“Can I talk yet?” Chase asked against her hand.
“No. You can’t. You talked last time, and it all went bad. I love you. I love you, Chase Garrett. I’m not mixing you up with anybody else. It has nothing to do with Riley. Though I love, love, love that you love Riley.”
Chase’s eyes crinkled with laughter. “There’s something wrong with that sentence.”
“Shut up.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I know you don’t trust my feelings. But I trust my feelings. And Wyatt trusts my feelings. Did I tell you Wyatt is my smart brother?”
Chase nodded.
“Well, he is. And he’s right. And more importantly, I’m right. I’m not your ex fiancée. I’m not ever going to wish you were another man. I’m not going to leave you. I’m never going to leave you Chase Garrett.” She paused for a breath. “That is, if I can convince you to stay with me in the first place.”
“Please tell me it’s my turn now.”
She searched her brain, trying to figure out if she’d remembered to say everything. “Also, you’re a great lover.”
Chase grasped her wrist and pulled her hand from his mouth. Then he swooped in and captured her lips in a long, deep, passionate kiss. Before it ended, his arms were wrapped tightly around her waist, and she was clinging to him, and every nerve in her body was singing with happiness.
He finally pulled away and she felt like she floated back to earth.
She found her voice. “I don’t know what that means.”
“That’s because you wouldn’t keep quiet long enough to let me say anything.”
“I had a lot to say, and I didn’t want you to mess up my rhythm.”
His eyes were light with joy. “The last thing I want to do, Maddy, is mess up your rhythm.”
Her heart felt lighter. This didn’t look like a man who was about to walk away from her.
“What did you want to say?” she asked.
“I can’t remember.”
She socked him in the arm with the end of her fist.
He laughed. “I love you, Maddy.”
“I know.” She sobered, her nervousness returning. “Yesterday, that wasn’t enough.”
“It’s always been enough for me,” he said, drawing her in close. “I was worried about you. I couldn’t believe I could be lucky enough to have you love me back.”
“Then you should count yourself lucky.”
“I do.”
“You believe me?”
“I do. Now tell me again that I’m a great lover.”
“I’d rather show you.”
He glanced around them. “Now?”
“Well, back at the motel.”
“Where’s Riley?”
“He’s with Piper. She’s hiding him.”
“What? Why?”
“So you couldn’t say goodbye to him and leave town. I was determined to find you, Chase. I was determined to change your mind.”
He smiled and smoothed back her windblown hair. “I’ve been looking for you. All those things you just said to me? I was about to say them to you.” He paused. “Well, not all of them. There were quite a lot.” His tone softened. “I wanted to say I believed you, Maddy. I realized this morning that I wasn’t your husband’s shadow. Riley may have been confused, but you were never confused.”
“I wasn’t confused for a second,” she said.
Chase Garrett was his own man. He was unique. He was second to none. And he was everything she’d ever wanted.
“Marry me,” Chase said.
“I will.”
He kissed her again. It was long and sweet and satisfying, promising years of wonderful things to come.
“We need to find your brothers.”
She walked her fingertips up his chest. “I don’t think we need my brothers for what we’re about to do.”
“You’re right,” Chase said. “The Douglas Ranch can wait. I can’t.” He took her hand.
*
Chase tucked Riley into his own bed back in Deadwood. Riley’s eyes fluttered closed, and he was asleep in seconds. He’d blown out the four candles on his cake, opened all his presents, and completely charmed his uncles who’d all come to town for the occasion.
Chase could hear the conversation down the hall. Patrick and Laura-Leigh were there, with three-month-old Elizabeth. She was a beautiful baby, never more so than when she was in Maddy’s arms, making Chase think about the future, about having a baby with Maddy and how perfect it would be to give Riley some brothers and sisters.
“Is he out?” came Maddy’s soft voice in the doorway behind him.
“Like a light,” Chase said, rising.
“He’s going to get spoiled by all those uncles.”
“I wouldn’t worry. There’ll be plenty of work for him to do on the ranch in Montana.” Chase gave Riley’s soft hair a final stroke as he moved from the bed. “Nothing like hard work to build character.”
