Second Song Cowboy (Second Chance) Read online

The last time he’d seen her hadn’t been the most pleasant. She’d shown up late for her grandpa’s funeral. Rolling up in a sleek white limo, she’d slid out of the back wearing a designer outfit and flashing a diamond on her fourth finger that probably cost more than his new, decked out truck. She’d looked nothing like the girl he remembered, but of course, the wide sunglasses she’d worn through most of the service had hid half of her face. But the cowgirl who once loved to get her hands dirty had been washed away.

  He wondered if money and fame did that to a person.

  As far as he was concerned, she could drop by, play a few songs and head on back to the land of glory, because the boat between them had long sailed.

  ****

  April walked off stage, barely absorbing the pats on her back and the words of praise from the backstage crew as she listened to the applause and whistles from the crowd. Pleasure simmered inside her until she spotted her manager, Kiefer Glove, waiting for her, wearing a scowl and arms crossed. He’d been in a salty mood since she’d scheduled the performance at the Houston Rodeo Event. The veins in his neck had threatened to blow when she’d announced that she’d be donating all of the proceeds to charity. As she got closer, he smoothed a hand over his greasy comb over and sighed.

  The local charity she’d raised money for made Kiefer’s grumpy attitude worthwhile. Fifty-thousand dollars would go a long way to help cancer survivors—and she needed to give back to those who helped her Gramps Liam when he was diagnosed.

  Her heart pinged.

  Gramps loved Texas. Had lived here all of his life. Not a day had passed when she didn’t miss him. Tonight was the first time she’d stepped foot in Texas since she’d attended his funeral seven years ago.

  Where had time gone?

  Her heart broke with all of the regret of not seeing him more the last few years of his life. Growing up, she’d spent almost every summer at his farm.

  “Happy?” Kiefer’s annoyed tone pulled her from her thoughts.

  “Yes, and you should be also. Listen to the crowd? They’re happy. That’s what matters.” She stepped past him and into her dressing room.

  He followed her, grumbling, “You could have done a show in Florida tonight. Ticket sales were out of the roof for the country jamboree.”

  Sitting on the couch, she slipped off her boots. “I happen to love Texas, and the people. Brawny cowboys with big horses, what’s not to like?”

  He shrugged a thin shoulder and smoothed his hand over his checked plaid jacket. “I guess there are some good things about this state,” he huffed.

  “Enjoy the scenery while we’re here.” She couldn’t deny she felt a sliver of joy in his frustration, but she didn’t want to egg him on. A pleasant Kiefer was hard enough to digest, but an unhappy Kiefer made her nauseous. Sometimes she wondered why she didn’t find a new manager, but after so many years, and how far he’d taken her in the business, at least she knew she could depend on him, even if he was a bit malicious at times. After everything, she guessed they did have a love/hate relationship.

  Kiefer checked himself in the mirror, smoothed his fingertips over his lips, and then turned to her with a hint of a smile. “We’re leaving first thing in the morning. Get your beauty sleep. You’ll be performing in Oklahoma tomorrow night.”

  Another show? “I thought you said I’d have a couple of days to relax?”

  He snapped his fingers and one overly groomed brow shot up. “Time’s money, April. There was a cancelation in one of the star performances and I got you the spot. You’re not going to complain, are you?”

  Her muscles ached, which happened more and more these days. And she wanted to take some time and visit her Gramps’s old homestead. She could use a good dose of home. “Would it do any good if I protested?”

  “I’m sure Desiree Jenkins would be jumping for joy if her manager landed her a show like the one in Tulsa, not eyeing him like she could strangle him.”

  Cringing, she wanted to throw her boot at him, but refrained. “I have socks older than Desiree.”

  “Yes, I know.” He rolled his eyes. “I know you hate me, but if you only knew how hard it is booking the best performances when younger singers are stealing the limelight.”

  “Every singer has their day. I’ve come to accept this, and so should you.” Relaxing into the cushion, she knew if she closed her eyes she’d fall asleep. His loud gasp made her jerk wide-awake.

