The Chance of a Lifetime Read online

  When it appeared as if she would refuse, or worse yet, bolt, Chance grasped her hand. Running his thumb over the smooth skin of her inner wrist, he leaned forward. “For me darlin’. Only me.”

  The store clerk took Chance’s words as her cue to leave. With a small smile on her mouth she turned and left them alone. “Let me know if you need anything,” were the only words she spoke as she faded out of sight.

  It seemed to take Lacey a minute to come to a decision, but when she finally did, Chance was sure he was going to explode. Lacey’s face went from nervous to downright wicked in a second flat.

  “And I assume you want to see.”

  Chance shifted in his seat, trying to relieve the pressure on his aching shaft. “Oh yeah.”

  “Then hold onto your hat cowboy, cause you’re about to get one hell of a show.”

  With no more than those words and a wink, Lacey turned on her heel and sauntered into the curtained dressing room.

  Chapter Eight

  Lacey was a nervous wreck. Her hands shook as she removed her clothes, eyeballing the tiny scraps of fabric cluttering the dressing room. She decided to start with the blue silky chemise. All least it covered all of her parts, even if it did leave her bare from the thigh down.

  The thought of opening the curtain in order to let Chance see her made Lacey’s stomach clench to the point where she was sure she’d either pass out or vomit, possibly both. The only thing that kept her from doing either was the way Chance had looked as she’d turned from him.

  His eyes had gone dark, nearly black, his irises were so dilated with arousal. The fine sheen of perspiration covering the surface of his bald head belied the way he sat casually back in the chair, stroking the reddish brown growth of his moustache. His position might seem casual, but the large bulge straining the front of his pants proved he was far from it.

  Sucking in a deep breath, Lacey opened the curtain far enough to peek out. Chance was ramrod straight and sitting on the edge of his chair in two seconds flat. His eyes met and fixed on hers, boring into her very soul with an intensity that made Lacey shiver deliciously deep inside. His gaze spoke of promise and wickedly erotic retribution for teasing him.

  “Ready, cowboy?” Lacey hoped the surprise she felt at her brazenness and ability to choke out a sultry voice didn’t show.

  Chance unfolded his length and stood before answering. “When it comes to seeing you in any of this stuff, I was born ready, darlin’.”

  He clearly meant every word he spoke. That knowledge gave Lacey the edge that she needed to overcome the majority of her self-consciousness. Her fingers no longer shook. Instead, warmth spread over her like a warm barrier and as she pulled the curtain aside and tried to strike a sexy pose. Chance’s eyes roamed her body, adding to the heat until she was sure she’d go up in flames.

  “Good Lord, darlin’. You take my breath away.”

  Lacey smiled, tilting her head as Chance lowered his. Their lips met and it was as if nothing else mattered.

  “No more, sweetheart. Not unless you want us to be carted off in cuffs for acting indecently in public.” The words were whispered against her neck, the heat of Chance’s breath flowing across the sensitive spot just below her ear as he untangled her hands from around his neck.

  Lacey couldn’t help but smile. Her mind was whirling and it was almost impossible to get lust-induced visions of her and Chance tangled in the sheets of her bed out of her mind.

  “Try another, Lacey, but this time I’ll just stay over here.” Chance moved back toward the chair, sitting once he reached it.

  Feeling her feminine power, Lacey made a bet with herself. “I bet he won’t last through the next set,” she whispered as she rummaged through tiny scraps of lace and froth until she found the perfect combination.

  “Did you say something?”

  Giggling, Lacey answered, “Just talking to myself, Chance. Planning your arousal-induced demise,” she added under her breath as she clasped the demi-cup bra around her waist.

  Twisting the garment, Lacey pulled it up until the half cups covered her breasts, then slipped the lacy straps over her shoulders. The pale yellow cups lifted her breasts as if offering them up for a taste, while the beautiful lace trim barely managed to cover the half moons of her areolas as they peeked over the top.

  She stepped into the thong panties, slipping them over her legs and up her hips and thighs until the back was nestled snugly into the crease of her bottom. The pale yellow and white complimented her pale complexion, making her feel delicate and feminine.

