Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

D allas woke up to snow.

It wasn't a lot, a couple of inches at best, but it signaled the end of fall and the beginning of a season that could be harsh. This year, the forecast wasn't as kind as previous ones, but that was ranch life. Always bet on the worst-case scenario and prepare for something even worse.

He made a mental note to go over some things, but was confident their winter pastures were in good shape and the cattle would be able to forage efficiently. They'd have to bring in extra feed at some point, but that was to be expected. In the meantime, he had his own animals to look after.

Dallas rolled out of bed and started his day. He went about his chores and tried not to think about the night before because it had ended so damn wrong. It wasn't easy, but animals had a way of making a man forget, and he went about his routine like any other morning. He fed his animals, cleaned out stalls, and generally avoided the area of the barn where he'd gotten into trouble the night before. He was still trying to do the not-remembering thing.

He finished up in the barn and was about to head back to the house when he spied something near his bench. Dallas stared at it for too long and then, with a curse, picked it up. It was a soft, black bit of fabric. One hundred percent feminine.

Sex with Vivian had always been hot. Even for a couple of fumbling teenagers who didn't know much about anything. But last night had been different. They were adults now. And she was one hell of a woman.

God, she was beautiful. Uninhibited. Raw. She still reacted to his touch in a way no other woman did. And she pulled the same damn feeling out of him.

Yet he couldn't get the image of her damp cheeks out of his mind. They'd had the best sex he could remember ever having, and she'd cried. Sure, she'd tried to hide it from him, but he saw, and it made him feel like shit.

One night with Vivian had his guts turned inside out, and that was something he didn't have time for. So why couldn't he stop thinking about it?

Fuck me.

With a sigh, he slipped the thong into the pocket of his jacket and closed up the barn. It was early, just past seven, and he was hungry. A cup of coffee and some eggs and bacon should go a long way in taming the pains in his stomach, and hopefully banish all thoughts of Vivian.

He'd just made a fresh pot of java and was rummaging through his fridge when a knock at the door surprised him. He set down eggs and milk on the counter and walked over to the window. An old red Chevy was parked beside his rig. He shook his head as he opened the door. The tailpipe was as rusted out as the rest of it. The sound alone would have woken the dead, so why in hell hadn't he heard it?

Because you're too damn distracted.

He opened the door wide and moved as his sister Jade walked past him and tugged off her boots. She handed him her jacket, like he was some damn butler or something, then walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning," he said lightly.

"Is it?" She grabbed his mug and filled it with coffee, then turned and leaned against the counter, her unwavering brown eyes serious as she gazed across the room at him. She was tall for a woman, standing at five feet ten inches, and older than Dallas by two years. Jade resembled their father's side of the family, the Henhawks, with her dark hair and eyes. Dressed in an old sweatshirt and jeans, it was obvious that she was annoyed about something. He saw it written all over her pretty face.

She took a sip from his mug, opened her mouth to say something, then took one more sip for good measure. "What the hell, Dallas?"

Dallas frowned, more than a little confused at her attitude this early on a Sunday morning. "You might want to back up the truck and tell me what this is about." He moved toward her. "But first…" He swiped his mug from her. "This one's mine."

She made a face and opened the cupboard to grab another one. "Didn't realize you had a special mug all your own."

He grinned and pointed to it. "The big D not enough of a clue?"

She poured a second cup and this time added a bit of sugar and cream. Once she was ready, she turned back to him and made a face. "I just have one question."

"Shoot, that would be a first," he replied, a bit of sarcasm mixed in. She never asked just one question. Ever.

"Are you insane?"

"Not that I know of, though I suppose some folks might question that."

"Do you have amnesia?"

"Pretty sure I'm all good there."

Jade set down her mug on the counter and gave him a look he was all too familiar with.

Here we go.

"I was at the barn dance last night, and you were a no-show."

"Wasn't feeling it." Warily, he watched her.

"Huh," she said, grabbing up her mug once more, though she didn't take a sip. "You want to know who did show?"

"Santa Claus?"

"Don't be an asshole."

"Can't help it."

"Vivian Bridgestone strutted into that barn looking like she'd just walked off the pages of a goddamn magazine. She was there literally one minute and then turned tail and left."

"And?" He knew where she was headed, but watching his sister kick up a fuss was kinda fun.

"She's trouble, Dal. The worst kind. She doesn't give a shit about anyone but herself."

Dallas's good mood was fading away like fog under the threat of sun. "If you're trying to make a point, just make it."

"Did she come here to see you last night?"

"None of your business." His voice was flat.

Jade set down her mug once more and walked toward him. "But it is my business. Because you're my brother, and I love you, and when this all goes to hell…" She paused and heaved a sigh. "And it will go to hell. I'm the one who gets to deal with your sorry ass because there's no one left. Because I'm your favorite sister."

"You're the only one I got."

"And I'm older than you, so when I speak, you listen."

"Jade," he growled a warning, but his sister ignored him.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "Just no, Dallas. She's no good for you. Don't you remember what happened the last time you two got tangled up together? She left without a word, and you…you were never the same."

"I'm not doing this." His anger rose, and he clenched his jaw as he faced his sister.

"I don't care what you want. I'm telling you what you need to hear."

"What's that exactly?" he bit out.

"To never see or speak to Vivian again."

"Kind of hard to do since she lives at the ranch."

"She's back to stay?" His sister was shocked.