  “Bite your tongue! Now, get some sleep.” He stomped toward the door.

  Shrugging off any thoughts of visiting home, she realized it wasn’t going to happen. Forcing a smile on her tired lips, she said, “Not a problem. You should get some sleep too, Kiefer. The bags under your eyes combined with the scowl don’t work.”

  “I’m allergic to dust and horses. I swear I think you dragged me to this place out of spite.” He sniffed dramatically.

  “You caught me. I dwell on ways that I can make you miserable because I love when you ooze your misery onto me.”

  “Just get some sleep.” He slammed the door.

  Once alone, April stretched her arms high above her head. Without a break over two weeks, her body was paying the price. Unfortunately, she wasn’t getting any younger. This business was always a fight—a tooth and nail struggle to stay on top.

  Years ago, she’d read the billboard music charts religiously, but these days, she didn’t want to see reality slapping her in the face. Brighter stars were pulling ahead. Unlike Kiefer, she didn’t hold envy or jealousy for the fresh faces of the business, and accepted that everything changed, whether one liked it or not.

  Getting up from the couch, she took a seat at the vanity and stared at her dull reflection. Who was she to poke fun at Keifer’s baggage when she had a smudge of dark circles under each eye and the layers of makeup couldn’t even hide her ruddy skin.

  Grabbing a tissue and pouring on a glop of makeup remover, she wiped away the thick remains of foundation, mascara and eyeliner, feeling instantly refreshed. Her springy curls were untamable, so she pulled them up into a messy bun, changed into jeans and T-shirt when a soft knock came.

  Throwing open the door, she expected to see her driver letting her know he was ready to take her home, but instead, she was met with a blast from the past. Her breathing turned ragged and every nerve of her body stood to attention. She opened her mouth, but words were lost.

  “Hello, April.” The husky voice did mystical things to her nipples.

  “Dante Brooke. What a big surprise. I—I…” What more could she say?

  He pushed his hat further back on his forehead, exposing the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. “In the flesh.”

  He’d changed, but in all of the best possible ways. His piercing gaze and good looks had been the star of many of her the songs she’d written, and the reason for many sleepless nights. “What are you doing here?’

  “I should be asking you that question.” The Texas twang had gown thicker over the last fifteen years, but the familiar warmth puddled in her veins and her stomach dropped to her bare feet, making her angry. How could he still make her feel like she was a teen with stars in her eyes? “I believe you said good riddance to Texas.”

  She’d known Dante back when she was a naive girl who’d rushed into things before weighing the consequences. Falling head over heels for him, she hadn’t cared about anything, not even her music career. They’d shared something magical, a connection she hadn’t found with anyone since. Her skin warmed when remembering how he’d made her feel alive and on top of the world. She’d given him everything…until the argument that had ended it all.

  Molten lava spilled into every curve of her body. She wanted to regret her moments with Dante. She wanted to hate him, to despise how he’d ended their relationship. But truth was, she had no right to point fingers or blame. Even as a teenager, if she’d wanted something, she’d set out to snag it, and Dante had been the target of her strongest craving. Innocent, he’d taught her everything she knew about making love.
Once their bodies entwined, the scorching heat had burned every part of her, ruining her for all men. They couldn’t get enough of one another back when things were easy.

  Her disastrous relationships since that summer, although few, were a good example of her incapability to forget Dante.

  Her core quivered with muscle memory.

  “I think I was angry when I told you I’d never return.” She took a leisurely trip from black cowboy hat to the tips of his worn boots. Texas was known for everything being oversized, and she knew the man standing before her didn’t disappoint. At six-foot-two with a strapping body, the tight T-shirt and jeans emphasized the fact that he was a rancher who worked hard. Some men had a distinguishing magnetism and, no doubt, Dante had more than his fair share. Her fingers itched to explore every inch, every coiled bend.

  A tattoo on his right arm dipped below one sleeve, curving over his bicep. She had a strong desire to move closer, examine the ink, but then she’d have to touch and all hell would break loose. Rolling her bottom lip between her teeth, she gently nibbled to keep a moan from escaping. A man like Dante made her fully aware of how long it’d been since she’d gotten up close and personal with a stud.

