Belong to You

by Cheyenne McCray

  “I don’t know.” Anna put the fresh bread into the breadbasket and covered it with a cloth. “She asked me at the last minute and didn’t stay on the phone long enough to tell me.”

  “What else do you want us to do?” Pablo asked. He had been so reserved since his parents were deported. Sometimes he acted up but he seemed to be settling into the routine a little better now.

  “Why don’t you go play a board game?” Anna smiled. “It will be another hour and a half before we eat and you’ve done a great job of helping with cleaning and setting the table.”

  “Josie only wants to play little kid board games,” Pablo said.

  Josie put her hands on her hips. “Do not.”

  Anna held her hands up. “You both like Monopoly, so compromise and play the junior version of the game.”

  “Yay!” Josie bounced on the balls of her feet and clapped her hands. “I’ll go get it.”

  Pablo rolled his eyes but Anna saw the hint of a smile. “All right,” he said before following his sister out of the kitchen. Just as he crossed the threshold into the living room, the doorbell rang. “I’ll get it,” he called out.

  Anna went to the fridge and opened the door. She leaned in and grabbed a head of romaine lettuce, baby carrots, tomatoes, an avocado, and a bag of orange, red, and yellow sweet peppers. With her arms full, she rose up, bumped her hip into the door to close it, then turned—and dropped everything.

  Mike was standing two steps away.

  Tomatoes and avocados rolled. The romaine fell to her feet. The bags of peppers and carrots opened, scattering the contents across the floor.

  Heat rushed to her cheeks and her entire body tingled as she stared at him, her lips parted in surprise.

  His brown eyes were dark with an emotion she couldn’t read. She drank in the cut of his features, the power in his build, the strength of his presence.

  Without giving her a chance to think or react beyond that one moment, he brought her into his arms, captured her mouth with his, and kissed her.

  So much longing and need for him was built up inside her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him in return.

  It was a deep, hard, and long kiss. There was almost a desperation to it, as if they could never get enough, and as if they might be torn apart again if they didn’t hold on tight.

  He held her close, his hard body warming hers. He felt so solid and real yet she almost felt like she was dreaming. He was here and she was in his arms.

  When he drew away, her heart was pounding hard, her breaths coming short and shallow. She stared into his eyes, still unable to believe that he really was there and she was in his arms.

  He kissed her again, as if he couldn’t get enough of her. As if he was afraid she might disappear, leaving his arms empty.

  “Anna.” He crushed her to him. “God, how I’ve missed you.”

  “I’ve missed you, too.” She placed her hands on his chest and looked up at him. “After what happened, I didn’t think I’d ever be able to face you again. But here you are.”

  He rested his hands on her hips. “I would have been here long before, but I was sure you needed time to get adjusted.”

  “I did. We did.” She kept her palms pressed against the hard wall of muscle of his chest. “Everything has changed.”

  He brushed his knuckles across her cheek. “You won’t go through anything else alone. I’m here now and I’m not going anywhere.”

  Tears pushed at the backs of her eyes and one leaked down her cheek. “Thank you.”

  He wiped away the tear with his thumb. “I’m sorry you went through all that you did. I wish there was some way I could make it better.”

  “You’re here.” She slid her hands up to his shoulders. “That is everything to me.” She glanced away, unable to look into his eyes for a long moment. When she turned her gaze back to his, she said, “There’s something I have to tell you.” Her voice wavered. “I don’t know if you’ll still care for me once I tell you.”

  “Shhh.” He put his fingers to her lips. “Chandra told me what Chad put you through to get to me. I’m so sorry about all that he did and how badly it hurt you.”

  “It was a nightmare.” She swallowed. “And since then it’s been like a waking dream I haven’t been able to come out of. Are you part of that dream?”

  “I’m real.” He cupped her face. “You’re real.” He moved his mouth softly over hers before raising his head. “And I love you, Anna. I love you with everything I have.”

  Her eyes widened and she felt like her entire body was aflame. “I love you, Mike.” She threw her arms around his neck and held on tight. “I love you so much. It killed me to know that I could hurt you. And then it happened, in the worst way possible.”

  He drew back and held her gaze. “Nothing good came out of that night and I know you’ve been through hell since then. From here on out we’ll make it as right as we can and we’ll do it together. You won’t face the future alone again.”

  More tears threatened to fall. “I love you so much.”

  “Not any more than I love you.” He smiled and looked around their feet. “I never imagined this moment being in the middle of salad makings.”

  Anna gave a half-sob, half-laugh as she wiped an errant tear from her eye and smiled. “I never allowed myself to imagine a moment like this with you. This will always be one of my most precious memories.”

  “We’ll make lots more.” He dug into his pocket and pulled out a brown velvet ring box.

  Her breath caught in her throat as she looked from the ring box to him. His expression serious, he knelt on one knee amongst the produce and opened the box. A beautiful solitaire diamond ring was nestled in the chocolate brown velvet.

  His gaze held hers. “Anna, will you marry me?”

  Her legs gave out and she went down on both knees in front of him. Thoughts whirled through her mind. She wanted to scream, “Yes!” But instead she said, “I have the kids now. I’m adopting them. I can’t expect you to become an instant parent.”

