Cowboys & Navy SEALs

Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One

W hen Corbin returned to the cabin after visiting with Addie and picking up pizza, he figured he’d find Delaney locked in her room. He was shocked when he walked through the door and found Delaney and Pops playing a game of checkers.

“Crown me,” Delaney said triumphantly, as she pushed her red checker into the back row of Pops’ side of the board.

Pops groaned. “Not again. At the rate you’re getting kinged, it’s bound to be a short game.”

Delaney let out a light laugh that tingled through Corbin’s senses, shooting rays of hope into his heart. Maybe things would be okay between him and Delaney. He was sorry he lost his temper and vented it on the chopping block, but he couldn’t walk on eggshells around her 24/7.

Corbin placed the pizza on the table. “Who’s hungry?”

“I’m starved,” Delaney said.

Corbin was glad to see she had an appetite. That was a good sign that her emotional state had improved.

“Let’s pause our game and continue it tomorrow,” Pops said with a sly grin. “I’m not overly anxious to get whupped tonight.”

Delaney laughed again, shaking her head. She cast a surreptitious glance at Corbin and he could tell she was nervous. They needed to have a conversation to clear the air, but it would have to wait until after dinner.

Corbin retrieved three glasses from the cabinet and reached for the two-liter bottle of soda. Then he grabbed three plates.

Pops walked to the coatrack and reached for his jacket.

“You’re not staying for dinner?” Corbin asked, hoping he wasn’t so he could work things out with Delaney in private.

“No, I need to get home.” He winked. “And three’s a crowd.”

A deep blush came over Delaney’s face making her look so beautiful that Corbin nearly lost his breath. He was falling hard for this woman, but could they work through their problems? If not, he was headed for a major heartbreak. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Pops.”

He nodded.

Corbin felt closer to Pops tonight than he had in years. The two of them had a breakthrough of sorts earlier. Corbin was still torn up about Gram’s condition, but he no longer blamed the situation on Pops or Addie. Truthfully, he never had. It was just an excuse to hold his own guilt at bay. Seeing Gram, realizing how bad off she was, there was no way Pops could take care of her at home. Corbin and Addie had a quick but meaningful conversation where he told her how much he appreciated everything she’d done for their grandparents. It was good to bury the hatchet and mend his family relationships. Now he hoped to do the same with Delaney.

After Pops left, they sat down at the table. Suddenly, Corbin was nervous, unsure what to say. Delaney cleared her throat when he reached for a slice of pizza. He froze mid-action. “What?”

She gave him a censuring look, but there was a hint of amusement in her eyes, which were silky pools of chocolate tonight. “The prayer.”

“Oh, yeah.” Heat crawled up his neck. “Would you like me to say it?”

“Please.”

Religion had always been a key element of Corbin’s growing up years, so he was well-versed in how to pray. There were times when he hadn’t been consistent with his prayers, particularly after the ordeal in the Philippines when his anger and heartache had nearly consumed him. Nevertheless, he had a strong belief in God and was glad Delaney did too. He started his prayer by expressing gratitude for the food and that they’d been kept safe. Then he asked for continued protection to see them through the ordeal with Hugh Allen. Pushing back emotion, he gave thanks for Gram and asked that she be blessed to have very little pain. He added that he was grateful for her long, fruitful life and the many lives she’d touched, including his. Lastly, he expressed gratitude for Delaney and asked that she be given added peace. When he said Amen and opened his eyes, he noticed that Delaney had tears in her eyes. “Are you okay?”

She smiled slightly, nodding. “Yeah. That was a beautiful prayer. Thank you.” He was surprised when she reached for his hand. “I’m sorry I freaked out earlier.”

His heart melted a little. “I’m sorry I acted like a buffoon and took my anger out on the chopping block.”

“It’s okay,” she shrugged.

He searched her face. “If you didn’t know it by now, I have a temper. I’m working on getting it under control, but it comes out from time to time.”

Her eyes lit with laughter, turning them a warm caramel. “You?” she asked in mock astonishment. “No.” She pursed her lips. “Come to think of it, I might’ve guessed that when you laid out my three-hundred-pound bodyguard in the middle of a party.”

“Not one of my finer achievements,” he said dryly. He looked her in the eye. She was so beautiful—strong, yet vulnerable. And in the short time they’d been together, she was consuming him body and soul. “I know I’m a hothead, but you need to know that I would never hurt you. I love you.”

Tears slipped from her eyes. “You’re a good man, Corbin Spencer. I know you’d never hurt me.” She took in a deep breath. “I’m just trying to fight those demons.” She laughed remorsefully. “It’s hard, you know?”

“Yes, I do know. We’ll fight our demons together. Okay?” He held his breath, awaiting her answer.

“Okay.”

