by Sam Crescent
“Have you missed me or missed smacking my ass.” She smiled even though she didn’t want to.
“Both.”
Sandy burst out laughing.
“Will you dance with me?”
With a nod of her head, he led her onto the dance floor. In his arms she could forget about her troubles. She could be happy with him. Nothing mattered. Not their future or their relationship. The here and now counted most.
Neal spun her around. She laughed as people made room for their dancing. She turned her head in time to see her family show up—her mom and dad, her sisters with their husbands. She ignored them all, happy to be with the man she loved.
In those moments she felt as if she could conquer anything.
As the night wore on she didn’t dance with anyone else. Neal stayed by her side. Any disapproving vibes from her family were thwarted when he took her to where his brothers and sister sat with their parents.
When Neal went to get beer she sat next to Cheyenne who’d been eyeing the dance floor.
“You want to dance?”
“I’m not allowed. My parents would freak out. It’s not worth the hassle.”
“I bet I can think of a guy who’d be more than happy to dance with you,” she said.
Cheyenne blushed and turned her head toward the bar. Rory had come in, leaning against the bar with Neal. “I doubt it.”
“Come on. How about you dance with me?” Sandy got up and held her hand out.
The younger woman shook her head.
“Come on. I promise to not do anything stupid that could make you fall down. Trust me.”
Cheyenne stared at her hand with so much fear and wanting, it broke Sandy’s heart. She knew about the heart defect the girl suffered but surely her parents would have gotten the problem under control by now. The years since her birth medicine had changed so much. Cheyenne should be able to live a somewhat normal life.
Sandy took Cheyenne’s hands and led her to the dance floor. They swayed in a slow circle together, even though the song was fast paced. Sandy refused to speed up no matter how much she wanted to. Offering to take Cheyenne was worth every price of her smile.
“I can’t believe I’m dancing,” Cheyenne shouted over the volume of the music.
“Believe, honey. You look fantastic.”
Sandy was so busy dancing she didn’t see two men circling them until the last minute. The jerk cut in, pulling her away from Cheyenne.
“Hey,” she said.
“My buddy can take care of your friend. I want to dance with you.”
“You must be a fucking tourist.”
“Oh, yeah? What makes you think that?”
“Only a stupid fucking tourist would cut in on a dance with another man’s woman.”
“Yeah? I don’t see him anywhere.”
When he grabbed her ass, Sandy took the first swing. No one touched her without her say so.
* * * *
Neal watched his sister and woman on the dance floor. Both were beautiful but to him Sandy outshined all women. She had a magical way about her that charmed everyone.
“You’re smitten,” Rory said.
“No I’m not.”
“No? Then why do you have the googly eyes of love.”
Neal burst out laughing. His friend sure had a way with words. After he calmed down he ordered another beer for Sandy.
“Fucking tourists,” Rory snapped.
He turned to see what had changed his friend’s behavior. Glancing at the dance floor, he saw the guy put his hands on Sandy’s ass and he went red with rage.
How dare another man touch his woman!
Rory and Neal made their way on the dance floor in time to see Sandy smack one of the men while Cheyenne fought with the other. His sister looked panicked where seconds ago she appeared happy.
“Get the fuck away from me,” Sandy growled after throwing a punch and landing a kick to the jerk’s balls. Before she did any more damage, Rory grabbed the man hassling his sister and he took the scumbag from Sandy.
They rushed the idiots outside, the chaos bringing more attention. He heard Sandy follow close behind.
“What the hell? We were just dancing with the girls,” one of the tourists mumbled.
“Not these girls. They’re fucking taken, buddy,” Rory growled.
“Whatever.” The disrespect coming off the men charged Neal, enough to slam his fist in the nearest guy’s face.
“Neal, stop. He isn’t worth it.” Rory stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. Turning away from the scumbag, he found his family and Sandy standing nearby. He walked up to Cheyenne and made sure she was okay before roughly pulling Sandy along the street behind him.
“What’s going on?” she asked. “Neal, stop. You’re hurting me.”
When they had some modicum of privacy, he let go, then spun to face her.
“What the fuck were you doing?” he asked.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. You let another man put his hands on you.”
Sandy smiled. With a hand on her hip and a sway in her step, she walked over to him. The small skirt she wore showcased every swing. Her tits bounced with the movement.
“I like the fact you care so much,” she said. She wrapped her arms around his neck.
Neal wanted to let his anger go but the fire inside him wouldn’t let him stop.
He pulled her hands from around his neck.
“I can’t do this,” he said. Remorse filled him, but he couldn’t let her believe she held a place in his life.
“Can’t do what?”
“It will be men wanting a piece of your ass all the time. You’ve given yourself to enough them already.”
The color left her face, her eyes widen. What he’d said had taken her by surprise.
“What are you trying to say?”
“I think you know.”
“Really? Because from where I’m standing you’re making me out to be a slut.”
“If the shoe fits.”
“I can’t believe you’re saying this to me. We’ve only just started dating. I wasn’t expecting marriage and roses but at least some confidence in me.” Tears formed in her eyes.