  “I enjoyed the show,” he said.

  He spoke. What did he say? She emptied her naughty thoughts. “Huh?”

  “The show, I like seeing you on stage.” He chuckled as his gaze did a quick drop over her and she swallowed back a groan.

  Resisting the need to squirm, she cleared her throat and hoped her voice wouldn’t fail her. “Glad you could come. Hope it was worth the drive.”

  “Ma’am, are you ready to leave? Your driver is waiting.” A beefy man in a black asked as he examined Dante closely. She recognized the man in the hall as the hired security.

  Her driver didn’t have good timing skills. “Give me just a minute,” April said over Dante’s shoulder. The man nodded, hesitated for a long second and finally stepped back into hiding.

  “I guess you have no worries with a wrecking ball that size.” Dante nodded in the direction of the man. “But I’m afraid he’s a bit late. I had no problem getting back here.”

  April guessed no one had reason to question Dante. He’d always had the confidence of several men combined. Not even a brawny giant of a bodyguard could unease Dante. Instead of feeling repulsed by his oversized ego, she wanted to examine other areas to see if they still measured in on the side of large.

  Not going to happen.

  She didn’t roll into town to snatch up a cowboy, even if he looked like he belonged in her bed. What they shared was history, and some things were best left as memories. So why didn’t she say goodbye and head back into her life? A good night’s sleep before tomorrow was required.

  “You need a ride? I can take you wherever you need to go,” he offered.

  “I don’t think you’re going my way,” she said.

  “I’m going exactly where you need me.” His words held undeniable innuendo and her body sparked in places she’d forgotten. “I’ve come all this way. It wouldn’t hurt for two people to catch up on old times, would it?”

  Yes!

  But why deny herself some friendly company? She was an adult with the freedom of choice.

  Searching her mind for a reason to say no, she came up empty and she didn’t plan to fight it. What was wrong with a ride—uhh—to her hotel room? Then she’d send him on his way with a ‘see you again someday.’

  Grabbing her personal items and throwing them into her purse, she told security to tell her driver he was free and fifteen minutes later, she was in the passenger side of Dante’s monster truck. She couldn’t think of anything about him that was undersized.

  She watched his big, strong, powerful hands—probably callused from ranch work and riding. Gramps had told her that after she’d left Texas he’d quit college and joined the rodeo. A man who could wrestle a cow and ride a bull would have no problem throwing her back onto the bed, kissing her breathless and riding her curves. He never had any problems in that area years ago, and he certainly didn’t appear incapable now.

  Wowza! Heat spread through her. The thought of having his hands on her naked body did amazing things to her flesh. The searing temperature in her core made her insides quiver and crave dirty talk. Man, she wanted a cowboy—but not just any ol’ cowboy would do. Knowing how much pleasure she’d experienced underneath Dante definitely charged every muscle in her southern region.

  Don’t be foolish, girl.

  Dante had come to catch up all right, and she was sure he didn’t mean a chat over coffee.

  And what the hell? She found it flattering that he’d come knocking for a booty call.

  Stop right there!

  She didn’t know for sure what his intentions were. Maybe he just wanted to say hello and ponder over teenage memories. No harm in reconnecting.

  “How’s everything back home?” she asked.

  “Peachy. How’s life for you?” He glanced across the seat.

  “It has its ups and downs, but I can’t complain. I’ve gotten what I’ve always wanted. A music career and the money to buy the best cowboy boots ever made.” She lifted her feet and kicked her worn boots together.

  He turned his attention back to the street. “The girl I remember hated money and what it stood for.”

  “There’s not much room for anything else.” She dropped her feet and stared out the window at the bright lights of a gas station and restaurant. “I hated that my mom and dad had money. It gave them too many opportunities to stay away from home and hire nannies.” She hadn’t talked about her mother and father with anyone in years.

  “Have you seen them lately?”

