Free Second Chance Cowboy by Rhonda Lee Carver

still lingered in his mouth and he wanted more.
    When she wrapped her arms around his
neck and lowered her head to his shoulder, he knew she could turn
him to putty. She had a way of wrapping him around her finger and
he was happily submissive.
    Chance mentally shook himself to get
the hell out of the forgetful mode. Had he completely overlooked
the last two years? He needed to help her remember, and then,
maybe, they would have a chance at working things out.
    After all, Carly dwelled in a
vulnerable state and needed his support. She didn’t need him
spreading her thighs, sliding himself into her until they connected
at the hips.
    “ Everything will be okay, I
promise.” He brought his hand up and touched her porcelain skin,
running the tip of his finger softly along the ragged line of
bruising on her cheek. It tore through him. “If you could look
inside me you’d see I’d go to the end of the world to keep you from
being hurt.” The words left his lips and he knew he promised the
impossible. He’d told her those same words before, and what
happened? They split up and divorced.
    “ In a few days I’ll be
okay.”
    His exhale weaved with a growl. When
she turned her face into his hand and kissed his palm, he thought
his heart would beat through his rib cage. She didn’t stop there.
She trailed kisses along his wrist, her tongue swept out and licked
the pulse point.
    “ You little vixen.” The air
flew out of his lungs. “It’s taking every bit of control I have not
to rip those jeans off your sexy body and take you right here,
right now.”
    “ I wouldn’t complain,” she
teased.
    “ And give my men front row
seats to your tight ass? I don’t think so.” He buried his fingers
into her silky hair and brought a handful up to his nose. Vanilla.
“You still smell the same.”
    “ Of course I do. What were
you expecting?” Her eyes were questioning.
    Uh-oh. Slip up.
    He didn’t answer.
    “ Chance, I was only gone
for a few days, not years.”
    She undid his top button and his pulse
beat faster.
    “ It felt like years,
sweetheart.” Two, actually. And three if he wanted to be
specific.
    “ You’re different, Chance.”
Her words floated against his ear, her breath tousled the length of
his hair.
    “ Different?”
    “ You seem distant. I feel
like you’re pushing me away. And you act terrified of making love
with me. I won’t bite. Not hard anyway.”
    Her hand dropped to the crotch of his
jeans and lightly squeezed to emphasize the meaning of her words.
He winced. What could he say? “I’m sorry, babe. I’ve been an
asshole.” He thought he’d burst.
    “ You know what I
think?”
    His eyes caressed her lovely face. Her
skin reminded him of satin against his callused hands. Her eyes
were innocent blue, reaching into his chest and doing funny things
to his heart. “What’s that?”
    “ It’s time you told me what
I long to hear.” She kissed the corner of his mouth, his jaw, his
neck.
    He knew what she wanted, and he
couldn’t do it. Not yet anyway.
    When the time was right he could tell
her how he felt, again. Just not right now.
    The first sign of anger came with the
tensing of her body. The second, her chilly expression. Her eyes
turned to cobalt ice cubes.
    “ Don’t tell me.” She pushed
off his lap and placed her fists on hips.
    “ Come on,
Carly.”
    He reached out and she pulled away
from his grasp. “Don’t ‘come on, Carly’ me.” Her arms went up. “I
don’t know what in the hell is wrong with you, but I’m slowly
losing my patience. Not only are you walking on eggshells around
me, you’ve shot me down twice. Twice!” Her tone dripped
acid. “You barely kiss me and now you refuse to tell me you love
me? Did I hit my head so hard that I’ve gone loopy, or am I right?
You’re avoiding me like the plague. And another thing, what about
our wedding picture mysteriously missing from your office?” Her
eyes were like lasers, ready to shoot him down. “I’ve never