Things I promise to try to do with my life—
1 – Be a lawyer so I can take nice kids away from bad parents.
2 – Be a rock star.
3 – Be a race car driver.
Happy Birthday, Mom. I’m really, really happy you adopted me. I love you.
The end.
Chance had signed the card so that his name took up the entire right side of the card’s interior. And still, in the corner, a distinctly feminine hand had written in blue pen.
I love you, son. Forever and ever and ever. Never give up on your dreams.
XOXO – Mom
Erin traced the cursive with a pensive touch. What would it have been like to grow up with a mother who wrote cards like this? Who held him and kissed him and read him stories at night? Adopted or biological, didn’t matter. He’d had a mother who actually loved him. Lucky.
“Erin?” Chance’s voice broke the card’s spell and she turned to find him right beside her. He looked spectacular in a black suit, pale yellow shirt and pinstriped black tie. He’d dressed like this for her, because he’d told her earlier that tonight he wouldn’t be sitting at the table as her lover, tonight he would be her legal consultant. “You ready?”
She hadn’t heard his approach, but appreciated the view, and his moral support. She was going to need both to keep her going tonight. She was so nervous she could barely breathe.
“Yes. I’m ready.” He leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips.
She smiled up at him and silently thanked the woman who had written in this card for raising such an incredible man. She turned to place the card back on the mantle, but he took it from her hands and read it himself with a chuckle.
“You know, if it weren’t for this card, I never would have met you.”
“What?”
He grinned and placed the card back in its place of honor next to the photo of him with his mother. He pointed to the photo of the older woman. “That’s my mom. She died a few months ago.”
“I’m so sorry.” She reached for his hand and he rewarded her with a gentle squeeze.
“Me, too. But like a typical woman, she found a way to boss us boys around from the other side.” He pointed toward the card. “We all wrote one like that when we were about ten or eleven. All four of us. And when she died, her attorney pulled them out, along with a video of our mother making us promise to follow through on those promises we made to her.”
“You’re kidding me? What’s in your brothers’ cards?”
“I have no idea, and they aren’t sharing. Derek probably promised to bungee jump naked or do some other crazy shit. Like skydiving.” He laughed and she smiled with him. It felt good.
“Why is skydiving funny?”
“Because bad-boy Derek is deathly afraid of heights.” He grinned down at her. “I had number one handled. In fact, I just made junior partner today.”
“Oh my God. That’s amazing, Chance. Congratulations.” Erin’s happiness was sincere. She knew his career mattered to him, a lot. But it was also just one more reason that they couldn’t be together. Still, it was what he wanted, what he’d worked so hard all those years in school to achieve. His dream. “So, tell me more. Do you get a huge raise and a fancy office?”
“Triple salary, my own admin, and a real office with a door and windows.” He sounded like he was reading from a shopping list. Maybe he was. Maybe it was exactly what he’d wanted for so long that listing them off was automatic. “If I keep working my ass off, I should make full partner in a couple more years.”
Full partner. She grinned, and her heart felt like it was twice its normal size. She was so proud of him. “Well, it sounds epic.”
“Thanks. But that card is the reason I met you. That promise to my mom is the reason I bought the guitar and started taking lessons. Can’t be a rock star if I can’t even play the guitar.”
“True.” She beamed up at him even as she wondered exactly what kind of early childhood experiences had made Chance feel the need to write down number one. But he looked happy, and she wasn’t about to bring up old hurts, not right now. And she wasn’t going to think about leaving him, or wonder what kind of perfect wife he’d be taking to his law firm’s future holiday parties.
No. The only thing she could do was live in the moment. Enjoy every minute they had together before she moved to L.A. “So what are you going to do about being a race car driver?”
“I have no idea. I am amazing, I know, but I try to limit myself to one impossible project at a time.” He gave her a quick kiss before he tugged her toward the garage. “And we’re supposed to be there in fifteen minutes. Let’s go.”
Chapter Fifteen
The meeting with Shipton Records was, in Chance’s mind, a huge success. They gave Erin everything she asked for, including an out clause, a nice signing bonus, and the freedom to sell her music to other artists without submitting it to them with right of first refusal. She had all the control.
And they had agreed to change most of the legal language he found objectionable. Not all of it, but he was surprised they’d given in at all.
Erin was key to that. She’d been tough as nails and he saw the fearless Eva James persona rise to the fore like a warrior charging into battle. He was proud of her. She sat at that table and held her own against two giants of the music industry like a seasoned professional. Like she was already a superstar.
Wesley Shipton had agreed to most of Erin’s terms but on one, terrible, but non-negotiable condition…she had to be in L.A. in three days so she could open for one of their more well-known bands.
When it was time to go, he pulled out her chair for her and shook hands as he fought down the growing impatience to get her alone. The ticking clock on their relationship had just catapulted into the final countdown.
To his surprise, Axel Thomas tugged him to the side and handed him a personal business card. “Give me a call. You’ve got a good eye for contracts.”
“Thanks. But I don’t know what good I’d do you. I’m sure you have an entire team of attorneys at your disposal.”
