The Temptation (18 page)

But I loved him.

I swallowed.

“I’m not asking you to leave Boston.” His gaze held mine as he answered my unspoken thoughts. “My life is with you, Lexi. And if that means moving back to Boston then that’s where I belong.”

Tears rushed to my eyes again and I realized my hands were trembling.

“That’s not fair to you.” I found it difficult to speak. “I don’t want you to feel torn between me and Kristen.”

“I’ll go to Arizona for an extended weekend every month to spend with my sister,” he said. “She’ll be all right. She’s strong and she’s happy.”

He gave one of his adorable smiles that I loved so much. “Now give me the answer I want to hear. Will you marry me?”

“You drive me crazy, too,” I said. “But I love you more than I ever thought possible. So yes.” I smiled as I spoke. “I will marry you, Nick.”

I was vaguely aware of the entire restaurant bursting into applause as he slipped the ring onto my finger.

Nick brought us both to our feet and kissed me in the most amazing kiss ever. My heart bubbled up with joy and I kissed him back with the same intensity.

In the next moment we were sitting and my whole body felt flushed with heat as the applause died down. He held my left hand and the ring sparkled.

A server showed up with a bottle of champagne on ice, presented the bottle to Nick and then poured us each a glass.

The golden liquid frothed at the top and Nick raised his glass. “To a crazy wonderful future together.”

I raised my glass and clinked mine to his. “To us.”

Epilogue

Sunshine was warm on my body as I reclined on a towel on the beach of a private island in the Bahamas next to my husband, Nick. Lexi Steele Donovan. That’s me.

We hadn’t messed around waiting to get married and we tied the knot two weeks after Nick proposed to me. The ceremony had been simple and we’d kept it small. If all my relatives had been there, we would have had over a hundred guests and that was the last thing we’d wanted. As it was, Nick’s sister, my six siblings, my brother’s wife, and Mama and Daddy had been there when the pastor pronounced us husband and wife.

My family had put together a surprise reception the following day, and that’s where my countless relatives and our friends and even some coworkers had mobbed us. That had all been day before yesterday, and my head was still spinning.

But now, peace and quiet with the man I loved.

At our feet the crystal blue ocean lapped the white sand, the gentle rush of water a peaceful sound. A light breeze brushed over my body, drying some of the perspiration on my skin. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the sun on my face. In places sand stuck to my fair skin that I’d coated liberally with sun block and there was more sand on my towel.

“What about a family?” Nick caught me off guard as he broke the silence.

Warily, I opened my eyes and turned my head to meet his gaze. “What about a family?”

The corner of his mouth quirked as he placed his palm on my flat belly. “Kids, the whole mess.”

I tilted my head to the side. The thought of having Nick’s baby had been on my mind a lot. I was both excited and scared to death.

“That depends.” I gave him a solemn look. “If you want a family as big as mine, you’re out of luck. But if one or two will do for you, I’ll check my schedule and see if I can fit it in.”

His little smile turned into a big grin and he leaned over me and kissed me hard. “One or two will do just fine.”

“Good.” I turned and propped my head on my hand and looked at him. “Because I have some news for you. In about eight and a half months, you’re going to be a daddy.”

Shock crossed his features as he stared at me. “Are you kidding?”

“Nope.” I smiled and felt a kind of joy bubbling up inside me. “Took the test the day before the wedding. Seems the Pill decided to quit working once you proposed to me. We’ve just become a statistic.”

He took me into his arms, pulling me onto his chest. He was grinning and the sight of his broad smile sent a warm tingly feeling throughout me.

“This isn’t going to be so flat much longer.” He placed his hand over my belly again. “When were you planning on telling me?”

“Tonight.” I trailed one of my fingers down his chest. “I figured I’d wait to spring it on you when we were at dinner. But since you brought it up…”

“Wonderful.” He brushed strands of hair from my face. “Everything is wonderful.”

I rested my head on his chest as he brought me closer to him. I no longer had the nightmares that had plagued me most of my adult life. I’d come to terms with my past and had accepted it for what it was. It was more than time to move on.

A bright future lay ahead. Oh, I knew it wasn’t going to be perfect, but that was perfectly fine with me.

Lexi Steele was finally happy with life and the part she played in it.

I smiled.

# # #

Also by Cheyenne McCray

“Rough and Ready” Series

Silk and Spurs

Lace and Lassos

Champagne and Chaps

Satin and Saddles

Roses and Rodeo

Lipstick and Leather

“Altered States” Series

Dark Seduction

“Dark Enforcers” Series

Night’s Captive

Lexi Steele Novels

The First Sin

The Second Betrayal

The Temptation

From St. Martin’s Press:

Night Tracker Series

Demons Not Included

No Werewolves Allowed

Vampires Not Invited

Zombies Sold Separately

Vampires Dead Ahead

Magic Series

Forbidden Magic

Seduced by Magic

Wicked Magic

Shadow Magic

Dark Magic

Single Title

Moving Target

Chosen Prey

Anthologies

No Rest for the Witches

Real Men Last All Night

Legally Hot

Chicks Kick Butt

Hotter than Hell

Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romances

Mammoth Book of Special Ops Romances

Cheyenne writing as Jaymie Holland

“The Auction” Series

Sold

Bought

Claimed

Taken

“Taboo” Series

Taking it Home

Losing Control

Alluring Stranger

Taboo Desires: three Tales of Lust and Passion

Playing Rough: three Stories of Sensual Submission

Paranormal Single Title

The Touch

Come to Me

Excerpt…
Roses and Rodeo

Cheyenne McCray

“He sure is one sexy bull rider.” Danica Cameron looked at her friend Kelsey then nodded toward the chute and the next cowboy preparing to ride a bull. “What’s his name?”

