“I need a drink. You guys want another?” she asked as if that was the reason she’d made her way back to the table.
“Yes, ma’am,” Red said. “Beer for me. What about you, honey? Want a beer?”
“Sure,” the woman said.
Lancey knew by the way he’d addressed the woman as ‘honey’ that he’d already forgotten her name. She shook her head at him and turned to Braden.
“Uh-huh,” Braden said, but he had his eyes on the door. She looked and saw that Lea Dunwoody had just walked in. Braden had had a ‘thing’ for her for a long time, but he hadn’t done anything about it yet. He said she was still getting settled, trying to get her pet bakery up and running. She didn’t have time for a guy. But Lancey knew better. She’d just run away from a kiss she’d been craving since she’d walked into the bar tonight, so she recognized Braden’s fear. It was close to her own.
“Come help me, will you, Braden? I could use an extra hand,” Lancey said, figuring her friend was going to just keep watching the woman he wanted from the corner of the saloon. One of the things that had made the three of them such good friends was that they were quite similar. They were all fairly conservative, liking to stay on the sidelines, while things went on around them. But now, Braden could use a shove to go and meet the girl he’d been dreaming about for too long.
“I’ll come with you,” Finn said.
Finn put his hand on the small of her back and a zing went straight down her spine to her center. And she realized that instead of trying to help her friend out, maybe she should lead by example, the way her CO was always advising them to do. But this was Finn Delaney. And she had to be careful about what she was doing with him.
One night. That’s all it could be—all she could allow it to be—and then she’d move on and deal with the rest of her life.
Lancey leaned in close to Finn. “Braden needs to come with me. He’s sitting here by himself, but he likes Lea, who is over by the bar.”
“Then I’ll take my brother and get the drinks,” he said, smacking her on the butt as he turned away. “Come on, Bray. Let’s show the lady that Delaney men can be gentlemen,” Finn said to his brother.
Braden scooted out of the booth and before Lancey slid in, Finn caught her around the waist and pulled her against him, whispering in her ear, “Which one is Lea?”
She hardly comprehended his words, the feel of his body pressed against her back distracting her for a moment. Then she put her hand on his jaw and tipped her head back. “Brunette with the pixie cut, wearing the black Outlaw Tequila tee and denim shorts.”
Finn turned, found the object of his brother’s attention, and then nodded. “Braden has good taste. I’ll be right back.”
The two Delaneys made their way to the bar as Lancey slid into the booth across from Red and his date. “I was just saying I will be glad when the rodeo leaves town,” Red said, turning to her. “There have been too many folks out on the river fishing. I like it better when it’s just me and Duke.”
“I know you do, but it’s got to be good for your business,” Lancey said. Making conversation with Red was easy since he was usually talking about Last Stand Expeditions, sometimes referred to as Red’s outdoor outfitters to locals, his outdoor company.
“It is. So I know I shouldn’t complain, but come summer I’m ready for some quiet,” Red said.
“My place is quiet,” the girl said, squeezing up against Red’s side.
“I bet it is. But I’ve got another beer coming,” he said.
“What is it you do? I’m sorry I didn’t catch your name,” Lancey said as she smiled at the other woman, but watched out of the corner of her eye as Finn and Braden made their way to the bar.
“I’m Lucy. I’m from Whiskey River and work at Kelly Boots,” she said as Red turned his back to them to talk to some people he knew at another table.
Lucy sort of sighed and Lancey just shook her head. “I love Kelly Boots. I’m hoping to be able to get a pair of the Christmas special issue this year. Do you ever get a heads-up on what they’re going to look like?”
“I wish. But no,” Lucy said.
The jukebox at the saloon was always changing and when ‘Kiss Me Deadly’ by Lita Ford came on, Lancey looked over at the woman Red was ignoring. “Want to dance? This song is one of my favorites.”
“Yeah, I do.”
She nudged Red out of the way and the two of them made a beeline for the dance floor, which was quickly filling up with women. She found herself dancing next to the Corbyn sisters—known collectively as the Beauty, the Brain and the Bitch around town. She danced until she was sweating and when she glanced back at the table, she saw that there was a female crowd around Red, Braden and Finn.
“I’m going to call it a night,” she said to the other women. Lucy nodded, then turned and went back toward Red’s table.
In less than an hour, Lancey had managed to talk herself into—and out of—a fling with Finn. Now she realized that leaving with her dignity intact was the only option.
Chapter Two
Finn cursed as Amelia came over to their table with his older brother. His mother was babysitting Lane tonight to give all of them a chance to enjoy the fine summer evening. Only he wasn’t cursing because his brother and his fiancée had joined them, but because over Amelia’s shoulder, he could see Lancey Maverick heading out the door.
Emma and Delilah Corbyn had joined them and the table was starting to get a bit crowded. He’d already decided that he was going home with Lancey, so hadn’t been flirting. He knew who he wanted. But to be honest, he’d been thinking with his dick and not his head. Lancey would be a complication, and right now, with his future in NASCAR up in the air, he shouldn’t be adding anyone like her to the mix.
But then, when had he ever done the smart thing?
