Chase and Seduction (19 page)

"Reno?” His face held an expectant look.

She wanted to laugh at the ridiculous question, but she said as sincerely as possible, “There was no one else."

He visibly relaxed.

"Chase, make love to me.” She wanted a few minutes to reconnect with him. Just the two of them.

The spark in his eyes flared and he tugged her strap down.

"No, wait,” she blurted. He couldn't see her breasts right now. “Let me make love to you."

He smiled, looking confused. “Okay."

She rolled him onto his back and sat on him, pinning his hands to his side. In this position, she could keep her dress on.

She reached down and undid his belt, unbuttoned his jeans, and slid them down his legs, trapping him. The thought of him touching her breasts and squeezing—with wet results—gave her another idea. She pulled his T-shirt up off him and wrapped it around his wrists, pulling them over his head.

His brow wrinkled. “You know, this isn't exactly how I pictured our make-up sex going."

She giggled. “Me either, but there's a reason for it, and...” She shrugged, too horny to try to explain without telling him everything. She changed tactics. “You got a problem with this?” She narrowed her eyes and grabbed his hard cock. God, it felt amazing to touch him again, his hot flesh burning her fingers.

He jerked and groaned, “No, no problem at all. Do what you want with me, baby."

She found a condom in his jeans pocket and slipped it on him, running her hand up and down his hard shaft while holding his balls in her palm. She was in control, powerful, and the sensation heated her blood and stole her breath.

"Slow down there, cowgirl.” His voice came out gravely and his irises darkened. “You're going to waste this nice hard-on if you keep that up.” A sexy grin curled one side of his mouth. “I need to be buried inside your sweet pussy when I come."

It had been so long, and so much had happened to her body since the last time they made love. Would he notice the changes?

She raised her body over him, the skirt of her dress billowing out over his chest as she used her hips to slide his shaft over her clit. Each pass of the ridge on his head sent ripples of ecstasy through her cunt.

He groaned then asked, “You're not going to take that off?"

"No.” It's all she was going to say, and to keep him from talking, she shifted her hips until his cock was at the entrance to her pussy, and she slowly sunk onto his hard, thick rod.

His eyes rolled up and his lids fluttered shut. “So hot. Tight. I've missed this, baby."

The stretching fullness in her canal made her stop for a second, letting her body adjust to him, taking inventory of each exquisite sensation. Pressing her palms to his pecs, she set her pace, rotating her hips so she slipped up and down on his shaft. The motion was hypnotizing and she writhed slowly until his body tensed under her, and he freed a hand to slide between their bodies and touch her mound.

His fingers pinched and tweaked her clit, and every nerve in her body responded. Scalding pleasure engulfed her as she spiraled toward climax.

His body convulsed and he grunted, “Come with me."

They reached orgasm together and she kept her eyes open to watch his gorgeous face contort with pleasure, his heavy-lidded eyes staring back into hers.

Her orgasm spread over her like a warm blanket, shaking her from the inside, and clutching around her heart as she cried, “I love you, Chase."

She collapsed on him, lying with her face pressed to his neck.

His body rumbled as he said, “I love you, Reno.” He breathed heavy, and in less than a minute, he was snoring softly.

It gave her a little more time to figure out how to break this to him. But Joy had her own idea. A loud squeal sounded from the back bedroom, and she sat up.

Chase blinked awake. “What's happening?"

Joy let out a short cry.

Reno froze, then forced her mouth open. “Chase, there's something you need to know. And I meant to tell you—"

He laughed as he stood up. “You have a puppy?” He looked around, holding the used condom in his hand. “Where's the bathroom?"

She pointed to the far side of the kitchen and watched him walk away, bare-chested, holding up his jeans with one hand.

She shook her head. Lord, he
was
tired if their daughter sounded like a puppy to him. “Fine.” She'd just have to show him.

Joy cooed when she leaned over her and smiled, talking silly words in a sweet tone. She changed her diaper and wriggled her into a yellow dress with white ruffle-bottom tights, and a little white headband with a pumpkin on it.

"Mommy has someone for you to meet, Joy.” She picked up her bundle, squared her shoulders, and walked out to the great room. This was it, in a few moments she'd see a look on his face that would either melt her heart, or break it.

