Spare Hearts

by Dorothy F. Shaw

  She should’ve let the regular floor waitress handle their orders. One more hour, just one more hour, and she’d be home. In her bed. Alone. Alone. Why did that thought disappoint her instead of make her feel relieved?

  Candy stood at the bar service window for their refills and rested her chin on her clenched fist.

  “Hey, sugar. Whatcha needin’?” Trudie pulled a beer out of the cooler and popped the cap.

  “Two more Buds and a regular Coke.”

  “Sure thing. I’m assumin’ this is for Sterling and gang.” Trudie delivered the beer she was holding and pulled two more from the cooler. “Did he ask ya to dinner again?” She set the beers down in front of Candy.

  “No.” Candy sighed. “But he’s hintin’ around it for sure.”

  “Child, you have just got me baffled. Fine pickin’ like that and you’re avoidin’ him like the plague.” Trudie placed the Coke on the counter next to the beers.

  “I don’t want to talk about it.” Candy grabbed the two bottles in one hand and the glass in the other and stepped away from the window.

  “You been sayin’ that all week!” Trudie hollered after her.

  Candy ignored her and kept walking.

  Trudie had been hounding her all week about Sterling. The woman was like a dog with a bone. Once she had hold of something, there was no letting it go. Candy would have to tell her eventually. Maybe she could manage not to let it out until after Sterling was gone. She groaned at the thought of having to fight off Trudie for another three weeks.

  When she approached lane seven, Sterling was bowling his turn. She set the drinks down and watched his approach. Serious, thoughtful movements, just like she’d watched him do last week. She glanced up at the score monitors. He was kicking their butts.

  “You seem a little out of sorts tonight, Miss Candy.” Gilbert handed her a twenty for their drinks.

  “Do I? Don’t mind me, I’m just tired.” She counted out his change.

  “Night’s almost done now. You get on home and get some rest, ya hear me?”

  “I plan on it. No need to worry over me.”

  Sterling turned and faced her.

  Their gazes met.

  She sighed as a wave of craving rolled through from her feet to her head and back down again. Sweet Lord in Heaven, she wanted him again. Her head might be screaming at her to run in the other damn direction, but her body didn’t give a damn what her head wanted. Her body wanted Sterling. Plain and simple.

  She shook her head as a slow smile spread across her mouth, and she turned and walked away, making sure to put a little more swing in her hips than normal. Playin’ with fire, Candy girl. It was risky and she’d probably be burned in the end, but the thought of having him between her legs again won out over every argument her mind was making.

  * * *

  Sterling tracked every sway of Candy’s hips as she walked away. Desire burned in his gut, and he had to mentally force his head not to sway back and forth, right along with her. Damn, that woman had him wrapped up good. Every sharp response from her made his heart race. A wink from her and a flash of her smile rendered him incapable of rational thought. He wanted another night with her, no doubt about it. Maybe several if he could.

  He turned and looked at the scoreboard above, noting the time and the amount of frames left in their game.

  “Come on, boys, let’s get her wrapped up. Less than an hour before they’re gonna be kickin’ us outta here.” Sterling looked over at Gilbert, who was starting to look a little pie-eyed. “Well, they might be rollin’ you outta here.” He chuckled.

  Andy started laughing at the jab and slapped his buddy on the shoulder. “How many lanes you seein’?”

  “Ah hell, I’m just gettin’ started on my buzz. I ain’t thrown my ball down the wrong lane yet.” Gilbert took another quick swallow off his beer bottle.

  They finished their game and another round of drinks before the main lights came on, signifying closing time. The jabs and jokes continued throughout, and everyone kept smiling. Sterling liked these guys and wouldn’t mind bowling with them again if the opportunity came up.

  Andy invited Sterling to stop by his ranch sometime while he was still in town and then headed for the parking lot with Gilbert, promising to drive him home and come back for Gilbert’s truck tomorrow.

  Sterling passed the last of the exiting customers on his way back to finish packing up his bag. As he put his boots back on, Candy stepped in front of where he leaned over. His eyes memorized every inch and every curve of her sexy little body as he took his sweet time raising his gaze to meet hers.

