Kane scratched his head. “How about if you repeat that in plain English?”“This particular bathroom is impossible for me to use.”“Do you need help?”The muscle in Dash’s jaw tightened. “No. That’s not the issue.”Like hell that wasn’t the issue. Like father like daughter. Neither one wanted to accept his help.Rather than snap, or embarrass the man, or point out the obvious, Kane said, “Fine. Let’s get you back home.”“I thought you’d prefer to stay until the end of the game.”“In the future, maybe it’d be better if you asked my plans instead of assuming they’ll conflict with yours.”Dash had no response.Kane buttoned his sheepskin coat and slipped on his gloves. “Everyone ready to go?”“Wait a sec. I gotta say goodbye to someone.” Hayden raced off and ducked beneath the bleachers.The silence between him and Dash was decidedly chilly and didn’t owe a damn thing to the frigid temperatures outside.“McKay, I apologize. I can be a bit of a curmudgeon sometimes.”At least the members o
“Where does she live?”“No clue. Last I heard it was…Australia? Or New Zealand.”Kimi’s eyes widened. “She doesn’t have any contact with Hayden?”“She’s never seen him, besides in pictures. It’s a pretty screwed up situation.”“Sounds like it. But then I’ve learned that there’s no such thing as the perfect family.”Her cell phone buzzed. She opened the picture message from Kane, showing Hayden receiving his third place ribbon. How much did it suck she couldn’t be there?“Honey? What’s wrong?”She passed the phone to Kimi. “Mother’s guilt. Kane sent me a picture of Hayden and his award.”“How thoughtful.”“I know. He’s always doing stuff like that. But it makes me feel so guilty.”“Part of bein’ a mom.”“Do you ever still feel guilty?”Kimi pinned her with an arch look. “Yes. Especially when it’s pointed out to me that I don’t know my own son as well as I thought I did.”Ginger blushed. “I didn’t mean—”“I know you didn’t. I’m glad you talked to me. I really liked seein’ Kane through y
Kane picked up the pace.Ginger loosened her jaw, loving his loss of control with every grunting thrust into the wet recess of her mouth. Her panties were soaked. Her sex throbbed with want, jealous her mouth was being so thoroughly filled.The strokes increased. Kane’s breathing turned even more ragged. “I’m close. Jesus. Fuck.” Two more deep thrusts and he stilled. His cock twitched on the back of her tongue and he groaned, “Swallow.Now. All of it. Christ.” His hips continued to bump against her face.Her cheeks were compressed tightly to the rigid shaft. Her throat muscles contracted around the head as his seed flowed down the back of her throat. A pleasant buzz reverberated in her head.First time she’d experienced that euphoric feeling from giving a blowjob. Usually her orgasms gave her that floating, melting sensation.Seriously fucking hot, seriously fucking heady, this obedience stuff.“Hey. Red. Look at me.”She blinked at him.Satisfaction and pure possession were etched on
He chuckled, pleased as punch that she was just as anxious. “No. But as soon as everybody’s up, I’m gonna need to go outside and work off this extra energy. Got a wood pile that needs split or something?”“Was your use of the word ‘wood’ intentional?”“Smartass.”“You need help chopping your wood?” She snickered.“No. I’ve got plenty of experience, even if it’s been one-handed experience recently.”Ginger nuzzled his neck. “Care to elaborate on that ‘recently’ time frame?”“Sure. Not since the night you goaded me into kissin’ you.”She froze.“Surprised?”“Completely.”Kane whispered, “Your turn.”“I haven’t had any wood in my shed since I moved here.”Simultaneously, they tilted their heads back and stared at one another. Then simultaneously, they grinned.“Red, we are so gonna combust as soon as I see them bus taillights turnin’ onto the highway tomorrow mornin’.”“I can’t wait.”At 5 a.m. Kane rolled out of bed and shoveled. Again.At 6 a.m. Kane showered. Shaved. Trimmed his musta
As soon as he stopped moving, Ginger’s mouth was on his. Unrelenting and hungry. Kane remained in the pushup position as long as he dared, letting her control the kiss, but his arms needed a break. The last thing he wanted was to crush her dislocated shoulder.Ginger made a soft protest when he broke the kiss.“I know, darlin’, but give me a second, okay?” He shifted back, dislodging his cock. Wetness trickled down her leg and it occurred to him why it’d felt so goddamn good: they’d forgotten a condom.Fuck.She realized the oversight the same time he did.“Shit, Ginger, I’m so sorry. I was just so damn crazed to be with you that I forgot.” He rested on his haunches, dropping his palms to his thighs. “I’ve always used a condom. Always. And it’s been a while for me, so I’m clean. I know that doesn’t probably ease your mind as far as—”“Kane.” She sat up and placed her hand in the center of his chest. “It’s okay. We should’ve thought of birth control—both of us—but I was just as eager a
“I imagine.”“With the late nights, case overload and me being a rookie who needed supervision, Chas and I spent a lot of time together. One thing led to another, and within a year of my assignment we were engaged in this torrid affair.”At that comment Kane’s fingers stilled.“Chas was married, which I knew. He fed me those clichéd bullshit lines about he and his wife drifting apart, she didn’t fulfill his sexual needs. The man had a voracious sexual appetite. In hindsight it was probably due to Viagra. I eagerly bought his lies, becoming the adventurous lover his wife wasn’t.Even if we only hooked up in his office. I knew if I stayed the course, Chas would eventually leave her for me. Obviously that didn’t happen.”“What did happen?”“I found out three pieces of information that absolutely devastated me. One—his wife’s father had started the law firm and he was inexplicably tied to it and to her. Two—he was older than I’d thought.”“How much older?”“Thirty years. I was twenty-seve
“For the longest time it seemed like I had the perfect life. Workin’ the land that’s been in my family for a couple generations. Livin’ in a house with my brother and my cousin. We had damn wild times. Lots of women, lots of booze, no regrets. We enjoyed the hell out of our bad-boy, love ’em and leave ’em reputations.”“The women you were with didn’t mind?”“Hell no. They wanted braggin’ rights for bangin’ a McKay. Or two. The more adventurous chickies?We’d invite them to get really wild. Threesomes, foursomes, you name it, we did it.”She thought back to his mother Kimi’s comment that Kane had horrible taste in women. “So those were the women you…loved?”“Loved ’em when I was with them. Afterward? Sometimes I couldn’t even remember the woman’s name. How’s that for true love?”Ginger wondered if Kane was trying to shock her.“Disgusted yet?” he said with an edge.“No. Just curious.”“About?”“What happened that made you change. Was it intentional? And if not, do you regret being forc
He noticed her focus was on his hands on her tits. “I figured I’d give you the whole body treatment.You know. Makin’ sure you were clean everywhere.”“You just want to soap up my tits.”“Like you wouldn’t believe.” He started on her neck and quickly moved across her clavicle and shoulders. Then he coated his hands with more suds and swept them over her breasts. Under her breasts.Cupping and squeezing. Rasping his thumbs across the beaded tips of her nipples. Over and over.Ginger watched him. The absolute lust in his eyes as his slippery hands mapped every inch and curve of her breasts.“You have the greatest tits I’ve ever seen. Just so damn perfect. Responsive.” He pinched the left nipple a little harder than she was used to and looked at her to gauge her reaction.The initial sharp sting mellowed into a delicious heat. “Oh.”“You like that?”“I’m not sure. It surprised me.”“You ever worn nipple clamps?”She shook her head.While he talked, he continued lathering every inch of he
“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