by Nicole James
“Look at you, pretty girl, all wanton and naked and sexy as hell, taking my cock so good. Fuck, I love you, Rayne.”
She heard the words, but he began to power into her, not giving her time to respond. His muscles strained as he gripped her hips to hold her still. His skin grew slick, and his face was a snarl of passion as he grew close to climax. She wondered if he’d even realized he’d admitted such feelings until he met her eyes.
“Say it,” he growled. “Say it back.”
Her heart burst open with love like a dam that could no longer hold the torrent. “I love you, Rory. I love you.”
He roared as he thrust into her one last time and exploded. He pumped slowly a time or two as he coasted down. Then he pulled out and sank to the mattress next to her. He was breathing hard, but his eyes were locked with hers. She was terrified he hadn’t meant it, that it had just been words spoken in the throes of passion, but then he confirmed them.
“I mean it. I love you, Rayne. I have since the moment I looked into your eyes.”
“That’s lust.”
He shook his head. “Maybe it started that way, but it’s love now.”
“You hardly know me.”
“I know enough to know you’re a good person, that we have so much in common, that you click with me like no other woman ever has. We have a connection. Tell me you feel it, too.”
“I do. But I don’t know if I can trust you. Not for the long term. Not for the important things.”
He lifted up and twisted to her, his hand brushing her hair off her face. He dropped a kiss to her mouth, then pulled back to stare deep into her eyes. “Then I’m going to prove to you that you can trust me.”
Chapter Twenty-five
The early morning gray light filtered in through the sheer-covered windows. Rayne cracked an eye open. It was still too early, so her eyes slid closed again, and she snuggled deeper into the soft bed, tucking her hand between the pillow and her face.
A strong arm tightened around her waist and drew her against a hard warm chest. She smiled to herself, recalling the last time she was in bed with Rory. She had to admit, she’d spent many nights remembering what it had felt like and wishing he were in bed with her again. And now here he was.
His mouth moved to her ear. “You awake?”
She stretched and wiggled and felt his erection pressing hard against her. Then she giggled. “I am now.”
He smiled against the side of her face, then pressed kisses along her cheek, her jaw, her brow.
She couldn’t stop the moan that escaped her throat.
His hand traveled down her body and slipped between her legs at the apex of her thighs. Those long, musician fingers began to stroke and pet and tease.
She spread her legs, giving him room.
“That’s my girl,” he murmured into her ear. His fingers dipped inside. “So wet for me, baby. Were you dreaming about me?”
“Maybe.”
He slid down the bed and flipped her to her back, spreading her thighs open with his shoulders. His mouth settled over her and his tongue sank deep.
She sucked in a breath and writhed beneath him, lifting to meet his mouth.
He put her legs over his shoulders and settled in for a long stay.
She sank her fingers into his hair, urging him on. God, it felt so good.
He spread her wide with his thumbs and ran circles around her clit with his tongue until she was rocking against his face, wanting more. He toyed and played, then sank two fingers deep to find her g-spot. It didn’t take him long to have her detonating in ecstasy. He knew her body so well.
As she lay back in bliss she felt something flutter inside her. Her eyes widened, and she grabbed his hand and placed it over the spot. “The baby moved!”
He rose up to stare down at her belly, waiting.
She felt it again, and his eyes widened, and he smiled huge. “I felt it!”
He laughed and she did too, at the joy on his face.
She’d never felt more connected to another human being as she did to him in that moment.
***
“It’s too much,” Rayne said, looking at the price tag.
“Not if you want it,” Rory insisted, his hand running over the smooth wood.
“You don’t need to do all this.” She gestured around her to all the baby items in the store.
“Do what?”
“Buy the most expensive crib in the store, or the most expensive stroller—”
“I thought you liked that stroller. You could jog with it and everything.”
“I do like it. That’s not the point.”
He huffed. “Then what is the point?”
“You don’t have to blow all your money on me.”
His brows lifted, and he leaned into her. “I’m not.”
“We don’t need a crib that’s the price of a used car.”
“Okay, fine.” Rory looked around. “How about this one?”
“Really, you don’t need to spend so much money, Rory.”
“I want to take care of you and shower you with gifts, and hey, maybe I want my baby to have the best, to give her a life I never had. Why does it bother you?”
“I guess it bothers me because somehow it’s saying the life I was going to give her, what I could have been able to give her, wouldn’t have been good enough. That somehow it says she wouldn’t have been loved enough. Is that what you think?”
“No, Rayne, not at all. I—”
“I guess I’m just sensitive about the money thing. Things have been tight for me for a while now. The business is struggling, and yes, I’ve bought some things for her at garage sales. Maybe her car seat or her stroller would have been used. Maybe her clothes would have come from a resale shop. Is that so bad? Does that make me a bad mother?”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“Exactly,” she snapped. He looked like he didn’t know how to respond to her, and she felt bad for snapping.
“I’m sorry. Do you not want any of this?” he asked.