He breathed a sigh of relief, knowing they could move forward. Yeah, it would be awesome to know that Delaney loved him too, but it was early in their relationship. Like Pops said, he needed to be patient, give her time. He released her hands. “I guess we should eat the pizza, before it gets cold.”

“It looks delicious. I’m glad you got a supreme. It’s my favorite.”

He smiled. “Another thing we have in common.”

She chuckled. “The list is stacking up.” She took a large bite. “Very good,” she said, a minute later. She reached for her napkin, dabbing her lips. “Oh, I was thinking about the sweetheart dance tomorrow night. I think we should go.”

He nearly choked on his pizza. “What?”

“It would mean a lot to Addie …” She gave him a hopeful look. “And I’d like to dance with you.”

Delaney was full of wonderful surprises. His eyes caressed hers, his voice going husky. “We could dance together tonight, here in the cabin. In front of a warm fire.” The very thought of dancing with Delaney, holding her close, swaying to soft music, swirled anticipation through his veins.

Color seeped into her cheeks. “Yeah, we could,” she said evasively. “But it would mean a lot to Addie for us to go to the dance. And I’d like to get dressed up and go out on the town.”

Absolutely not. “What if someone recognizes you? Madison came close at the lodge. We can’t take another risk.”

“Madison came close, but she didn’t recognize me.” She touched her hair. “You have to admit, I look so different with this thing on.”

“True,” he conceded, “but do you really think we should chance it?”

“I think it’ll be okay.” Her eyes pled with his. “The lights will be low. I’ll wear extra makeup. Will you take me to the sweetheart dance? Please?”

Why was she being so stubborn? He crossed his hands over his chest. “No.”

Irritation flashed in her eyes as she squared her jaw. “Fine. If you won’t take me, then I’ll go by myself.”

“Have you lost your mind? You really want me to take you to a place packed with people?”

She looked him in the eye. “I want to get dressed up. Go someplace as a couple. Forget about our problems for a few hours.” Her voice quivered slightly. “Is that too much to ask?”

He sighed, knowing how this would end—the same way things had gone down when Gram wanted something from Pops. Eventually, Pops would always give her whatever she wanted. As kids, Corbin and Addie used to joke that Gram had Pops wrapped around her little finger. But for the first time, Corbin understood the situation. How could he say no to a woman like Delaney? From the first moment he saw her, all his thoughts had revolved around making her happy. “Okay, I’ll take you.”

She rewarded him with a dazzling smile. “Thank you.”

“For the record, I still think this is a bad idea.”

“Duly noted.” She looked at him with an adoring expression. “I hope you know how much I appreciate this.”

He softened. “What’re you going to wear?”

“My red dress, the one I wore for Sutton’s party.” She frowned, touching the wig. “I hope it looks okay with this hair color. Do you think the reds will clash?”

“I think you’ll look stunning no matter what you wear,” he said sincerely.

“Thanks,” she murmured in appreciation, her thick lashes brushing her cheekbones as she lowered her eyes to her plate. The movement was subtle, yet so distinctly feminine, making Corbin want to jump up and pull her into his arms this very minute. No, better at least wait until they’d had a chance to eat dinner.

He thought of something. He didn’t have any formal clothes except for the white tux, stained with Anton’s blood from the fight. He’d have to take it to the cleaners first thing in the morning, see if they could do a rush job, and make it look decent enough to wear. He thought of his upcoming phone call to Sutton this evening. Maybe it was better not to mention that he was taking Delaney to a public dance. Sutton wouldn’t approve, too much risk of exposure. While they were at the dance, Corbin would have to do his best to make sure the two of them stayed out of the limelight. He glanced at Delaney. Who was he kidding? A woman like her could never be kept in the shadows. Even with the wig, she was a walking bombshell.

Last night during their phone call, Sutton mentioned the possibility of surrounding Hugh and his men in Northern Cal and putting a stop to this whole business. Corbin was all for that, as he’d wanted to hunt Hugh down from the start. According to Sutton, his team on the ground was doing a little more research to make sure they covered all the angles before Sutton made a final decision. Corbin made a mental note to ask Sutton about it tonight. If the threat were removed in the next twenty-four hours, the dance would be a non-issue. That would be the best solution. A long shot perhaps, but it was something to hope for.

“Are you okay?”

He forced a smile. “Yeah, why?”

Delaney studied him. “You had a funny look on your face.”

It was uncanny how perceptive she was at picking up on his feelings. “I was just lamenting my lack of dancing skills.”

She laughed. “Is that right?”

“Yep.”

Her eyes sparkled. “Well, I guess I’ll have to teach you a few steps …” her gaze moved over him in that slow sultry way that sizzled his blood “… for practice sake.”

A smile broke over his lips. “I’m all about the practice.”