  “Ready or not, here I come.” Lacey dropped her voice, giving it an unusually husky sound as she opened the curtain.

  Chance sat there staring. His hands gripped the chair arms so hard, Lacey was surprised she didn’t hear the sound of wood splintering. When he leaned forward as if to stand, she shook her head.

  “Uh uh, cowboy. You said you’d be staying right there.”

  It took a lot of willpower, Lacey could tell, but he remained seated. A wicked smile curved her lips. There was no stopping it.

  To add fuel to the fire, Lacey ran her hand down her body. She started at the outer curve of a breast and into the dip of her waist before moving forward over the slight swell of her abdomen. Not even her ever-present tummy pooch embarrassed her with Chance’s gaze burning into her.

  “You’re playing with fire, Lacey.” The growled words brought a shiver of delight to her overheated body.

  “Getting a bit warm in here, isn’t it, cowboy?” Lacey’s taunting words sparked something in Chance’s brown eyes. He looked feral, like a predator ready to play with its prey before slowly devouring it.

  “Turn around.” There was no mistaking the command in his voice.

  “You sure you can handle it?”

  Lacey turned and before she was facing away from him, his voice burst forth with a string of curses. “Son of a bitch! I knew you were gorgeous, baby, but this sexy little number is killing me.”

  Lacey looked over her shoulder, expecting to see Chance coming toward her, but he wasn’t. He was still sitting, spine straight, eyes glazed, with a look on his face that would have most women running for the hills.

  He gave a decisive nod of his head as if he’d come to a decision. “Put your clothes on.”

  Now that she hadn’t been expecting. “Chance?”

  “Now, Lacey. Give me the tags to those and put your clothes on over them.”

  She just stood there, staring dumbfounded until he jerked the curtain closed on her. She wasn’t sure what to think and couldn’t seem to get her hands to move to do as Chance had ordered. The lack of movement on her side of the curtain must have alerted him, because in the blink of an eye, the curtain was jerked open and she was flush up against his muscular chest.

  “I need to you to get dressed and I need you to do it now or I’m going to fuck you right here for all to see and damn the consequences.”

  His hands shook as they held her to him. The pressure of his erect shaft against her stomach proved exactly how close he was to losing it.

  “Do you understand?” Chance lifted her chin with a finger, his eyes insistent, intense.

  Lacey couldn’t seem to breathe, much less speak, so she nodded, pulled away, and began removing the tags from the bra and panty set.

  “Goddamn! Hurry up baby, or I’ll have you right here.” Chance snatched the tags from her trembling fingers and stalked from the dressing room like a man on a mission.

  Lacey wasn’t sure being taken in the box-sized dressing room would be all that bad. Her pussy throbbed and spasmed in need, and her new panties were damp and clinging, but she decided not to push her testy cowboy. So she dressed.

  * * * *

  Chance walked to the front of the store where he handed over the tags.

  “Will that be all?” A knowing smile curved the shopkeeper’s thin lips.

  “Yes ma’am.” His mind was on getting Lacey home as quickly as possible, not on polite conversa
tion or knowing smiles.

  He wasn’t at all sure he was going to make it. Paying for their purchase had been hard enough, but waiting while Lacey finished dressing, knowing damned well what she had on under her clothes, was sheer torture and now they were forced to finish the walk back to her place. Not the most comfortable thing to accomplish when a man’s rigid cock reminded him every step of the way what he wasn’t doing.

  When Lacey’s place was in sight, Chance heaved a sigh of relief. Although close, he couldn’t wait a second longer to taste her. He needed a kiss something fierce. Backing Lacey against the tree shading her front yard, he planted his lips over hers.

  Her taste bloomed in his mouth, bright and bold, just like her personality. “I need to be inside you so badly that it may be a month before I let you up.”

  A moan of pleasure met Chance’s ears as he buried his hands in her hair. With a gentle tug, he had her head angled for his pleasure. Their kiss was so consuming that neither of them saw the car approach or heard the doors close.

