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“You all right there, softie?” Chase asked from the driver’s seat. “What do you have the heater set to? 85?”
“Around that.” And I would not apologize for it.
“Don’t let Liam catch you doing that. He’ll never stop giving you shit about it.”
He was probably right. I’d deal with that bridge when I had to cross it. Like tomorrow, when we headed out to Naugatuck for Liam’s New Year’s Eve party.
“Do you miss it?” I asked him, studying his handsome profile as he drove.
“What? Boston?” he asked. “I haven’t lived here since I was 18. I lived in California for four years, then Arizona. I always like visiting up here, but it’s not a home to me like Florida is to you.”
“I don’t mean miss Boston,” I clarified. “Though I’m glad to hear you like Florida.” He flashed me a smile. “What I meant is swimming. Competitively. I see you in the pool and you’re, just, larger than life.”
“Honestly?” He paused and I braced myself. This was it, the moment he broke it to me. He wanted to train again for the Olympics.
“Nope,” he answered, and I let out the breath I’d been holding. “I’ll admit, for about a month after the games I didn’t know what to do with myself. I didn’t know how to get through a normal day without hours and hours of a rigorous training program. But I’m settling into it now. I’m excited about the center we’re building. And you’re in my life again.”
He gave me another smile and even I, surrounded by snow outside the car, felt warm right down to my toes.
“I’ve never been happier,” he said.
“Me, either,” I agreed wholeheartedly.
§
The night before New Year’s, we checked ourselves into a hotel on Naugatuck. The ferry ride over had been choppy. I wasn’t the only one who felt slightly green. Chase fixed himself a stiff drink, and one for me as well, and we settled down together on a couch.
“That sucked,” he admitted. His white knuckles had said it all, though on the ferry he’d maintained a tight-lipped “I’m fine” attitude.
“That definitely sucked,” I agreed. The ferry had actually had to slow down from its high speed to accommodate the swells. I’d seen one passenger throw up into her handbag. Another barely made it into the bathroom. Fun stuff!
“I’m glad we’re here, though.” He took my hand in his, rubbing his thumb along it. “Liam throws a great party. New Year’s is a blast, but his annual Fourth of July party is the stuff of legend.”
He went on to tell me a few funny stories, how celebrities vacationing on the island always seemed to find their stumbling way over to Liam’s. Last year he’d had an NBA player, a rapper, and a Hemsworth.
“Wait, what? Did you say Hemsworth?” My voice rose an octave.
He nodded, “I did.” He looked at me keenly. “Does someone have a crush?”
“What? Pfst.” I gave a completely unconvincing dismissive sound. Hells yeah, I had a crush, as did half the people on the planet.
“Well, I’ll have to make sure he doesn’t make a repeat appearance,” Chase concluded. “By the way, you should know, Liam had your back.”
“What do you mean?”
“In September, after the games, when we weren’t talking.”
“When you weren’t talking to me,” I clarified.
“Right, well, he told me I was being an idiot.”
I’d always liked that Liam. Now I did even more.
After a long, hot shower and a sweet, wet blow job, all thoughts of the bumpy ferry ride had been vanquished. A generous man, Chase returned the favor, turning me into a molten, writhing mess as he ate me out, then fucked me good and long and hard on the bed.
As we drifted off to sleep, a thought popped into my head. I’d wanted to talk to him about it earlier, but I’d been worried about his reaction. Now, post orgasm, I felt no stress. It was the right time to ask.
“What do you think about starting a blog?” I murmured.
“Yeah right.” He laughed, lazily, clearly assuming I was joking.
“No, I’m serious. We could blog about all the goings-on at the center. And I could profile some of the kids there. We could get them some visibility, maybe link it to a college scholarship fund.”
“OK, on one condition,” he warned me.
“What is it?”
“You wear a big hat the whole time that says in all caps, “I’M A BLOGGER.”
“Oh my God.” I swatted his broad chest, laughing, feeling the rumble of his laughter, too. That was the thing about love, it turned even the most painful of memories into something you could tease and laugh about.
“There was something else I wanted to tell you.” I feigned forgetfulness, drumming my fingers on his arm. Then I pulled myself up the length of his gorgeous body and gave him a full kiss. “Chase, I love you so much.”
“I love you, too, Emma.” He held me in the darkness, our hearts beating in sync, safe and warm and happy together.
Life was good.
THE END
Thank you so much for reading In Deep! I hope you loved every page! It’s such fun sharing the story of Chase and Emma with you.
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Find out the whole Callie Harper scoop on my website, www.callieharperbooks.com. It’s got it all—my books, info on the standalones in the series, bonus content. Check it out!
First Chase and Emma kicked off the All In series with In Deep. Next up is Liam. He’s the good guy, the hero, the one everyone relies on. Except for the one woman he wants most. You can’t always get what you want. At least that’s what he’s tried to tell himself. Until she moves back to Naugatuck. Stay tuned for Liam’s standalone story All of Me, out in late 2015.
But you don’t have to wait that long for more Callie Harper goodness! I’m thrilled to share the fifth and final standalone in the Beg For It series. Each of the members of the Kavanaugh family have their own book, which can be read in any order. Here’s a sneak peek of Undeniable (Dom & Gigi), to be released October, 2016.
UNDENIABLE (GIGI & DOM)
He’s the one she couldn’t have. She’s the one he couldn’t forget.
They haven’t seen each other in four years. He’s been serving with the Special Forces. She’s finished college. They’ve had time to move on. Neither one has.
Now there’s a death threat. Her family’s business has pissed off a drug cartel. Her life’s in danger.
They’re thrown together, on the run. He has to keep her safe. From everyone. Including himself.
NOTE: Undeniable is a standalone hot adult romance. It’s the fifth story in the Beg for It series—which can be read in any order—about the Kavanaugh family and the dominant, alpha men and the strong, sexy women who make them finally meet their match.
EXCERPT
Gigi
When he walked into the party I dropped a full glass of champagne. And it was a real glass, so I sent shattered fragments flying everywhere. It seemed fitting. When he’d left without a trace four years ago, I’d felt completely shattered.
Now he stood 20 feet away from me looking even more devastatingly gorgeous than before. I didn’t know how that could be possible. He’d spent the past four years in the Special Forces; I’d gotten that much out of my older brother, Colt. I knew the two of them had kept in touch after Dominic had saved his life.
After he’d nearly ruined mine.
When you fell in love at 18, it felt like the world was opening up, full of promise and new beginnings. Especially if you thought the man you loved felt the same way. And I didn’t mean puppy love
, full of rainbows and princess dreams. I meant honest, real, I’ve found the person I want to be with for the rest of my life love.
