Page 120 of Lead Me On
“Yep.”
As they watched, a man in jeans and a police uniform shirt stopped next to Molly and put his hand over her mouth to stifle the noise.
“And that guy?” Chase asked. “Is he her parole officer?”
“That’s her boyfriend, Ben Lawson. He’s the chief of police here in Tumble Creek. Come on. I’ll introduce you.”
While she made the introductions, Jane waited for a twinge of self-consciousness. That old feeling of being exposed. But it didn’t surface. She just felt… lucky. Even when Chief Lawson’s eyes focused sharply on Chase’s tattoos before he held out a hand. And especially when Molly hid behind her hand and mouthedOh-my-God-sexy!to Jane.
Chase belonged to her now. She’d pulled it off.
She was floating on triumph and barely paying attention to the conversation around her when Chase slid his hand around her waist. “Want to dance?” The sounds of an old Clint Black love song drifted through the tent.
“I sure do.”
Chase led her to the wooden platform that served as a dance floor and curled his arms around her. “I love you,” he whispered into her hair. “You look so beautiful.”
She felt beautiful and happy as his heartbeat thumped against her ear. They swayed in time to the music. A tiny breeze brushed over her back.
“I probably shouldn’t tell you this,” Chase whispered, “but I’m going to marry you someday.”
Her eyes popped open. “What?”
“Don’t freak out. I’m not asking you now. I’m just giving you a heads-up. I know you’ll need time to adjust.”
“We’ve only been dating for a few weeks!”
“Yeah, I know. But somebody’s got to make an honest woman of you. You’ll never manage it on your own.”
“Chase, I…” She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t even know what to feel. Her mind was sending out electric sparks of terror, but her heart was melting into a warm, gooey mess inside her. Eyes still wide, Jane cautiously laid her cheek back on his chest.
“We’ll buy a house and I’ll build a white picket fence first thing.”
Jane shook her head, but couldn’t stop a small smile.
“And we’ll have two kids,” he continued. “A boy named Junior and a girl named Sparkles.”
“Shut up,” she huffed.
“And two rottweilers named Critter and Nutz.”
“Shut up!” Jane gave up and laughed so hard that tears wet her cheeks.
He pulled her tight against him again and kissed her head. “Don’t worry, Jane,” he murmured. “We’ll wait until you’re ready. But I will ask you.”
Jane closed her eyes. All the tension had faded from her body. “All right,” she whispered as the last notes of the song danced away. She waited for the urge to run away, the panicked need to free herself from this commitment. It didn’t come. Instead, a sweet hope opened up inside her.
She leaned back in his arms so she could meet his gaze. “Promise?”
His smile faded and his blue eyes darkened with emotion. “I do.”
Jane stood on her tiptoes and kissed him, and her one single worry about the people watching was a brief moment of pity for the women who couldn’t have Billy Chase.
A very brief moment. This big, tattooed man was all hers, and she was going to keep him.
* * * * *
For more deliciously sensual and refreshingly entertaining reads by
