Free Second Dance Cowboy (Second Chance) by Rhonda Lee Carver

he beat her to it. He ran his finger through the coal-black mass and she swallowed the lump in her throat. “I’ve lied,” he said.
    She blinked as the air left her lungs. “You did? To me?”
    “No, not to you. I need to explain.” He set his hat beside her bag. “Last night I got a visitor. Cassie.”
    “Oh.” Her stomach twisted. “I guess that’s good?” She played with a pen, rolling it around her fingers. Did she really want to hear anything more?
    “No, it was anything but good. ” He scrubbed his jaw. “She caught me off guard and before I knew what I was doing I told her I was involved with someone.”
    The room closed in around her. The temperature rose and her head spun. She went to the row of chairs lining the wall and took a seat. He had the ability to awaken every cell of her body with one smile, one look. Now was he telling her that he was involved with someone? This roller coaster ride was out of control. “Who?” The word crossed her trembling lips.
    “You.”
    “I didn’t know—what?”
    “I told her that you and I were dating. I’m sorry, but I’d lost my head for a moment. And once I started to correct the facts, I found that I couldn’t. I’ll speak to her today and tell her the truth.” The lines around his eyes grew deeper. Had he lost sleep over this?
    Dizzy, she clutched the edge of the cushioned chair. “You told Cassie that you and I are, well, together?” She needed air, quick. Turning, she opened the window a few inches, sucking in oxygen. It didn’t help. The man was an aphrodisiac.
    “It was wrong…”
    “You had me scared for a minute.” She sighed. “You seemed anxious.” She smoothed her clammy hands down her jeaned legs.
    “You’re not angry?” He sat beside her and she got a strong whiff of soap and coffee. She moistened her lower lip, but what she really wanted was to slide her tongue along the plump curve of his mouth.
    She laughed , not that she thought anything was funny. “Angry? No. I understand what you were doing. You were making Cassie jealous. I don’t know how healthy that is, but we’ve all been there and done silly things.” How could she be upset with him when she knew he still reeled over the betrayal of Cassie’s relationship with Dante? “Easily remedied. Have a talk with her.”
    He brushed his fingers down his face. “I know it was wrong, but I don’t want to clarify the facts.”
    “Because…?”
    “I liked seeing her cross.”
    At least he was honest. “ It’s been said that the easiest way to get a person back is to make them jealous.”
    He blinked. “I didn’t do it to get her back.”
    “Things like this can backfire. But, I do understand why you don’t want to correct the mistruth.” A man like Dillon had lots of pride, and although she didn’t like lies, she didn’t like how a woman like Cassie could come between two brothers. “I have something to confess myself.”
    “You do?” His eyes widened. “Don’t tell me you’re still married.”
    She shook her head. “No. I’ve carried around a bit of anger toward you over the years because you stood me up.”
    He smiled. “I already guessed as much. You had every right to be upset. I just need you to know that I did forget about the date, but not because it wasn’t important. Dante was in a car accident and we didn’t know if he’d make it. Hours turned into days. Days turned into weeks. When I came back a few months later you were no longer working at the diner.”
    Her heart raced. “I had no clue about Dante. I’m sorry. I had quit waitressing.” She clasped her hands in her lap.
    “Is that when you traveled?”
    “I got on a bus to New York, registered at dance school and, two weeks later, I found out I was pregnant with Ollie. I knew I’d be kicked out just as soon as they found out, so I left and came home.”
    “I’m sorry, Peyton.”
    “Giving up a dream was hard, but it wasn’t a mistake. I wouldn’t give up Ollie for anything. I