  “I don’t think I could ever get tired of watchin’ you.” Sterling blew out a long breath.

  “I swear, you must have a million lines stored up in that head of yours.”

  “That ain’t no line, Candy. Just speakin’ the truth.” He loved that she always had a comment waiting for him. She was way more than a pretty girl in barely there clothes, and damn if that didn’t make her even more exciting.

  Candy paused for a second as her cheeks flushed pink. “Well, in that case, thank you, cowboy. She winked and ran her fingers through the length of hair draped over one shoulder. “You’re probably still full of it, but I’ll let it slide this time.”

  Sterling chuckled. “So how ’bout it? Any good places to eat this late? I’m hungry as all get-out.” He zipped up the pockets on his bag. “I certainly wouldn’t mind the company, if you’re interested in joinin’ me. It’d sure make my day.”

  Candy laughed and looked around the bowling alley before sitting down across from Sterling. “I’m sorry the kitchen was closed tonight.”

  “No need to apologize.” Sterling tilted his head to the side. “But if you really want to make it up to me, just say yes to joinin’ me.”

  “Not much open this time of night, but I’ve got eggs and sausage at my place if you’re interested.” She stood and smoothed out her form-fitting jeans, running her hands down the front of her thighs.

  “Damn right I am.” He rose and pulled her into his arms, wrapping them around her. He bent his head to kiss her, and the air seemed to charge with electricity before his lips found their target.

  She wrapped her arms around Sterling’s neck as he kissed her with deep passion. Her hips pressed to his, her skin heating everywhere he touched her. Pulling her tight to his chest, he turned and pressed her body between his and the half wall. His hands traveled the length of her waist before cupping her breast to the sound of her soft moans.

  “Not fair, cowboy.”

  “Nope.” He kissed her again, reinforcing his draw to her. “You got room for this old pro in that bed of yours?”

  “Mmm.” She pulled away and raised a single brow. “I’ll consider it. Grab your stuff, let’s get outta here.”

  Chapter 11

  Candy drove the winding back roads in silence toward her little single-wide trailer with Sterling following behind her. Her mind replayed the heat between them before they’d left and then retraced, yet again, the night she’d spent with him at the alley.

  As she pulled into her narrow gravel driveway, Candy decided, with a deep sigh, what was done, was done.

  She didn’t want everyone in the town knowing, but she’d be stupid not to enjoy the rest of her time with this cowboy. Have fun, then send him off at the end of the month with a sweet kiss and a good luck wish.

  Sterling held the door open for her. “Quiet out here.”

  “Sure is. Too quiet.” Candy set her stuff down inside on the little table when they entered and walked toward the kitchen. “Scrambled or fried?”

  “Scrambled works just fine, thank you kindly. Nice place you got yourself here.”

  “Thanks. It’s small, and as much as I’d love to get outta here, it’s home.” It was a little strange, but kind of exciting, having a man in her home again. There hadn’t been since Jared had left her. Candy shook her head to clear the thoughts of her ex away and set to cooking them a meal. She
sure didn’t need her mood spoiled with thoughts of Jared.

  “Can I help? I’m pretty good in the kitchen.”

  Shit fire and save the matches, could the man get any more perfect? Handsome as could be, great body, fantastic lover, and he cooked? Candy frowned and rubbed her forehead as her mind raced in circles trying to make sense of how this man had ended up in her life. Coming up short, Candy looked over at him. “Where in the hell did you come from?”

  “Uh… Las Cruces?” Stepping toward the cabinets, he opened one of the doors. “Plates up in here?”

  “Not exactly what I meant.” She sighed and opened the correct cabinet for him.

  “Oookay. What did you mean then?”

  Candy shook her head at his innocent expression. Did he really not get it? And the look on his face made him all the more appealing. “Never mind me, I’m just tired.” She hooked her thumbs in her back pockets. “This is about done. Could you dish it up? I’m gonna change into some jammies, if you don’t mind.”

  “Not at all. You go right ahead, I got this.” He leaned and kissed her cheek.

