Cowboy Take Me Away (36 page)

“Nate can entertain everyone. How about we just stay here?”

“And when our son comes looking for us and finds you doing wicked things to his mommy?”

Chase groaned, releasing her wrist and stroking down her leg as she moved. She'd come back upstairs to find a necklace she'd forgotten to put on, and Chase had ambushed her before she'd left the bedroom. It was only his family and Nate's friend Sam there right now, but still, she didn't need them all knowing what her insatiable fiancé had been doing to her.

She crossed the room and disappeared into the adjoining bathroom, sighing when she saw how disheveled she was.

“You need to go back down. I'll just be a minute.”

Chase appeared behind her, his arms looping around her waist, chin resting on her shoulder as she stood in front of the mirror.

“Have I told you how beautiful you are lately?”

Hope smiled, already finished touching up her foundation and now reapplying her lipstick. “Hmmm, yes. But you can tell me again.”

He dropped a kiss to her shoulder and stepped back, tucking his shirt back into his jeans. “I'll see you down there, gorgeous.”

Hope finished tidying herself up, retrieved the necklace she'd come looking for in the first place, and slipped her shoes back on. She smoothed down her dress and headed downstairs, excited about finally having all their friends and family over. They'd waited to have their engagement party until the house was finished, and they'd been in a week now. Hope smiled as she looked around—it already felt like home.

“Hey, beautiful,” Chase murmured, taking her hand and grinning, the mischievous look on his face making it impossible for her not to return it. “I was starting to wonder where you'd gotten to.”

“Oh really?” She laughed and linked their fingers. The doorbell rang just as they started to walk, and she pulled Chase in for a quick kiss before letting him go. “I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you, too, darlin',” he replied, pressing another kiss to her hand before leaving her side.

“I still can't believe it, seeing Chase like this.”

Hope turned when Chloe spoke. She took the champagne flute her sister-in-law-to-be was holding out for her.

“You say it like he was an ogre before.”

“No,” Chloe said, her smile infectious, “I say it because he was always so damn hotheaded about not ever wanting to settle down. Then, poof, along you come and he's a different man.”

“How's that baby?” Hope asked, turning the conversation away from her and touching Chloe's rounded stomach. They'd become close over the last couple months, and she loved Chloe like she was her own sister.

“Moving way too much. I can't believe we're having a girl.” Chloe made a face. “I'm just thankful it's not another Y chromosome though. It's not like there's a shortage of them around here.”

“Hey, I know exactly what it's like to carry an acrobat in there.” They both laughed. “And for the record, there's nothing wrong with any of the Y chromosomes around here, but a little girl will be so nice.”

Chloe giggled. “Honey, you don't have to tell me.”

“Can I steal my beautiful fiancée away from you?” Chase asked, slinging his arm around her and tugging her against him.

Hope gave Chloe an apologetic smile and followed Chase, pulling away from him only when she saw Harrison running a hundred miles an hour through the house.

“Harris—” His name died on her lips. She'd been about to scold him for running through the house when she saw that he was in pursuit of one of his uncles.

“Ryder's going to make one hell of a dad, don't you think?” Hope said into Chase's ear as they walked.

“Yeah. He's like a big kid himself.”

The house was filling fast, friends steadily arriving and making themselves at home. They'd invited family, friends, the guys who worked on the ranch—everyone who they cared about—and now it was time to welcome everyone to their home for the first time.

“Are we going to wander around and say hi?” Hope asked.

Chase gave her the smile of his that told her he was up to no good again, his dimple doing nothing to convince her otherwise. He ran a hand through his hair, dark locks that she'd convinced him to leave unruly and slightly too long.

“I think I need a glass of champagne,” Chase said, stealing a quick kiss before leaving her for a few seconds and returning with a flute the same as hers.

“Chase, what are you up to?”

He just shrugged, giving her a sexy wink that made her belly swirl with anticipation. She hated the way her body reacted to him sometimes; even when she was trying to be angry with him, she couldn't stop thinking about stripping him naked to see his gorgeous, big, muscled body.

She watched in horror as he slipped her ring off her finger and used it to tap against his glass repeatedly until he had everyone's attention. The jazz music that had been playing just loud enough to be heard stopped, and suddenly everyone had turned toward them. Chase smiled as he placed the ring back on her finger, held her hand up, and kissed it in front of their audience, then turned back around.