  “I want to be a parent with you.” Mike searched her gaze. “I want to raise Josie and Pablo as our own. And I want to give them younger siblings to grow up with.”

  Anna wasn’t sure she could breathe, much less speak.

  “Say yes, Anna.” He hooked his finger under her chin. “I want to be with you for the rest of our days.”

  In a voice choked with emotion, she said, “Yes.” Then louder and more clearly, “Yes, I will marry you.”

  He slid the ring on her finger. For a long moment she stared at it, the ring sparkling in the kitchen lighting like prisms of fire.

  They kissed again before the sound of applause jerked them apart. They looked to see Josie, Pablo, and Chandra standing in the doorway, all three of them grinning.

  Anna held her arms wide and both her young cousins ran toward them and Anna wrapped them in her embrace.

  After a long hug, Mike brought Anna to her feet and rested his arm around her waist, drawing her close, and she leaned into his strength and warmth.

  They kissed again and flashes brought them out of the kiss. Pablo was taking pictures with Anna’s cell phone, and Chandra appeared to be recording them.

  “This goes on Facebook,” Chandra said with a grin.

  “Noooo,” Anna said in a sudden panic.

  “Just kidding.” Chandra’s grin broadened. “But you will have it for posterity.”

  “Come here.” Anna gestured to the kids and crouched on the floor, Mike along with them.

  Anna took her cell phone from Pablo and handed it to Mike, who seemed to know exactly what she wanted him to do. He stretched out his arm and took their first family selfie.

  When he showed it to them and Anna saw their four smiling faces, she grinned. “Best. Selfie. Ever.”

  Chandra laughed. “And may there be many more.”

  Anna and Mike looked at each other. He said, “We’re just getting started.”

  Also by Cheyenne
McCray

  “Riding Tall” Series

  Branded For You

  Roping Your Heart

  Fencing You In

  Tying You Down

  Playing With You

  Crazy For You

  Hot For You

  Made For You

  Held By You

  Belong To You

  “Rough and Ready” Series

  Silk and Spurs

  Lace and Lassos

  Champagne and Chaps

  Satin and Saddles

  Roses and Rodeo

  Lingerie and Lariats

  Lipstick and Leather

  Paranormal

  Dark Seduction

  Night’s Captive

  Future Knight

  Lexi Steele Novels

  The First Sin

  The Second Betrayal

  The Temptation

  ~Romantic Erotica~

  “Seraphine Chronicles” Series

  Forbidden

  Bewitched

  Spellbound

  (Spellbound includes bonus novella, Untamed)

  Possessed

  From St. Martin’s Press:

  “Night Tracker” Series

  Demons Not Included

  No Werewolves Allowed

  Vampires Not Invited

  Zombies Sold Separately

  Vampires Dead Ahead

  No Cursed Allowed—novella (in the Demons & Lovers collection)

  “Magic” Series

  Forbidden Magic

  Seduced by Magic

  Wicked Magic

  Shadow Magic

  Dark Magic

  Single Title

  Moving Target

  Chosen Prey

  Anthologies and Collections

  Demons and Lovers

  No Rest for the Witches

  Real Men Last All Night

  Legally Hot

  Cheyenne writing as Jaymie Holland

  “Tattoos and Leather” ménage

  Inked

  Branded

  “Hearts in Chains” BDSM Series

  Wounded

  “The Auction” Series

  Sold

  Bought

  Claimed (with bonus novella Taken)

  “Taboo” Series

  Wicked Nights: three Erotic Tales

  Taboo Desires: three Tales of Lust and Passion

  Playing Rough: three Stories of Sensual Submission

  Paranormal

  The Touch

  Excerpt… Held By You

  Cheyenne McCray

  “See you, Ricki,” Hollie Simmons called out to the owner of Sweet Things Bakery. Hollie juggled two large pink boxes of holiday cookies as she pressed her hip against the glass door of the bakery. “Merry Christmas.”

  Ricki gave a little wave. “Bye, Hollie. Hope those kiddos of yours enjoy the goodies.”

  Before Hollie could push the door open with her hip, it swung wide, catching Hollie off guard. She stumbled out of the bakery and gave a little cry, knowing in that instant that she and her cookies were going to land hard and scatter across the sidewalk.

  A man’s strong arm caught her around her shoulders, dragging her up against a hard chest. At the same time her savior caught her, he caught the cookies in his opposite hand, gracefully saving them from their fate of moments before.

  “Oh! Thank you.” Hollie let out a breath of relief as the unseen man steadied her. The bakery door closed, leaving her on the sidewalk with the man who still held her. She caught a sexy masculine scent that was warm despite the December chill in the air. She tried to turn but he didn’t immediately set her free, ensuring she was steady on her feet.

  He dropped his arm from around her shoulders but kept his hold on the cookies. She turned and hitched her purse up on her shoulder. It was Lieutenant John McBride who had just saved her from a nasty fall.

  “Lieutenant McBride.” For no reason whatsoever, her stomach gave a little flip. Okay, maybe there was a reason…and that reason was wrapped up in a six-foot-two, brown-eyed, dark-haired package wearing a uniform fitted to perfection on a powerfully muscled body. “Thanks so much.”

