“Nothing,” she finally murmured.Brandon rose to his feet, until he towered over her. He’d definitely gotten the tall genes in the family, damn him. She was a midget by Hollywood’s standards.He grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him, effectively ending her agitated waltz across the floor. “I’ve seen you obsess about Turn Me On in the past. What you’re thinking about today has nothing to do with that, though, does it? Reggie has apologized for selling you out. Andrew’s funeral was conducted with a minimum of hype, and the press has no idea where you are. Already the gossip is dying down. You’re healing nicely.” His gentle stare probed. “I can only think of one thing that would make you this crazy right now. Or should I say one person?”“I don’t want to talk about it.”“You haven’t wanted to talk about Jack since you left the hospital.”Morgan closed her eyes. “Don’t say his name.” “You’re being stubborn, little sister.”“I’m being stubborn?” She poked herself in the chest wi
“Hmm. He’s not slurring anymore,” Deke commented.“Maybe he’s actually semi-sober.”“This is ridiculous. Why am I here expecting answers from a drunk man who only pursued me so he could get back at someone else and get his rocks off at the same time? Take me back to Brandon’s.”“Not yet. Ten minutes. Just give him that much.” Morgan said nothing.“If you don’t, I’ll have to start pleading again.” She shot him a stare that should have told him that she was totally unmoved. But, as usual, Deke ignored her.“I’ll give you extra whine if you don’t cave in…” “Ugh! Fine. Ten minutes, then you’re taking me back or I’m calling a taxi. And a hit man to finish off both of you. Pricks!” “That’s a girl.” He planted a smacking kiss her on the cheek, then flashed her a million-watt smile.Morgan just rolled her eyes. “Let’s get this over with.” “I’ll come around to get you, but hang tight for just a minute. I don’t think he can see you with the sun in his face and these tinted windows. And I want y
Normally, Kimber didn’t have problems asking for a favor. If her father happened to be in town, asking him to pick up dry cleaning didn’t disturb her. Or bugging one of her brothers to stop for milk, no problem.Today, she wasn’t asking her family for their help. And this favor she planned to request was anything but average. Deep breath. She could do this. No, she had to do this if she wanted to fulfill a seven-year fantasy.Easing out of her car and into the humid afternoon, Kimber studied the red brick house. From the outside, it looked well groomed with a riot of colorful azaleas and a well-manicured lawn.Elegant with its partial stone façade, pristine white trim, sweeping balcony, and Doric columns. And without a single noise disturbing the green East Texas countryside, the place appeared sedate. No one would guess exactly what depravities went on here. In fact, Kimber had come to discover them for herself.And see if she could embrace them.Curling her shaking hand in a fist ar
“Hi,” she breathed into the awkward silence.“It’s been a while.”She nodded. It was jerky, nervous. He hadn’t heard much of Luc’s conversation with Kimber, just enough to know his cousin had some whacked-out imagining that he’d been keeping the beauty to himself. And that Kimber thought she had an urgent reason to be here. Since they only had one acquaintance in common, this had to be about the Colonel.“Is everything all right with your dad?”“He—he’s fine. Thanks.” She pasted on a smile. “He says some psycho ex-convict he helped bring in for a client is out now and threatening him, but that’s nothing new.”In their line of work? “No, it’s not.”Finally, his erection abated enough for him to cross the room and plant himself at the fussy Italian table. A smile still tugged at the corner of his cousin’s mouth, and Deke sent him a warning glare.“I heard you tell Luc you had something urgent to talk to me about. It’s not about the Colonel?”“No. It’s…” Kimber’s lashes swept toward her
Another foot forward, and he leaned into her personal space, putting his lips near her ear. “In my bedroom, ménage means two men simultaneously pounding a woman to orgasm and driving her so insane, she forgets her name and screams the roof down.”Deke leaned away to gauge her reaction. Her mouth opened on a silent gasp, but no sound came out. Her eyes widened, pupil dilating just as quickly. Oh, shit. On some gut level, the idea appealed to her? His cock was ready to do the tango, despite his brain doing its best to shut off the music.“Help me understand. For you, why ménage?” she barely managed to whisper.“Why not make love to a woman, you know…just the two of you.”“Two men can make a woman come so utterly undone, she’s willing to do anything for her lovers’ pleasure. And I get off having a front-row seat.” More color bloomed in her face. The scent of female arousal now hung heavy in the air. Her nipples peaked, even as her tongue danced nervously across her lips.“I understand.”
He paused, waited. Stared. Drove her crazy with anticipation and broiling want.“Deke…”“Keep her open,” he told Luc.Then he slipped between her spread thighs and notched his denim covered cock right against her wet folds. Intimately. At the contact, her clit jumped, then pulsed greedily. Deke grabbed her hips, taking her from Luc’s grip. He wrapped her legs around his hips and he rocked against her again. Kimber cried out. Masturbation was never this sharp or intense. Decadent. Overwhelming.Before she could assimilate or think beyond their next touch, Luc’s hands slid from her rib cage to her abdomen, then up. Straight up. He enveloped her breasts in his hot palms. Kimber melted on a long moan. His thumbs and forefingers pinched her gently, but the jolt of desire jumped all the way to her clit. Her nipples sprang to painful tightness at his touch, and he rasped at them with his thumbs.It took Kimber a moment to realize that Deke was watching Luc fondle her, his stare nearly black
“Did you find her?” Luc asked, his annoyance coming through loud and clear.Damn the perfect digital cell phone signal.In the old analog days, he could have pretended he hadn’t heard. “Yeah.” Deke had found Kimber, all right. And just like she had at seventeen, she’d tied his gut up in knots so crazy an Eagle Scout with Houdini ancestry couldn’t get them undone.“You’re going to apologize for scaring her off and make sure she doesn’t get into trouble,” Luc reminded.Deke didn’t want to. He didn’t. But as Luc had rationally pointed out, scaring the crap out of Kimber was only a temporary solution to a problem that wasn’t going to just go away because he wanted it to. Kimber was too tenacious to simply give up. She’d track someone else down to help her in her quest to catch Jesse McCall—someone who, at best, would cause her discomfort because they didn’t know what the hell they were doing. At worst, they would take total advantage of her and hurt her.The Colonel would kill Deke if an
“I don’t mind. Shoot.”“Okay”—He shrugged—“Yesterday, when Luc and I had you naked and spread across our kitchen counter with our mouths on your—”“Stop!” she gasped, feeling furious heat dash up her cheeks.The brother whose name she couldn’t remember chuckled in her ear. Deke smiled smugly. Bastard! He’d come to fight dirty and had gone straight for the jugular. Why hadn’t she seen that coming?“She belong to you and Luc?” Adam asked Deke.“Yes.”“Hell no!” she blurted at the same time.That muscle in Deke’s jaw began working again. “Come outside with me so we can discuss this.”Did the man just not know when to quit? “I don’t belong to you and your cousin, I’m not coming near your kitchen counter again, and I’m certainly not going outside with you.”“I came here to say something I think you want to hear.”“I’m not interested in being just another wet hole to you, and I’m too pissed to care.”One second, Deke stood two feet away, not touching any part of her. A blink later, he crowd
“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