Redneck Romeo (Rough Riders 15)

“As assistant Wyoming State Parks director, I want the best people for the jobs. You are a perfect candidate, Rory.”

“And you came to Moorcroft to tell me you mailed me some paperwork?”

Dillon studied her for a moment before answering. “I’m here because of you and our unfinished business so don’t pretend that’s a big surprise.”

“Not pretending when I say your visit today caught me off guard.”

“Didn’t think you’d ever see me again? As soon as Cheyenne reflected in your rearview mirror you left all the memories behind?”

Pretty much, but it’d hurt Dillon if she admitted she rarely thought of him. “I have memories. We’ll both always have them, but it’s in the past.”

“That’s what I don’t get. It’s not that far in the past. What did I do to make you turn away from me?” He paused. “Or maybe it’s what I didn’t do?”

Rory knocked back a healthy swig of her drink. “I know it sounds like a line, but I’m being honest when I say it wasn’t you—not at all. It was one hundred percent me.”

Dillon shook his head. “I loved you. I wanted to spend my life with you. Doesn’t—didn’t—that mean something to you?”

“Why did you want to marry me in the first place?” she demanded. “What did we have in common besides that we worked together?”

“We’re both invested in our careers. We liked to watch movies. We liked to cook together. We both came from single-parent homes.” He frowned. “Doesn’t that seem like a lot to you?”

“It didn’t seem like enough.”

That surprised him.

In for a penny. “You were nice to me when I didn’t know anyone in the office. You took me under your wing and our relationship sprouted from there. We were comfortable together.”

“And again, there’s something wrong with that?” he asked tartly.

“Yes. I realized I wanted more out of a marriage than just companionship.” She leaned closer. “If you’ll remember, we didn’t have sex all that often. There was no intimacy between us. No passion.” Rory held up her hand when he started to interrupt. “Please don’t tell me that passion fades and a steady partnership is what really matters.”

Dillon flushed.

“I like you as a friend. And I mistook that friendship for something deeper. That’s why I said yes to your proposal. But it’s also the reason I broke it off.”

The food arrived and they both dug in.

When Dillon said, “There wasn’t someone else?” out of the blue, Rory choked on her asparagus.

Once she’d quit coughing, she assured him, “No, there wasn’t anyone else. I think the break up would’ve been easier for you to understand if there had been another man.”

He sighed. “Easier to stomach than the you lack passion and I foresaw a life of boredom with you answer I just got.”

“Dillon. I didn’t say you lacked passion. I said there wasn’t passion between us—us—which means the blame falls squarely on my shoulders too.”

“Would it’ve made a difference if we would’ve talked about this?”

Rory shook her head.

“So it’s not fixable?”

“Why would you want to fix it?”

“You find it hard to believe that I’d want to try again?” Dillon took her hand. “You’re a beautiful woman. Smart and funny. You’re a great person, and I just let you walk out of my life without a fight.”

There wasn’t anything to fight for. What didn’t he understand about that?

“I can change, Rory.”

She froze. What was with men always spouting off that I can change bullshit line? And why did most women believe it?

Don’t you? Don’t you want to when it comes to Dalton?

“I’m sorry. I can tell this is upsetting you.” Dillon pointed to her steak. “Enjoy your dinner. We can talk about this after we’re done eating.”

As soon as she finished her meal, she felt like she’d swallowed a bowl of Mexican jumping beans. She needed to pace, move, do something besides sit here politely and eat food she couldn’t enjoy. She said, “Excuse me,” and fled from the table.

She cut through the restaurant to the bathrooms and leaned against the hallway leading to the kitchen, taking a second to just breathe.

Why in the world would Dillon want to try again? She’d just laid out all the reasons why they hadn’t worked.

Wait. Was she some sort of…self-challenge? To see if he could win her back? Men were stupidly egotistical about things like that.

As she walked past the men’s room, a short guy barreled right into her.

“Shit, I wasn’t watching where I was goin’.” He looked up. A wide grin spread across his face. “Rory! Hey, are you working tonight?”

“No, Busby, I quit, remember?”

“No wonder I ain’t seen ya. So you here with Dalton?”

Busby and Dalton were old friends and they’d run into him when they’d gone out. “No. I’m with someone else.”

That comment piqued Busby’s interest, rather than ending it. “Male or female? ’Cause if it’s a female friend, you could introduce me to her and then the four of us could go out on a double date.”

Damn nosy man. “Not a woman. An old friend of mine from Cheyenne.”

“Huh. You guys goin’ next door?”

“Probably.”

“Save me a dance. It don’t bother me none that you’re taller than me.”

The pervert just wanted to bury his face in her chest.

“See ya.” He bustled away.

But after she returned to the dining room, she noticed Busby hadn’t gone far. He eyed her from the bar as she sat next to Dillon.

“You all right?” he asked.

“Fine. I ran into someone I knew.”

“The band must be ready to start because everyone’s cleared out.”

“I’m ready to go whenever you are.” She hoped he took that as she wanted to go home.

Dillon signaled the waitress for the check. “It’ll be fun to dance together since we didn’t get the chance during our brief engagement.”

She met his gaze. “You dance?”

“Yes. See? You don’t know everything about me.”

I know enough. I know when you reached out to grab my hand I felt nothing. I know when I look in your eyes I don’t see burning desire that consumes you. I don’t feel a sense of urgency…