Sweet Ride

by Cathryn Fox

“Alix, your mother has been worried sick about you. When she hears about this, about him,” he seethed as he shot Jag a warning glare, “you’ll have some explaining to do.”

  Jag grabbed Nelson by the scruff of the neck and lifted him to his feet. “Alix doesn’t have to explain herself to anyone, least of all you.” He tossed him out the door and said, “The plane will be here at one sharp. Be on it, and don’t let me see your face until then.”

  Jag slammed the door and turned to face Alix, who stood there, her arms hugging herself as she stared at him.

  “He found the invitation,” she answered.

  His features softened when he looked at her. “I figured it had to be something like that.”

  “He wanted—”

  Jag lowered his voice. “It doesn’t matter what he wanted, Alix. What matters is what you want.”

  She went quiet for a moment and then whispered, “Thank you.”

  Jag stepped up to her and brushed his thumb over her cheek. A riot of emotions erupted inside him when he saw the warmth in her eyes. “For what?”

  She swallowed and waved her hand around the room. “For seeing this for what it really was. With your job, I was sure you would logically jump to the conclusion that I’d run back into Nelson’s arms when you saw him here with me. I’d never want you to think that I’d do something like that.”

  He dipped his head. “Alix, I know who you are, and you wouldn’t do that.”

  She blinked up at him. “So you never thought it? Not even for a second?”

  He grinned. “Okay, well, maybe for a second, but hey, cut me some slack, I was half asleep.”

  She exhaled slowly. “I’m sorry he came here and you had to deal with him.”

  “I’m not.”

  Her eyes widened in surprise. “You’re not?”

  “Nope, I’ve been itching to beat the shit out of him for quite some time now.” Alix laughed, and he pulled her closer. “Are you okay?”

  “I will be.”

  He looked at the suitcase, and a heaviness fell over him. “You were packing anyway, weren’t you? You were leaving.”

  She pushed away, and when she turned from him, it felt like a slap to the face, or worse, a knife slicing through his heart.

  “I have to go,” she said quietly.

  “Just to deal with things back home though, right?” His heart pounded, and a big fucking knot tightened his stomach. “You are planning on coming back, aren’t you?”

  “No, Jag,” she said, her voice cracking. “I won’t be back.”

  Jag clenched down hard enough to grind bone and spun her around to face him. He spotted tears in her eyes. “I thought we had something special. I thought you cared about me, about us.”

  She tried to look away, but he wouldn’t let her. “I do, which is why I have to go.”

  He raked his hands though his hair and frowned in confusion. “Alix, you’re not making any sense.”

  She stepped away and walked to her window. He traced her steps and followed her gaze. Off in the distance sat the old homestead, one he wanted to share with her.

  “You’ve given me everything this week,” she said, her voice bleak, sad. “You’ve taught me so much about myself, and I want to give you everything, too. The only way I can do that is by leaving.”

  Her hand crept to her stomach. What the fuck? She was leaving because she couldn’t give him kids? Like hell he was going to let her do this. He grabbed her by the shoulders and walked her to the bed. When she sat, he knelt down in front of her. “Alix, sweetheart. I’m in love with you, and if you can’t conceive, then we’ll find another way to fill our home with kids.”

  Her glance went to the door. “But Nelson…”

  “I’m not that guy.” Tension tightened his muscles. “I’m not anything like him.”

  “No, you’re not. You’re the best man I know.”

  “I’d never do to you what he did.”

  “I do know that, but what if you grow to resent me? You told me your father grew to resent your mother when she got pregnant, and he couldn’t go off to college on his scholarship because he had a family to take care of.”

  “I’m not my father, either.”

  When she lifted her gaze, stared into his eyes, he stood and held his arms out, baring himself to her. “I’m just a man, Alix, who’s in love with you and will do anything in the world to make you happy.”

  She sat there staring at him for a long time, and his heart beat faster. Christ, he loved that she cared enough to walk away, but the life he wanted was with her. She had to see that.

  “Alix,” he said, waiting for her to say something. “Talk to me.”

  She stood and shifted. His heart sank. She was leaving him. But then she held her arms out and said, “And I’m just a girl, Jag. A girl who wants to be loved by you and will do anything in the world to make you happy.”

  His heart soared as he pulled her into his arms, lifting her clear off her feet. “If you want to make me happy, then get naked and get on that bed.”

  “Jag,” she said breathless, looking at the door he’d tossed her ex out. “Shouldn’t we take care of business?”

  “I am taking care of business. The doctor said there is a chance you can get pregnant, right?”

  “Yeah, a small one.”

  “Then I think we should still practice.”

  She squealed as he tore open her blouse, her buttons clattering to the floor as he tossed her on the bed.

  “What do you think it will take?” she asked playfully.

  He ripped off his pants, his cock throbbing to be inside her. “Hours of hard work. Days. Months even.”

  “Months?”

  He climbed over her and smoothed her hair off her face. “Years, even.”

  She wet her lips, and he saw love reflecting in her eyes. “Years, you say.”

  “Maybe even decades. Whatever it takes to make it happen.”

  “You do seem to be good at making things happen.”

  He grinned as warmth, love, and trust leaped between them. “I’m good at a lot of things.”

  Her arms snaked around his neck. “Jag,” she whispered into his mouth as she widened her legs to him, giving him both her heart and body. “Stop talking and show me.”

  His lips found hers as he pushed high inside her. They held each other tight, and while neither knew what the future held for them, as long as she was in his life, and in his bed, it was going to be one hell of a sweet ride.

