Page 33 of Broncos and Ballads (Healing Springs Ranch #2)

“Afraid?” Brock wanted to reach for Venus and draw her back, but instead, he stuffed his hands into his pockets. “What are you afraid of, darlin’?”

She rubbed her arms and stared out over the ocean. With the breeze molding her sundress to her figure, she was picture-perfect, especially with her cheeks flushed and her lips swollen from their kissing.

His entire chest was burning for her. He hadn’t expected a reunion to happen, hadn’t even in his wildest dreams believed Venus would approach him today and declare her love.

He could still hardly believe it, and a part of him was waiting to wake up and find out this wasn’t real.

Maybe he’d even already spooked her with how passionately he’d kissed her.

He had to remember not to overwhelm her with his feelings, because now that he’d seen her again, his passion for her was stronger than ever.

“Don’t hold back on me.” He kept his voice soft. “Let’s promise each other we’ll talk about everything we’re feeling.”

She nodded, then tore her gaze away from the ocean and settled her beautiful blue eyes back on him. “You’re so good at loving me and had such a good model from your father. But I’m afraid I won’t be able to love you as well.”

The unanswered text from his dad burned in his pocket. Maybe he hadn’t always seen eye to eye with his dad, but through it all, his dad had continued to be there for him. And Venus was right. His dad had been a good model in how to live and love.

It was past time to text his dad back and thank him for his encouragement with Venus.

“What if I fail?” Venus’s voice was low and filled with doubts. “I didn’t have the same kind of example that you did. In fact, my mom’s relationships always fail.”

“Even with my good example, I’ve done a lot wrong. The key is that we have to make our own choices on how we want to love.”

She nodded slowly.

“No matter our pasts, we get to write the story we want for our future.”

“I like that.”

“Besides, you’ve got one important thing that your mom doesn’t have.” He grinned. “Me. I’ve got enough love for the both of us, and it’ll see us through whatever comes our way.”

“That’s not fair to make you take on that responsibility.”

“I can’t help it. It’s just the way it is.”

His head was spinning with all the lyrics that had started formulating again almost the second he’d laid eyes on her. He had the feeling that from here on out, all his songs would be about her. And that was perfectly fine with him.

“Hey!” came a shout from the beach, down by the thatched bar.

They turned to find that Reed had stepped outside the bar area. “You coming? We’re getting ready to sit down for dinner.”

Brock wasn’t all that keen on being around Reed, not after the cold welcome earlier. But if Reed was important to Venus, then he’d do everything he could to get along with the guy. “What do you say? Should we go join the party?”

She hesitated. Then she nodded. “As much as I’d like to have you all to myself, I suppose this weekend is about Reed and not about us.”

Brock held out his hand to Venus this time. No more holding elbows. As she slipped her hand into his, he laced their fingers together, loving her silky skin and her pretty nails and her graceful wrists with simple gold bracelets.

He gathered up her sandals, purse, and shawl, and held them as they walked back. He wanted to say more to her, wanted to tell her he loved her again, wanted to stop and kiss her one more time.

But Reed’s narrowed gaze was upon them, watching carefully as if he were Venus’s guardian and didn’t approve of them being together.

As they drew nearer, the lively music wafted toward them as did the conversations coming from the bar that opened up to the infinity pool. Reed’s friends were still standing around the bar sipping drinks and hadn’t been seated yet.

Was it time for dinner? Or had Reed just wanted to put an end to Brock’s time alone with Venus?

“What’s this?” Reed looked pointedly at their joined hands. “Have you decided to keep your fake relationship going after all?”

His question was loud enough to carry, and the chatter of the others in the bar began to fade. Didn’t he care who heard their conversation?

Venus stiffened. “Reed, don’t do this.”

“Do what?” Reed’s voice rose a notch. “Talk about the fact that your managers set you up in a relationship to help your images?”

While the band was still playing, the laughter and voices had quieted, and all eyes were upon the three of them, especially upon Venus. A visitor in a far corner had raised his camera and was likely getting the interaction on video.

Why was Reed doing this? He had to realize that revealing the details of the fake relationship would be damaging to Venus. If he was really a good friend, then why wasn’t he being more careful?

Brock wanted to walk over and punch Reed in the face for being so insensitive to Venus, but he didn’t want that to show up on someone’s social media in five minutes.