Chase sat on his heels by the fire, a beer in one hand, a log in the other.

"Chase?"

He set the log on the fire and turned. Then grinned and stood. “Well, who's this?” He walked to her, taking a sip of beer.

Reno's lungs wouldn't work right, and she ended up puffing breaths in and out for about five seconds.

He snuggled his big finger in Joy's palm, wrapping her tiny fingers around his and smoothing them with his thumb. “Hi, baby girl."

When he looked into Reno's eyes, his face drained of color. “Reno, are you babysitting?"

"No.” She looked down at Joy's wavy, auburn hair and dark blue eyes. “I was going to tell you, Chase. Truly, I was.” She looked at him. “But I'm not a brave person. I'm sorry I didn't contact you sooner."

He stared at the tiny face. Could he see how much like his own Joy's was?

A sound came from his mouth. “Yubaaa."

Reno grabbed the beer out of his hand before he dropped it, set it down, then held onto his arm in case he passed out. She estimated how hard she'd have to shove him to get him to land on the pillows instead of the hard floor if he collapsed.

"Our baby?” His voice sounded clearer now, and red spots highlighted his pale cheeks. “We have a child?"

Biting her lip, she whispered, “Yes. This is Joy."

He grabbed his left shoulder and winced. “Reno. My God!"

"Chase? Are you okay?” Should she call for help?

He nodded, unblinking, and his arm dropped to his side.

She couldn't tell—was he angry or elated?

"Why didn't I...?” He stabbed his hands through his hair. “All these months I've wasted. I could have been with you. I
should
have been with you.” His voice quavered. “Aw, Reno."

He looked at her, gulping in air. His eyes gleamed with unshed tears.

"Chase, no recriminations. You're here now, and we have our whole life ahead of us."

Holding his palms out, he asked, “May I hold her?"

She smiled, and her heart leapt. “Mmm hmm.” She tenderly set Joy in Chase's arms. Baby squirmed, and Reno adjusted Chase's grip so she'd feel more secure.

He cleared his throat, but emotion choked his voice when he said, “Hi there, Joy. I'm your daddy."

Baby chose that moment to scrunch up her face and toot.

Chase laughed quietly. “Reno. She is amazing.” He looked at her. “I can't believe it. We've got a daughter."

She smiled. “I know. And she is going to be the smartest child on the planet.” When she blinked, tears skittered down her cheeks.

He nodded. “And the most loved.” He wrapped his free arm around Reno and pulled her close, sandwiching Joy between them. “Our child. Reno. This is a miracle.” He wiped her tears away with his thumb.

Smiling, she said, “It is. Caused by birth control failure."

He looked down at Joy, his brows furrowing. “But you were on the pill, and I used condoms."

She blinked twice. “On the pill? I was never...Why did you think I was on the pill?"

Now it was his turn to blink, confusion twisting his face. “I saw the pills in your hotel room in LA."

"I filled the prescription, but I was waiting to have my period before I started on them.” She brushed a tiny lock of hair from Joy's forehead. “But it never came."

His lips thinned and he sucked a breath in through his nose. “Reno, I think it might be my fault that you got pregnant."

A startled laugh bubbled out of her. “I
know
it is!"

He shook his head. “No, I mean, I think those condoms we used that first weekend failed. They were old."

"Old?” What would she have done ten months ago if she'd known? The precious little cherub he held so carefully was truly a gift. In hindsight, she would never have taken the morning after pill. But it would've been nice to be told. “Why didn't you say something?"

"I was going to, but you were out cold, and I saw the pills, and thought we were covered.” He let out a long breath. “I'm sorry. One of the first classes I'm signing up for is Communication 101."

She laughed. “Sign me up for that one, too. The thought of telling you about the baby gave me heart palpitations."

His jaw worked, then he asked, “Is that what you were about to tell me in Chicago in June?"

"Yes, and I almost did, but I don't think either of us was ready to take this on."

"I don't think
you
had much of a choice. What you're trying to say is,
I
wasn't ready.” He looked down at his daughter who stared at him with big, fascinated eyes. “But I'm ready now, Joy. I've fallen in love with you, Little Button."

Reno bit her lip as tears filled her eyes. He already had a nickname for his daughter.

