Chase (Resisting Love #1)(65)

“I changed my mind,” I say simply.

Chase nuzzles my neck, “Come to bed, angel.” I’m huge and he still can’t get enough of me. If that’s not true love, I don’t know what is. We make love slowly, gently. Chase is always so gentle with me, so tender. I know he is anxious about the baby; I keep assuring him it will all be okay.

I can’t wait to give him his son. For us to be a family.



One month later

Chase

She screams again, and digs her nails into my palm. I’m trying to remain outwardly calm, but inside I’m freaking the f*ck out. I hate seeing her like this, in so much pain, and I can’t do anything but watch.

I can’t take this pain away for her, I can’t carry this burden.

This is all her. She is strong as hell, my Layla.

“Push, angel. You can do it, you are doing so well,” I tell her, encouraging her. She pushes again, then grabs onto the gas like it is her lifeline, sucking in a huge mouthful. After a few moments her body calms, contraction over.

“We are never having sex again, Chase Jackson!” She yells at me for the fifth time, her voice hoarse.

Three hours later, Layla makes her final push. I am in awe. A little bundle is put into my hands.

A head full of black hair, big brown eyes, pouty lips which are now opened in the shape of an O.

A son. I have a son. And he is perfect.

He starts to cry, and I look over at Layla, overwhelmed. She looks exhausted, but so, so beautiful. She is staring at me and our son with such a tender look. I feel tears in my eyes, which I try to blink away.

“Thank you for my son, angel,” I whisper, “I will spend the rest of my life loving you both.”

Tears run down her face now. “What is his name?” I ask her.

“Cole,” she whispers.

“Cole,” I echo. I love it.

I love them.





Epilogue





I come home from my shift at work. Chase didn’t want me working, still doesn’t. But after I finally got my nursing degree, I decided I would work part time, just two days a week. I love it. I open the door and walk into the hallway, staring at my wedding photos as I walk by. Chase and I had a huge wedding, when Cole was four months old. Nikki, Sasha and Tenielle were my bridesmaids; Kade, James and Ryder were Chase’s best men. It was magical.

I walk into the living area and watch as their faces light up as they all rush over to greet me.

Chase, Cole, Nate and baby Jacob all welcome me with varying greetings.

“How are my men?” I ask, giving them all a kisses.

“We all missed you,” Chase says. I look at him and see drawings on his arms. I laugh. Chase smiles sheepishly. He gives me another kiss, this one a touch longer, and a little greedier.

“Yuck, dad!” complains a now eight year old Cole. He is a spitting image of Chase, except he has my eyes. He is currently wearing a T shirt that says ‘Lock up your daughters,’ which his Uncle Kade and Aunt Nikki bought for him.

Nate and Jacob both have their dad’s blue eyes, and his dimple.

Good luck to all the ladies.

I change out of my scrubs, and watch as Chase rounds all the boys up for their baths.

I love watching him interact with them, teaching them, loving them.

It’s sexy as hell.

He catches me watching him and gives me a heated look.

“Later,” he mumbles.

“Later,” I repeat, biting my lip.



THE END





Coming Fall 2013



Kade (Resisting Love #2)



Nikki and Kade’s Story





Racing For Freedom by Bec Botefuhr





Prologue




People want a simple life: Simple family. Simple job. Simple children. Simple friends. What they don’t realize, is that life is never simple. Even if there was no war, no heartache, no pain, and no bad things to happen – life still wouldn’t be simple. You could walk down the street, fall, breaking your leg. Your simple life just became a whole lot different. You could have an accident tomorrow, and it could change everything. Someone could die, someone could be born, someone could cheat, and someone could get hurt. Simple, is never an option. Not really.

I wish for simple often, at least, the logical part of my brain does. I wish I was just a normal girl. I wish I had normal friends. I wish I had a boyfriend that would take me out, open doors for me, kiss my cheek like a gentleman and make love to me on rainy days. I wish my mother never died. I wish my dad never had that accident, it changed everything. I wish, often, that things were different. But they’re not, and life is how it is. We are dealt the hand we’re meant to have, and we’re forced to deal with it.

My life is so far from simple, I don’t even remember what simple feels like. My life, became anything but simple the day Slade Devaroe entered it, he came like a hurricane. He threw heartache and love into my life, in the most complicated of ways. He became my everything, and yet, he was the thing that broke me.





Chapter One




“Dash, baby, will you go get me some bourbon?” My father calls from the couch.

I’m in the middle of filling out a university application form. The pen is poking from my mouth and I’m mumbling angrily to myself. I don’t understand half these questions. I don’t even know why I’m applying. I guess I want to do something aside from racing, and this is my best bet. I raise my eyes to my father, and he smiles at me. I smile around the pen and nod. How can I say no? I forgot how to say no to him a long time ago. He stands and his body is angled slightly to the left.