  Epilogue

  One year later

  Down on her hands and knees, Alix picked the last yellow bean from her little garden and put it in the straw basket beside her. She was about to turn her attention to the ripe cherry tomatoes, perfect for tonight’s barbecue with their friends, when a shadow fell over her, blocking the late-afternoon sun from her body and her plants.

  “Hey, beautiful.”

  Her heart missed a beat as she looked up to find Jag smiling at her. She glanced at his outstretched hand and placed hers in it. A little tug brought her to her feet, and when his gaze roamed over her face, a deep concern in his eyes, she went up on her tiptoes and planted a warm kiss on his mouth. God, she loved him so much.

  “You look flushed.” He placed a palm on her cheek, his eyes narrowing. “I think you’ve been in the sun too long.”

  She laughed. “I’m fine,” she assured him. Honest to God, these days he was like a mother hen. But she secretly liked all his attention, no matter how much she protested. His brow furrowed as his hand went to her belly. She shook her head and closed her hand over his. “We’re fine.”

  “I have to take care of my girls,” he said, dropping to his knees to press a kiss to her bulging tummy. True to his word, he had made love to her nearly every day until she got pregnant. She hadn’t expected it to happen so fast, or at all, but was chalking it up to a miracle. She’d been taking it slow, careful, but the doctors said everything was looking good as she entered her third trimester.

  Her
stomach took that moment to rumble, and they both laughed. “She’s an eating machine,” Alix said.

  “I have six steaks marinating, but maybe I should have put an extra one on for her.” He glanced at his watch, then grabbed her basket. His arm slid around her body, and he splayed his fingers over the small of her back in that possessive little way that always made her heart catch. “Come on. Let’s get you out of the sun.”

  “I just want to grab some tomatoes.”

  “Let me.”

  Her hair fell down her back as she tilted her face to catch the last of the afternoon rays as Jag bent, plucked a few tomatoes, and placed them in the basket. A moment later, his hand captured hers and they leisurely walked to the front of the beautiful old homestead they’d slowly been making their home.

  “Let’s sit for a bit,” she said, feeling a little winded with all the extra weight she was carrying. “We still have a few minutes before everyone comes.”

  She climbed the steps, running her hand along the freshly painted handrail, the perfect rail for her daughter to slide down. She breathed in the fresh country air and stole a glance around the ranch. A small breath fluttered past her lips, a bone-deep contentment radiating through her body as she settled on the porch swing Jag had constructed for her. He sat beside her and held her hand, both lost in their own thoughts as they looked out over the sprawling land.

  The last year hadn’t been all happy times and smooth sailing, but with Jag by her side, helping her deal with Nelson and her parents, it made it that much easier. At first she thought her mother and father were going to disown her, but they were slowly coming around and finally seeing Jag for the man he was. Her mother even talked about visiting and helping her with the baby. She turned, taking in Jag’s strong profile. He was such a sweet, caring man with more integrity in his pinkie finger than any of the men from her parents’ social circle.

  Walking away from politics was the second-best thing she’d ever done. Marrying Jag was the first. Now, instead of running political campaigns, she helped run the kids’ courses on the ranch. She touched her stomach. Although this year, with a precious bundle to protect, she was more of a director. Next summer, she hoped to be hands-on. Thanks to Jag, she’d found her voice and her passion. Maybe someday she’d go back to school and earn that education degree she always wanted. Until then, she just wanted to enjoy her pregnancy, and life in the slow lane.

  A noise sounded and they both turned to see Coop and Julia exiting the small cottage where Coop’s mom lived. Her Alzheimer’s was progressively getting worse, but with Julia by his side, it helped Coop cope. She waved to them as they made their way over. She scanned the gorgeous little house high up on the hill that Mac had built for Jess—a place with no internet, no distractions. One hundred percent unplugged. She loved that he had done that for her. She spotted them coming down the hill and waved.

  “How about Lindsay?” Jag said, and she turned to him.

  For six months now he’d been tossing baby names around, and it warmed her heart to see him so happy.

  She squeezed his hand. “Actually, I’ve been thinking.”

  “Yeah?”

  “How about Charlotte?”

  His mouth fell open, and he blinked, but not before she caught the tear that threatened to fall. “You…you want to name her after my mom?”

  She shifted to face him and put her hand on his cheek. “Of course I do. I’m just sorry I never got to meet her.”

  He cupped her face. “Alix…I…that means so much to me.”

  “You mean so much to me.”

  “How did I ever get so lucky?” Soft lips met hers. “I love you, baby.”

  “I love you, too.”

  He inched back and winked at her. “Do you think we could cancel the barbecue and head inside so I can show you how much?”

  She laughed. His lovemaking had been so gentle and tender since the pregnancy, and while she’d like to take him up on his offer, footsteps on the gravel path heralded their friends’ approach.

  She gave him another quick kiss. “Nope, but I’ll hold you to it tonight.”

  “Get a room already,” Mac teased as he climbed the stairs, his arm around Julia’s waist.

  They all laughed, and as Jess and Mac joined them, Alix shook her head and looked at the five people she considered her family. She never would have thought that a ridiculous plan to find love—forged by three guys over too many beers—would turn out with three happy endings. She was only glad it had.

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  Acknowledgments

  A huge thank you to my awesome editor, Candace Havens. Your insight is brilliant and you are such a pleasure to work with. I’m looking forward to putting the shine on many more books with you.

  About the Author

  New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cathryn Fox is a wife, mom, sister, daughter, and friend. She loves dogs, sunny weather, anything chocolate (she never says no to a brownie), pizza, and red wine. Cathryn has two teenagers who keep her busy and a husband who is convinced he can turn her into a mixed martial arts fan. When not writing, Cathryn can be found laughing over lunch with friends, hanging out with her kids, or watching a big action flick with her husband.

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