He’d always been more into doing what felt right and taking what he wanted. There was always tomorrow to deal with the consequences.
“Take my seat, ladies. I’ll see y’all tomorrow,” he said, getting up and making his way through the crowded bar.
It took longer than he anticipated when he saw some fans, ones he’d had a drink with earlier, trying to wave him over. He shook his head and pointed to the door. There wasn’t anything that was so urgent that he had to discuss it on a Thursday night in June.
He stepped outside and the full force of Texas summer heat was waiting. It fell over his shoulders like a warm blanket. Even the breeze felt hot, brushing over his already aroused senses and carrying the scent of lilacs on the wind. It was the same fragrance that Lancey had been wearing and he turned to see her sitting on the weathered horse hitching post that had been there for longer than he could remember.
She was staring up at the sky. Maybe the music and the crowd had gotten too much for her. The sounds of the night were a welcome relief to the cacophony of the saloon.
“Hey, Lancey,” he called. “I thought you were going to have another drink with me.” He’d never seen her quiet like this. She was always serious and fierce. He’d even been there to witness her losing her temper more than once. But tonight, she was different.
“Yeah, I was, but then I changed my mind. I was feeling wild,” she admitted. “But as soon as I started thinking…”
“You wised up?” he asked.
“Something like that,” she said as she stood. “But I’ve had a few drinks, driving home is out. I was debating whether to call for a ride or walk.”
“If you don’t mind the company,” he said, “I’ll walk with you.”
She tipped her head to the side. “I was serious about what I said, Finn. I’m not going to sleep with you.”
“Uh, when did you say that?” he asked.
“I told you I wasn’t feeling wild anymore. I don’t want you to think I’m offering something—”
“Other than friendship? Because that’s all I’m interested in tonight. Sure, I want you. I think you look damned sexy in that dress, and the way your hair hangs aro
und your shoulders makes me want to touch it and see if it’s as soft as it looks. But I also think it’s time you and I became friends. We’re in each other’s lives now,” he said. And that was true. Every damned word of it. He might not care to dwell on how he felt, but he had no problem admitting to the physical stuff. She was hot, he wasn’t going to deny it. But he also liked her. The sassy way she’d teased him had been fun. Most women weren’t. Oh, they flirted and all that, but he could never be sure how much of it was because he was Finn Delaney, NASCAR Cup driver, and how much was because he was Finn—somewhat surly, charming Texan.
“Fair enough,” she said. “Between the women in this town and Braden, I’ve heard a lot of stories about you. Let’s just say that if half of them are true, you’re a legend.”
He shook his head. “Don’t believe all that. Braden exaggerates to make himself look better, but he’s no slouch when it comes to women.”
She stepped off the sidewalk and started walking across the empty street toward the park. He followed her. “What happened with him and Lea?”
“Nothing. He chickened out as soon as we got to the bar. He said he didn’t want to come on too strong.”
“So he went back to the table with the twins, then. He does that all the time. What is it with you Delaneys and commitment?”
“Uh, Cal and Amelia are engaged,” he added. What could he say? Everyone knew about the family curse—no Delaney wife or daughter ever lived past the age of thirty. Most of them believed it was because of their outlaw past. But Finn wasn’t buying it, even though he saw his dad turn into a different man once his ma died. He’d become the kind of man that Finn sometimes was—a rough man who was easily angered and used to either punching his way out of emotional situations or getting into his car and driving away as fast as he could. Still, it was hard to go on, wondering if any woman he brought home might not be there for long.
“Yeah, they are,” she said. “Somehow, I always saw Cal as the golden boy.”
Finn laughed. “You’ve got that right. He’s always managed to get out of any scrape still smelling like a daisy. He was a hell of a big brother to try to live up to.” And if anyone could break the curse, it would be him.
“I guess I was lucky to be the oldest,” she said.
“Yeah. But you were probably an even tougher sibling for TJ to have.”
“You think?” she asked. “We were so different. I don’t think he ever compared himself to me.”
“You’re tough, Lancey,” Finn said. “You can handle everything, while TJ was still trying to figure out who he was. I bet seeing you—”
He broke off. He couldn’t say that he thought that her successes in the military intimidated TJ. Even though the kid had lived out at the ranch for a year before he’d died in April, Finn hadn’t been around enough to really get a chance to get to know him.
“I hope he knew I loved him,” Lancey said. “Our last conversation still haunts me. I told him not to screw up again.”
*
She kept trying to tell herself that TJ would have forgiven her for her words. If she’d ever guessed what would happen, she would have said something softer, nicer. As it was, her last words to him—’I’m not bailing you out again’—still rang in her head.
Then again, she wasn’t so sure. She’d never been one to sugarcoat the truth. It only led to mistakes and disappointment. No one benefited from that.
“Oh, darling, don’t beat yourself up about that. TJ knew you loved him. He told me more than once that he wanted to make you proud,” Finn said.
She wanted to believe Finn, but he was the kind of gentleman who wouldn’t hesitate to try to make her feel better about this. There was no way to confirm what TJ had thought, because he was dead.
