Her heart squeezed at the sincerity and graveness in his tone. She had no doubt he meant it in this precise moment. That wasn’t in question. He’d also been absolutely sincere after the night of their anniversary, and look where that had gotten them. It wasn’t a matter of him speaking an untruth now. It was the question of how long that vehemence would last. A week? A month? She had no faith that he’d continue to put her first in his life and she refused to live with that uncertainty any longer. She had a child to think about now and her child deserved a full-time father, not someone who was gone all the time and never there for the important moments in life.“I don’t know what to say—to think,” Karla said, her mouth turned down in an expression of unhappiness.“Just say you’ll think about it,” he urged. “I don’t have to have an answer today or even tomorrow. Just promise me you’ll think about it and not give up on me quite yet.”She closed her eyes but nodded, knowing there really was
Ken’s blood ran cold and he was seized by paralyzing fear. But he had to keep calm. He couldn’t afford to do or say the wrong thing and drive her away for good.“I know we have a lot to work out, but I’m willing to try. Are you?”She bit into her bottom lip nervously, her eyes cloudy with uncertainty. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “This whole thing has thrown me for a loop. I don’t know what the right decision is. I just know I can’t continue on like it was before. Our child deserves better. I deserve better.”“Yes, you do deserve better than I’ve given you,” Ken said, not even bothering to hide the truth in her statement. “And I’m committed to giving you better. One hundred and ten percent of me from now on. But I can’t do that if we’re apart. I need you here. Where I can take care of you and our baby. You aren’t happy. I’m not happy. What do we have to lose by trying?”“I can’t make that decision in a split second,” she murmured. “I need time, Ken. I need time to think. To process t
Karla and Sandra burst into laughter.“You’re so irreverent, Sophia. I love that about you,” Karla said with a grin.Sophia performed a mock bow. “Glad I can be of service. Now, let’s get to the point. What do you want, Karla? Forget everything that’s happened in the past. Forget any worry over how you appear to others. Forget what me, Sandra, Derrick or James think. What do you want? What would make you the happiest in the world? Don’t think about it. Go with your gut. Give me your answer in three seconds or less.”“I want my husband back,” Karla blurted. “I want my child raised by both its mother and father. I want Ken to share in every aspect of my pregnancy. I want my marriage back.”“Well, there you go,” Sandra said, satisfaction lining her face.“Oh my God,” Karla whispered. “Is it truly that easy?”“No,” Sophia said. “Nothing good is ever easy, or so James always says. He said that about me in the beginning. I didn’t appreciate the sentiment at the time but that’s because I was
They didn’t make it to the couch.He slid out of her long enough to sprawl them both on the plush rug and then he was back inside her, pumping and thrusting, desperate to reconnect in the most intimate fashion.His mouth devoured every inch of flesh he could reach. He sucked avidly at her breasts, forming rigid peaks. Then he slid his lips upward, leaving a damp trail to her neck, and he sucked at the tender skin beneath her ear before licking the shell and nipping her lobe with his teeth.She shuddered violently, already nearing her release. He could tell by the way she clenched and tightened around his cock. The sudden burst of wetness, bathing him in her sweet heat. Like liquid satin. Hot. So very tight.He lost himself in her, thrusting mindlessly until her cry shattered the stillness. Then his own orgasm took over, rendering him incapable of thought or speech. There was so much he wanted to say and yet he was utterly blank.He remained inside her, his chest heaving with exertion
“No one can ever accuse you of taking things slow and easy,” she teased.“I move fast when there’s something I want. Why wait? I couldn’t take the risk that some other guy would steal you away from me.”She rolled her eyes. “As if. No one else would put up with me. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.”“There’s no one I’d rather be stuck with than you,” he said, nearly echoing her own words.“Thank f**k,” she said, returning his words in kind. “What was it we decided? We’ll be f**ked up together?”He laughed. “That about sums it up. Hell, who else would put up with us but each other? I guess that means we’re perfect for one another.”“Hell yes,” she said fervently.“Don’t you think you should put the ring on now?” he asked in a teasing voice.“Oh my God, I almost forgot the ring!”He pulled the ring from the velvet clasp and his hands shook as much as hers as he gently pushed it onto her ring finger.She stared at it in awe. “This is huge!” she whispered. “I’m afraid to wear it, James. Wh
For several more minutes, he thrust gently into her mouth until she had to stretch to accommodate his burgeoning girth. Then finally he pulled free and she sucked in breaths to catch up, her nostrils flaring with the effort.“It’s my turn to taste you,” he said, satisfaction edging his voice.He crawled between her splayed-open thighs, her ankles bound to the bottoms of her thighs, rendering her completely helpless to whatever he chose to do. His hands slid over her breasts, tenderly caressing and plumping them.“Tell me if I hurt you,” he said gravely. “I know you’re more sensitive now. The last thing I want to do is cause you discomfort.”“You won’t hurt me,” she whispered. “Just don’t be as rough with them as you can sometimes be.”He cupped her belly possessively and then leaned down and kissed the spot where her womb would one day expand with their growing child. His tenderness brought tears to Karla’s eyes and her heart seized with love for this man. No, things hadn’t always bee