Hope had no problem talking to a room of people at a veterinarian conference, but standing as the center of attention, surrounded by people they knew and loved, was all of the sudden overwhelming. She kept her eyes trained on Chase, amazed all over again at his confidence. He could have charmed the pants off every girl in the room, she was sure of it—right now he was his dazzling, sparkly-eyed, handsome-as-hell self—and she knew there was no way she could ever resist him. She'd fallen hook, line, and sinker and she wouldn't have it any other way.

“I just wanted to say a few quick words to thank you all for being here tonight,” Chase began, smiling at the crowd gathered listening to him. “This was originally going to be a plain old housewarming party, but as you all know things have changed a little in my life lately.”

Laughter rippled through their guests and Hope found it impossible not to join in. What had happened between them had been painful at the time, and they'd kept the actual details completely private between them and Chase's brothers, but everyone standing in their home right now knew they'd rekindled their romance after a long separation.

“I wanted to take this moment to tell this beautiful woman standing beside me how much I love her,” Chase continued, turning to face her, his eyes locked on hers as he spoke. “Once upon a time I was too proud to admit just how much, but thank God I came to my senses. She's the love of my life and I'll shout it from the rooftop if I have to.” He cleared his throat, smiling at her. “And not only has Hope made
me
happier than I can express, she's also helped us to establish a promising organic beef venture. Thanks to her, we now have all of our new heifers in calf, so tonight is a double celebration.”

Hope shook her head, tears brimming as she listened to him. It was all too much, hearing what he had to say to everyone.

“So I'd like you all to join me in a toast,” Chase said, giving her another toe-curling wink before turning back to their friends and raising his glass high. “To Hope, my beautiful bride-to-be, and our son, Harrison. I couldn't imagine my life without them.”

“To Hope!” everyone called out, raising their glasses.

Chase turned back toward her, taking her hand in his and holding his glass out to clink against hers before taking a sip.

“To us,” he murmured.

“To us,” she repeated, sipping her champagne as she stared at the man she'd loved longer than she could remember.

“Mommy, can I have more lemonade?”

Hope laughed as Harrison tugged on her leg, completely oblivious to what was going on around them. Chase bent down to scoop their son up, hoisting him up into the air and then letting him settle on his hip.

“Do you know how much I love you?” Chase asked Harrison.

Hope bit her lip as she watched them together, trying not to laugh at the expression on Harrison's face.

“Hmmm, this much?” he asked, holding his little arms as far apart as he could.

“All the way to the moon and back,” Chase told him.

“
Now
can I have more lemonade?”

“Sure, kid. You go tell Uncle Nate that I said you can have it, okay?”

They both watched as Harrison ran back through the house, a blur among the adults in the room.

“He's a great kid,” Chase said, drawing her into his arms.

“And you're a pretty great dad,” she replied, standing on tiptoe so she could kiss him, her arm around his neck as she pushed her body against his.

“I wouldn't do that if I were you,” he murmured, kissing her again before pushing her away.

“Why?” She faked a frown.

“Because unless you want our friends to see me throw you over my shoulder and march you upstairs to our bedroom like some kind of caveman, you need to ease off.”

“Ah, Chase,” she said, running her hand down his muscled arm. “Just one of the reasons I love you.”

He slung an arm around her shoulder. “You can toy with me later, woman. Now it's time to go be social.”

She walked with him, their bodies pressed together as one as they made the rounds, clinking champagne glasses and chatting. It had taken five years and a whole ton of heartache along the way, but she finally felt like she'd found her way home.

Hope glanced down at the massive diamond on her finger, hardly able to believe that by the end of the year she'd be Mrs. King.

“You okay, baby?” Chase asked.

Hope pressed an impromptu kiss to his cheek. “You betcha.”

 

Coming soon …

Stay tuned for the next novel in the spectacular Texas Kings series

I Knew You Were Trouble

Available in June 2016 from St. Martin's Paperbacks

 

About the Author

As a child, Soraya dreamed of becoming an author. Fast-forward more than a few years, and Soraya is now living her dream! She describes being an author as “the best job in the world,” and she hopes to be writing romance and women's fiction for many years to come.

 

Soraya loves spending her days thinking up characters for books, and her home is a constant source of inspiration. She lives with her own real-life hero and two young sons on a small farm in New Zealand, surrounded by animals and with an office overlooking a field where their horses graze. For more information about Soraya, her books, and her writing life, visit
sorayalane.com
or
www.facebook.com/SorayaLaneAuthor
, or follow her on twitter @ Soraya_Lane. She would love to hear from you. Or sign up for email updates
here
.

    

 

Also by

Soraya Lane

The Devil Wears Spurs

 

Thank you for buying this

St. Martin's Press ebook.