  Damn, this had to be some sort of cruel joke. Did God just plop this man in her lap only for him to be gone in less than a month? Figures. Hopelessness settled hard like a boulder in Candy’s gut as she pulled off her clothes and grabbed a pair of pink yoga pants and a fitted tank top. Enjoy him while I got him, remember? Pulling her long hair up into a ponytail, she scurried back out to the kitchen.

  Sterling sat at the table, two plates full of eggs and sausage steaming before him and two full glasses of milk. He whistled low. “Like an angel from above, you make anything look good.” He stood and pulled out a chair for her.

  “Your blood sugar might be low.” She blushed and sat down. “Thank you,” she mumbled, remembering her manners, and focused her attention on her plate. Could he get any sweeter?

  “Guess I’m in luck then. You can replenish me after we eat.” He grinned. “Besides, it’s true, you’re cuter than a speckled pup under a red wagon.”

  She snorted and almost choked on the first bite she’d just forked into her mouth.

  “Easy now.” He patted her back. “Although I am certified in mouth-to-mouth if needed.”

  She wiped her mouth with her napkin in an attempt to compose herself. “You and them one-liners.”

  “I prefer to think of ’em as creative statements.”

  “Nice.” She rolled her eyes and laughed. He was just too cute and clever. The easy back-and-forth between them helped wash away her sadness.

  They set to eating their meal, chitchatting between bites. When they’d almost finished, he asked, “Have you always lived in Strawn?”

  “No. Moved here from Abilene just outta high school.”

  “Big city compared to Strawn. Why here?”

  She took a sip of her milk. “Chasin’ a boy.” She shrugged. “My high school sweetheart, Jared. I swear my life is like a country song.” And here she was adding to it. In less than a month’s time, Sterling would be gone. The thought loomed in her mind like a summer storm cloud.

  But did she really have anything to lose by opening up to him? She wasn’t sure. Enjoy him. Sheesh! At least being away from prying eyes made it easier.

  “Mine, too.” He leaned back in his chair. “Care to share what happened?”

  “You wouldn’t believe me if I told ya.” Smirking, Candy took a bite of her eggs. She could give as good as he could.

  “Ah, touché. All right then, let’s play a little game.” He clapped his hands and rubbed them together. “Question for question?”

  “Deal, but I’m goin’ first.” She moved her plate aside. “And you have to answer every question truthfully. No sandbaggin’.” She wagged her finger at him.

  “Never.” He took a swallow of his milk.

  “How’d you really hurt your shoulder?”

  He pushed his own plate aside and leaned forward, crossing his forearms on the table. “I told you already.”

  “For real? A mechanical bull?” She narrowed her eyes. Candy wasn’t settling for the same lines this time. This was a big old oozing sore as far as she was concerned. “Details, cowboy.”

  “If you insist.” He sighed. “Me and a few friends went out one night after one of the pro-tour games. We were all drinkin’ way too much and this dude bet me I couldn’t stay on the bull longer.” He shrugged. “I won.”

  “But the shoulder?”

  “Tore my rotator cuff holdin’ on for dear life.”

  “Damn.” She blew out a breath. The man had lost his entire career in a matter of minutes. No wonder he tells it like he does. “How long ago did this happen?”

  “About”—he paused—“nine years, three surgeries, and months of excruciatingly painful physical therapy ago.”

  She studied him a moment. “Bless your heart, that must’ve been really hard to go through. That’s why you make a joke about it, huh?”

  “Pretty much. I was a kid and screwed up my ride. There ain’t no point in sharing the meat of it with people. Besides, I’m past all that now.”

  “I admire your drive. Lot’s of people would’ve given up.”

  “More like bein’ a stubborn ass, but thanks.” He ran his palm over his buzz cut.

  “That’s why you don’t drink, then?”

  “Yup. Been a sober member of AA ever since.”

  “You haven’t had a drink in nine years? I don’t know anyone that doesn’t drink. You went through so much. That’s really amazing.”

  “The way I figure it, drinkin’ hadn’t brought me nothin’ good. Cost me my dream, so I gave it up. The AA program saved my life. Twelve steps and I cleared out a herd of demons.”

