Second Chance at Love (The MacKenna Born & Bred Trilogy)

by Paradise, Tara

  “What's wrong?” he asked, confused. “Is she not what you would have chosen? We can take her back and you can pick out another one.” Logan offered.

  Brooke shook her head. She was taken back to the same date nine years earlier when he'd surprised her with tickets for two to France. Yet again, his thoughtfulness both amazed and humbled her.

  “She's perfect,” she answered. “Absolutely perfect.” She rubbed the excited pup's nose with her own. “Thank you, Logan,” Brooke said, the happiness she felt showing all over her face. “I love her already.”

  Brooke was having a great time. Dinner had been incredible. She owed it all to Karissa. She'd been the most amazing hostess. After dinner, they'd had cake and then opened gifts. Brooke loved everything, and couldn't thank them all enough.

  They'd moved the party outside to the deck afterward. That had been hours before. Diana and Nicholas had left first, about an hour earlier. Not long after, Raelyn and Paul had wished them all a goodnight and headed up to bed. Chase had taken off shortly after that.

  “Where did Chase take off to in such a hurry?” Karissa asked Seth.

  “Uh, he had a date,” Seth responded.

  “With Cotton Candy?” Brooke teased.

  “Nope,” Logan offered. “She's old news.”

  “Already?” Karissa asked.

  “I can't say I'm surprised,” Brooke commented. “Chase has always had an appetite for the ladies, and has never stayed with one for longer than it takes him to zip up his Levi's.”

  “He's lookin' for love,” Seth chimed in.

  “Yeah, it's just too bad it's in all the wrong places,” Karissa added. There was a round of laughter as they all were reminded of the famed Johnny Lee song.

  “If he's not careful, he's gonna find something in all the wrong places,” Seth said. They laughed again, louder this time, at Chase's expense.

  The pup, who'd been sleeping peacefully in Brooke's lap, woke and began to wriggle around. When Brooke made little cooing noises and kissed her on her nose, she licked Brooke's hand happily and settled down again. Logan reached over to scratch her ears. She was in doggie heaven. He absently rubbed the pup's head, resting his arm against Brooke's leg as he did. She pretended not to notice.

  “Have you thought about what you're going to name her?” he wanted to know.

  “Yes, I have, as a matter of fact. I was thinking Xena.”

  “Xena, as in Warrior Princess?” Logan liked it. “It suits her,” he said quietly.

  “Mhmm, I think so, too,” Brooke murmured. When their eyes met, she said, “Thank you, so much, Logan. I couldn't have asked for a more wonderful gift.”

  “It was my pleasure,” he said. “The moment I saw her, I knew the two of you were meant for each other.” She watched him, remembering a time when the two of them had been meant for each other. It's funny how things can change in the blink of an eye, she thought.

  “You ready to call it a night?” Seth said to Logan, standing up.

  She didn't know why she said it, or why on earth she would do it to herself, but she needed a good swift kick in the ass, she thought. It had just flown out of her mouth.

  “If you want to stay a while longer, I can give you a ride home when you're ready to go.” She looked at Logan, waiting expectantly for his response. Seth shot Karissa a raised eyebrow. She lightly shrugged her shoulders.

  “I don't want to put you to any trouble.” Logan eyed her, curiously.

  “It's no trouble at all.”

  Logan came back with, “Alright, if you're sure.” He didn't know what he'd done to deserve it, but he'd take it.

  “I guess that settles it,” Seth said, and kissed Brooke goodnight.

  “If you're giving out kisses, where's mine, bro?” Logan said to Seth, wrestling his brother for one. Seth wrestled him back, and the two of them laughed like they were kids again.

  “Not a chance, bro,” Seth tossed out, and Logan chuckled.

  When she was sure they were done with their silly playfulness, Karissa spoke up. “I'll walk you out,” she offered. Seth nodded, and together they began the short walk to the far drive where his truck was parked.

  “So, what's that all about?” He nodded toward the backyard where Brooke and Logan still sat.

  “Your guess is as good as mine,” Karissa said. And it was.

