Give Me Another Chance: The Raven Brothers Book 3

by Kaylee, Katy

  “This is our beach house,” he said parking the car.

  “Ours?”

  “Well, my family’s. You know, my brothers and I used to spend time with your mom and uncle Ben out here.” He looked at me, and I knew he was thinking of our summer together six years ago.

  “We had a perfect summer,” I said.

  “And now we’ll have a perfect life,” he responded.

  “Can we go to the beach?” Hannah said, unclipping herself from her booster seat belt.

  “Absolutely.”

  That evening, Hannah was exhausted from our long day at the parade and then on the beach. I watched as she fell asleep in one of the kid's guest rooms while Ash read her a book.

  He leaned over and kissed her forehead. “Goodnight my little mermaid.” He shut her door and walked with me downstairs. “How about some wine outside?” he asked.

  “Sounds perfect.”

  I waited for him on the large deck, admiring the gorgeous view of the ocean and how the moon shone on the water, making it glitter like diamonds.

  “I think Hannah had a good time,” he said handing me a glass of wine.

  “I know she did. You’re going to spoil her.” I clinked my glass with his.

  “Isn’t that my job? Spoil my girls?”

  “I can’t say I mind it too much,” I admitted.

  He studied me for a minute. “You know this is forever, right?”

  My heart skipped a beat. “It is for me.”

  “You have doubts about me?”

  I shook my head. “I have no doubts about you.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. You’re my one and only, Ash.”

  He grinned. “I like the sound of that.” I nodded toward the ocean. “This is where it all started.”

  “Yes. I’ve never forgotten that summer. Even without Hannah as a reminder, I’d have never forgotten.”

  His smile was sweet and he pulled me in close for a tender kiss. “Me neither. Which is why I want to spoil you with one little thing.”

  “Oh?”

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a platinum ring with the most beautiful diamond solitaire with a halo of smaller diamonds around it. “You’re my one and only too, Beth. Let’s make it official. Marry me and we can be a real family.”

  Tears swam in my eyes as my love poured out of me. “Yes. Oh, Ash, yes.” I flung myself into his arms. “You’re my dream come true.”

  He laughed, wrapping me up and swinging me around. “And you’re mine, baby.” He set me down and put the ring on my finger. “I got this for Hannah, too, in case she felt left out.” He pulled a little bracelet from his pocket. “Do you think she’ll like it?”

  “She’ll love it.” I looked at him with such awe. “You’re amazing.”

  “I love you,” he replied.

  “I have sort of a gift for you too,” I said.

  “Oh?”

  I smiled coyly. “I went on the pill.”

  Fire flashed in his eyes. “It’s time to go inside.”

  I laughed as he took my hand and led me to our bedroom.

  “Ash, I haven’t been on it that long… maybe it hasn’t taken yet.”

  He stopped and looked at me. For a moment, I thought he was going to change his mind. “Would that be bad? If we made another baby? We’re really good at it.”

  I shook my head because emotion stole my breath. “We are good at it, and no, it wouldn’t be so bad if we had another one.”

  “Then let’s leave it up to the Gods.” He lifted me into his arms, carrying me the rest of the way to the room.

  He put me down and locked the door. Then he simply looked at me, almost like he didn’t believe I was real. There were times I wondered the same about him. Like I’d wake up all this would have just been a wonderful dream.

  “We’ve finally made it, Beth,” he said brushing his knuckles over my cheek.

  “Yes. There’s no stopping us now.”

  “I never got over you, you know.”

  I slid my hands under his t-shirt. “I never got over you either. I lost hope that we’d have this, but then you came back into my life. What we have is even better than I ever imagined. I didn’t know this much happiness existed.”

  His smile was wide as my words wrapped around him. “I love you so much, Beth.” With our gazes holding, we undressed and then he led me to the bed.

  His hands and lips caressed every inch of me in a delicious torture of senses.

  He positioned himself over me. “Look at me, Beth,” his soft voice said.

