Page 32 of Broncos and Ballads (Healing Springs Ranch #2)

After how callous she’d been to him, he was asking her if she was all right?

Tears pricked Venus’s eyes. That was just like Brock. He thought about her needs and how she was feeling above anything else.

He’d ditched his cowboy boots and faded jeans for shorts and Birkenstock sandals with his tight T-shirt. His dark hair looked like it had been recently trimmed but was still unruly. And his jaw had a five-o’clock shadow.

He looked so good. And she just wanted to stand and stare at him and take him in all night.

But he was leaving.

“Why?” She managed the one word.

He cocked a brow.

“Because of me?” She didn’t care that she’d jumped to a different subject and was confusing him. She had to keep him from going, at least for a little while.

With a furrowed brow, Reed began to cross toward her.

They’d been on their way to dinner, but she’d only made it to the elevators near her room when she’d realized she’d forgotten her wrap.

She’d told Reed to go on down without her, that she’d be along shortly.

When she’d stepped out of the elevator, the last thing she’d expected to see was Reed talking with Brock.

The conversation hadn’t looked too pleasant.

“Come on.” Reed halted and held out a hand toward her. “Everyone’s waiting.”

She ignored him and instead focused on Brock. “You came all this way. You can’t leave yet.”

His smile dimmed, and his brown eyes held sadness, maybe even tiredness. “I think it’s for the best, especially after the article’s release today. I don’t want everything to be awkward.”

What had he thought of the article and all the pictures? She wanted to ask him. But wouldn’t that be inappropriate and insensitive of her?

He dropped his gaze from her and focused on the marble floor.

“Venus,” Reed said more firmly. “Brock’s trying to do the right thing. Just let him go.”

The right thing?

“How do you know what the right thing is?” What she really wanted to know was how much Reed truly cared about her happiness and her feelings and how she was doing.

Because one thing was for certain: he didn’t treat her the same way Brock did—like she was the most precious item in the world.

Which he was still doing even after she’d hurt him.

He was one very special man. Now that he was here in front of her, she didn’t want to be away from him. She wanted to talk to him and be with him and find out how he was doing and what songs he’d written and how he was enjoying his time off from being on tour.

Reed’s eyes flashed with warning. “Don’t do this now.”

“Do what?”

He glanced around to make sure most of the other guests were out of range. A few near the door were staring at the three of them, but otherwise they were out of earshot of everyone. Reed lowered his voice. “Don’t drag out the breakup with Brock. Just let him go.”

Brock hadn’t moved, except that his jaw twitched.

Was she dragging out the breakup with Brock? Even if she was, she at least had to apologize to him before he left. “I’d like the chance to talk to Brock.”

“Fine. Go ahead.” Reed didn’t move, as if he planned to stay and listen to the conversation.

Had Reed always been this bossy? As a friend, maybe she’d appreciated his decisiveness and quick thinking and concern. But those weren’t qualities she wanted in the man she fell in love with. She wanted someone like Brock, who valued her needs, respected her decisions, and considered her an equal.

Who was she kidding? She didn’t just want someone like Brock. She wanted him . Because the truth was clear, and she couldn’t keep hiding behind the insecurities from her past. She’d already fallen in love with Brock. She’d just been too scared to admit it.

But if she didn’t admit it, she would lose him.

She took a step away from Reed toward Brock. “I need to speak with Brock. Alone.”

“And let him try to convince you again?” Reed scoffed. “No, thank you.”

She closed the distance so that she was standing beside Brock.

He held himself rigidly, his broad shoulders stiff, his jaw tight, and his eyes hard upon Reed.

She wanted to place a hand on Brock’s arm, but she held herself back. She had no right to…yet…and maybe not ever. But she had to see if he could forgive her and give her a second chance. “You’re wrong, Reed. I’m the one who needs to convince Brock.”

At her statement, Brock’s gaze swung to her and the intensity of his eyes raked over her.

Her entire body longed for him again—longed to be in his arms, against his chest, and wrapped up tight. “Will you talk with me?”