“Dating? Sandy, we’ve done nothing but fuck. You’re the type of woman men sleep with but never take home to Mom.”
His last words were the clincher. Sandy slapped his cheek. He accepted the punishment and wished she’d beat him to a bloody pulp.
“Thank you for putting that into perspective for me.” That was it. No ranting or raving. A slap to the face then she turned and walked back the way they came.
Luke stood waiting for her, but she brushed past him into the hall where the music had kick-started. Seconds later, Sandy walked out with her bag and a coat. She brushed past him once again and didn’t look back.
For the remainder of the night he felt like a monster.
Chapter Thirteen
After the disaster at the dance and the break up with Neal, Sandy went home. The words he’d spoken had bruised her more than any other pain he could inflict. She was twenty-five years old and had three lovers in all that time. Some women were into double figures by her age.
She ignored Luke’s calls. She called in sick at the salon for the next week, refusing to leave the house at all.
With her tears down to a minimum by the following Monday, she went back to work. Rather than deal with the customers, she stayed behind the scenes sorting through paperwork. One of the girls had said she needed to get back into the swing of things by dealing with the clients. Sandy pointed out they worked in a beauty salon and she looked like a bag of shit.
Since the conversation, the girls brought her coffee, then left her to her own devices.
Sandy’s daily struggle to contain her heartache as his cruel words continued to haunt her was unending. She hated him more and more each day as his nasty words rang in her ears. If he was standing in front of her right now, she’d punch his face in.
A knock on the do
or disrupted her thoughts. Glancing in the mirror, she wiped her cheeks to rid the tears falling down her face. She’d decided to forgo mascara in case of an emotional outbreak.
“Come in,” she called, cringing as the croak in her voice gave way to her emotions. She looked up and saw her sister in the doorway. Her sister who’d become a lawyer fighting other people’s problems, Natalie.
“What do you want?” she asked.
“I came to see how my sister is doing.”
No, Natalie never had the time to see what went on in her youngest sister’s life.
“Also, I wondered if you could do my nails.”
“There’s a table outside. One of the girls will deal with you. I’ve got stuff to do.” Sandy didn’t like the insecure feeling going through her at being near her sister.
“No. I don’t mean professionally done. I just thought we could catch up. Girl talk and all that.”
Something must be up. Even when she was growing up at home Natalie had never asked for the girl talk or to catch up.
“Natalie, what do you want? I haven’t got the time or energy to be playing mind games. Just tell me what you came for and get out.” She knew she sounded harsh but her life was running away from her. She didn’t need one more thing preventing her from catching up.
She sighed, watching her sister take a seat.
“You know, I stood in court the other day with a girl wanting an emancipation order from her parents. Nothing big really, only everything about this girl reminded me of you.”
“What a successful screw up whose latest boyfriend thinks she sleeps with every man who crosses her path?” Sandy asked, unable to keep the cynical tone out of her voice.
“No. A woman not afraid to tell other people no. Sandy, you didn’t want to be a lawyer or a doctor or anything else Mom and Dad demanded you consider,” her sister said. “You got excellent grades and opened up a beauty salon with a friend. You haven’t jumped into the marriage bag.”
“Your point being?”
“I envy you.”
“You, envy me? Get real Natalie. You’re a successful lawyer with a husband and the house.”
“I’m trapped. My husband is having an affair with his secretary and I hate my job.”
Sandy stopped and stared at her sister. For the first time she noticed the lines on her older sister’s face—the lines of a woman who worried and spent too much time working. There wasn’t a single trace of happiness inside Natalie.
“I look at you and I wish I’d had the guts to turn around and tell them to screw it. I heard what happened with Neal. You two have broken up. I see the sadness.”
“Have you come to gloat?”
“Regardless of what you think I never hated you, Sandy. I loved you. You were my youngest sister.”
“You had a shitty way of showing it.”
“While you were busy rebelling against Mom, I was busy making a life. Being told what my dreams were instead of thinking for myself.”
Sandy glanced around her office. She loved the shabby little hole with the old sofa and wonky files.
“What do you want, Natalie?” So much time had passed she didn’t even understand her own sister.
“Never feel you have to stick around here to be happy. You’re an amazing talented person. Don’t let Neal Haney drag you down.”
“That’s your splendid advice?”
“I wish someone had given that to me when I was forced to marry my husband.”
“If you hate him so much, why do you stay together?”
“Because, unlike you, I’m not strong enough to do something about it.” Natalie got up from her seat, walked around the desk, leaned down, and hugged Sandy. “I’m so proud of you.”
Moments later, her sister walked out, leaving her baffled.
“Did I just see Natalie?” Luke asked, standing in her doorway.
“Yes, why?”
“I’ve never seen her anywhere near the salon. Do I even want to ask?” He shut the door behind him.
“I didn’t invite you to stay,” she said to her long time friend.
“You should have thought about that when you started avoiding my calls and not seeing me. We’ve known each other our whole lives. What’s going on?”
