Blaine, Destiny - Roping in Forever [Forever 1] (Siren Publishing Allure) Read Free Page A

Bella. I’ve seen a lot of possessive men in my lifetime, but that one there came here for you. Now I know you’ve had a thing for him and you were hurt when you came back from San Antonio , but give the guy a chance. He’s here to make amends. I’d bet all the tips I’ve made today he’s planning on asking you out. A man like Corbin Cansey could show a gal a real fine time.”
    Bella smiled at the woman who’d been a lifelong friend of her mother’s. Nancy was pretty, but she’d been used up pretty good by some of the cowboys around there. If anybody knew men, Nancy probably earned her right to form expert opinions.
    “You’d better listen to me, Bella. I know what’s what around here. You don’t wanna mess with that look Corbin has in his eyes. He’ll bring down hell on those who stand in his way of getting what he wants, and that Leary boy is no match for a Cansey. Why, Corbin’s very own uncle used to look at me that way, and I’ll go to my grave knowing Mac Cansey was the one who got away.”
    Mac Cansey was nothing but a drunk, but Bella didn’t bother telling Nancy the facts. He was, and perhaps always would be, Nancy ’s blind spot, her truest weakness.
    “I have plans for Corbin,” Bella said, thinking she never wanted to end up like Nancy , with an apron pocket full of regrets. “I’ve waited all my life for that damn cowboy. If he wants me now, he’s gonna know how it feels to stand at the back of the line and watch from the rear of the pack.
    “Way I see it, one of these days, he’s gonna have to man-up. If he doesn’t do it soon, I’m gonna look somewhere else and I might as well start with Benson Leary.”

Chapter Four

    Benson tilted his hat toward Travis and Corbin. Travis tossed up his arm and waved, slapping his palm against the Formica table. Corbin didn’t bother. “I didn’t think the guy had the nerve to come in here after he left with my girl.”
    Travis chuckled. “Your girl? Since when?”
    “Shit, man, you know how she’s always rattled me.”
    “I never saw her shake you enough to make you mind your manners and keep your pants up.”
    “This coming from a man who’d fuck around the clock if he had a different woman waiting at the stroke of another new hour?” Corbin asked, arching his brow. “I swear I’d like to beat Benson’s ass just for looking at her like he’s done been there and done that.”
    “We’ve been on the circuit,” Travis reminded him. “We don’t know for sure what Benson’s been up to, or for that matter, what Bella’s been down on.”
    Corbin snarled. “Watch it.”
    “I’m just sayin’. For all you know, Bella’s already shined and polished something other than his belt buckle.”
    Corbin sneered. “Shut up, Travis. Here she comes.”
    Bella had just about made it to their table when Benson caught her arm. “Sweetheart, I wanted to ask you something.”
    Corbin cut his gaze toward Bella. Her back was to them and Benson was very much aware of the fact that Travis and Corbin were watching him. Corbin almost fell out of the booth trying to stretch and bend so he could watch the whole Bella-Benson saga unfold.
    “Ask away, Benson,” she chirped, acting and sounding a little too excited about all the attention.
    “There’s a new club opening right outside Shamrock this weekend. Wanna go check it out? I could pick you up around seven on Friday.”
    “What the hell does he think he’s doing?” Corbin rasped, keeping his voice low.
    “Sounds to me like he’s introducing little Bella to his way of life and he ain’t wastin’ a cowboy’s second doin’ it up right.”
    Corbin grated back a round of curse words.
    “I don’t go to clubs, Benson,” she said sweetly.
    Corbin released a burdened sigh and settled his back against the vinyl seat. “See there? What’d I tell ya? My girl .” He poked his thumb against his chest. Then, he grabbed his cup and slurped down a hearty drink. After a stifled burp, he quickly said,