  It wasn’t until Chance heard the shuffling of feet and the sound of someone clearing their throat that he realized they were no longer alone.

  Seconds later, Lacey made the same discovery. Her cheeks pink from arousal, embarrassment, or a combination of both, she pulled herself from his arms.

  “Oh, there you are Ms. Winslow. I was so afraid you wouldn’t be here.”

  “If I’d have known you’d show up, she wouldn’t be.” Chance grumbled the words beneath his breath, then looked to Lacey for a clue to what was going on. A shrug of her shoulders was his only answer.

  “What can I help you with, Mrs. Garrett?”

  After Lacey walked away to speak with the elderly couple, Chance watched the byplay between them for a few minutes. His erection no longer felt as if it would be the death of him, but anger was rapidly replacing arousal. He wanted some answers and decided to take the most direct route to get them.

  “I need to talk to you,” he said, stalking over to where she stood with her guests.

  Lacey glanced his way briefly before leading the Garretts into her office. Chance watched through the open door as she prepared her table before offering a gown to Mrs. Garrett. By the time she made her way back to him, Chance was ready to explode.

  “No fucking way, Lacey!” Chance knew damned well he was acting like a spoiled five-year old but he could care less.

  Lacey crossed her arms over her chest. “Mrs. Garrett slipped in the kitchen. She isn’t hurt, but she’s afraid she’ll be sore tomorrow as a result.”

  “So send her to the hospital.”

  Lacey cocked an eyebrow in irritation but made no excuses. “You can come back later.” Her words were low and soothing. Chance cursed his luck.

  “I can’t, not tonight. Clay is out of town for the night and we’ve got foals ready to drop. Rick is expecting me to be on the ranch in case any problems arise.”

  Lacey unfolded her arms then moved closer to him. Her warmth and womanly scent sent his senses into overdrive again. When she wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her forehead against his chest, Chance had a hell of a time not carrying her off to the ranch and saying to hell with everything.

  “I’ll pick you up for lunch tomorrow and then we’ll go to my place where we won’t be interrupted.” She was shaking her head in the negative before he finished the sentence making his irritation mount to an all time high.

  “Why the hell not?”

  “I’m having lunch with Bobbie and the baby tomorrow.”

  Chance let loose with a string of curses a country mile long. “Clear your schedule and I’ll pick you up after your lunch. No, don’t say another word,” he insisted when Lacey opened her mouth as if to argue. “If I don’t get to taste you, all of you, I’m going to go fucking nuts.”

  “Sometimes I wonder if you’re already there.” The words were whispered against his lips just before her tongue peeked out to torture him.

  She knew there was little he could do with the Garretts on the other side of the door so she took advantage, something Chance would see she paid for.

  “You’re trouble with a capital T, baby.”

  The sinful smile curving her lips was the only warning Chance had before she slipped her hand between their bodies and cupped the engorged length of his cock. He was helpless to stop the low growl of approval that left his lips.

  Not a man to be one-upped, Chance leaned in low to nip the sensitive flesh of her neck. “You might have the upper hand now darlin’, but tomorrow when you’re facedown over my lap we’ll see who is doing all the smiling.”

  Chance moved from her neck to the sensuous line of her mouth to punctuate his word with a stinging nip to her full lower lip. “I believe your client is waiting.”

  “I’ll umm, see you tomorrow, then.”

  Chance smiled even through the fierce arousal blanketing his body, he couldn’t help himself. “You can bet on it.”

  When Lacey turned from him, he bestowed a swat to her ass, startling a yelp from her. “Had to leave you with a small sample of what’s to come.” After his parting words, Chance walked to his truck and headed home, smiling the whole way.

  Chapter Nine

  Lacey finished cleaning her office with single-minded determination. All day long she fought with herself to keep thoughts of Chance at bay. To keep his parting swat and erotic promise from causing her insides to flutter and her panties to become wet, but it was no use.