This is what she’d been hoping to avoid—Luke bitching and moaning about his brother.
“Nothing is the matter. Go back home. I’m sure you’ve left tons of work to your brothers.”
“Which is why I’m here. Neal has been an asshole since that cowboy dance. Why?”
“You should ask him.”
Silence descended on the room. Sandy ignored Luke, pulling out some paperwork and looking over the figures. Natalie’s words echoed in her head. After the way Neal had treated her, there was no reason to stick around for him to make the wound any deeper.
“You look like shit,” Luke said.
She slammed her pen down and regarded him across the desk. “What the fuck do you want to know? What will get you away from me and out of my salon?” she shouted. She didn’t care if the girls heard her outside. Between his visit as well as that of her sister, she’d had enough.
“Tell me what went on between you and Neal.”
“You really want to know? Is it that important for you to pick my life apart?”
“Just tell me, Sandy,” he growled. Both stood up facing each other across the desk.
“I’m not good enough for your brother. Is that what you want hear? Having two lovers and some fun put me in a slut category. You know how much I hate that term and anyone who uses it. What do you think, Luke?” Sandy ran her fingers through her hair, turning away from the anger.
Natalie had been right. She didn’t need to stay here and wait for life to give her something. Neal made it abundantly clear he didn’t feel anything for her. Growling in frustration, she slammed the file cabinet closed.
“I’d no idea he felt like that.”
“Luke, I’m tired. I’m feeling a little fed up at the moment. Please, leave me alone. I’ve got to think about my future,” she said. Tears she’d tried to keep at bay leapt to the surface again. Biting her lip she brushed at her eyes.
“Don’t cry, baby.” Luke went to her, pulled her in his arms and held her. She didn’t want to be crying from a broken heart.
“This is awful. I feel like Trevor has called me fat again.”
“If he does, I’ll kick his ass around the high school for a second time.” He kissed the top of her head. “I know our relationship didn’t work, Sandy. But I want you to know I love you. I’ll never stop.” After prom night they’d decided even though the kisses were nice being friends meant more to them.
“I love you too.”
Luke held her for a few minutes before he left.
Alone her mind wandered, she began to make plans. Staying in town wouldn’t do her any good. She needed to get out, start breaking free.
She picked up the phone and dialed a number.
Chapter Fourteen
As Neal cleaned the muck out of each stall, the breakup with Sandy still flashed through his mind. Sandy deserved better from him. She’d given him everything and all he’d done was throw it back in her face. The pain in her eyes broke him. She really believed what he’d said. Seeing those assholes touching her had driven a part of him insane with jealousy. At the time he hadn’t thought about her reaction. No thoughts went through his mind other than to kill the bastard for touching his woman.
The only person in their situation who’d been in the wrong had been him. Trying to bend a woman like Sandy to do his bidding had been wrong. The fact she’d accepted his life at all, surprised him. Lifting up from his work, he rubbed his eyes as weariness threatened to take over. Whining over a woman wasn’t his style.
The pain of looking in his play area every night and not seeing her left him empty inside.
In the lonely hours of early morning he’d come to see his true feelings. Sandy Breeden owned his mind, heart, body and soul. He was
completely in love with the little fire cracker.
“I’m an asshole,” he muttered.
“Where the fuck is he?” Luke yelled from outside the stalls.
Wondering about the commotion, Neal dropped the brush and went outside. The moment he stood in the sunlight, Luke stormed over to him, his eyes red with furry. Before he could understand what was about to happen, Luke raised his fist, then slammed it against Neal’s face. Neal didn’t respond or defend himself. He took the beating his brother dished out, thankful for the pain. For a few minutes, his brother’s fury would help him to deal with the pain in his heart.
“How could you say that shit to her?” Another punch.
He heard their brothers shuffle toward them, crowding around them.
“What I said is between me and Sandy,” he said, spitting blood on the ground.
“Not anymore. I went to see her. She looks like crap because of you, you piece of shit.”
“Don’t you fucking dare throw another punch on my ranch, Luke Haney,” their dad shouted. “I mean it. You may be young men now but I’ll still put you over my fucking knee.”
Neal glanced over in time to see Cheyenne and his mom follow their father.
Neal couldn’t help it, he burst out laughing when he pictured Sandy bent over his knee or up against a wall. Shit, he was lost without her. He couldn’t contain his grief any longer or pretend he didn’t feel.
“Luke, Neal, stay. The rest of you get the fuck out of my sight.” His brothers dispersed. So did the rest of the workers. “Do you two want to tell me what happened or do I need to go hunting for the information?”
Neal got to his knees and lifted himself up. The left side of his face felt swollen. He tasted blood in his mouth. Tears spilled from his eyes like there would be no tomorrow.
“I badmouthed Sandy,” he answered.
He heard his mother gasp. Cheyenne snort.
“What are you going to do to fix the mess you’ve created?” his dad asked. “She’s a part of this family. I don’t want her thinking anything else.”
“I’ll go talk to her in a few days. I don’t want her to see this mess.”
“Luke, leave us.”