Lonesome Cowboy (Honky Tonk Hearts) by Stacy Dawn Page A

Boy had we. But that was just the past catching them unaware, and didn’t change the reality of here and now. Marshall had a life that didn’t involve her anymore, and she had a new baby and a future to figure out.
    She bit her inner cheek, knowing one thing for sure, her timing still sucked.
    “Thank you, Marshall,” she managed to get out, unable to meet his gaze. “I appreciated you taking the time to”— finally talk to me. Let me accept the blame for my naive trust of those who destroyed us. Make me remember what it was like to have you, to kiss you, to— “show me around,” she finally choked out.
    With a tight grin to the realtor, she shoved the stroller back through the house the way they had come, only realizing her mistake when she halted at the front porch steps.
    “Here, let me help.”
    Those words were becoming too easy to hear, and Amy shook her head as Marshall reached for the carriage. He ignored her and hefted the buggy, baby and all to the paved walkway.
    “You don’t have to leave. Lee-Anne will take you around the rest of the place if I’m what’s bothering y—”
    “No, it’s okay. I don’t know what I was thinking,” she rambled on as he frustratingly followed her down the path. “It was a stupid idea anyway.”
    “Hey.”
    The stroller stopped short, his hand brushing hers where he held it firm. Blue eyes captured her gaze, holding on just as tight.
    “It is not a stupid idea. And now with Char—”
    A clickety-click on wood pulled her gaze away from his sermon to find the thin, perfect form of the stylish blonde watching them from the porch. Was that his type now? Had it always been?
    He’d been about to say something when he broke off the kiss. “I don’t know what to do about—” About Miss Vogue, or about me?
    “Amy?”
    What did it matter anyway? The whole thing was ridiculous for her to even think…no, she’d just add the silly hope that had popped up onto her pile of foolish mistakes. And right now, she’d need one hell of a shovel to get past it all.
    “ Amy. ”
    When she brought her attention back to Marshall, his brow dipped as his gaze skipped between her and the house.
    Comparing us? Seriously? She knew it was callus, but with her emotions on overload right now from all she’d learned, not to mention one whopper of a kiss, she couldn’t help it and dropped her gaze. Probably thanking his lucky stars he escaped my bullet when he did.
    Marshall crouched slightly, his face coming into her view, waiting until she looked at him again before he stood tall. A sexy smile tilted one corner of his lips, causing all sorts of electrical pulses to zip through her . Not fair.
    “Are you…jealous?”
    “Noooo, of course not,” she sputtered. “I-I just…”
    His lips were on hers again in an instant, stealing her sanity and any coherent thought.
    When he let her come up for air, the smile was back full force. “I have a few things to discuss with Lee-Anne. Come to the Lonesome Steer tonight.”
    She wanted to, God, she wanted to, but without his lips on hers, clarity slowly filtered back in. “No, I don’t think that would be a good—”
    “Right. Charlotte. I understand.”
    Amy let him think that was the reason, but he didn’t let up as she’d hoped.
    “What about lunch tomorrow? We can take the babe to the park?”
    She shook her head. “Marshall, I—”
    “Then dinner. I’ll take the night off.”
    The hopeful excitement shining in those beloved blue eyes weakened her resolve, and she bit her lip.
    His hand came up to rest on her cheek. “Trust me. This will all work out.”
    The whole world shifted off its axis for a fraction of a second. She’d heard those words before…
    Trust me. This will all work out.
    The angry wail of her daughter snapped the shift back to the present, before she could be fully pulled into the time warp.
    Amy blinked and nodded. Anything to get her out of there as soon as possible. The quick kiss he gave her didn’t