by Lea Hart
“I agree with everything you just said.” Ella answered. “I could run some numbers and do a spreadsheet, if that would make him feel better.”
“It would, Ella. Thank you.”
Ronnie took Anna’s hand. “All you’re doing now is putting a deposit in the bank of love for later. In about ten years, the sight of him isn’t going to do much for you, so what you do now is important.”
Ana squeezed Ronnie’s hand. “Thanks. I tell him that, and I bet he’ll feel better.”
Scott stood and shook his head. “I’m out. I need to go work out.”
Patting his arm, Ronnie smiled. “Did you just go into estrogen overload?”
“Is that what they call this?”
“I believe so. I understand if you’d like someone else to manage your finances.”
Giving the table a faint smile, he moved toward the door. “I’ll let you know.”
Waving to him, Ronnie smiled. “I don’t have time for any more clients, and if he can’t make it through one little lunch, then I’m not interested.”
“I bet Chase could handle a lunch with us,” Ella said as she smoothed out her hair.
“I know,” Ronnie replied quietly. “He could probably handle a lot, and it’s up to me to give him a chance.” Seeing her friends nod, she knew that it was time to take a step into her future.
Whether it was a good idea or not.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Chase stood in Ronnie’s room and watched her walk out of the bathroom with her hair up in a towel. “Hi, honey.”
“It’s customary not to come into a room until you’re invited.”
“Now, what fun would that be?” he replied with a smile. “If I did that, then I’d miss out on the sight of you in your fuzzy robe, glasses, and towel on your head.”
Looking around, she let out a huff. “I want to throw something at your head, but don’t have anything I’m willing to part with.”
“Why are you always trying to harm me?” he asked as he took slow steps in her direction. Smiling, he hoped she’d let him wrap her up in his arms and give her a good morning kiss.
“Because you’ve inserted yourself into my life and home.” She unwrapped her towel, and her hair fell out, exploding down her back. “Now leave because I’m going to get ready for our trip.”
“Are you going to let me drive?”
“Of course, since I much prefer to be the passenger.”
Stepping forward, he kissed her head and felt her fragrance envelop him. Magnolias were the scent that filled his senses and, if he was lucky, it would be with him for the rest of his life. “I’ll drive you wherever you need to go, honey.” Releasing her, he stepped back and grinned. “I’ll wait for you downstairs.”
When she nodded and walked into her closet, he decided it was as much of a win as he could hope for.
Sitting in the living room, he studied his email and wondered what he should do with the rest of his life. Negotiations for his contract were not going well, and he knew it was because he really didn’t want to go back. The owner’s talk of moving the club to England let him know there was no long-term future and truth be told, he hadn’t enjoyed the job much.
Which meant it was time to pursue the dream he’d long held, and see if there wasn’t a high school or small college team that could use his talents. Sending off a quick text to his agent, he asked him to look into what might be available.
Hearing Ronnie’s feet, he looked up and watched her walk down the stairs in a pair of jeans, T-shirt, and flip-flops and prayed the weekend went well. “You’re beautiful, honey, and I’m the luckiest son of a bitch in the world.”
“Thank you,” she replied hesitantly as she stopped on the bottom stairs.
Standing, he walked over. “Are you ready?”
“Yes, where are you taking me to breakfast?”
“I thought we could go to the Wagon West Restaurant. They have great food, and it’s on our way.”
“Sounds perfect.” Glancing around, she frowned. “Did you pack the car already?”
“I did.” Moving closer, he pulled her into his arms. “Thank you for agreeing to go.”
“You’re welcome and I hope we don’t regret it.”
“Not a chance in the world, honey.”
“Oh there’s a chance and for all we know we’ll be tired of one another by morning and ready to come back.”
He ran his finger up her arm and watched a trail of goosebumps erupt. “You know, we haven’t kissed since our first date and it might be a good idea to try it again before we get on the road.”
Shrugging, she looked up. “I guess, it wouldn’t hurt, since that first one could’ve just been a fluke or something.”
He ran his hand over her shoulder and let it rest against her neck. “It wasn’t any such thing, and I think you know it.” Watching a small sweet smile crease her mouth, he was surprised to see a hint of shyness as he cupped her face.
Slowly he bent down and pressed his mouth to hers in a kiss that was sweeter and richer than anything he’d ever experienced. Closing his eyes against the sensation, he fell into her in a way that felt sacred and deepened the kiss, feeling her respond. Knew it, he thought as their tongues tangled and their bodies moved closer.
He released her mouth slowly and nodded. “No fluke, Ronnie. That was better than the first time.” Leaning his head against hers, he waited.
Waited for what, he didn’t know.
Maybe for angels to sing or a marching band to begin playing, even fireworks exploding would be okay. Something needed to mark the moment.
“I need some French toast.”
Laughing, he kissed her lightly and then stepped away, knowing it was as good a sign as he could hope for. “Let’s go and get you that French toast, then.”
“Thank you, Chase.”
Taking her hand, he led her out the front door and decided not to ask for clarification because he wanted to believe that, for the next little while, she was letting him in.