“Course I will, darlin’.” His words held a warmth that she desperately needed at the moment.

“This is ridiculous,” Reed said, his voice laced with irritation.

Irritation of her own flared toward her friend. “Be sensitive. If you care about me and my happiness, then wouldn’t you want me to talk to him?”

Reed held her gaze for a few heartbeats before sighing. “You’re right. But don’t be long, and don’t fall for his charm.”

It was too late. She’d already fallen for Brock’s charm fully and completely. She’d fallen for everything about him.

Reed narrowed a look at Brock before turning and stalking across the lobby toward the door that led to the oceanfront bar where everyone was congregated.

Once she was alone with Brock, she was tempted to fidget with her bracelet or an earring or even with her hair.

But her training as a model not to squirm but to stay poised came into use.

Instead, she gripped her clutch more firmly, then nodded in the direction of an opposite door that led to the beach.

“Will you walk with me?” She was afraid to meet his gaze, afraid of seeing rejection or hurt or even the sadness again. “I’d be grateful for a few minutes of your time.”

He gave her one of his lopsided grins. “I can’t turn down spending time with you.”

“Thank you. I know you were just about to leave.”

He held out his arm to her. “I’ll do anything for you, darlin’. All you have to do is ask.”

Did his words have a hidden meaning? Was he hinting at something deeper? She could only pray so.

She tucked her hand into his arm, circling his bicep. Oh, how she liked his bicep, with its solidness and strength—just like who he was inside, so solid and strong.

As they walked outside, the evening sky was streaked with the remnants of the setting sun, and a soft breeze took away the glaring heat from earlier in the day.

The flagstone path led through palm trees and wound past a pool until at last the sandy beach spread out before them.

A few other couples were strolling along the water’s edge, but the busy crowds sunbathing during the day were gone, and she and Brock were mostly alone.

“I’ve been waiting to talk to you,” she said as they ambled along the waterfront, away from the resort.

“I’m nervous.” He matched his stride to hers. “Will I like what you have to say, or will it drive me crazy?”

“I hope you’ll like it.” With the sand filling her sandals, she slipped them off.

Before she could reach for them, Brock swiped them up. “I’ll carry them.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I want to.” He tucked her hand back into the crook of his arm and started forward again.

For the first time since she’d left him in Colorado, she was where she needed to be. The restlessness, the emptiness, the despair—all of it was gone, and she felt as if she could breathe again.

For a long minute, the only sounds were the steady rhythm of the waves slapping the shore and the distant strains of the live music coming from the thatched bar where Reed and his guests were hanging out.

“I’m sorry.” The words finally fell out.

He glanced at her sideways but didn’t say anything, clearly giving her the space to say what she needed without pushing her. Just one more thing she loved about him.

She inhaled, knowing she had to keep going. He’d already proven that he cared. Now it was her turn to do the same. “I shouldn’t have run off the way I did after you told me you loved me.”

His steps slowed, and his body tensed beneath her fingertips.

“It was rude of me to leave without even saying goodbye.”

“I understand.” His voice was soft. “I pushed too hard—”

“No. You didn’t.” She stopped walking and turned to face him. “None of it was you. It was all me.”

In the glow of the evening, his features looked darker and more rugged, but his expression was as tender as always.

“Can you forgive me?”

“Oh, darlin’, there’s nothing to forgive—”

“Yes, there is. Please accept my apology for running away and not answering your texts and calls and being so stubborn.”

“All right.”

“You forgive me?”

“Yep.”

“As easy as that?”

“Easy as that.”

She should have known that Brock would forgive as easily as he loved.

That was just the way he was. But he deserved more of an explanation, and she wanted to give it to him.

“I was scared—have been scared for a long time. And I think I was using Reed as an excuse to keep me safe from the heartache I’ve seen my mom go through. ”

He nodded, his gaze languidly taking in her face as though he couldn’t get enough of her—at least, she hoped that was what his gazing meant.

“Maybe I’ve been trying to protect myself. But I’ve realized that self-protection is really just hurting me.”