  He nodded and leaned back against the door of the truck, obviously in no hurry to get going. A comfortable silence followed before either of them spoke.

  “So, have you given any thought to the out building, any new ideas running through that overworked brain of yours?” He smiled, and Karissa could have sworn she could hear the thudding of her own heart.

  “Oh, you know there are.” She laughed, and the sound of it carried on the air. It relaxed him.

  “I'm going to try and free up some time in the next week or two to at least get things rolling,” he told her. “I wish I could get on it right now, Rissa, but this deadline is looming over my head and I've encountered one problem after another,” he said. “I've been swamped.” He blew out a breath.

  “No worries, I understand,” she said softly. “You don't need to explain, Seth. I know you'll get to it as soon as you can.” He looked at Karissa, really looked at her. In all the years he'd known her, he couldn't remember a single time when she'd been angry or grumpy or impatient. She'd never let her mood affect how she treated others. It was one of the things he loved about her.

  “You're an angel,” he said, quietly.

  There was a brief silence before Seth spoke again. “So, what do you think about the whole Logan/Brooke saga?”

  The question caught her off guard. “I wasn't aware there was a Logan/Brooke saga.”

  He watched her as she spoke, their eyes locking when she looked up at him. “It may have been a long time ago, but those two aren't done with each other. Not yet, anyway.” He said it with sheer certainty.

  “What makes you say that?” She was curious to know what he was thinking.

  “You can just see it, feel it. The way they look at each other. The way they act around each other.”

  She laughed. “And how exactly do they act around each other?”

  “Like they're in heat.” The sexy smirk on his face made her want to kiss him into oblivion. Not that she had the skills to kiss a man like Seth into oblivion, or any man for that matter, but it was a nice fantasy.

  “No, they don't,” Karissa managed to get out between giggles. Seth smiled. She was adorable.

  “Oh, yes they do,” he insisted. “You saw them at Locos last weekend. The looks, the dancing thing.”

  “What dancing thing?” The look he gave her, as if to say 'Seriously?' made her laugh.

  “Jeez, for a minute there I thought they were gonna go at it right there on the dance floor.” She was thoroughly amused by his account of Brooke and Logan's sexual escapades. “He gave her a puppy, for Christ's sake.”

  “And that means...what exactly?” Karissa was still unconvinced.

  “There are some things a guy just doesn't do unless he's one hundred percent, head over heels, in love with a girl.” Seth looked so serious at that moment. “And one of those things is to give her a puppy,” he stated emphatically, as if that were his final word on the topic.

  Karissa had to admit there was some logic to his argument. “Maybe...,” she said softly, considering. “But for Logan's sake, I hope he's not in love with Brooke. Nothing can come of it. She spent years getting over him, and I know that she doesn't plan on having a relationship with him again.”

  “I wouldn't bet on it, beautiful.” He looked down at her, catching the sparkle in her blue eyes as the soft light from the lamp post shone around them. “Funny thing about plans is that things don't always go according to plan.”

  “Don't I know it,” she said, thinking of her own plan, which hadn't included falling in love with Seth MacKenna.

  “Well, I'll let you get to bed,” he said, and bent down to gently kiss her ch
eek. “Night, Rissa.”

  “Night, Seth.” He sent her a wink as he opened the door of the truck.

  He slid behind the wheel and started the engine. It purred. Well, at least she thought it was the engine. She wasn't so sure at the moment. She waved as he drove slowly past her and down the drive. She stood there a minute longer until he'd turned onto the road and headed toward home, his tail lights growing smaller and smaller until they were out of sight.

  What am I going to do about these feelings for him? Karissa wondered. She hated not being in control of her emotions. Turning, she walked back toward the house. She found Brooke and Logan on the deck where she'd left them. Xena had woken up again. Brooke and Logan knelt down beside her as Logan tried to teach her another trick. The pup didn't appear to be interested, and rolled around on her back, enjoying the belly scratches she got from the two of them.

  “I thought you said you'd been teaching her some tricks,” Brooke said to Logan. He shrugged, a smile tugging at his lips.