  The man was possessive and arrogant as hell, everything she swore she would never again want in a man after being married to the king of losers. There were so many differences between Andy, her ex husband, and Chance but the single blaring difference was trust. Lacey felt deep in her heart that Chance would remain faithful to her as long as they were together. Was knowing that about Chance enough?

  Thoughts of Andy Winslow crossed her mind. It had taken every ounce of her willpower not to send Chance after him yesterday afternoon. She’d spotted the idiot standing across the street from the lingerie store but decided against mentioning it to Chance. Why ruin a perfectly good day when more than likely that was what the asshole was hoping for?

  Lacey shook thoughts of Andy from her mind. He was in her past and would forever remain there. Besides, she had much more to worry about. Important things like losing her heart to a wicked cowboy who thought he could claim her. The disturbing part was, Chance was closer to being the one than he could ever imagine.

  Canceling her afternoon appointments wasn’t the smartest move she’d ever made, but there was no way in hell she was going to not meet with Chance. Come hell or high water, Lacey was bound and determined to take everything he had to offer and give equally in return. As soon as she finished having lunch with Chance’s sister-in-law, Bobbie, and her darling daughter, she would climb into his truck and go to his ranch.

  She no longer had a problem with the sexual side of their relationship. When it came to Chance’s roving hands and devilish lips, she was lost, a burning inferno of tumultuous need. There was no way around their attraction. The sex between them was great. It was the thought of losing her heart once again that disturbed Lacey greatly.

  Pushing the troubling thought aside, Lacey made her way to her room. All that was needed was a quick change of clothes before she could make her way to the diner to meet Bobbie for lunch.

  After donning clean clothes, Lacey left her home and drove to the diner. Bobbie was already seated, a chubby gurgling baby seated in her lap.

  “Goodness gracious she’s a cutie.” Lacey cooed the words to the toothless bundle of joy. To Bobbie she said, “I can’t believe how much she’s grown and how fantastic you look!”

  She meant every word of the compliment. Bobbie’s face glowed with happiness. She seemed so different from the troubled woman Lacey had met only last year.

  “Thanks sweetie. Between Madison here and her daddy, it seems I’m always smiling these days.”

  Lacey wanted to congratulate Bo
bbie on what seemed like a match made in heaven, but the cynical little devil riding her shoulder reminded her that she’d once been married to a man she thought she’d spend the rest of her life with. The memory prompted her to keep her mouth closed and hope for the best where Bobbie and Clay were concerned.

  Smiling, Lacey held her arms out in a silent plea to hold the wiggling bundle.

  “Maddy, Aunt Lacey’s gonna hold you now so no misbehaving.”

  Lacey held stock still, not wanting to admit how much she enjoyed being referred to as the baby’s aunt. To hide the shock still coursing through her body, she gave an unladylike snort. “As if this little angel could ever misbehave.”

  Bobbie stared at her as if she’d lost her mind, then they both burst out laughing. The next hour was spent talking and eating. Lacey was having such a good time she completely lost track of the time.

  Evidently Chance hadn’t. He strode through the front door of the diner looking sexy as hell in his worn jeans and weathered Stetson. The way his snap front chambray shirt hugged every inch of his muscled torso made Lacey’s mouth water. She had to mentally talk herself down from charging into his arms to devour his mouth.

  “Ahh, so that’s how it is,” Bobbie said the words low, for Lacey’s ears only, as Chance made his way across the diner toward them.

  Lacey chose to ignore the softly spoken statement, instead pretending she hadn’t heard. Thankfully Chance’s legs carried him swiftly across the large expanse of the room and Lacey was saved from trying to come up with a coherent answer.

  After greeting them both, Chance started speaking softly to Maddy, who was now seated in her infant carrier, a plump fist shoved in her mouth. The gentle hum of his voice left Lacey breathless. Watching his facial expression as he talked to the baby gave her heart an extra little flutter. The way he allowed her tiny hand to grasp one of his fingers as he cooed softly to her brought visions of Chance taking care of his own children, their children, to mind. The thought knocked the air from her lungs, leaving her edgy and confused.