  “They divorced a few years back and Mom moved to Paris. Dad is dating a woman half his age. They’re both busy reliving their youth.”

  “I’m sorry.” He gave her a sidelong glance.

  “Whatever for? I’m all grown up now. It doesn’t bother me nearly as bad as it once did.”

  “I see the diamond is missing. I’m assuming you’re not married. How about a boyfriend?”

  “You must not read the papers,” she said, half-jokingly.

  “I don’t follow the tabloids and celebrity news.”

  Her gaze dropped to her bare left hand. “You must have seen the ring at the funeral.”

  “I imagine everyone within a mile range could see it.” He chuckled.

  He was fishing for her relationship status, which solidified that he’d come sniffing around for a tumble in the sack. She should be repulsed, but she wasn’t. “No boyfriend and certainly no prospects. The road is a lonely place to be, but that’s the way I like life. Easy and no strings attached. Beats having to worry about who you’ve left behind for days, weeks, months on end. How about you? I don’t see a gold band. No girlfriend either.”

  “How’d you know?” he asked.

  “If I was your girl I wouldn’t want you catching up on old times with a long lost flame.”

  He shrugged. “I’m as free as a bird.”

  Hmm…that sent him up a notch or two on the ladder of interest.

  “Who got you the missing ice rink?” His gaze dropped to her hand.

  “My ex-husband.” Her thoughts meandered to JJ. He’d opened for her at a concert in Ohio and they’d hit it off, or so she’d thought. “Three months into our marriage, I caught him cheating with a platinum blond who was as thick as my pinky and had breasts that fit in two counties at once.” When she’d walked in and found the groupie straddling her husband, her double Ds bouncing like two pigs under a blanket and her bony ass bopping, April realized that she’d never loved him anyway. Emotions involved or not, the image of him with the drunken girl had stuck in April’s mind, a reminder that she couldn’t trust another living soul.

  She couldn’t deny that, at the time, catching her husband cheating, while they were still newlyweds, hadn’t hurt her as much as it should, and yet it hadn’t polished her ego either. The media had torn the story to shre
ds, making April appear as a cold-hearted wife who never put out. Poor JJ had to step outside of the marriage for affection. Bull shit!

  “His loss,” Dante’s smooth voice made the fine hairs at her nape lift.

  “That was years ago. It’s all good now.” Two days before the divorce was final, JJ had begged to come home, but April had only felt disgust. He’d never change.

  April wasn’t insecure, and though she wasn’t pencil thin and sporting falsies, she’d always liked her soft curves. Giving up long ago on dieting down to a size two to look better on an album cover, she’d thrown all of the food regimes out the window and accepted her swollen bends and bows, and she’d felt better.

  The hotel’s neon sign blinked up ahead. “That’s where I’m staying.”

  Dante pulled the truck into the lot and parked between two other oversized vehicles. “Doesn’t anyone around here think of the human footprint?”

  “Coming from the woman who is carted around by limousines and once wore a ring that could have fed a thousand hungry kids.”

  “Touché.” She placed her fingers on the door handle. “Thank you for the ride.”

  “I’ll walk you to the door. Never know who’s prowling in the shadows. A beautiful woman like you probably draws them from every nook and cranny.”

  Usually, she didn’t fall for charm, but Dante had a unique way of getting under her skin and seeping into her bones, just like the olden days. “Thank you.” She flashed him her sweetest smile and slid out of the truck. Giving her strawberry blonde curls a tuck back into the bun, she led the way, fully aware that he watched her walk. She put more sway to her hips than usual, and hoped the effort wasn’t too much. When he whispered a curse, she knew she’d hit the spot.

  Hell, didn’t every woman flirt now and then?

  Once upon a time, she loved making Dante take notice. She could show a little skin, or sweep her tongue across her lips and he’d start sweating. Thinking back, she realized he was the only man she’d ever used her womanly assets to tease.

  Dante passed her and opened the entrance door. She rewarded him with another smile, liking the fact that he was still a gentleman. She missed many things in Texas, and this was definitely one.