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“That’s better,” he said with a crooked, charming grin, his hand sliding down her back.

“I think you’re just trying to change the subject.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it. What do you want to know?”

Smiling sadly, she pushed the hair from his eyes. “You said you haven’t been married.”

“That’s right.”

“But surely there have been other women . . .”

“A few.”

“And no bad memories?” she asked skeptically.

“None that I care to remember,” he said, thinking for a minute about the one woman he’d trusted; his secretary and lover, Tracy Monteith, the woman who’d run off with Eric Conway when Eric had started a rival company. Later Chase had learned that Tracy had only used him to gain information for Eric. Tracy and Eric had been married just about as long as Eric’s company had been in operation.

“What is it?” Dani asked; seeing the painful play of emotions on Chase’s rugged face.

“Nothing important,” he said, pushing himself up on one elbow and wrapping his other arm securely around her waist.

“So you can just forget any of the bad relationships you’ve had?”

“I try to. No reason to dwell on them.”

She couldn’t find fault with his logic.

“But then I don’t have a kid who reminds me of what happened.”

Dani forced her sad thoughts out of her mind and smiled at Chase. “I wouldn’t trade Cody for the world,” she said. “Sure, sometimes he reminds me of Blake, but that’s okay. I mean, Blake is Cody’s father and no matter how painful the marriage eventually became, I did end up with my son and managed to hold onto the farm. Some women aren’t so lucky.”

“Do you still love him?” Chase asked, his eyes delving into hers.

“Cody asked me the same thing,” she whispered.

“Well?”

“No. I did once. When I was very young, before Cody was born and when my folks were still alive. But that was a long time ago. . .” She avoided Chase’s eyes and slid away from him. “I don’t know why I’m feeling so melancholy. It’s silly really. Probably because of the old house. It looks so sad and lonely up here, falling apart and—”

Chase had taken hold of her arm and pulled her against him with such force that she was left breathless as she half lay across his chest, her golden hair streaming over them both. “All I want to do is make you happy,” he said slowly. “And I promise that I’ll never hurt you.”

She swallowed against the thick lump forming in her throat as he placed a hand behind her head and drew her face to his. “I love you, Dani,” he said slowly as he kissed her. “And I don’t want you to ever forget it.”

“I won’t.” She breathed softly into his mouth and he groaned, pulling her on top of him and kissing her face, her neck, her hair.

She felt the buttons of her blouse give way and her breasts spilled forward against his chest.

Groaning, Chase tugged at their clothes until they were both naked on the blanket, her white skin touching his tanned muscles, her beautiful dark-tipped breasts supple and ready for the feel of his fingers and mouth, her long hair streaming down to brush and tickle his skin erotically.

Taking her nipple between his lips, he felt her quiver and moan his name while her fingers worked their magic on his skin. He held her as close as he could, pressing urgently against her, feeling the need to protect her. For eve

n as he began making love to her, he felt a quiet desperation deep in his soul, as if forces outside his control would drive her away. Closing his eyes against the ugly thought, he moved against her until he was spent and then, cradling her head against his chest, whispered words of love in the shade of the tree, oblivious to the humming insects or the sweet scent of the honeysuckle and lilacs that filled the air around them.

* * *

The first warning that things weren’t going smoothly came just two days later. Dani hadn’t heard from Chase, but wasn’t particularly worried as she knew that he was back in Boise. She was still thinking about his proposal and the consequences of marrying him when she drove into Martinville for a week’s worth of groceries on Friday morning.

Cody was with her and not particularly pleased about it. Pouting, he’d propped himself against the passenger side of the pickup. Runt was standing on top of Cody, his black nose poked through the partially open window that allowed some fresh air inside the stuffy cab of the truck.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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