  Candy had never known anyone like him in her life. He’d picked himself up and changed for the better. Sitting back in her seat, she gazed over at him. Less than a month. How was it he was still single? She could fall in love with a man like him. Damn, this is so unfair.

  “I do believe it’s your turn, ma’am.” He propped his chin on his hand.

  “Knew that was comin’.”

  “What happened with Jared?”

  Candy blew out a breath and decided to give him the whole story since he’d just shared his with her. “Like I said, we were high school sweethearts. My momma hated him, though, said he’d ruin me. She was right.”

  “You don’t look ruined to me.”

  “Ha. Maybe, maybe not. I was a curious young girl with stars in my eyes, and I ran away with him, then I married him.” She shook her head. “We landed here for some grain mill job that he lost a short time later. After that, it was odd jobs here and there and gamblin’ debts he’d racked up at a casino in Oklahoma. Fights in town. Gettin’ arrested and thrown in jail, so on and so forth.”

  “How long were y’all married?”

  “Too. Damn. Long.” She groaned and dropped her head in her hands. “Nine years before he skipped bail then town,” she mumbled.

  Sterling pulled her hands away from her face and held them in his own. “How long ago?”

  “Over two years ago. Bastard left me with a ton of debt, too. I filed for divorce a little while later when I realized he wasn’t coming back.” Candy met his gaze. “Just grateful we never had any babies.” The feel of his warm calloused palms kick-started the memory of them on her skin last week. He’d touched her everywhere and her body hummed at the thought.

  “Yeah, that woulda made it a lot harder, I imagine. Why didn’t you head back home?”

  Lord help her, she wanted him again. Pulling her hands away, Candy stood and gathered their plates. “Nothin’ to go home to. Momma passed away five years ago and my daddy was gone before I was outta diapers.” She set the dirty dishes in the sink. “Besides, like I said, Momma was right, and I was too ashamed to show my face back there.”

  Man, she was letting it all hang out now. Candy heard the scrape of the chair on the linoleum floor when he stood.

  “Wow, your life is like a country song.”
He leaned against the counter next to her and grinned.

  She snorted. “I tried to warn ya. What about you? You ever been married? Kids?”

  “Let me do that.” Scooting her to the side, he started washing their dishes.

  It took Candy a second to drag herself together from the shock of his offer before she pulled a clean towel from the drawer to dry as he washed. She liked how he looked in her kitchen. She liked that he wanted to help. A little too much.

  Sterling handed her a wet dish. “Nope, never got hitched. No kids either. As far as I know anyway. “

  “As far as you know, huh?” Candy smirked.

  “You and I are pretty dang similar if you think about it.”

  “How’s that?”

  “We both lost a dream, suffered for nine long years getting through it, and then there’s that whole stubborn ass thing, or as you nicely phrased it: ‘drive.’ ”

  She groaned at how sweet he was. “I think the stubborn ass description might be more accurate. But I guess you have a point. Though you’re gonna get your dream back, I don’t want Jared back. I quit that job.”

  “I’m hoping to get my dream back and I’ll give my all. And hell, I know you’re too stubborn to take that fool back now.” Leaning over, he stole a kiss. “Mmm, I like how stubborn tastes.”

  She nodded. “You’re right. We are pretty similar.” Licking her lips, she gazed up at him. “I like how you’re stubborn tastes, too.”

  “Guess it’s settled then.” With the dishes finished, Sterling took her hand and led her to her bedroom. When they got into her dark room, he turned toward her and kissed her, stroking her face with his large hands. “There ain’t nothin’ ruined about you.”

  Candy melted into a puddle of goo at the sweetness of his words and hooked her arms around his neck, raising herself on tiptoes to meet his mouth. He was so damn tall compared to her, and it made her feel like she was tiny as could be.

  Sterling scooped her up in his arms, laid her down on her bed, and peeled off her clothes. He straightened and took off his shirt. Unbuttoning his jeans, he slid them, along with his boxers, down his narrow hips and removed them.