  “I didn't say she was a star pupil.” Brooke laughed.

  “I'm going up to bed,” Karissa said. “I'm exhausted.”

  Brooke stood up, wrapping her sister up in a fierce hug.

  “Happy Birthday, Brookie.”

  “Thank you,” Brooke said. “For everything, Riss.” Karissa smiled at her.

  “You're so very welcome. I'm glad you had a good time tonight.” Wishing Logan a goodnight, she headed into the house.

  When Brooke turned around, she caught the mischievous smile that formed on his very enticing lips.

  “I'm glad you had a good time tonight, too....Brookie.”

  She winced at his use of her childhood nickname. “Yeah, the funny thing about nicknames is that they often stick.” She smiled at him in the dim light. “But thankfully, Rissa is the only one who calls me that, and only on occasion.” He wondered if she was remembering the many times he'd called her that.

  Logan thought about Brooke and Karissa and admired the bond they shared. He had the same thing with his brothers. He was very much into family, and keeping those relationships strong. He loved his family and would do anything for them. That included Brooke and the entire Cates clan. They'd been his family for as long as he could remember. When he and his brothers had been kids, raising hell like boys do, they'd run to Raelyn when they'd disobeyed their parents and had gotten hurt because they were afraid of what the consequences would be if they'd gone home. She'd always fixed them up before sending them on their way. He smiled at the childhood memory.

  “What are you thinking about?” Brooke asked, amused by the goofy smile on Logan's face.

  “Oh, just about when we were kids, and all of our escapades.” Brooke smiled too, remembering too well the mischief the MacKenna boys would somehow get themselves into.

  “Yeah, you boys sure knew how to shake things up around here,” Brooke said, recalling several incidences that would probably be best left unmentioned.

  “We boys?” Logan quipped, raising an eyebrow. “I seem to recall you and Rissa right there in the middle of most of it,” he teased. She had to laugh, because it was true.

  “What can I say, we were a team.”

  He looked at her then. “We were a great team,” he said quietly. She remained quiet for a minute, reflecting.

  “Childhood memories are the best memories of all,” she said, wistfully. “Sometimes I wish we could go back and be kids again. No responsibilities, no worries. Just having fun and looking at life through a child's eyes, you know?” She glanced over at him, and found him watching her, his eyes intent on hers.

  “I do know,” he said. He wondered if she was happy with her life, if she'd found everything she was looking for. Did anyone really? he wondered.

  It was nearly midnight by the time Brooke pulled off the road onto Logan's drive. They'd talked and laughed, and Brooke had thoroughly enjoyed herself. They'd kept it light, and hadn't dredged up the past. That was exactly the way she wanted it. As she maneuvered her car down the long drive, she wondered how much longer before they reached the house. It seemed endless. Logan had purchased over two hundred acres, half of it mountainous, she remembered him telling her. He'd bought the property two years earlier when he moved back home to Angel Ridge. He'd had his house built, and the stables. He'd always wanted to give horse ranching a try, and when the opportunity had presented itself, he'd taken it. He still worked for Titan Aerospace Corporation in a consultant capacity.

  When Brooke pulled up in front of the massive two-story house, she was in awe. It was absolutely beautiful. The combination of wood and stone and glass was gorgeous. A long walkway led to the entryway at the front of the house. A beautiful picture window faced the drive, and Brooke could see the cathedral ceiling inside. Brooke assumed it was the living room. It was totally illuminated. There were lamp posts strategically placed along the walkway that led to the front porch. Pretty bushes sat underneath windows, and pretty potted flowers sat on either side of the front door. Brooke absolutely loved it.

  It was difficult to see everything because it was night time, but Brooke made a mental note to have Logan give her the grand tour sometime. She couldn't see the stables, and she knew they were about a quarter of a mile from the house. There was a nice two-car garage, not connected to the house. Brooke spotted Logan's truck parked to the side of the garage. The garage doors were open, and she could see two more vehicles parked inside ~ an SUV and a Corvette. Then it dawned on her. The cars, the house lit up. Was someone else there? Did he have roommates? A girlfriend?