Rayne felt the tears coming again and that made her want to stomp her foot. Her point was valid; why did she have to be so hormonal and emotional? It made her feel like her thoughts would be dismissed as hysterical.
“Please don’t get upset, baby.” He reached out for her.
“Don’t.” She pulled her hand out of his reach.
“I’m sorry. I can’t seem to do anything right for you.”
She slumped her shoulders and murmured, “That’s not true, Rory.”
“I don’t know what you want me to do.”
She nodded. “I know you don’t. I don’t mean to be so difficult.” God, she could kick herself. Stop apologizing for how you feel! “I told you I was proud…and stubborn, and I guess I’m not making this easy.”
He pulled her over to a display of gliders and they sat. “Rayne, look at me.” He bent forward, elbows on knees. “I have no doubt you’ll be a good mother or that no matter how much money you have, you’d give our daughter a happy childhood and that little girl would feel loved. And no expensive crib is going to change that.”
“Okay.”
They sat quietly for a while.
“Rory?”
“Yeah, babe.”
“It’s a nice crib.”
He grinned. “It is.”
“Where would we put it? I mean we never talked about where we’d live or even if we’d be living together in the future.” Would she be back home with her father after the baby was born?
“I, ah, guess you’re right. I’ve never lived anywhere but the farm, and you live in Denver.”
She nodded. “And that condo is your brother’s. We can’t move a crib into it. Am I going back to my father’s house to live, then?”
He arched his brows and gave her a look. “No, babe.” He thought a minute, and said, “Would you consider coming to Grand Junction?”
“I have a business here.”
“Right.”
They we
re quiet for a moment. “You know there aren’t very many shops like yours in Grand Junction. Maybe with less competition your business would increase.”
“What, move the shop there?”
He shrugged. “It’s a thought. Something to mull over.”
“I never thought of moving it. Daniel started that shop from nothing.”
“Look, I understand you want to preserve it just how he had it, but you said yourself, sales were down. Maybe a new location would work out for the best.”
“I don’t know. All the guys live in Denver, my employees…”
“Right. Well, if the shop continues to lose money…”
“They’d be out of a job anyway.”
“Exactly.”
“I guess we have a lot to work out. And you leave in two days.”
“I’d feel better if I knew you were staying in the condo when I leave, but I’d understand if you wanted to move back with your father.”
“I hadn’t thought about it.”
“How about if one of your girls stayed with you while I’m out of town?”
“You mean move into the condo with me?”
“Yeah.”
“I…I don’t know. I guess maybe. I could ask them.”
“I’d feel better about leaving, knowing someone was here for you if something happened.”
She threaded her fingers with his. “Rory?”
“Yeah, babe?”
“I’m going to miss you.”
“I’ll miss you, too.” He kissed her hand. “I’ll call every night.”
“I’d like that.”
“Feel better?”
She nodded.
“Good. Let’s go get some food.”
Chapter Twenty-six
Rory helped Rayne into the SUV they’d picked out at a dealership late last night. He fired it up and drove across town. When he pulled to the curb in front of the place he’d brought them to eat, she looked out her window.
“This is my dad’s diner.” She turned to him. “How did you know where it was?”
He winked. “I have my ways.” He looked out the window at the place. It was an old, wooden structure that a sign proclaimed had been part of Denver’s history since 1956. “Place has been here a while, huh?”
“My grandfather opened it. My father has worked here all his life. When Granddad died, he took over.”
He nodded. “Family businesses. We have something in common, then. That, and we both love his daughter.” He leaned over and kissed her. “Come on.” He got out and went around to help her. She hesitated, looking at the building. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
“What are you going to do?” A frown creased her brow.
He took her hands in his and dipped his head low. “I’m going to meet him, and I’m going to talk to him, one on one, if he’s got time.”
Her eyes traveled around the street, not lingering on anything, but not meeting his. “He’ll have time. Its mid-afternoon.”
“Baby.” He waited for her to look up. “I’ve got this. Don’t worry. It’ll go well.”
“My dad is… since my brother died, he—”
“Rayne, it’ll be fine.”
She nodded and he led her inside.
The place had character with a polished cement floor, old wooden tables and booths, and a counter with a sign above saying, ORDER HERE and PAY HERE. The aroma of barbeque carried to his nose. Rory sucked in a lungful. “Smells good.”
“It is good.”
He studied her face. “Does it bother your stomach—the smell?”
She shook her head. “Not so far.”
They walked up to the counter. A man in his late fifties was in the kitchen chopping meat. He yelled out without looking up. “Be right with you.”
“Hi, Daddy.”
The chopping sound stopped, and he looked over. He wiped his hands on his apron. “Rayne, I didn’t expect you.” His eyes shifted to Rory. “Is this him?”
Rory extended his hand. “Rory O’Rourke, sir.”
He shook it. “Galen Connor.”
“I’d like to talk to you, but first I think we need to get some food in your daughter.”
Galen’s eyes moved to Rayne. “How are you feeling, baby girl?”