"I don't know. We don't talk about shit like that."

"You don't talk…" Her voice trailed off and her eyes narrowed. "You're involved with her again. She was here last night, wasn't she?"

Dallas had to take a few moments and get his anger in check. He knew his sister wanted to protect him, but he didn't need it. He wasn't a nineteen-year-old kid with anger issues.

"Vivian and I aren't for public discussion."

"I'm not public," Jade retorted. "I'm family."

He softened a bit. "I'm a grown man, and I don't need you meddling in my life. Whatever Vivian and I do is our business. It belongs to no one else. Not even you."

"But Dallas," she pleaded. "She'll leave. She always does. It's what she does."

"I'm not looking for love or a relationship or anything like that. If she leaves that's fine by me."

But was it? That thought snuck in, and he pushed it away just as fast.

Jade looked as if she were considering her next words. It was nearly a full minute when she responded. "Have you ever asked yourself why?"

"Why?" he repeated, not sure where she was headed. "Why what?"

"I see how you are with kids. How you treat animals. How you are with your friends. You might be rough around the edges and most of the time full of yourself, but then what man isn't?" She nailed him with a look. "You would be such a good father. Such a good husband. Yet you're here alone on this mountain with your horses and a donkey and whatever other critters you've got hanging around. Why is that? Is it because you haven't met the right woman yet? Is it because you don't want those things?" She took another step toward him. "Or is it because the one woman you wanted didn't want you?"

"You don't know anything about me and Vivian. About what happened between us."

"I know that she's not good enough for you."

"You've never liked any woman I was involved with."

"That's not true." Jade lifted her chin. "I like Megan."

"That's because you set us up. And for the record, I think she was scared of me."

Dallas finished his coffee and walked over to the sink. He rinsed out his mug and turned back to his sister.

"I don't want to talk about Vivian." He was done, and his sister knew it. She glanced away, obviously still worked up, but then gave a soft sigh and set down her mug. She gave him a hug.

"I don't want to be a pain in the butt. I'm sorry."

"You can't help it," he replied with a wink, trying to take the edge off their exchange.

"That's what big sisters are for, right? And you gotta know, I only want the best for you." She watched him closely. "You went to a dark place last time. With her. I don't want to see that happen again."

"You don't know Vivian. You don't know what we were."

"Yes. I get that. I wasn't in your relationship. If what you guys had could be called a relationship. Once you hooked up with Vivian none of us saw you all that much. You guys only had time for each other. I don't think that's healthy. And look, for all I know she's not as bad as I think. But that's the thing, Dal. I don't know her. She was never one of those kids who took the time for anyone who wasn't in her orbit." She punched him in the shoulder, gently. "You're my brother and you're the only one who matters. I will always have your back."

He kissed the top of his sister's head. "I know." Then stepped back and changed the subject. "You talk to Mom lately?"

"She's good. Enjoying Florida."

"We should go visit."

"Sure." They both knew they'd never take the time to travel to Florida. But it was a nice thought.

Jade pulled on her boots. "She might be back for Thanksgiving."

"Yeah?"

She nodded. "I'll let you know when I know." Jade stood and slid on her jacket and stared out the window for a few seconds. "It's going to be a long, cold winter, I think." She gave him a small wave and left.

For the longest time, Dallas stood in the middle of his house, looking out at the angry, snow-filled clouds. He had a feeling inside him, one part anger, one part confusion, and the other part something he didn't quite understand. He didn't like it. The unknown.

He made his food but ate without tasting, and after he cleaned up the kitchen, he headed to the mudroom to look in on the kittens. They were cute little things, full of spunk and mischief. One, the orange-colored runt he'd been calling Ringo, attached itself to his jeans and clawed his way up his leg until Dallas grabbed him and held him close. It immediately started to purr.

The sound soothed. Made him remember. God, he hated the remembering.

"My God, Dal, he's so soft."

The puppy ran around the room on gangly legs, yipping at their heels and trying to play.

"Do you like him?" he asked, watching the girl who made his heart beat like a goddamn locomotive going full steam. Would he ever get enough of her?

She nodded and squealed in delight when the dog began to lick her toes. "What's his name?" she asked, eyes shiny as she gazed up at him.

A strange feeling came over Dallas. A kind of possessiveness he'd never felt before. Not with any girl he'd been with. But this one, with her big eyes, a mouth made for sinning, and a body that drove him crazy, was different. This one was special.

"Gunner," he replied.

"Gunner," she repeated, sliding her tongue over her lips in that way that made him crazy. "I like that."

"He's ours." Okay. That didn't come out the way he'd said it in his head. The dog was his. He'd picked him out of the litter himself.

"Ours?" She jumped to her feet and ran over to him, wrapping her arms around him so damn tight, he could barely breathe. "I love him," she said, looking up at Dallas. "Now kiss me."

He did.

And for a little while, the dog was forgotten. But then, when he was with Vivian Bridgestone, the world fell away. Something that would become a problem neither one could solve. Because together they burned hot, and you can only burn like that for so long until the burn hurts. Until it destroys.

Dallas pushed the memory away because no good could come from visiting that time and place. Back then, half the time, they were miserable, fighting about shit that didn't matter. While the other half of the time they were so damn in love, they couldn't see straight. How did something like that work?

It took him a good long while to figure out that it didn't. Years, maybe.

And now she was back, and he'd had a taste of her. And damn if he didn't want more.

How was it going to end this time?