As they drove down the highway, the car was filled with the sounds of Miles Davis, and Chase hoped that Ronnie didn’t mind. Jazz was his go-to car music, and the artists from the fifties and sixties were some of his favorites.
Glancing over, he noticed she looked more like a college girl than an accomplished business owner and couldn’t decide which one he liked best.
Maybe it didn’t matter because all he really cared about was winning her heart and earning her respect and trust. She was calling to the king in him and not the fool, and he needed to figure out a way to make her his queen. “I like the way you’re dressed because it gives me hope that you’re ready to relax and enjoy yourself.”
Twisting around, she gave him a small smile. “I used to dress like this more often than not since I was horse crazy until the age of seventeen. My family has a farm in Folsom, and I spent every free moment there until the summer of my senior year.”
“What happened senior year?”
“Mama made me become a deb, and I had to give up my tomboy ways and start attending functions dressed appropriately. I hated it at the time but have since realized it was a blessing because the lady she made me become has allowed me to talk my way out of a lot of trouble over the years.”
“What kind of trouble?”
“The kind that is never repeated in polite company.”
“Well, honey, we both know I’m not all that polite, and hope before too long I can get you liquored up enough, so you spill the beans.”
“Chase, there isn’t enough bourbon in the world for any beans to ever be spilt.”
Lifting his shoulder, he grinned. “Never say never.” Reaching across, he took her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. “I bet you were the prettiest deb of the season.”
Snorting, she looked out the window. “I was passable at best. Though I did get my braces off and traded in my glasses for contact lenses. Not to mention the taming of my unfortunate unibrow that Mama insisted on. My girl parts also cam
e in, and the dresses I had to wear didn’t end up looking all that bad.”
“I want to see a before and after picture.”
“You bribe the right people, and you just may manage it.”
“I would’ve liked to meet that seventeen-year-old girl.”
“With the boots or after?”
“Both.”
Letting out a loud laugh, she patted his arm. “I was definitely more fun before Mama got her hands on me and made me behave. But I have to say all of the lessons she taught me have helped me become a success.”
“Did you ever put those boots on again?”
“Every summer that I came home from school. The farm is still one of my favorite places in the world, and I hope to have one of my own someday. I would love my children to have what I did, and some of my best memories come from some old dirt road. My brothers took us girls out into the woods, and we learned how to fish, catch pollywogs, and set traps for squirrels. We’d go out after breakfast and not come home until late afternoon. When Mama caught sight of us, our feet were dirty, our hair was a mess, and we had a million stories.”
“Your mama doesn’t seem like the type of woman who would’ve liked that very much. Everything you’ve told me suggests that she would’ve preferred for you all to stay clean and sit in the house with a book.”
“Mama was a rebel in more ways than I can count. She told us girls that ‘pretty is as pretty does,’ which means don’t rely on your good looks because you won’t have them forever. She’s always insisted we develop our brains, so we could go out into the world and do something. She didn’t much care what the something was, just as long as we tried.” Staring out the window, she twirled her hair. “We just better behave like ladies when doing it, though, and be dressed appropriately.”
“I’d love to have the opportunity to meet her someday. What is your father like?”
“Daddy is the best man in the world. He’s an attorney and one of the reasons I decided to go to law school. He’s got a firm in New Orleans and is well-respected.”
“What does your mama do other than wrangle her kids into behaving?”
“She manages the family trust and volunteers all over the city.” Putting her feet up, she let out a sigh. “My parents have an amazing marriage and love each other to this day. They still act like they’re twenty-five and just found one another, and mama loves Daddy like it was the thing she was born to do.”
“Is that what you want to have someday?”
“Of course, but now realize how rare it is.” Shrugging, she studied her hands. “I’m not going to settle, so that’s why I’ve decided I’ll just find a baby daddy and go it alone. I sure as sugar don’t want to have less than what my parents have, and it may just be easier to quit looking and get on with my life.”
Staring out at the road, Chase processed her words and knew he wanted to be the one to make her dreams come true. And that didn’t mean he’d settle for being a sperm donor. No way. He wanted the whole enchilada and wouldn’t rest until he had it and they were both on the same page.
He’d achieved every goal he ever set for himself, and this wasn’t going to be any different. In fact, it could end up being his greatest achievement because nothing mattered more than having a family and people to take care of.
The next part of his life was where he’d have the chance to accomplish something real. Not that all those victories on the gridiron didn’t mean something, but having a happy wife and children was a legacy worth accomplishing. “I think you should have everything you want and more. Why settle when you don’t have to?”
“Should I be worried about the glint in your eye?”
“No, honey. Not one little bit.” He squeezed her hand and decided to keep his plans to himself because the last thing he needed was Ronnie trying to talk him out of it.
Letting out a snort, she slipped her hand away. “I’m beginning to see a glimpse of the man that I read about.”
“Totally overblown.”
“Not even a little.”
“Well, a lot of it has been exaggerated and, for your information, I’ve matured and know what I need, and she’s sitting right next to me.”