“Karla, oh my God, are you all right?” Sandra asked in concern.“What happened?” Derrick asked in a grim voice.They were interrupted when the sonogram tech came in pushing a portable sonogram machine with a wand attached. Karla’s eyes widened when they told her they would be doing an internal sonogram since it was so early in her pregnancy.The fear and anxiety became too much. This was the moment where she’d discover whether or not her baby had survived her stupidity. She’d never forgive herself if she’d caused the death of her child.She burst into uncontrollable sobs, tears streaking down her cheeks. Her entire body shook and the pain from her arm became unbearable.To her utter shock, the door flew open and Ken filled the doorway, his gaze immediately seeking Karla. He looked haggard and worried but relief flooded his features when he saw her.But as he registered her sobs, his look turned to one of devastation. He flew over to her side, all but pushing the others away.“Karla, a
Have you ever wanted to put yourself in the hands of a man whose sole purpose is to give you pleasure? The words flashed across Morgan’s laptop screen. She sucked in a sharp, shocked breath. She’d met this man in an online chatroom less than three minutes ago. How could he know that? He must have guessed, had to have guessed. She hadn’t told him anything about herself, not one single thing, except her name and the fact she wanted to interview him for her cable TV show. But even through her stunned silence, he kept peeling back the layers of her secrets. Do you want a man to see inside you, all the way to your fantasies, the darkest ones you don’t even tell your friends about, and make every one of them come true? A surge of arousal coiled in her belly. Her palms began to sweat. Morgan swallowed hard. In the silent living room shadowed with the many colors of dusk, Morgan squirmed on the black leather sofa, shoving desires she didn’t dare admit to the back of her mind. This was b
“I believe you. I’m sorry I left the way I did. I had a lot of time to think between Omaha and Wichita.”“About us?”“That and some other stuff.”“Like what?”“I’ve been thinkin’ about safety issues and helmets and all that since Ryan died. And then after what happened to Dirk, I realized I wanna do more than talk about it; I wanna act on it. It’s a murky idea right now, but I have an opportunity to make a difference and I’m going to take it.” He kissed her just because he could, because she was here with him, where she belonged. “Enough about that. Tell me how long you were in LA, because Hollywood, I was headed there first thing in the morning.”“A couple of hours after you left, I got a casting call for a new sitcom and flew back to LA. I should come clean and let you know that my agent called me three times over the course of our road trip, after she’d lined up auditions. And every time I declined to go back to LA to audition. I didn’t know what it meant at the time, besides I didn
Ava gave Hannah an arch look. “Besides I know how damn good the man looks in chaps?”“Smartass. But really, what’s the point after Chase’s meltdown last night?”Her heart seized, thinking about how Chase had lost it on live TV. She’d wanted to jump through the screen and drag him off to comfort him. Assure him that not every wreck would have the same outcome as Ryan’s. Assure him she’d be there for him no matter what.“I know you can hear me, Ava, so stop ignoring—”“Ssh… They’re giving the injury report on Dirk.”The camera cut to an interview with the head of the sports medicine team. When he finished detailing the bull rider’s injuries, the announcer asked his opinion on Chase McKay’s comments about mandatory safety helmets. The doctor looked directly into the camera and said, “Helmets save lives. Period.”The camera returned to the main announcers. Their on-air banter circled to rider standings on tour and current matchups with bulls for the final round. When the list of the fifte
“After a few years, we started having you boys and… Well, my life was busy. Good. Happy. But I never forgot about that sweet baby boy I held in my arms for one short hour. Not a single day went by that I didn’t wonder about him. Pray his life was good. Pray he was loved.”*****Gavin’s eyes were on the shot glass he rolled between his fingers.“So I was shocked when your Aunt Kimi confronted me after your grandpa Jed died. She said one night Jed was loopy on pain meds and he told her that my father told him that I was pregnant. My father bragged to Jed I’d rather give the baby up than have it raised in a godless home as a McKay. Which was a total lie, but Jed must’ve believed it. After Kimi told me that, I finally understood why Jed never liked me and why he refused to live with us.”“Aunt Kimi never told Uncle Cal?” Chase asked.“No. But she told your Aunt Carolyn.”Gavin said nothing.“When did you tell Dad?” Ben asked gently.“Right after Quinn and Libby got back together.” She loo
