He’d fucked her unconscious. Or smothered her.

Chase swallowed the grit in his throat and tentatively lifted his head. Summer sprawled beneath him, legs asunder, arms spread wide. Her hair a dark, silky tangle over her pillow. The sight made his dick twitch, which led to him giving said dick a stern internal talking to. Not appropriate. He hadn’t even pulled out yet, which wasn’t the brightest move considering he had the condom to deal with. He hoped she was on the pill. And that she wasn’t dead.

Being brought up on sexual homicide charges wouldn’t do his fledgling bodyguard business any favors.

“Summer?” He caressed her arm. “Baby, you okay?”

It took a minute, but when she replied, it came out closer to a purr. “Oh hell yes, I’m fine.”

He tipped back his head and laughed, so long and hard that his sides cramped. When he’d gotten his breath back, he made sure the condom was secure and slid out of her, savoring her noise of displeasure. She wasn’t the only one who wasn’t pleased they had to separate. He would’ve stayed there forever if he could.

“You could make me really happy by telling me you’re on the pill.”

She raised her head and blew her hair out of her face. “Why? Did we spring a leak?”

Chuckling, he rolled out of bed. “No. Not that I’m aware of.”

“Sorry to disappoint you, but no, I’m not on it. I’ve always used condoms.” She rolled over and warily eyed his protective grip on his cock. “Something happened. You’re afraid you knocked me up.”

“No. Everything’s fine. Jesus, suspicious much?” He really needed to get to the bathroom. “It would be easier without. And better. Way better.”

“How do you know?” She sat up and pulled her knees to her chest. “You haven’t been having unprotected sex, have you?”

“Of course not.” He glanced longingly at the closed door a few feet away. “Look, never mind I said anything—”

“But you did say something. You must have had a reason to. If you believe there’s a chance I could get pregnant, I’ll go down to the store.”

“For what? A giant removal tool?” He’d said it to make her laugh, but she didn’t seem to be enjoying his humor at the moment.

In fact, she looked damn close to crying.

“No, for the morning-after pill. So we don’t take any chances.” She swung her legs over the side of the bed. “They’ll take care of the problem.”

“Excuse me?” He faced her across the bed, sticky condom and all. “That’s how you think of it? As a problem to solve with a pill?”

He wasn’t overly religious or into politics. In theory, a woman could choose whatever she wanted do with her own body. Apparently that theory changed when they were talking about a tiny swimmer of a kid he didn’t even have.

“How else am I supposed to view it? I’m about to go on tour. For the first time in my life, I have the chance to get exactly what I want and I won’t let anything stop me.”

Though he didn’t move, some part of him closed down and shut off. He’d come over there ready to promise her the world, to fight for them, and now it sounded like there wasn’t much to fight for. Their supposed pregnancy problem didn’t even exist, but maybe they weren’t on the same page at all.

“Glad you clarified things,” he said coolly, moving around the bed and opening the bathroom door. “I’ll take care of this and get out of your way.”

“Chase, wait. Let’s talk.”

He slammed the door shut behind him.

Summer was still staring at the closed door when her cell rang. She stared at it, vibrating its way across her nightstand.

Crawling over the bed, she snatched her phone and looked at the readout. Cass. Great. “Hello?”

“You’re not supposed to drive and talk. It’s against the law. You shouldn’t have answered.”

“Then why did you call me?”

“I was going to leave a voicemail. You—Summer, what’s wrong?”

Summer sniffled and rubbed her wrist under her dripping nose. “Nothing. I’m fine. Thank you for calling. We’ll talk later.”

“Like hell we will.” The momentary shock that her normally equally swear-resistant best friend had cursed turned into more tears as Cass murmured, “What happened, sweetie?”

“I hate your brother. He doesn’t understand anything. Oh God, I think I hurt his feelings, and I didn’t mean to. Of course I wouldn’t mind if he knocked me up. Okay, I probably would, because the timing royally sucks, but it’s not like he thinks. I love him.” She cried harder and pressed her face into her updrawn knees. “I love him, Cass. It hurts so much. Why does it hurt?”

“Are you knocked up? Oh my God, I’m going to kill him. Let me talk to my brother. I’ll put the hurting on him.”

“No, no. No one’s knocked up, I promise.” She let out a loud snuffle. “Just stupidly in love.”

The silence that fell over the line didn’t stand a chance against the buzz that invaded her head when she glanced over her shoulder and glimpsed Chase standing in the doorway. Fully one hundred percent naked and two hundred percent pissed.

“Get off the phone.”

Summer gripped it tighter. “No. This is a private phone call.”

“It stopped being private when you mentioned me. Hang up, Summer.”

“Is that Chase?” Cass demanded.