“Darryl Thompson.” Kelsey sighed and twirled a strand of her long blonde hair around her finger. “Only two dates and I think I’m in love.”

“Then I hope he’s Mr. Right.” Danica glanced at the bull rider before moving her gaze back to her friend. “I really don’t want to see you get hurt again, Kels.”

Kelsey smiled. “Darryl’s different than any guy I’ve ever dated. He’s a
real
man.”

Danica returned her friend’s smile. She’d known Kelsey for a couple of years now and she’d grown to care for her like a sister. They’d met at the local gym where Danica worked out three times a week and had started working out together. Eventually they began meeting outside of the health club and had become close friends.

With a smile, Danica turned her attention to the upcoming rider.

They had seats that hugged the arena, with a perfect view of all the action at the May Las Vegas professional bull riding competition. The air smelled of dust and animals and the announcer’s voice carried over the loudspeakers along with medleys of tunes to go with the high-energy crowd in the arena. The intro to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s
Sweet Home Alabama
blared from the speakers followed by a burst of Loverboy’s
Working for the Weekend
and then a partial tune Danica didn’t recognize, all in close succession.

Like other bull riders, Darryl’s protective vest and his shirtsleeves were covered with patches from various sponsors.

The announcer shouted out, “Darryl Thompson riding Killjoy, one of the rankest bulls here today.”

The gate to the chute swung open and the crowd cheered as the bull flung itself out and the cowboy started his ride. The bull bucked and twisted round and round, trying to throw its rider off as cheers and shouts rose up from the crowd.

Kelsey stood and screamed, “Go, Darryl!” as he hung on for the full eight seconds and then the horn blared.

The bull bucked Darryl off before he could dismount and he landed on his hands and knees, and scrambled to his feet. The cowboy clowns—who were now called bullfighters—distracted the bull to keep it from going after its rider and they got the bull to exit the arena through an open gate that they shut behind him.

Even Danica, who didn’t know a hell of a lot about bull riding, knew enough that she was sure it had been a really good ride.

Danica tilted her head to the side. “I always wondered how they get the bulls to twist in circles like that.”

“Did you see that strap around the bull’s flanks?” Kelsey said. “It’s called a flank strap. That’s what makes the bulls kick because they’re trying to kick it off. The rope that the cowboy holds onto is called a bull rope.”

Danica smiled as she pushed her long dark hair over her shoulder. “You’re becoming quite the expert now that you’re going out with Darryl.”

“I’m trying.” Kelsey grinned, her pretty gray eyes lit with excitement. “But I really want to be an expert on the bull rider himself.”

Danica laughed. “I’ll just bet you will.”

Kelsey hadn’t grown up on a ranch like Danica had, so to Kelsey, cowboys were a novelty. She’d met Darryl in San Diego at a country western bar and had talked Danica into flying to Las Vegas for a girl’s weekend to check out the bull riding competition. Well, the bull riders for the most part.

She’d known from the beginning that this was really a girl-and-cowboy weekend. Last thing she wanted to be was a third wheel, so she’d planned to keep herself busy and let Kelsey enjoy her time with Darryl.

Danica felt her phone vibrate in the pocket of her jeans. She drew it out and saw that she had a text message from Barry.

Where are you, babe? I stopped by your place and you weren’t home.

She frowned. “I’m not your babe,” she muttered.

Kelsey glanced at Danica. “What did you say?”

“Got a text from Barry.” Danica sighed. “He won’t take a hint. Not even an outright, ‘I don’t want to date. Let’s be friends.’”

Kelsey shook her head. “Never did understand what you saw in that spoiled little rich boy.”

“He was actually pretty cool at the start.” Danica pushed hair behind her ear. “He was friendly and fun. I just didn’t see how obsessive he was until after we started dating. Or how arrogant and conceited he really is.”

He had been the first non-cowboy she’d ever dated, and he might be the last. She rolled her eyes at that thought. That wasn’t fair—not all men were like Barry.

The announcer shouted, turning her attention back to the event. “Ninety points for Darryl Thompson, making him tonight’s leader.”

Kelsey clapped her hands and looked at Danica. “That’s a great score.”

Danica nodded but looked down at her cell phone. “I’d better respond or he’ll never stop sending messages.”

She drafted a quick message.

In Las Vegas with Kelsey. Will be home tomorrow.

After she hit
send
, Danica raised her eyes and her gaze fixed on the next rider who was preparing to lower himself onto his bull. “Who’s that?”

“Creed McBride.” She gave Danica a sly smile when Danica glanced at her. “Hot, isn’t he?”

“Hard to tell.” But something about the cowboy made Danica sit up and take notice. There was an ease and confidence in his bearing that she could feel, even from where she sat. And yeah, when she got a good glimpse of him, he was definitely hot.

“Defending two-time World Champion, Creed McBride, ladies and gentlemen,” the announcer shouted over more pulse-pounding music. “Today he’s matched up with one of the toughest bulls, Dark Shadow!”

The chute seemed to explode open as the bull twisted its massive body into the arena, its rider gripping the bull rope. Danica held her breath as the eight-second ride seemed to draw out. The rider made it all look effortless as his body moved in tune with the creature’s bucks and pitches.

And then the horn was blaring and the rider dismounted. He hit the ground on his side and rolled to his feet, barely missing the bull’s hooves.

Danica let out her breath with relief when the cowboy avoided getting trampled. Every time a rider got bucked off or dismounted, her body tensed. Despite having four older brothers, all cowboys, she’d never been able to understand a man’s need to put himself in danger like that.