“We’re all running from demons of some kind from our pasts.”

Her heart swelled with more love for this man, for how understanding he was, how kind, how caring. Even if the thought of being in a permanent relationship was still daunting, she wanted to be with Brock, wanted to try it.

She blew out a breath and made herself say the truth. “I realized that I don’t love Reed…”

His eyes snapped to hers and rounded with surprise. “You don’t?”

“Not the way I love you.”

He grew absolutely motionless, wasn’t even breathing.

“I love you, Brock.” She wanted to reach for his hands, clasp them in hers, but she still had no right to assume he would try their relationship again, this time for real.

“I know I don’t deserve you, not after the way I shut you out.

But if you’re still open to seeing where our relationship could go, I’d like another chance. ”

He lifted a hand to her face and caressed her cheek. “If you really want to be with me, I’m warning you that it’s gonna be real hard—”

“I realize all relationships face challenges—”

He touched her lips and silenced her. “It’s gonna be real hard because I’ll probably drive you crazy with how crazy I am about you.”

All the tension that had been building over the past two weeks slid away, and happiness rolled in to replace it. She couldn’t hold back a smile. “I think I can handle your craziness.”

“Do you?” His grin kicked up again.

“I might even like that craziness.”

He let her sandals fall from his grip, set his hands on her hips, and drew her closer. “Good. Because I’m totally and completely and madly in love with you in a way I’ve never been with anyone else and never will be with any other woman.”

The sincerity and softness of his declaration ricocheted through her body. “Really?”

He nodded and bent his head toward hers.

She caught the scent of his woodsy aftershave, and desire curled through her.

“I’ll give you all the time you need to figure out where you want our relationship to go and to be ready for more. But I already know what I want.”

“You do?”

“Yep. I want you. That’s all. As long as I have you, I’ll be a happy man.”

He brushed his nose against hers, and she closed her eyes as contentment welled up from deep inside. This was right where she wanted to be, and he was all she wanted too.

Well, maybe she wanted more…like to kiss him again, and this time to never have to stop.

She dropped her clutch and wrap to the ground, then leaned into him and fused her mouth with his. And oh, oh, oh. The taste of him, the feel of him, the warmth of him—he was heavenly. With his lips molding to hers, she nearly groaned with need.

She wound her arms behind his head and lifted into him, taking the kiss deeper and moving into it more fully. The pressure and the rhythm of their lips together picked up immediately, turning hungry and urgent, as if they were making up for the past two weeks of being apart.

Maybe they were making up for lost time, but there was also no denying that the chemistry between them was strong. It had been smoldering all along, sizzling into sparks whenever they touched. It was sizzling now too, sending heat to her limbs and fingers and toes.

She had the feeling that kissing him would be one of her favorite things to do, which was saying something, because doing everything with him so far had been fun. But this kissing? It was incredible. Because he was incredible.

His hands glided up her hips to her back. His hold was hard and firm, but also possessive. As he slid one of his hands higher to her bare back where her sundress dipped down, his thumb reverently caressed her skin.

She couldn’t hold back a soft moan of pleasure.

He in turn gave a throaty response before deepening the kiss so that suddenly, she felt in a free fall with him, spinning wildly. He was exciting, and their relationship would be thrilling and passionate and full of life. She had no doubt about that.

But could she love him in return the way he deserved?

The question broke through all her emotion, and she pulled back from him abruptly and took a step away.

Her chest rose and fell heavily as she struggled to find a breath and her equilibrium.

He was breathing heavily too. But a lazy smile was working up one corner of his mouth, making him look irresistibly handsome—so much so that she wanted to throw herself against him and drag his head down to hers again to fuse their mouths into one.

All she knew was that Brock McQuaid was one of a kind, and she wanted to be worthy of a man like him.

She wanted to love him as well as he loved her—wanted to treat him special, wanted to sacrifice for him, wanted to forgive him easily, wanted to persevere with him, and wanted to make him happy. But could she really do all of that?

She crossed her arms over her chest to hold back a shiver. “I’m afraid, Brock.”