After the cake was cleared away, the paperwork for the Douglas Ranch purchase had been spread out on the kitchen table. They were finalizing details tonight, and the “For Sale” sign was already up in Maddy’s front yard.
Chase took her hand as they made their way back down the hall.
“We’ll need the deposit next week,” Lucas said when he spotted Chase.
“No problem,” Chase replied. “I’m very liquid.”
After selling in Lethbridge, he’d kept his investments in redeemable bonds. With one phone call, he’d have all the cash they needed.
“I like liquidity in a future brother-in-law,” Lucas said.
“I like a man who knows cattle,” Eli said.
Chase had decided to leave the AEBR circuit. He had absolutely no desire to be on the road and away from Maddy and Riley. So he and Eli would run the Douglas Ranch, to be renamed Merrick-Garrett.
“I should head home,” Piper said, rising from her chair.
Lucas watched her from across the room, his mouth tightening at the corners.
Chase had noticed that Lucas and Piper had continued to avoid each other.
Now Chase saw that Eli was watching Piper too. He didn’t look angry. In fact, for a split second there seemed to be a yearning in his expression. But it was gone before Chase could be sure.
Chase tipped his head close to Maddy. “What’s with Piper and Eli?”
She looked puzzled. “Nothing. Why?”
“No reason.” He could easily have been mistaken.
“Her problem is with Lucas.”
“I know. They’re trying to hide it tonight, but it’s pretty obvious. Where’s Tristan?”
“Out with his friends. Piper wasn’t thrilled about that, but she didn’t want him moping around here and putting a damper on the party.”
“I remember being fifteen.” Chase had to say he was sympathetic.
What teenager wants to attend a four-year-old’s birthday party with a bunch of his mother’s friends?
“I’m outta here too,” said Zane. “Can you give me a lift into town?” he asked Piper.
“Sure.”
With Zane, Chase noted, she seemed perfectly relaxed.
“Good luck in Sacramento.” Maddy gave her twin brother a hug.
The party broke up, with Lucas heading back to New York on a red-eye and Wyatt flying off first thing in the morning. Chase and Eli would finalize the contracts and do a site inspection of the Douglas Ranch.
As the last brother headed out the door, Maddy turned into Chase’s arms.
He gave her a kiss on the temple. “Tired?” he asked.
“Not too tired,” she said with a smile in her voice.
“So, we can celebrate Riley’s birthday?” Chase teased, loving the anticipation of taking her to bed.
She held up her left hand, fingers spread, admiring the new, winking solitaire. “That and this gorgeous ring you just gave me.”
He kissed her finger. “I’m sorry it took a few days. I wanted it to be perfect.”
“It is perfect. You’re perfect.”
“So are you.” His heart swelled with love and contentment as they walked down the hallway, her head on his shoulder. “That’s what makes us perfect together.”
The End
The American Extreme Bull Riders Tour
If you enjoyed Chase, you’ll love the rest of the American Extreme Bull Riders Tour!
Book 1: Tanner by Sarah Mayberry
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Book 2: Chase by Barbara Dunlop
View the entire series here!
Book 3: Casey by Kelly Hunter
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Book 4: Cody by Megan Crane
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Book 5: Troy by Amy Andrews
Coming Soon
Book 6: Kane by Sinclair Jayne
Coming Soon
Book 7: Austin by Jeannie Watt
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Book 8: Gage by Katherine Garbera
Coming Soon
If you enjoyed Chase, don’t miss Barbara Dunlop’s new series…
The Match Series
The comedic, contemporary romance series featuring the high-tech antics of matchmaking senior citizens unleashed on their unsuspecting heirs
Book 1: An Unlikely Match
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Book 2: An Impractical Match
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Book 3: An Extraordinary Match
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Book 4: An Astonishing Match
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Book 5: An Unpredictable Match
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About the Author
Barbara Dunlop is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of fifty romance novels. A three time finalist in the prestigious RITA award, she is also a two time winner of the RWA Golden Heart award. An Unlikely Match, the first book in her acclaimed Match series, was a number one bestseller on Amazon. Barbara makes her home in Yukon with her bush pilot husband and the moose and bears that wander through their yard.
Visit Barbara at BarbaraDunlop.com
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Chase (American Extreme Bull Riders Tour Book 2) Page 18