  I looked into his wonderfully warm and loving eyes, as he pressed inside me. We groaned together as pleasure flooded our bodies.

  “I’ve never done this with anyone but you,” he said.

  I quirked a brow, knowing that wasn’t true.

  “I mean, without a condom. You’re the only one, Beth.”

  I smiled, loving that I was special. “I’ve never done this with anyone but you and I don’t just mean without a condom.”

  His brows shot up. “Just me?”

  I nodded. “Just you, Ash. Only ever you.”

  Emotion swept across his face. “I love you so much. So fucking much. I hope you know that.”

  “I feel it from you all day, every day,” I confirmed.

  “I hope so because you and Hannah mean everything to me.”

  I ran my fingers through his hair. “You mean the world to us, Ash. I hope you know that.”

  He grinned. “I feel like a million feet tall every time Hannah calls me Daddy. Is that dumb?”

  “No,” I laughed, loving how much he loved being a father. “Seeing you and her together is the most beautiful sight in the world.”

  “You’re the most beautiful sight in the world.” He dipped his head and kissed me, his bare erection pulsing inside me as he did. My pussy contracted in response. “Ah, Beth, you feel so fucking good.”

  “I want to make you feel good. I want to feel you come inside me.”

  “Ah fuck,” he said again as he levered up on his hands. “You make me so hard when you say things like that.”

  “Come in me,” I said again.

  He kissed me hard, and then started moving, sliding in and out of me. There was so much love and pleasure building in and around me. My life was perfect. This man was perfection. And it was all mine.

  Soon we were gasping and groaning as the tension built, higher and higher.

  “I’m gonna come, baby… God, I’m nearly there.”

  I tilted my hips, and he sank hard and fast inside me, hitting that one perfect spot that sent me flying. I cried out as pleasure burst through my body.

  He let out a feral growl and plunged back in. Warmth spread inside me as he released his essence. He withdrew and thrust again, and again, each time coating my insides with liquid heat. It was beautiful and magical, just like the first time.

  Later, I lay in his arms, marveling at the life I now had, wishing Ben could find happiness as well.

  “What are you thinking about?” Ash murmured.

  “Ben.”

  He lifted his head to look at me with one brow arched. “I’m doing something wrong if you’re thinking about your brother right after I give you a stellar orgasm.”

  I laughed. “I feel so happy and that makes me wish Ben could be happy too.”

  He sighed and pulled me close. “We won’t give up, Beth. We’ll keep trying to get him into treatment. Hopefully, he’ll come around and be more enthused about running the business.”

  Sadly, I wasn’t sure that was possible. But I couldn’t let that ruin the good thing I had going. I maneuvered myself over him, rubbing my pussy over his dick, loving how it started to thicken.

  “Ready for round two?” he asked.

  I nodded. “I want to ride my man bare.”

  He let out a growl. “You know I love it when you talk like that.”

  “Talk like what?” I rocked over him, getting him good and hard.


  “When you say all the dirty things you want to do to me.”

  “Like how I want to make you come in me?”

  He groaned and sat up. “Yes.” He pulled me in for a hard kiss. “Tell me more.”

  I cradled his cheeks in my palms. “I love you, Ash.”

  He grinned. “What are you going to do about it?”

  I pushed him back, taking his wrists in my hands and holding them over his head. “I’m going to ride you until you scream my name.” Then I sank over him, taking him deep.

  He swore and bucked his hips up. Within minutes, he yelled out my name, and I cried out his. He tugged me closer. I rested my head on his chest, savoring the feel of his heartbeat under my cheek.

  “You undo me, Beth.”

  “That’s good, right?”

  “It’s perfect.”

  Epilogue

  Ash - A week later

  I was happy for Hunter and Grace as they tied the knot in a small ceremony at Niagara Falls. But as lovely as the event was, nothing outdid my Beth. As far as beauty and grace, she outdid everyone at the wedding. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. And when I did, they were on Hannah. What a fucking miracle she was. It still pained me how much of her life I’d missed, but now I was able to focus on the time I had with her without lamenting the past. She was smart and beautiful like her mother. When she got older, I’d buy a shotgun to keep all the boys away from her.

