by D'Ann Lindun
~*~
By the end of September, Maura had gotten used to the idea she wouldn’t see Stoney again. She’d allowed herself to hope for a while, before facing the inevitable—he wasn’t coming for her.
She removed her headphones and smiled at Dillon. “That sounded good, I think.”
He, too, took off his headset. “Super.”
Due to the success of their duet, the label had asked them to record a second one. Maura had considered showing them the lyrics she and Stoney had written, but held back. They were special to her, almost a love letter, and she didn’t want to share.
She hadn’t asked Dillon if he knew anything about the rock star. Although she was tempted, he probably wouldn’t have any information. He and Shiloh lived in Nashville, flying to Black Mountain as often as possible. She doubted Stoney was still there, and to her knowledge he wasn’t in Tennessee. He’d likely gone home to L.A. after Labor Day.
“I’m going to head out,” Dillon said. “Shiloh called and we’re having company. Marshall and Peyton are coming over for dinner.” He mentioned another country music superstar and his date. “Would you like to join us, Maura?”
She shook her head. Although Shiloh wasn’t as jealous as she’d once been of their work relationship, she still wasn’t overly warm. “And be a fifth wheel? No, but thanks for asking.”
“You’re never a fifth wheel,” Dillon said. “And always welcome.”
“Thanks, I appreciate that. I really do, but I think I’ll grab a taco on the way home and just relax tonight.”
“Okay, then. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Dillon set aside his headset.
“See ya.” Maura waved him off, then went in the sound booth to gather her belongings.
A figure near the door startled her and she let out a muffled scream. “Dillon?”
He moved into the light and she saw Stoney leaning on the doorjamb. She placed a hand over her heart. “You scared me to death. What are you doing here?”
“We have a song to finish.”
Her heart exploded into a wild pattern. She couldn’t think straight. “We do?”
“So, how about it?” He lifted a brow. “We going to finish that song, or what?”
“Now?”
“I thought I could write a few more tunes together,” he said.
Disappointment flooded her. She’d misunderstood. He only wanted a professional relationship. “Oh. Sure.”
“Unless you don’t want me here? Maybe there’s another guy?”
“There’s no one else,” she said.
He hooked his thumbs in his front pockets. “But you took off and left me hanging.”
“I had to get back to work,” she mumbled.
One corner of his mouth lifted. “At three in the morning?”
“It was easier than all the awkwardness of a hookup,” she said. “You know, that morning thing of not knowing what to say, or do…”
“And I thought we were starting something special,” he said. “Not just screwing.”
Her mouth opened and closed. “We weren’t? I mean we were?”
He stepped closer. “I thought so.”
“You didn’t say anything.” She backed up until her rear was against the control panel.
“I don’t usually blurt out I love you immediately.” A shadow crossed his face. “I like to build up to it around the second date, or so.”
“Love?” Maura could hardly breathe. This couldn’t be happening. She pinched the back of her left thigh and let out a little yelp. Yeah, it was real and Stoney was standing here, talking about loving her.
“Yeah, girl. I went and fell in love with you.” He sounded half-hopeful, half-defiant.
“I-I-I love you, too,” she blurted. “That’s why I took off.”
He grinned. “You always leave a guy you love hanging like that?”
“I thought it would be like last time,” she confessed. “One sided. Me loving someone who didn’t want me.”
“You talking about that dumbass goat roper? He’s an idiot.” Stoney brushed a piece of hair from her cheek. “I know a quality girl when I see one.”
“You do?” she breathed.
He nodded. “Yeah. It might have taken me a lot of years to wise up and going through a bunch of chicks who didn’t matter to find the one who does. The one I want to keep.”
“Me?” She could hardly believe it.
“Yeah, you.” He looked around. “I don’t see anyone else here. Do you?”
She giggled. “No.”
“Baby.” He tipped up her chin with his finger and looked deep into her eyes. “I went and fell hard for you. I love you. I came here to see if we can make this thing between us work.”
Her mind reeled and she said the first thing that came to mind. “What about Cowboy and the band? Don’t you have a tour soon?”
“I quit.” He dropped his hand by his side. “I want to see if I can make it on my own.”
Maura’s eyes grew round. “That’s huge.”
“Intense,” he agreed. “You made me see I want more than being a backup bass player. I came to L.A. to play my music, not someone else’s. Cowboy’s been good to me, I’ll always be in his debt, but I want out from under his big shadow.”
“How did he take it?”
“Fine. He said he’ll produce an album for me and I can use his studio in L.A. if I want.” He looked around. “He has one as nice as this in his house.”
“So, you’ll go to L.A. soon? What about Lucy? She lives there, right?”
“Not anytime soon, although my attorney is working on getting me more visitation with her, so I’ll have to go when I get a court date. I hope to be able to see Lucy more often.” He leaned back and looked into her eyes. “You trying to run me off?”
“Of course not,” Maura denied. “But, Nashville isn’t a hotbed of rock-n-roll like L.A. or Seattle. And if you get to see Lucy more often, you’ll want to be there, not here. My life is in Nashville…”
“Ever heard of a little thing called an airplane? One brought me here. Another one can take me to L.A. and back again.” He grabbed her rosary and pulled her close. “We can make this work if we want it bad enough. And I’m willing to try if you are.”
Maura tipped her head back. “I love you so much. I’m prepared to fly to the moon if that’s what it takes to be with you.”
His chuckle made her quiver in personal places. “That’s my girl.”
My girl. Stoney’s girl.