  She wasn't sure how to ask, exactly, so she just came out with it. “Do you live alone?” She wasn't sure why she even cared. But she did.

  “Mhmm.” He wasn't sure why she would have the impression that he didn't live alone. “I really am glad you enjoyed your birthday, Brooke.” She watched him as he got out of the car. He leaned down and stuck his head back in. “Would you like to come in for a bit?” He wondered if inviting here in was a smart move on his part. Either it could go very well, or very badly. He decided he would take his chances because he wasn't ready to part company with her just yet. He couldn't explain why, but he wanted her there. In his home. In his life.

  Brooke considered it. It only took her a second. “I'd love to.”

  Either she was feeling brazen or she was quickly losing brain cells. The jury was still out on that one. She turned off the engine and slid out of the car, walking around to the other side where Logan was waiting. “Your home is beautiful,” she commented, as they made their way up the long walkway. She'd already fallen in love with it. When they reached the front door, Logan pulled out his keys from his pocket and unlocked it. The minute he pushed the massive door open, Koty practically barreled out. The dog jumped and Brooke thought his tremendous weight would knock Logan down, but he just stood there, petting Koty.

  “Okay, boy, get down now,” he said. Koty obeyed instantly. “He gets overly excited,” Logan explained.

  Koty looked up at her with his big puppy dog eyes and she was a goner. She bent down to nuzzle him. He was so big and so soft. After a minute of that, Koty walked off in the direction of what appeared to be the kitchen.

  “It's okay. He's just a big teddy bear.”

  Logan smiled at her description of his dog.

  “Can I get you a drink? Some wine, maybe?”

  “No, thank you. I've had more than my fair share already tonight,” she said, her eyes taking in everything at once.

  Brooke was in love with Logan's house. It was beautiful, from the design itself right down to the furnishings and décor.

  Naturally, she asked for the grand tour.

  They started in the basement, which was completely finished. There was a family room/rec room, complete with a giant flat-screen television, pool table, dart board, various other games and a full bar. Adjoining it was an exercise room, which was loaded with every piece of equipment a serious fitness buff would ever need. And a half bath off of the family room.

/>   They moved on to the first floor, which boasted a gorgeous kitchen, dining room, formal living room with a stone fireplace, and a full bath. On the second floor was the master suite, which included the master bedroom, master bath, a glass-enclosed room that overlooked the back of the house and housed a hot tub, and Logan's office. There were also three more spacious bedrooms and another full bath on the second floor.

  Brooke couldn't get over the place.

  “This place is incredible, Logan. I mean, I can't get over how perfect it is,” she said, as he followed her down the grand staircase back into the living room. She couldn't wait to have a tour of the stables and the property sometime in the daylight.

  “Yeah, it's great,” he answered.

  He really did like his place. It was nice and comfortable. But it was missing one very vital element. Love, and a family to fill it up. He had built it with that in mind.

  “Well, I guess I should get going,” she said, though she barely made an attempt to move toward the door. They watched each other, silently, both of them fully aware of the tension that sizzled between them.

  He didn't know if he'd misread the signals. He didn't think so. Only one way to find out, he thought.

  Logan came up behind her, pressing his body firmly against hers. She felt one hand cover her hip, while the other reached up to brush the dark mass of hair away from her neck. His movements were slow, deliberate. The pressure of his fingers on her hip intensified as he trailed soft, whisper-like kisses across the nape of her neck, and down to her shoulder. He couldn't say why exactly, but the sudden tremble he felt course through her gave him the tiniest bit of satisfaction.

  She turned, breaking contact between their bodies for only a few brief seconds. Oh yeah, this is exactly where I want her, Logan thought. Pressed against him, her breath catching softly in her throat and her body humming, she was his to do with as he pleased.

  He placed both hands on her hips and held her there. He massaged gently, yet deeply, and Brooke could do nothing else but give in and accept the wonderful sensation of his highly skilled hands on her body. Her own hands came up to rest lightly against the broad expanse of his chest. The hard muscle beneath her fingers thrilled her. She loved the feel of him. She always had.