"And we're going to spend a lot of time together,” he said to their baby, and glanced briefly at Reno before returning his attention to Joy. “Because mommy has very important jobs as a writer and a teacher, and we want her to follow her dream and reach her full potential."

"Chase,” Reno whispered, her love for him overflowing from her heart, making her dizzy with euphoria.

He gazed intently into her eyes. “I want to be the man behind the scenes for you. You'll have the spotlight and Joy and I will be so damn proud of you...” He squinted at his daughter. “Sorry, Daddy's gonna stop cussin’ so much."

What was he saying? He sounded like..."You're not giving up your career.” The panic in her voice surprised her as much as it did him.

"No. I'm saying your work is as important as mine, and it'll be a challenge, but we'll work it out. I don't have to tour every year, now that I'm a mega-star.” He wiggled his eyebrows and grinned. “And I know that my song writing is going to be easy as rollin’ off a log with two beautiful ladies to inspire me.” He lifted Joy and pressed his lips to her forehead, then kissed Reno.

A giggle formed deep in her chest and bubbled over. “You make me so damn happy, Chase Tanner. I'm thinking we're going to be the perfect family."

"We're a family. Ten minutes ago we were just a couple. Now we're a family.” He shook his head. “I'm a lucky man.” Chase brushed his finger over Joy's pudgy cheek, and she started rooting at his finger and fussing. “What's she doing?"

"She's hungry.” In her baby-talk voice, she asked, “Aren't you, sweet Joy?” She took her daughter from her daddy's arms, sat on the couch, and slid out of her dress top. Then she opened her nursing bra and pressed Joy's cheek to her breast.

Chase sat next to her watching, his eyes wide. He asked a hundred questions, and Reno promised to let him see the video Mitzi took in the delivery room.

He shook his head. “Let me think about that for a while, okay?"

She laughed as Joy finished feeding, then she showed Chase how to burp her, and Joy's tiny head lolled against his shoulder, asleep again. They changed her into soft, pink, footed pajamas and tucked her in bed then came out to settle on the pillows in front of the fire. Snuggling her head into his shoulder, Reno closed her eyes and let the warmth of the fire and the security of Chase's arms lull her.

"Sleep, Reno. Tomorrow's a big day."

Drowsily, she lifted her head. “What's tomorrow?"

"We're gettin’ married.” He grinned.

"What?” She pushed back from him, all thought of sleep deserting her. “You can't throw something like that at me."

"The three of us will head to town and get my name on Joy's birth certificate. Then we'll buy a license and get hitched. Okay?"

She touched his chest. “You're a traditional guy, and I understand that. But there's no reason for us to get married just because of Joy. Actually...” She took her hand back and sat up. “It's probably a bad idea. Forced marriages—"

"Forced? You think I feel forced to marry you?” He frowned.

"Of course you do. You want to give Joy your name. And the publicity of having a child out of wedlock would ruin—"

"Stop. Don't say any more."

She hated to say that last part, but it was true, and they had to face the reality of the country music world. Musicians had been blacklisted for less.

He dug in the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a black velvet box. “I was saving this for the perfect moment. It ain't gonna get any better than this.” He took a deep breath, opened the box, and asked, “Reno Linden, will you be my wife?"

Her eyes opened wide and her mouth formed a tight O. A beautiful two-carat round diamond sat on a band of Black Hills Gold, the pink, green and golden hues blended beautifully into a band with wheat sheaves engraved on the sides. Her fingers itched to reach for it, and her mind longed to say, “Yes,” but she needed a moment to absorb all this. Staring at it, she asked, “Where did you find it? It's beautiful."

"After I booked my flight yesterday, I called a jeweler in Rapid City and told him what I wanted.” He took the ring out of the box. “When he said, ‘Two weeks,’ I told him who I was.” Chase smiled. “And he wasn't impressed, so I offered him double if he'd have it done by noon today."

Blinking, tears rolled down her face. “Oh, Chase, this is perfect."

Climbing to one knee, he took her left hand. “Marry me, Reno."

She would remember this moment forever. His perfect body, big arms and chest, washboard abs slimming to narrow hips, his jeans riding low, his bulging thigh muscles. Smiling through her tears, she nodded and looked at his impossibly handsome face. “I will, Chase Tanner. Tomorrow can't come soon enough."