Page 22 of Broncos and Ballads (Healing Springs Ranch #2)

“Don’t forget the house rules, Brock,” T.W. called as Venus and Brock crossed the room.

Brock stopped in the doorway and arched a brow at his dad.

T.W. leveled him a stern look. “Separate bedrooms and no hanky-panky.”

“C’mon, Dad.” Brock’s voice was tinged with embarrassment. “Our relationship’s not like that. And believe it or not, I’m not like that either.”

Venus could only watch the exchange in surprise. She’d assumed Brock had engaged in his fair share of intimate relationships. Had she been wrong about country music’s hottest hunk? Or was he trying to pacify his dad?

“Good.” T.W. closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the hospital bed that was elevated halfway. “You know what I always say. God made man to cherish the woman for who she is and not what he can get from her.”

“Yep. I know that, Dad.”

Venus recognized that line from one of Brock’s popular songs. Now she knew where he’d heard it, and that made it even more special.

With T.W.’s and Leah’s goodnights following them, Brock led her to the great room and then out one of the sliding glass doors, where the light from inside illuminated the balcony. The cool September air greeted them along with the scent of pine and campfire smoke.

As soon as Brock closed the glass door behind them, he stalked over to the railing, bent over, and dropped his head. “Shoot. I’m real sorry about all that in there, Venus.”

“Don’t be.” She wound her way past the patio furniture and an elaborate outdoor firepit table.

“My dad’s a real stickler when it comes to how we treat women.”

She wanted to brush a hand across Brock’s back, but after her reaction earlier with their hug and their short kisses, she didn’t want to fan any more flames. Instead, she hummed the line from his song about God making man to cherish the woman.

With his elbows braced on the railing, he peeked at her sideways. “Yep. He was my inspiration for that song.”

“I always thought it was one of your best. From how popular it is, I’m guessing your fans like it too.”

He ducked his head again, but a slight grin curved up his lips.

“I think I owe your dad thanks for how well he trained you.”

His gaze snapped to her.

“You’ve treated me better in the short time I’ve known you than any other man has.”

“Really?”

“Reed treats me well. But as you know, he’s always been just a friend.” At least he’d admitted at their lunch in New York last week that he was a little jealous of other men in her life. But what could come of it? Nothing when the woman he wanted to marry was Lexi.

“You deserve to be cherished by every man.”

“It doesn’t always work out that way.”

He was silent for a beat. “Have you dated a lot?”

“A fair share, but I was never interested in anyone for long.”

“Because of Reed?”

“Maybe I’ve never given other men a fair shot because of my feelings for him.” She shrugged one shoulder. “Reed thinks it’s because I can’t commit.”

“I guess when you care about someone, it’s hard to make room to care about anyone else.”

Did his statement have a hint of a question to it? Was he trying to decide whether she was willing to care about him? No, he couldn’t be. She drew in another breath of the fresh mountain air. “What about you? You have quite the reputation with women.”

He was still leaning on the rail, looking so casual and yet so rugged. “I admit, I’ve had my fair share of girlfriends over the years.”

Something inside tightened at the prospect of him spending time with other women.

It couldn’t be jealousy, and yet she felt strangely unsettled by the idea of him treating other women to a night on the town the way he had with her in Berlin.

She wanted that to be special, something he didn’t do for every woman.

But maybe he did since he was such a charming man.

“I meant what I said to my dad,” he said as he peered out into the dark distance. “I’m not in the business of trying to get women into my bed.”

“I believe you.”

He again shot her a sideways glance.

The look was probing, penetrating, sending her insides into a strange tumble.

“Trouble is,” he said, “I never did anything to prove the rumors wrong over the years, and so most people believe I’m a player.”

“I suppose it comes with the territory.”

“Suppose so. Early on, my manager and the label thought my image as a lady’s man would help my sales.”

“And it did.”

“Yep. I had lots of fun and enjoyed all the attention. But I’ve never liked hookups or one-night stands.”

She nodded. “I can see that about you. Even though you’re easygoing and fun-loving, you have more depth than I realized.”

He straightened and turned to look at her more fully. “I appreciate that assessment. Not many people see me like that.”

“Then they don’t know the real you.”

He seemed to be studying her face, probably wondering why she was saying so much about him. Why was she? Maybe after seeing him interact with his dad, she realized there were more layers to him. And maybe she wanted to understand him better.

“Anyone special since Ainsley Rose?” She was prying…and maybe even fishing to find out how he felt about her. “Never mind. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“It’s all right.” His grin slid up slowly.

The sight of it made her stomach tumble again. She was starting to like his grin too much. Was it even sort of addictive?

“The only woman since Ainsley Rose is you, darlin’.” The words were filled with his trademark charm.

“So we’re exclusive?”

“Course we are.”

His statement shouldn’t make her happy, but it did. She supposed on some level she’d begun to worry he’d found someone else to be interested in this past week.

Not that he’d been interested in her. But they were in a semblance of a relationship for now, and she didn’t want him to be paying attention to other women while he was with her.

Did that mean she had to stop paying attention to Reed? It was only fair, even though Brock had been understanding about it—hadn’t asked her to stop and had always supported her getting together with Reed if that’s the way things worked out.

But she wasn’t sure if that’s what she wanted anymore. And that scared her.

“You up for another all-nighter?” Brock asked, his voice full of challenge.

“What’s there to do at night here?” She let sarcasm infuse her question even as excitement shimmered through her.

“Are you doubting me, darlin’?”

“Yes, maybe I am.”

“Then let me prove you wrong.”

She honestly couldn’t think of anything she wanted to do more than spend another night with Brock, talking and joking and having fun. “Fine. Prove me wrong.”