  She sat on my shoulders as Beth and I watched Hunter lead Grace to the dance floor.

  “They’re a beautiful couple,” Beth said. “They look happy.”

  She was right. I didn’t think I’d ever seen Hunter so happy in my whole life, but especially since he came back from fighting in Iraq. Still, he and Grace didn’t hold a candle to my Beth.

  I leaned over and kissed her temple. “You’re the most beautiful woman here. And I’m pretty sure I’m the happiest person here.”

  She smiled up at me with love in her eyes. “You’re biased.”

  “Am I wrong?” I said quirking a brow.

  “Yes. I’m the happiest.”

  My heart did that hard thump and roll that it always did when emotions filled it.

  “Are you and Mommy getting married too?” Hannah asked.

  “Not today, baby,” Beth answered. “But soon. And you’ll be in the ceremony.”

  “Yay.” Hannah paused for a moment and then said, “When I grow up I want to marry you too, Daddy.”

  Okay, that was weird, but the childhood development and parenting books I’d been reading nonstop since finding out I was a father indicated that it wasn’t unusual.

  Not sure how to answer, I just said, “Don’t grow up too fast, cutie pie.”

  “Can we dance too?” Hannah said, already moving on to the next topic, thank fuck… ah… thank goodness.

  “Sure. As soon as it’s okay for the rest of us to join in, we will,” I said.

  Over the last couple of weeks, I often woke in the morning with a start, wondering if my life was real. Had Beth coming back into my life been a dream? I’d jerk my head looking for her every morning and was filled with a joy I couldn’t imagine when I’d see her beautiful body sleeping next to mine. Even six years ago at the beach, I don’t think my love for her was as all-consuming as it was now. It wouldn’t be too long before we made it official, and Beth would finally become my wife. As far as I was concerned, it couldn’t happen soon enough.

  The only downside to my life at the moment was Ben’s continued animosity toward me. Beth assured me that he was never negative about me in front of Hannah, but that didn’t change the fact that he still hated my guts. The fact that I was working my ass off to get his father’s company back on track only served to make him hate me even more. In some ways, I couldn’t blame him. Since he didn’t like me, it was probably like salt on a wound to have me swoop in and fix things. At the same time, a little gratitude over saving his father’s legacy didn’t seem like too much to ask.

  “Then get off the bottle and your ass in the office and do it yourself,” I finally said to him during our last altercation. “It’s your father’s fucking legacy, not mine.”

  “You’re an asshole, Ash, you know that?” he’d said, slurring his words.

  I wanted to remind him he was the one ruining his life and hurting his sister but reined myself in. It was his pain and the booze talking, and I worked hard to remember that.

  Aside from losing him as a friend, I hated how much I was having to take on in the company. It took time away from loving Beth, growing a relationship with my daughter, and pursuing my own business interests. Maybe that’s why Ben acted the way he did. Perhaps he thought he was sabotaging my relationship with Beth and Hannah. Fat chance I’d let that happen. There was no way I’d let anything get in the way of my woman and child now.

  Things with my father were back to normal, at least for him. He acted like nothing had happened between us. Not six years ago, and not a few weeks ago when I wanted to knock his block off. On my end, I was having a difficult time letting go of my anger over what he’d done to keep Beth and me apart. But even as I felt the anger, I’d feel guilt at having let him get away with it. Had I been stronger back then, Beth and I wouldn’t have parted, and I’d have been there for every moment of Hannah’s life.

  “You know, I was really hoping you’d hold out from this getting married crap and stay a bachelor with me,” Kade said, coming to stand next to me as we watched Hunter and Grace dance.

  “Sorry, not sorry,” I replied.

  “I’m trying to convince dad I’m married to the business, especially since I’ve taken over the clubs.”