Axel hit him on the shoulder. “True, but none of them had the balls to fight some of those clauses in their own contracts. We could use you on our side. We’ve got some contracts pending with large broadcast entities and I’d love to have you look them over before we sign.” Axel’s sharp gaze darted to where Erin stood talking to his partner, then back. “That is, if you would have the time.”
“I’ll let you know.” Chance put the card in his pocket but doubted he’d call. He was a partnered attorney. He couldn’t take on other clients or firms on the outside without getting things approved and jumping through some hoops.
With a nod to both men, he escorted Erin out the restaurant to his car. He opened the door for her and hurried around to start the engine. He couldn’t wait to get out of sight. Every minute sitting with the two men from L.A. had felt like ten minutes in a combat zone.
But they’d won.
He slid into the driver’s seat and Erin’s beaming smile told him all he needed to know. “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go.” She dropped her head back until it made contact with the headrest, then rolled her head to her left to look up at him with shining eyes. “Get me out of here before they change their minds.”
“No chance of that.” He started the engine but couldn’t resist running the back of his knuckles along her cheek. “They want you. You probably could have asked for a purple elephant with sparkling silver bells hanging from its ears and they would have given it to you.”
“And what about you? Do you want me?”
Chance dropped his hand and put the car in gear. “Let’s see how fast I can get you home.” He glanced at the dashboard clock. “I bet I can have you in my bed, naked, in the next nine minutes.”
She laughed. “I’ll take that bet, but I get an extra orgasm for every minute you’re late.”
“Deal. But when we get there early? What do I get?” He merged into down
town traffic and made his way toward the interstate.
“We aren’t going to be early.”
“Yes, we…”
Holy shit. Blinker on. Merge right. Ignore Erin as she shifted in her seat and reached for the zipper of his pants. The thought that he should stop her registered for less than half a second before he gave up all pretense of resistance. When her hot little fist wrapped around him he began to rethink that decision. She was dangerous. But did he tell her to stop? Hell, no. This was too damn good.
“Erin? You’re going to get us killed.” Gas. Brake. Turn right. Stop light. Erin’s hand on his cock, exploring him…
She ran her hand up and down his hard length and rolled the sensitive tip between her palm and her thumb. He was going to lose it if she kept that up much longer.
“Erin. I’m warning you, I…”
“Shut up and drive. We have to test your skills for Nascar anyway, Mr. Race Car Driver.”
“What?”
She just grinned, then shifted over and took him into her mouth in one hard, deep strike. She worked him with her tongue, sucked so hard he thought his balls were going to explode. She gave him no chance to recover. Her hand slid under him to gently tug and pull on his testicles. All the while she worked him with her mouth, loved on him like he was her favorite ice cream cone, then took him all in, her mouth closing around him, a hot, wet paradise.
Fuck Nascar. He pulled to the side of the street and parked the car, let himself exist in this moment with the wild, passionate woman who had stolen his heart.
He loved her. Fuck. He loved her.
He stared down at the back of her beautiful blonde head and gave in to her relentless loving. He tried to warn her when he was about to come, but she shook her head, told him to shut up, and pushed him to an orgasm so hard and fast he knew he would have wrecked the car if he’d been driving.
She drank him down like she would never get enough, then neatly placed his cock back into his pants and zipped him up.
Prim and proper, neat as a pin, she resumed her seat and reached into the bag she had on the floor for a bottle of orange soda. She drank it down, twisted the cap back on and glanced at the clock with an all-too pleased grin on her face.
“You already owe me three.”
“You cheated.”
She put her soda back in her bag and looked up at him through long, dark lashes. “Not my fault you can’t resist me.” She dropped her hand to her breasts and massaged them through her shirt with a soft moan. “Make that four, Chance. Four. The clock just changed.”
“You’re going to beg for mercy when I’m done with you.”
“Promises, promises.”
He watched her, fascinated as she rubbed her legs together in obvious arousal. With another soft moan, she closed her eyes and pulled at her nipples through the fabric covering them. He wasn’t sure if she was really about to lose her mind, or if the glorious display of lust was all for his benefit. Either way, it didn’t matter, not to his hungry gaze, which took in every shift of her body, not to his ears that strained to catch every tiny whimper and moan, and definitely not to his body, which against all odds was already stirring back to life.
Erin Michaelson was the sexiest woman alive. And right now, her tight, hot core was probably so damn wet he could be deep inside her the moment he got her clothes off.
He put the car in gear and hit the gas pedal so hard the back tires squealed on pavement as the car shot forward.
Erin laughed, but he had the car in his garage in less than six minutes. He was out of the car and had her door open so fast she gasped in surprise.
“Let’s go, troublemaker.”
“Totally ready.” With a flirty glance she got out of the car and he slammed the car door a little harder than he should have. She leaned back and spread her arms out beside her, along the top of his shiny black coupe. The image would be seared into his eyeballs forever, sexy temptress offering herself to him with the shining perfection of his dream car as the backdrop.
“Oh, no, sweetheart. Not this time. I want you flat on your back in my bed.” He lifted her in his arms and grinned when she squealed. True to form tonight, she didn’t give him a moment’s reprieve, but took advantage of her position to kiss and tease his neck and jaw.
