Stunned, embarrassed, Morgan backed away. “Oh.”“Oh.” Jack shot back with an acid grin as he followed her deeper into the cottage. “Next to him, I look like a choir boy.”Morgan nearly choked. “You’ve got to be kidding! You, a choir boy?”“Hey, I was one until puberty. The choir director at Our Lady of Perpetual Hope told me I sang like an angel.”“And you’ve got a mind like the devil.”Jack merely smiled. “I’ve barely given you an introduction, cher. There’s so much more I could show you…”She believed him. Utterly. The very thought of the sensations and feelings he could introduce her to made Morgan shiver and ache. And not just for the stunning release he could give her. In his arms, his bed, she’d felt so liberated and alive. It frightened her to think that the only place she could fell completely free to be herself was bound to Jack’s bed.God, no. Please no.“There won’t be any more of that,” she vowed. “You told me to give it a night. I did. I know enough now to do the show. Th
Or more seductive?Shaking away her thoughts, Morgan knew the clock was ticking. Jack would come back in less than fifteen minutes. If she was still standing in his lair…he’d take that as an unequivocal yes—to anything, everything. The only boundaries between them would be his own, coupled with the limits of his imagination.In other words, there would be no limits.Morgan swallowed against a flush of heat. Regardless of whether the room and its contents made her more afraid or less, she had to see, and not just out of curiosity. Labeling her emotions mere journalistic or feminine interest was too simple.Morgan had to see that room because it would tell her about the alluring, mysterious conundrum named Jack.Drawing in a shaky breath, she took a tentative step toward the red light in the corner that drew her like a siren.One foot forward. Yes. Then the other. Repeat the process.Sheer nerve kept her moving, coaching herself with each step. Finally, she stood at the door and opened
But Brice seemed only too eager to throw Morgan at him…Sighing, Jack shoved his thoughts away. It hardly mattered. The legend was ridiculous. It couldn’t be anything but bullshit. It had no logic. He didn’t do hocus-pocus.Still…it would explain why he wanted Morgan for his own so badly his teeth hurt.A noise to his left alerted him to the fact he was no longer alone. Morgan emerged through the screen door, into the hazy morning. Golden sunlight broke through the fog as she stepped into the morning breeze. The pure rays slanted in bright swaths across the swamp to settle on her as she strolled to the corner of the railing, clearly unaware that he watched her.Soft sunlight lit up her fiery tresses as they tumbled over her shoulders, and down her back. She wore a faded brown shirt. His shirt.Jack frowned. He’d seen this scene before. It was oddly familiar, but how? The memories were vague, as if he’d seen this a long time ago or in a dream—That was it, and it hadn’t been just any d
“Show me where you like to be licked. Point for me,” he demanded, already knowing and planning to save that destination for last.“I…I don’t know. Anywhere.”“No one has ever made you come this way.” Jack didn’t make it a question. He was pretty sure he knew the answer.Morgan shook her head.Amazing. Another intimate act he would be first to introduce Morgan to. The exhilarating thought went straight to his cock. Was every guy she’d dated a eunuch? He loved this, the intimate taste, the immediacy of knowing exactly which touch affected a woman most. No quicker way to make her putty, to make her beg.To make her his.Jack dropped his gaze to her swollen sex. Maybe…maybe he could coax her to connect him and pleasure together in her mind. That alone wouldn’t be enough to keep her, but it would be a start. The rest he’d work out hour by hour, day by day, until she agreed not just to leave Brandon but to become his.“You’re going to come for me, Morgan. But not until I tell you to. Unders
Taking one last sharp nip at her rock-hard nipple, Jack kissed his way up her chest to nuzzle her neck. His fingers played with that sensitive spot in her channel, just behind her clit, while his thumb strummed the hard little button in an unhurried rhythm. Though he wondered if he’d ever feel the blood in his fingers again, satisfaction poured through him when she tightened on his fingers once more.“Cher,” he whispered in her ear. “What do you want?”“Now,” she panted as he rubbed the pads of his fingers right across that sweet spot inside her. “God, please. I need…”“Me to stop?”“No. No, sir!” Her voice came fast, hard, in between breathless sighs.Color bloomed in her cheeks, and the sunshine rained down on her fair skin until she looked like she was glowing.God help her, because Jack had every intention of taking her, not just to his bed, but to his playroom and driving her up and over so sweetly and so often that she would have no more qualms about pleading for what she wanted
Shock jolted a dizzying bolt through his system. Jack stroked his chin and tried to regain his balance. The concept of predestined mates and dreaming of them was so…otherworldly. So weird. Not that he hadn’t grown up with the knowledge; he’d just never believed it.“None of us want to believe that there’s any truth to this malédiction. But facts is facts, yeah. It happens to every man in our line. And now, it’s your turn, with Morgan.”“How did you know when it happened to you?” Jack asked, struggling to accept his grandfather’s claim. “What made you sure, besides the dreams, that Grand-mere was the one?”The old man smiled, deepening lines around his eyes and mouth, leaving no doubt the man had spent a lifetime smiling wide and often. “The moment I met her, I fought a crazy urge to grab her up tight and convince her to be mine. I never wanted to be away from her or see her blue. Most of all, cher garçon, I wanted her happy and I knew deep inside here,” he pointed to his heart, “that
Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the hall and lingered in the shadows. And listened.“What the hell do you want?” she heard Jack snap.A rumbling laugh over the speakerphone in the cottage’s front room echoed down the hall.“I’ll take three guesses as to why you’re so crabby. And I don’t need the last two.”Deke. She recognized his teasing voice, could picture the crinkles of laughter around those dancing denim-blue eyes…so seemingly at odds with that tall, hard body.“Did you call just to annoy me?”“Hell, no. You know I never go for anything easy. Where’s the challenge in that?”“So you called because…?”“I need to talk to Morgan.”Jack hesitated, his hands curling into fists. “Why?”In that one syllable, he sounded somewhere between suspicious and downright pissed.“Did that hard cock of yours make you forget all about the stalker trailing her sweet ass?”“No, you SOB, I haven’t forgotten. And you get your mind off her ass.”“It’s not as if I’ve perfected the ability to reach
He dropped a kiss on her forehead, another on her jaw. “You know I’m not going to hurt you, right?”Slowly, she nodded. “You…You’re right.”“And your friend Reggie. He might be guilty, yes. He might not. Until we know more, don’t assume anything.”Morgan shook her head. “But he’s totally into photography. No one else—”“I understand. Just wait. Deke will keep digging. For now, I think it’s important that you don’t talk to Reggie, not until we know more. Had you planned to call him, check in?”“I tried yesterday. I can’t get a cell signal out here.”“No.” Jack shook his head. “Most people can’t. Will he raise some red flag if you don’t call?”“Not for a while; a few more days probably.”“Hopefully, we’ll have this sorted out by then. Until then, don’t assume the worst. We have one fact that doesn’t make things look good for Reggie, but nothing is absolute. And even if he is guilty, you know he can’t find you here, right?”Wherever here was… “Right.”“In the meantime, I’m here to protec
“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