  I wasn’t doing any Raven Industries work except dealing with the McAdams acquisition, because I was still bitter about what my father had done. But in the back of my mind, I knew I’d probably end up back in the family fold. I appreciated that my brothers were giving me the space to work through everything.

  “Good luck with that.” I glanced at him as he scanned the area, probably looking for a woman to entertain once the wedding party broke up. “You know, it’s not something you plan.”

  “What?” he asked, returning his attention to me.

  “Falling in love. It hits you like a two-by-four.”

  “I knew love was painful.”

  I laughed. “A better metaphor is probably that it sneaks up on you. Someday you’re going to meet a woman that you think will just be a good fuck, and before you know it, you’ll be addicted. The need to be around her will consume you.”

  Kade shivered. “Not if I can help it.”

  “That’s the point, Kade. You can’t help it.”

  “I’m stronger, and probably less emotionally developed than the rest of you,” Kade said looking a little sick at the idea.

  “Less emotionally developed for sure. But you shouldn’t look so forlorn about it. Love is fucking awesome.”

  “Maybe for you guys. I can’t imagine sticking with one woman for the rest of my life.” He looked at me. “Can you? Are you going to tell me that there isn’t another woman in the world that you’d like to fuck?”

  “There isn’t another woman in the world I’d like to fuck. In fact, the idea of it is revolting. Beth’s it for me. She has been since we first got together.”

  “You’d had other women when you two were split.”

  “But it wasn’t the same.” I patted him on the back. “I know you think you have a good time with your women, but you don’t know how good it can really be. It’s infinitely better when you’re with a woman you love.”

  “You’ve all gone soft,” Kade said. He nodded across the crowd. “I guess I’ll go tempt Cupid with that lovely lady over there.”

  I looked to where he indicated to see a young woman serving drinks to the wedding crowd. “The waitress?”

  “Aside from the fact that she’s hot, she’s not attached to us in any way, and won’t want anything after tonight. It makes her a perfect choice.” Kade explained.

/>   “You’re a horndog.”

  He grinned. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you all.”

  I shook my head as I watched him weave his way through the crowd to the young woman.

  “He off to pick up his woman-du-jour?” Beth asked as she and Hannah joined me after a trip to the little girl’s room.

  “Yep. Hunter used to be like that. Worse actually.”

  “It will be fun when the love bug bites, Kade.”

  “He needs to grow up some more,” I said. “But you’re right. It will be fun to watch.” I put my arm around her, noting that other people were finally joining Hunter and Grace on the dance floor. “How about a dance?”

  “I want to dance!” Hannah said jumping up and down next to me.

  I picked Hannah up, holding her in one arm while I pulled Beth to me with the other. I meant what I’d said to Kade. Sex was infinitely better with a woman you loved versus a hookup, no matter how adventurous that hookup might be in bed. But it wasn’t just the sex that was better. Everything was better. Life was better. The future looked better.

  I looked over at Hannah, her sweet face lit up in delight, her hands clapping as I moved to the music. Then I took in the beauty of the woman who’d soon be my wife, my breath catching as I was awestruck again by all that I had. I didn’t know how I got so lucky to have these lovely ladies in my life, but I was so fucking grateful that I did.

  “I love you, Beth.” I leaned forward and kissed Beth on the lips, tenderly but with all the love I felt in my heart.

  “What’s that for?” she asked.

  “For making all my dreams come true.”

  Her smile was so radiant, I had to kiss her again.

  “Me too, Daddy,”

  I gave Hannah a big, fat, loud kiss on the cheek. “I love you too, cutie pie.”

  “I love you, Daddy and Mommy.”

  I grinned at them both. I was with my family, not just Beth and Hannah, but also with my brothers, who were all doing well. The business was booming. Life was perfect.

  “Ash?”

  I looked at Beth. “Yes.”

  Her eyes stared back at me with the same love I felt for her, but also regret for what she’d done, keeping Hannah from me. As much as I tried to let her know that we needed to look forward, and not linger on the past, she often felt guilt.