“Reed, please.” Venus’s features creased with distress. “Can we talk privately?”

Reed waved his hand around the bar. “Why don’t you tell everyone how even the Rolling Stone article was fake?”

Venus seemed to shrink back at all the faces staring at her.

Frustration only reared up all the more inside Brock. Over the years, Reed had been a good friend to Venus. Brock had never doubted that. Was Reed jealous that Venus was finally finding happiness of her own? Maybe he’d wanted Lexi but also expected Venus to always be there for him too.

Whatever the case, Brock couldn’t stand back and watch him tear apart Venus. He started to release Venus’s hand and take a step toward Reed, but Venus clung to him, sliding both arms around Brock and hugging him from the side.

“There’s nothing fake about my relationship with Brock McQuaid.” Her voice rang out over the music. “In fact, there’s nothing more real on this earth than my love for this man. My love for him is the most real thing I’ve ever felt.”

As she said the words, she looked up at Brock, her eyes brimming with a love that sent a tremor through him.

He couldn’t keep himself from dipping down and stealing a kiss from her. It was quick, but it was hard and hot.

She braced a hand against his chest and dug her fingers into his shirt, then smiled up at him. “All I know is that Brock McQuaid’s love for me has made me a better woman, and I plan to spend the rest of my life showing him how much I love him in return.”

This time she reached up, wrapped both arms around his neck, and kissed him with a passion that was strong and fierce and determined and communicated all her love.

He could feel it in every move, so much so that his chest ached from the relief of knowing that she wanted him and that everything she was feeling was genuine.

As they kissed, the crowd began to clap. Within seconds, everyone was stomping and whistling and cheering their approval. Everyone except Reed, who had lowered himself into the nearest chair and hung his head.

Venus broke away, a beautiful smile lighting up her face and her eyes. She peered up at Brock and cupped his cheek. “If you’re still planning to leave Los Cabos, I’d love to catch a ride with you.”

“I’m leaving.” He said so because he could tell that was what she wanted, that she needed to take a break from Reed. Whatever their friendship had once been, it could no longer be the same. Maybe it would just take time for Reed to figure that out. At least, Brock hoped so.

“Then let’s go.” She grabbed Brock’s hand and began to lead him through the bar and away from the others.

When they stepped outside onto the short pathway that led to the lobby, Brock bent and placed a kiss on her head. “I’m proud of you, darlin’. That wasn’t easy.”

She nodded, her smile fading. “Reed’s mad at me now.”

Brock wanted to say that Reed was a scumbag for hurting Venus the way he had. But Venus needed his reassurance, not his anger. “He won’t want to lose you as a friend, so he’ll come around eventually.”

“I hope so.”

Brock wrapped his arm around her waist, reveling in the fact that he could do so now. She’d said she wanted to spend the rest of her life loving him. Maybe not in those exact words, but she’d all but told him and the world that she wanted to marry him.

He had half a mind to drop to his knees right here in the middle of the pathway and propose to her. But when he proposed—and he would—he planned to make it special. As his dad said, he had to go big or go home.

She leaned her head against his arm. “I guess everyone will find out about our fake relationship agreement now.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“But the gossip will ruin your image again. After you’ve worked so hard to repair it, I don’t want that to happen.”

Brock stopped her and let himself caress her cheek again, something he could do every day and never get tired of. “Listen, darlin’, someone really smart once told me the negativity doesn’t last long and that my charm comes through for me.”

“Someone really smart did tell you that, didn’t she?”

“Yep.”

She hesitated. “Still, if people realize we had an arrangement to fake date, it’ll be really bad for you.”

He just shrugged. “All that matters is you. If you’re happy, then I’ll be happy.”

She watched him for a long moment, her eyes wide and filling with wonder. “I’m so lucky to have you, you know that?”

“Nope, I’m the lucky one.”

She brushed a finger over his cheek, the same way he’d just done to her. “I have an idea for how to make any new rumors about us being in a fake relationship go away.”

“Oh yeah? What?”

“Everywhere we go, we can prove we’re in love.”

He liked that idea. A lot. “How we gonna do that?” He couldn’t keep his voice from growing husky with desire.

Her lashes fell halfway, and she wrapped her hand behind his neck, gliding her fingers into his hair. “I’ll show you how.”

And she did. She captured his mouth in a kiss that left no doubt that they were in love.