  “It was my fault.” He shook his head. “I didn’t see you and I opened the door at the same time you were coming out.”

  “Whatever the case, thanks for catching me.” She smiled. “Protect and serve. You’re doing a great job of it.”

  He gave a little grin that surprised her. She didn’t know the police lieutenant personally, but whenever she had seen him, he had never been wearing a smile. He always seemed so serious. That hadn’t stopped her from having a little crush on him from afar. She’d always found the man incredibly attractive from a distance. His seriousness, his hard expression, had made her want to know more about the man and what made him tick.

  She’d always been too shy to go up to him and introduce herself when she’d seen him around town. With her full curves, and stepbrothers who had belittled her constantly since she was a child, her confidence wasn’t the best.

  Lieutenant McBride raised the boxes of cookies. “Let me take these to your car.”

  “Thanks.” She nodded toward her small Honda parked along the curb.

  He walked at her side as she headed for the car. “Are these for your students?” His question surprised her and she cut her gaze to his. “I imagine today you’re having holiday parties at the elementary school.”

  She blinked. “You know who I am?”

  He gave a slow grin. “How could I not know one of the best kindergarten teachers in the school district, Ms. Simmons? You have an excellent reputation.”

  “I could say the same about you.” She couldn’t help but smile again as they reached the car’s driver’s side door, which she unlocked with the remote. “But it is nice to actually meet you in person.”

  He gave a nod and opened the car door for her with one hand, still holding the cookie boxes with his other. Before she could extend her hands to take the boxes from him, he leaned past her, into her car, and set the cookies on the passenger seat.

  When he drew back, his body brushed hers. She felt a shiver run through her that had absolutely nothing to do with the cold, and she swallowed as her body reacted to his nearness. She wanted her few moments with John McBride to last. She wasn’t ready to part company with him yet…and she wanted to see him again. Now how could she possibly arrange that?

  A thought came to her and she cleared her throat. “After the holidays, I’m having a career day in my class. Do you think you might have time in your schedule to visit my children?”

  John studied her in a way that made her stomach flip. She found herself holding her breath as if she’d just asked him out on a date.

  He gave a slow nod. “I’d enjoy that.”

  She let out her breath in a rush. “So would I—I mean the children.”

  Again a sexy little smile. “Why don’t I call you and we’ll set up a date and time?”

  “Sure.” She tried to compose herself after her slip up and clasped the strap of her purse for something to do with her hands as he pulled a small spiral-bound notebook from his shirt pocket. “Going to put me in there with all of your suspects and criminals?”

  This time he gave a low laugh. “I have a section reserved just for you.”

  A flutter went through her midsection again. Was he flirting with her? Yes, he was definitely flirting with her.

  She gave him her number and he jotted it down before tucking the notepad into his uniform pocket again. He pulled out a business card with a police shield, Prescott Police Department, and his name and number on it. She held onto the card as she looked up at him.

  “You have a good day, Ms. Simmons,” he said.

  “Please call me Hollie,” she said. “I hope your day is great too.”

  He gave a nod. “Hollie.” The way he said her name about made her melt. His voice was warm and deep and at that moment had a caress to it. She had no doubt that his tone would turn hard in a flash when n
ecessary.

  It didn’t surprise her that he didn’t tell her to call him by his first name. After all, she didn’t know him well and he was an officer of the law and had to maintain a certain amount of distance in public.

  She gave him one last smile before climbing into her car. She dropped his business card into her purse as he closed the door behind her.

  After she turned on her car, he watched her back out of her parking space. His presence made her so nervous she almost backed into a passing car and she had to jam her foot on the brake pedal. Her face flushed with heat and she did her best not to look at John McBride as she guided her vehicle out of the spot and headed toward the elementary school.

  Excerpt… Made For You

  Cheyenne McCray

  Reese broke the kiss and Kelley found herself breathing hard as his gaze held hers. He cupped her face with one hand and brushed his thumb over her cheek. “You are something else, Kelley.”

  “What?” she asked, her voice low and breathy.

  “You’re so special to me.” He lowered his head and their lips met again.

  She could almost swear fireworks sparked behind her closed eyelids as he kissed her. It was a kiss like nothing she’d ever experienced before, a kiss she never wanted to end.

  He scooped her into his arms, catching her off guard. She clung to his neck and he swept her out of the kitchen and down a hall, his stride long and deliberate. When he reached what she guessed was the master bedroom, he pushed the door open and set her on her feet on a hunter green rug next to a rustic four-poster bed. He swept aside the pillow from the top of the plaid comforter and pulled the comforter back with one hand.

  Her insides tingled and then he was kissing her again while exploring her body with his fingertips. His touch was gentle when it came to her shoulder, but he pulled her tight up against him so that she felt the hard ridge of his erection against her belly.

  He picked her up by her waist and set her on the edge of the mattress. She watched him, hunger growing within her as he knelt in front of her and tugged off one of her leather shoes and then the other. His gaze met hers as he peeled off each of her socks.