with flowers in their hair came down to meet them. The captain handed their bags up to the young man who’d accompanied the women.

  Dane tipped the captain and then helped Alexis climb up onto the platform above. He followed quickly after her.

  A middle-aged Fijian woman introduced herself. “Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Weller, I’m Alita, the manager here, and I want to welcome you to Tokoriki Island Resort. If there’s anything you need, please ask, and we’ll do our best to accommodate you.” She smiled and then nodded to a beautiful young woman standing beside her. “This is Ela, and she’ll take you to your beachfront villa. It has a private pool, as I’m sure you’ll remember from when you made your booking, as well as a room just beside the pool where you may share a couple’s massage at your convenience each day.” She gestured to the young woman. “Ela? I’m sure our guests are ready to see their accommodation.”

  Alexis nodded. “Thank you for greeting us, Alita. It’s so beautiful here.”

  “It was my pleasure, Mrs. Weller.”

  Being called by her new last name still gave Alexis chills. She glanced at Dane and smiled.

  His eyes twinkled, showing her that he understood.

  At the end of the jetty, they followed a rock sidewalk to steps made of the same local material, ascending to a thatched-roofed structure with wide glass doors standing open. These led straight into a bedroom with a king-sized bed. Gorgeous island decor made the room both beautiful and welcoming.

  She ran her hand along the plush, white coverlet as she stopped to examine the woven black-and-tan tapestry of indigenous geometric design that hung above the headboard.

  She’d known that there wouldn’t be air-conditioning, but she hadn’t realized that there would be large louvers in the walls that could be opened to let in the strong island breezes. She breathed a sigh of relief when she noticed them all around the room.

  As the tour continued, she realized that they really would be showering outdoors. However, it was all well done with several inches of tiny pebbles for the floor, beautiful native rock walls, and living greenery as decoration.

  As their tour ended, Ela said, “If you need anything, just ask. There are a lot of us here, and we all dress alike.” She grinned impishly and left.

  As soon as she was out of sight, Dane said, “Come here, you,” and pulled her into his arms.

  She grinned. “Rodeo, you’ve been waiting a whole day and night to say that, haven’t you?”

  “Since the reception, damn it.” He chuckled. “It was great to see our family and friends, but all I could think about was getting you all to myself.” He nibbled behind her ear.

  She giggled. “I think we need to get our suits on and try out that pool.”

  “Sounds great.” But he didn’t let her go. Instead, he kissed her long and slow, devouring her mouth until he drew back and sucked in a long-overdue breath.

  Grinning, she said, “Whoa, boy. Save some for tonight.”

  He growled in a low, sexy voice. “Don’t you worry about tonight, Cowgirl. There’s plenty of that to go around.”

  While he called in their drink order, she hurriedly undressed and slipped into the new bikini she’d purchased for the trip. The coral shade brought out her fair coloring beautifully, and she wondered what Dane would think of it.

  Arms suddenly surrounded her waist, and Dane nuzzled her neck. “You’re gorgeous, honey. Have I told you that today?”

  She smiled and ran her fingers through his hair. “A time or two, handsome—and I like it when you do.” She kissed his cheek. “You’re such a sweet man. I love you.”

  He turned her to face him, his eyes warm and yet deeply serious. “I’ll never get enough of you telling me that, Alexis. My heart beats harder every time you say it, like it’s the very first time. I love you, honey, more than I have words to say.”

  She traced his bottom lip with her thumb as tears welled in her eyes. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I’m so glad that you came into my life.”

  He kissed her forehead. “I’d better get undressed. I can’t wait to get you into that pool. And our drinks are on the way. They even had your Lagavulin.”

  “Mm, yummy.”

  She grabbed a towel and dropped it onto the lounge on their small private deck, then descended the steps into the pool. The water was perfect, warm but not too warm. She called, “Honey, come on. You don’t know what you’re missing.” As she moved away from the edge, the water rose to her chest, and ripples of pleasure swept through her. This was going to be a fabulous honeymoon.

  Dane walked out, and she sucked in a breath at her first sight of him in swimming trunks. His muscular butt and thighs made them form-fitting in all the right places. The royal-blue color brought out his eyes, something she always loved, and his washboard abs were in plain sight as she made her way back to the steps to greet him. “Come here you stud,” she said with a grin.

  He chuckled and struck a Mr. Universe pose.

  Laughing, she dragged him into the pool. He dunked her under, then pulled her back up.

  She sputtered and started laughing. “You brat. You ruined my hair.”

  “Don’t worry, we’re trying out that cool shower after this. I’ll wash it for you.”

 

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