“You owe me at least ten by now.”
“You wouldn’t survive it.”
“I’m willing to try.” She whispered the seductive promise into his ear and tugged on his earlobe with her teeth.
Chance carried her into his house and set her down on her feet behind the leather sofa. He slid her down his body in a hard glide, making sure every inch of her body rubbed his cock as she passed. When she stood in front of him, he claimed her mouth in a merciless kiss. He took her mouth and stole her breath as she exhaled, claiming it for his own.
She whimpered with need and he spun her around to face the sofa and wrapped one hand around her hips and one higher, so he could massage her breast as she rubbed her ass against him.
Using the arm around her chest to hold her in place, he traced the path across her ass, to her hipbone and lower, over her soft stomach. He reached up, under her skirt and ripped her thong underwear off her body. She moaned and arched her neck back to try to kiss him.
When he had her lips locked to his, he parted her slick folds with his fingers and invaded her mouth with his tongue, and her core with two fingers at the same time.
Erin cried out, but he stole the sound with his kiss and shoved her forward, nearly lifting her off her feet with his palm pressed to her clit and his fingers deep inside her. Her legs shook as he worked her with insistent pressure until she came all over his fingers.
Releasing her mouth, he pressed his lips to her ear to whisper, “That’s one.”
She tried to turn in his arms and kiss him, but he denied her, held her in arms of steel until she went limp and stopped trying to move.
“Chance, please.” She freed one arm from his hold to reach up, blindly searching for him behind her head, and tug on his hair. “Please.”
“What do you want? You want to come all over my hand again?” His heart was about to pound out of his chest. She drove him to the edge of control. His mind filled with images of her bent over the couch and his cock slamming deep.
“No.” She turned her head and nipped his neck. “I want to come all over you.”
He barely recognized the sound that came from his throat. No woman had ever made him this fucking crazy. “You want my cock?”
“Yes.”
“Then bend over.” He rolled her nipple just to hear her gasp, then released her. “Now.”
She did what he asked, even wiggled her ass in his direction. “Like this?”
He lifted her skirt up to her waist and used the angle to admire her round ass. So fucking beautiful. “Don’t move until I tell you to.”
“I want you now.”
“I know.” He took his time exploring the soft curves, pulled on the round globes to expose the soft pink folds that glistened with need. She whimpered and tried to get his fingers close to her core. He teased her for several long minutes, just to watch her squirm. He ran his fingers over her wet folds and up to her clit. Back again. But he never gave her what she really wanted, to be filled. Claimed. Loved.
“Chance!” His name was a softly whimpered plea and he couldn’t resist. He undressed quickly and pulled a condom from his pocket. After sheathing himself, he stepped up behind her and rubbed his hard cock over her slick heat, making sure to pump between her engorged lips and stroke her clit with his hard length.
She dropped her head forward over the couch in complete surrender and that one small move finished him. No more waiting. No more teasing.
He bent over her back, making sure he covered her smaller body completely. “Do you want me, Erin? Because I’m fucking Erin tonight. Not Eva James. You. Do you understand, me? You’re both mine.”
“Yes.” Her response was muffled by the cushions but he heard her
and lined up his cock at her core.
She rocked back, trying to take him in. He pushed deep inside her in one smooth stroke. So hot. So fucking tight he wasn’t going to last long.
Buried balls deep, he slid his hands around the front of her thighs then up to her wet folds, spread her open a little more. She wiggled, trying to get his fingers on her clit.
He pulled out and pumped back into her from behind, adjusted his angle to go deeper, felt a surge of satisfaction when her fingers fisted into his couch cushion and she sobbed his name.
“Say it again.”
“What?”
He pulled back and held himself still at the brink of ecstasy. “My name. Say my name.”
Her lips moved to comply but he slammed home before she could gather her wits and his name burst out of her on a gasp of need. The sound broke the final threads of his control and he moved in earnest, pumping into her slow, then fast, hard, then soft. He fucked her until she was half crazed, twisting and gasping with every hard thrust of his hips.
Fingers buried in her folds, he played with her clit as he fucked her, rubbed her swollen bud until she exploded on his cock, the hot walls of her pussy clenched and pulsed around him in a torment so painfully sweet he never wanted it to end.
He followed her over the edge and pulled her up off the couch and against his chest. She melted against him, let him take her entire weight. Hell, he wasn’t sure her legs would support her at all. So he held her in his arms and tried to bring his body back under control.
Still buried deep inside, he bent his head down over her shoulder and ran his lips along her right cheek to her ear.
“That’s two.”
“You were right.” Still panting, her heart racing beneath his hand where he held her just below the breast, she turned her head to meet him and kissed him with such tenderness his heart hurt.
“About what?”
“I won’t survive ten.”
“You’re going to have to try.” He lowered her to her tiptoes and dropped his hand to her clit. She jumped, then pushed against him, eager for more. He barely recognized the deep rumbling command of his own voice as he took command of her pleasure once more. “Because I haven’t tasted you yet.”
Crash and Burn (Love You Like A Love Song #1) Page 14