“Good thing I didn’t meet you until now. It seems that your advanced age is going to turn out to be a positive thing.”
“Ronnie, I’m only seven years older than you. Which in man years makes me about five years younger in maturity and that means I’m the younger man in this relationship.”
Sitting up, she let out a laugh. “That logic is as screwy as a roller coaster, and there is no relationship.”
“There could be by the end of the weekend.”
“I didn’t know that you believed in miracles, Chase, but it’s good to know.”
“I don’t need a miracle…just an opportunity to spend time together.”
“We’ll see.”
“Yes, Ronnie, we sure will.” Smiling broadly, he knew failure wasn’t an option, and he was going to do everything necessary to have her as invested in his playbook as he was.
CHAPTER NINE
Ronnie looked around the resort and was blown away by its beauty and immediately understood why it had received the awards and was named as a top-ten romantic destination.
Admiring their slice of private beach as they stood on the steps of their bungalow, she let out a sigh and took Chase’s hand. “This place is perfect. You and Gerald did a fantastic job in choosing it.”
“Thanks, honey.”
Tugging his arm, she walked into their home for the next two days and discovered there were only two rooms. And it wasn’t two bedrooms. It was a living room and a master suite. “Interesting.”
“It seems that there is only one bedroom.”
“Yes, I noticed that.” Standing in the doorway of the bedroom, she felt Chase’s arm rest on her shoulders as they stared at one the most romantic scenes she’d ever seen. Rose petals were strewn across the bed and the floor, marking a path leading to a bathtub that overlooked the ocean. “Did you ask for this or is it something they do for all of their guests?”
“I may have mentioned it was a special weekend when I made the reservation but had no idea this is what they were going to do.”
Slipping off her sandals, she gave him a grin and then ran toward the bed, jumping straight up, so she landed on the flowers, making the petals fly up and mix with the sound of her laughter. Looking up, she watched Chase do the same thing, the only difference being his weight hitting the mattress made all of the petals fly on top of her.
“Are you going to kill me, honey?”
Pushing the rose petals off her face, she turned and stared into his deep brown eyes and let her hand find his. “No. But that doesn’t mean that I’ve decided if we should have relations either.” Brushing a petal off his cheek, she smiled. “I might, but I’m not sure yet.”
Rolling on his side, he placed his hand against her face “I thought when the woman said two rooms she meant two bedrooms. This isn’t a ploy, and I meant what I said. We’re going to have a real chance, and I’m not interested in a cheap thrill.”
Opening her eyes, she rolled onto to her back and stared up at the ceiling. “Let’s not take the idea of a cheap thrill off the table quite yet. I may want to try that out since my kissing with no plan was so much fun. Who knows? I may find out that having sex with no plan is more fun and I’m open to the idea.”
Moving his body next to hers, he captured her hand and leaned up on his elbow. “You never do or say what you’re supposed to.”
“Get used to it, Chase.”
“I want to be with you, and when it happens, it’s going to mean something. The moment our bodies connect, our hearts and souls will too.” Sitting up, he straightened his shoulders. “So, you can call it what you want, but we both know there is nothing cheap about us being together.” He leaned over, kissed her head, and then lifted himself off the bed. “I’m going for a swim because I need to cool off.”
Watching h
im bring their suitcases into the room, she wondered why he was being so touchy. “There’s nothing wrong with having a physical relationship with someone with no clear plan. When I don’t feel like killing you, I’m very attracted to you and may want to see what we can do with that.”
Sitting up, she crossed her legs and studied him as he rummaged in his bag for a pair of swim trunks. “Lord knows I don’t want a husband, so why have I been looking for a boyfriend?”
He slipped his T-shirt over his head, and she admired his chest that was covered in muscles. His tan skin was dusted with dark hair, and he was the sexiest thing she’d ever seen. “I don’t have to believe that you’re the love of my life to sleep with you.”
Standing with his hands on his hips, he gave her a frown. “I’m not a toy that you can play with, Ronnie. So, don’t try.”
“All right, fine, no toy. Maybe we’ll just be friends. I’m sure I can find someone else to teach me the ways of meaningless sex.” Before she knew what was happening, he bounced on the bed and crawled over her. She lay back as he loomed above her, his big arms caging her in. “You don’t scare me.”
“I hope not.”
She watched him drop his head closer and smile. “What are you doing?”
“Everything that happens between us has meaning. But you tell yourself whatever you need to. In the end, it won’t matter because you’ll be mine.”
Pressing his mouth to hers, he took her lips in his possession and kissed her with a ferocity that told them both what he meant.
His mouth against hers let her know the jig was up and he was going to do everything he could to take ownership of her heart and soul. How long it would take and how much she’d fight it was yet to be determined.
Once he released her mouth, she watched a satisfied smile grow on his face. “Are you going to invite me to go swimming with you?”
“Sure, let’s go see how the water feels.” Pressing one more kiss to her lips, he grinned. “Put a suit on, and I’ll meet you down by the water.” Letting her go, he got up and grabbed his trunks and moved into the other room.