Quinn? Yes.Ben? Yes.His folks? Absolutely.And probably any other McKay relation he called.They were just that way. They might fight like cats and dogs, but when it came down to it, family was everything. And he would do everything to reclaim his place in his family.“Chase?”“I’m here. Just figuring the logistics. If I leave now, I can be there by noon tomorrow. Is that early enough?”“You’re really not gonna compete in the final round and you’re coming home?” Ben said with total shock.“Hard to believe, but yeah. I’ve realized there are more important things than those eight seconds I spend on the back of a bull. I ain’t gonna be the one who lets Mom and Dad down.”Ben was very quiet.“What?”“You have changed. I’m looking forward to seein’ you. Drive safe.”Immediately after Chase hung up he called Elroy.“You’d better not be calling me to bail you outta jail, McKay,” Elroy barked.“Good morning to you too, sunshine. I’ll keep this brief. I have a family emergency in Wyoming and
“Me.”“And who are you?”Gavin took a deep breath. “I believe I’m your son.”****The crowd roared behind him, ready to party at the PBR on a Saturday night.Chase braced himself. The PBR’s newest female reporter, a fiery redhead named Lissa, stuck the microphone in his face as soon as he cleared the contestant gate. He’d been expecting it since he’d avoided an on camera interview last night. To ensure his cooperation, the cameraman blocked him in. Bastard.“We’re here with Chase McKay after that amazing ninety-one point ride on Devil’s Due. Congratulations, Chase, that’s gotta feel good to be back on top.”He focused on the woman and not the camera. “It does. Especially after an extended break and such a poor showing in Dallas.”“Tell us about the ride.”“Well, Devil’s Due is an ornery little cuss and highly unpredictable, so I wasn’t sure if he’d go into spin mode tonight or hopscotch around. Luckily I was able to stay with him no matter what he did.”“So the past few weeks you’ve b
“Okay. Thanks.”“And if that doesn’t work? Go with plan B.”Her mother, businesswoman extraordinaire, always had a backup plan. “And what is that?”“Track him down, tie him up and force him to listen to reason. It helps if you’re naked. And holding beer.”“Ah, Mom. I don’t think that will work.”“It sure did with your dad. Good luck, sweetie, keep in touch.”Ava packed her bag and booked a commercial flight to LA.“Why am I so nervous?” Ava asked Hannah, two days later.“I’ll tell you what I think after the audition.” Hannah straightened Ava’s miniskirt for the third time.“That’s not helping my nerves.” She tried not to think that Chase would know exactly what to say to her to calm her down. The door to the conference room opened and a long-legged blond strolled out. “We’re ready for you, Miss Cooper.”Ava squeezed Hannah’s hand and followed Corporate Casting Barbie into the conference room. Well, at least this production company didn’t have the clichéd casting couch. Ava chose the c
“No. And here’s fair warning: that is not a topic of discussion. With you. Or anyone else.”“Never thought I’d be happy to hear you say ‘no comment’ and mean it. Warms the cockles of my cold PR heart, McKay.”“You’re a riot. What else?”“The PBR is picking up your transportation expenses. You’re in New York now?”“Yeah.”“I can’t get you to Wichita directly—”“Book me into Omaha. I left my truck there. I’ll drive to Wichita.”“Done. What day you wanna leave?”“Today. As soon as possible.”Ava stared at him with shock.“The event isn’t for another couple days.”“I’m aware of that. But there are other things I need to take care of first.”Elroy sighed. “Fine. Contact me when you get to Kansas. And I don’t gotta remind you no press unless you’re escorted by a PBR media liaison.”“I get it. I’ll keep in touch.”“Good.” Elroy hung up.Chase returned to the bedroom and picked up his bag.“You’re leaving? Just like that?”“Yep.”“No discussion. No yelling, no hashing it out?”“What is there
Evidently he hadn’t realized she’d set up a goddamn camera in their room either.He hit the pause button, his head spinning, his gut churning, his thoughts focused on one awful thing.Betrayal.Yes, he knew she’d been taping all the fucking time, but he had no idea she’d been making a goddamned movie. The whole time they were together. To think he’d invited her to share his experiences on the road. He froze. Wait a second. He hadn’t invited her. She’d invited herself. Offering a convincing argument about wanting to see real life outside her poor, privileged upbringing.But Chase sure as hell hadn’t encouraged her to creep around, sticking that camera in everyone’s face. Capturing their private moments. Having no shame in using them for her own gain. For a woman who claimed to hate the intrusion of paparazzi, she’d become damn good at acting like one of them. She’d promised him she wouldn’t show her home movies to anyone.A new thought chilled his blood. Did Ava have footage of Ryan’s
“So I’ll think of you whenever I wear it.” Like I’ll ever stop thinking of you. Ava tried really hard not to cry, but a couple of tears slipped free. The last man who’d given her jewelry had been her grandfather.“Ava?” Chase tipped her face up. “Ah, hell. Don’t cry. I told you that you can take it back.”She made a sound half-laugh, half-sob. “No way am I taking it back, McKay. It’s beautiful. Perfect. I love it. Thank you.”The guardedness in his eyes vanished. “You’re welcome.”Chase paced in the hotel room, glaring at his phone. He hadn’t minded that the fucker hadn’t worked at all yesterday, since he and Ava had spent the whole day in their room, most of it in bed after they’d returned early in the morning from the penthouse.Dammit. He needed to access his email. Nothing was showing up on his phone. And he’d been in such a hurry to get away from the sorrow in Nebraska he’d accidentally left his laptop in his truck at the Omaha airport.His gaze landed on Ava’s computer on the de