“Stop trying to decide if you should believe it. I’m not lying to you. That’s not my way. In fact, I’ve gotten in trouble more than once for being too blunt.”
She nodded. “It’s just hard to think of him as being gone. He was so young, and I sometimes caught a glimpse of the man he’d become, you know?”
Finn rubbed the back of his neck and turned away from her. “I do know. I still can’t talk about the accident.”
She hadn’t forgotten that Rose had been in the car, too. And she knew that all of the Delaney brothers were still finding their way of dealing with it. Braden would talk to her about Rose from time to time, but she didn’t tend to talk about her brother. She was the last Maverick…well, except for little Lane.
“Okay. When do you go back to racing?” she asked.
“If the doc approves me, I go back for the road race in Sonoma next weekend,” he said.
“Why wouldn’t he? Is there a reason you aren’t racing right now?” she asked. “You didn’t say anything earlier.”
“I have a blood clot. If I sit for any length of time—like the time it would take to finish a race—it could get worse. So I’m on medication that will hopefully clear it. With any luck, it should be sorted out soon,” he said.
She had the feeling she wasn’t going to get much more out of him, so she let it drop. “I’m sure it will be. I hope it all works out the way you want it to.”
“Thanks.”
They walked a few more minutes in silence, neither of them saying a word. She knew she should try to get some conversation going but for the life of her, everything she’d come up with in her head sounded lame. She wanted to ask if he was going to the rodeo, but what was the point? Everyone in town did.
“Is that it?” he asked. “Have we exhausted every topic of conversation?”
“I guess so. I’m not sure what else to say. We could talk about Lane. He showed me the replica of your car that he has. He drove it in circles in my backyard and said he only knew how to make left-hand turns.”
“That’s Cal’s doing, the bastard. He said it to needle me. And the little imp repeats it all the time.”
She started laughing. She liked how close the Delaney brothers were. She wished she’d had those kinds of ties with someone, but the closest she’d come was with her two best friends, Braden and Red. No one was surprised that a tomboy like her would be friends with two guys. She just wasn’t girly. The only reason she was wearing a dress was because it was hot, and the dress was the coolest thing she owned.
“Did TJ ever do things like that?”
She started to shake her head, but then remembered how he used to call her Sarge, and salute her each time she entered and exited the room. “He did. He could be quite the smart-ass when he wanted to be.”
She smiled, remembering it and her brother. She missed him a lot.
“I like it when you smile.”
“Thanks,” she said, because she wasn’t sure how else to respond.
“You’re welcome,” he said. “What are you going to do, now that you’re back in town?”
“I haven’t started looking for a job but I need to soon. Braden said I could work in the retail shop at Outlaw Tequila until I find something, but that’s not going to be a long-term solution.” She didn’t tell him that she was hoping to go over to the police chief’s office and see if she could get some work as a K-9 officer. She’d worked with a K-9 unit in the Marines and she missed it, and her dogs. They’d become like her family…and she could use that kind of support again. Originally, she’d thought about becoming a regular cop after she got out of the Marines, but now that she was sharing custody of Lane, she couldn’t risk it.
He’d had too much loss already in his short life. And now that he was going to be living with her, she wouldn’t risk him losing someone else.
“What do you want to do?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” she said.
He stopped walking and pulled her to a stop by grabbing her hand. “I don’t know you well, but I am aware that you’re not the kind of person who doesn’t know what you want. Is it that you don’t think I’m serious or that I’ll be a jerk about it?”
She shook her head. “No, that’s not it. H
onestly, I am not really sure right now. I want to do something close to law enforcement, but not in any capacity where I’d be at risk. I was thinking about helping train with the canine unit. If not here, then maybe over in Austin.”
She shook her head. “For the first time in my life, I don’t have a plan. I don’t know what’s next and I’ll be honest, I don’t like it.”
“I can see that,” he said, pulling her closer to him but she wedged her hand between them, feeling the heat of his chest and the steady beat of his heart underneath her touch. “That’s when the best things happen.”
*
This situation with Lancey reminded him of times when he ended up at the back of the pack by qualifying poorly for a race. He always knew he could get to the front and he might have to drive rough to do it but he could win. Still, there was a chance he’d hit other drivers and someone might get hurt along the way, so he usually decided against it, promising himself he’d work harder during the next qualifying round.
It was the same thing going on now. He knew if he pushed, he could have Lancey tonight, but that would be it. One time.
But afterward, she’d never trust him again. She was at a crossroads and she had no idea where to turn next. Damn if he couldn’t understand that. He’d spent most of his life thinking he was on a path that would lead somewhere, only to find himself making a bunch of left turns and going in circles. But as they stood there on the corner of Ash and Main, under the cover of one of those big old oak trees, it was hard for him to stop. Her face was tipped back and her hand was on his chest.
She was keeping him from getting any closer and yet at the same time, her forefinger was stroking him. Just tiny movements over the cotton T-shirt he wore. Standing this close to her, the smell of lilacs surrounding them and the heat of summer pressing down on them, he didn’t want to make the ‘right’ choice. He didn’t want to deny himself this woman. But he also didn’t want to add to her pain.
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