She had no idea how she’d fallen in love with a soon-to-be rock star, but he held her heart like no one else ever had. This was the real thing. Not some silly crush on a guy who loved somebody else. Her heart swelled with joy. “Kiss me?”
He shook his head. “I need to do something first.”
Maura’s heart began to shrivel. “What?”
“This.” He reached in one pocket and pulled out a white velvet box. He knelt in front of her. “I know how much you like bling, so how about a little something permanent for your ring finger?” He opened the box and inside lay an enormous diamond solitaire. “Will you marry me, Maura?”
“Yes! Yes!” She threw her arms around his neck and this time he didn’t refuse when her lips touched his.
Together, they toppled over onto the floor with lips, arms and legs entangled.
~The End
THERE ARE TWO FULL LENGTH NOVELS, A COLLECTION OF NOVELLAS AND A FREEBIE IN THE COWBOYS OF BLACK MOUNTAIN SERIES:
A Cowboy To Keep
When Laney Ellis’ husband is killed by a bull, she is left alone to run their small cattle ranch and raise their son, Justin, on her own. One thing she is determined her son will never do is ride rodeo bulls. But that is the dream Justin holds dearest—to be exactly like his dad, the onetime Colorado State High School Rodeo Champion.
After his rodeo career peaks and begins to slide, Cody Utah opens a bull riding school. Although attracted to his next door neighbor, he steers clear. Cody has heard rumors Laney trapped her hus
band into marriage by getting pregnant in high school. The last thing Cody wants is children. His mother was a drunk, and he doesn’t know who his father is.
A bull's hooves turned Laney’s world to dust; bull riding gave Cody a life worth living—can they find common ground?
Promise Me Eden
Adam Pelletier is at the end of his rope. He can’t figure a way to help his wife recover from the tragic stillbirth of their son. He hasn’t forgotten their boy, but Adam has pushed his grief down deep and is coping the only way he knows how—by refusing to focus on his loss and burying himself in work.
Eden Pelletier is lost in grief. The pain for her is unbearable. So much so she’s in a deep hole of depression she can’t climb out of. Unable to do anything but think about her dead son, she can’t understand why Adam is able to put him aside and carry on. She’s so heartbroken she’s lost her job. When Adam pushes her to get up and move on, she lashes out—asking for a divorce she doesn’t want.
Can Adam win his wife back before it’s too late?
Ladies Love Cowboys: the daughters of Clem Jamieson
All Shiloh Jamieson dreams of is a chance to make it in the country music business. Unfortunately, her mother—a bitter failure in the biz—stands in Shiloh’s way. Shiloh’s determined not to repeat her mother’s actions—sleeping her way into the Nashville music scene. Not even when sexy superstar Dillon Travers moves to Black Mountain.
As half Native American, Clancy Jamieson knows the pain of being bullied. Growing up fatherless hasn’t helped, either. She trusts no one but herself and her horses. When her prize gelding is injured, she is forced to depend upon Veterinarian Braden VanDerrCarr.
Runaway bride Amity Levore heads to Black Mountain to regroup after she flees her own wedding. She’s been running away from commitment her entire life. Her father’s absence in her life has made her leery of love. Can R.J. Hadley, the hottest volunteer fireman around, make her rethink her stand?
Starla Jamieson has never wanted a child of her own because between helping raise her younger brothers and a dozen half-sisters, she’s parented plenty. To avoid the motherhood trap, she walked away from Trevor Lee—the only man she ever wanted.
Sunny Jamieson craves a normal family so much she has gotten pregnant by the wrong man—twice. Neither was the man she thought he was, and she is alone and about to give birth in an ice storm. Bull rider Garret Pike is the last person she expects to be her angel in Wranglers.
Mariah Kline uproots her entire life for a chance to get to know her absentee father. When she arrives in Black Mountain, everything she believed turns out to be a lie. With no money and nowhere to go, she reluctantly accepts help from Jesse Rafferty, a sexy cowboy.
A Black Mountain Christmas
Noelle Jackson would rather find coal in her stocking than spend Christmas in Black Mountain, Colorado. But her best friend’s wedding means putting aside her reluctance. What she doesn’t count on is falling hard for a sexy cowboy who changes her mind about love.
When an angel driving a red Mustang runs Nick Hadley's sleigh off the road, his first reaction is indignation. His second is awe. The beautiful woman makes him forget his past and look straight into the future. If he takes a chance on love, she will change his life forever
Cowboy Proud
All Madeline Harper ever wanted was to escape the tight fences of Black Mountain, Colorado. Nothing would stop her from pursuing her goals--not a devoted boyfriend, or infant son.
For the last five years Shan Ellis’ life has consisted of being a dad. He sacrificed everything for his son. College. A career. Girls. Now, the one woman he can’t forget is back in town.
Can they overcome the mistakes of the past and find love again?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Falling in love with romance novels the summer before sixth grade, D’Ann Lindun never thought about writing one until many years later when she took a how-to class at her local college. She was hooked! She began writing and never looked back. Thirty-two manuscripts and numerous awards later, she is an Amazon bestseller! Romance appeals to D’Ann because there's just something so satisfying about writing a book guaranteed to have a happy ending. Her particular favorites usually feature cowboys and the women who love them.
D’Ann loves to hear from readers! Please contact her at: [email protected] http://dlindunauthor.blogspot.com/ https://www.facebook.com/DLindunAuthor https://twitter.com/DLindun http://www.amazon.com/DAnn-Lindun/e/B008DKL9TU
Street team—D’Ann’s Country Girls : https://www.facebook.com/groups/838870409506195/