“I’m doing okay. Just tired all the time.”
He lifted his chin. “Sit, I’ll bring you out the lunch special.” His eyes moved to Rory. “Come on back. We can talk while I fix her food.”
Rory put a hand to the back of Rayne’s head and pulled her to him, planting a kiss on her forehead. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“Hurry up, I’m hungry.”
He grinned. “When are you not these days?”
“My morning sickness is pretty much gone, and I’ve got my appetite back. So, you two need to hurry up and feed me.”
He smacked her butt as she turned to walk away. Then he followed her father back to the kitchen.
Galen took two red plastic baskets down and lined them with paper. Then he began making two sandwiches. He looked up and started chopping pork with a cleaver. “So, you’re the musician.”
Rory’s eyes fell to that cleaver whacking that chopping board. Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. “Yes, sir.”
“What’s your plan? What are you going to do about the baby?”
“Love it. Raise it. Be the best dad I can be.”
“And Rayne? Where does she fit into your big-time rock-star dreams?”
“I love her. I want to ask you’re permission to marry her.”
The chopping stopped. He scooped the meat up with the flat of the cleaver and piled it on the sandwich buns. “That what she wants?”
“Yes. We still have a lot of details to work out, like where we’ll live.”
“And what happens to her and that little baby when you’re riding around the country in a tour bus?”
“They’ll come with me.”
“Life on the road… That’s what you have to offer her?”
“What I have to offer her is all my love. Sir, I can provide for her. I’ll give her a good life. I promise you. She won’t ever have cause to doubt that.”
“I’ve heard what happens on the road. The booze, the drugs, the women—what do you call them—groupies?”
“I won’t let it be like that.”
“Uh huh.”
“Give us a chance. Give me a chance. That’s all I ask.”
Galen stared at him a long moment, leaning his palms on the prep table. “You hurt her, I’ll make your life hell. The media will have a field day with it, and when I’m through, you won’t have a career left. We clear?”
“Yes, sir.”
Galen added sides and put the baskets on a tray. He held it out to Rory. “Good. Then go feed my daughter and granddaughter.”
Rory smiled and stole a fry. “Yes, sir.”
Chapter Twenty-seven
March—
Rayne sat on the balcony couch and flipped on the fireplace. It was her favorite spot in the entire condo. She wrapped a fur throw around her against the morning chill.
Sasha followed her out with two steaming mugs. She was still in her pajamas, as was Rayne.
“Here you go.” She held the mug of tea out to Rayne.
“Thank you.”
Sasha curled up next to her. “I love Saturday mornings here.”
Rayne grinned behind the rim of her mug. “Me, too. I could stare at that view all day.”
“We need to get some more creamer.”
“Put it on the list. I’ll stop and get some on the way home from work Monday.”
“How are things at the shop going?”
Rayne shrugged. “Business has picked up since that paparazzi story broke. Thankfully they’re long gone, but it did stir some interest. Some just come in to buy shirts and stuff, but hey, every little bit helps.”
“Are you still thinking of moving to Grand Junction and opening there?”
“I don’t know. We’ll see how things go.”
Rayne studied her. “Are you happy living here?”
“Are you kidding? I’m livin’ the life…at least pretending to. This place is the bomb.”
“I know it is, but even still, you’ve put your social life on hold to be here with me.”
She shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. I haven’t been real social lately anyway.”
“I do worry. I don’t want to take advantage.”
Sasha’s brows rose. “I have a shower bigger than a walk-in closet. I’m really being taken advantage of here.”
Rayne giggled. “True.”
“Besides, I owe you Rayne, after what I did.”
Rayne shook her head. “You absolutely do not owe me. You had good intentions, and it all worked out.” She reached over and squeezed her hand. “I’m so glad you’re here. What would I do without my girls?”
“Speaking of that… We’re starting to make plans for the ride next year. Are you in?”
“I’ll have a baby, Sasha.”
“I know. But promise me you aren’t going to give up riding all together. It’s what we do. We’re the Moto Girls.”
Rayne smiled. “That we are.”
“And when little Danielle grows up, she can be a Moto Girl, too.”
“Absolutely!” Rayne put her arm around Sasha and hugged her. “I love you.”
“Love you, too, babe.”
The unit phone rang.
“I’ll get it,” Sasha said and got up.
Rayne took a sip of her tea and gazed at the view, wondering who would be calling the landline.
Sasha poked her head out, a big smile on her face. “You have a delivery. Wally is sending Jason with it.” She waggled her brows. “He’s sooo cute.”
Rayne laughed and shook her head. “Oh, Lord. Have you set your sights on him?”
“Maybe.”
“He doesn’t stand a chance, does he?”
“Nope!” she said, dragging out the end of the word with a popping sound.
The doorbell rang, and Sasha fluffed her hair and plumped her breasts in her spaghetti-strap tank top. “How does my ass look?” She turned in her matching yoga pants with the word luscious across the butt.