“Yes,” she muttered, shaking her head at Chase as he advanced. “I mean no. I’m not done yet. You said you were leaving—”

“I lied.” He plucked the phone out of her hand and pivoted away. “Cass, she’ll call you back. No, she hasn’t left yet. No, I wouldn’t let her drive and talk on the phone. She’s naked and tied up right now. Chat later.”

After he depressed the end button, he tossed her cell on the mattress, so hard that it bounced off the bed. Proof positive it was never wise to get a pitcher mad. “Talk to me.”

She backed up until her butt hit the pillows stacked behind her. “I don’t have anything to say.”

“You’re lying. You had plenty to say to Cass.” He leaned forward and snagged her ankle, dragging her right back. Tense fingers gripped her chin. “You told her how you feel. Tell me now.”

Even shutting her eyes couldn’t force him out of her head. Nothing would. “So I said I love you. So what? It doesn’t mean anything if you don’t feel the same. It doesn’t matter.”

“Oh, baby, you are so wrong.” He drew her up on her knees and her wet eyes blinked open and focused on his. The anger had left his expression as quickly as it had come. “Why do you think I came here today?”

“To…to say goodbye.” God, not more tears. Hadn’t she used up enough already?

“Not even close.” He smudged his thumb under her eye. “And why do you think I said you were mine?”

“Egotism? Thinking with your cock?”

His smile made her hunch her shoulders in case any tears of relief tried to sneak through. Next she’d be dissolve into sex-tears, which would be even worse. “No. Well, maybe a little. But the main reason is that I love you too.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Yes, I do,” he said, smiling indulgently. He probably thought she was nuts.

Maybe she was.

She batted away his restraining hands and climbed off the bed, needing to move. To pace off the energy and nerves fighting for dominance inside her. “No, you don’t. If you loved me, you wouldn’t have foisted me on Jax. You would’ve let me come to your doctor’s appointment. You wouldn’t have allowed me to cry on your shoulder in my sleep and pushed me away when I wanted to be there for you.”

“I was wrong. I made mistakes. Give me a chance to get it right.”

His voice scarcely intruded into her thoughts. She couldn’t stop now. “And when I told you I was leaving, that I was finally going to live my dream, you wouldn’t have said ‘good luck’ and walked away from me. You would’ve said you were coming too, or that you’d join me later, that we could try to make it work. Because that’s what you do for someone you love.” Crying openly, she turned to face him. “I’ve never had that, but God, I want it. I’d do it for you. If you would have told me you were going to schedule surgery, I would’ve put Frank off. But you didn’t. You told me after. That’s not good enough. It will kill me to walk away from you, but I have to, Chase.”

He stared at her for a long moment, then came around the bed and gripped her hands. “Try to do it,” he said fiercely. “Try to walk out that door and see how far you get.”

“See? That’s what I mean. First you want to knock me up—or whatever the hell your problem was before—and now you want to kidnap me. Chains aren’t love. Love’s about being free to make the choice to be together. You can’t command me to stay here. To choose you over my music.” She rubbed her damp cheek against her shoulder, smearing her tears over her skin. “I chose my mom all those years, and when she needed to go, she went. If you asked me to stay here with you, I would. And then I’ll be left again when you move on. Please don’t ask me to lose my chance.”

“I’m not.” He brushed his lips over her forehead. “I wouldn’t. I’m asking you to let me live your dream with you. To share it. That’s all.”

She tried to speak and found she couldn’t do much more than gasp. “What?”

He let go of her hands and walked over to his jeans, picking them up off the floor. Fumbling in the back pocket, he dug out a folded, worn piece of paper. Smoothing it against his chest, he came back to her and held it out. She took it with shaking fingers and shot him a quizzical glance. “My Palladio show poster?”

“I ripped it down to put it on my refrigerator, not throw it out. And if you think you can keep that one, you’re wrong. It’s mine.” He snatched it back and gave her a grin. “I plan on collecting them from every show you have, greedy bastard that I am. But, you know, that means I need to be there.” He stepped closer and locked his hands around her waist. “I don’t want to knock you up to prevent you from living your dream. Let’s be serious. You know me. I’d warp a child. I’d forget to make him a snack for school or worse I’d send him in with something totally lame and his classmates would all laugh at him. Then he’d need years of therapy and it would be all my fault.”

“That’s not true. You’d be a good father.” She gave in to the urge to chew on her ragged thumbnail. She’d work on her bad habits tomorrow. “Eventually. It might take some work. I like projects.”

He laughed and pulled her close. “Let’s go see the world, baby.”

She was afraid to believe it. How could something she’d never dared dream actually be materializing before her eyes? “You’re serious. This isn’t some elaborate joke.”

“I’m completely serious. I’m not saying you’re getting some big prize, considering right now I’m a recovering alcoholic, busted-up ex-ball player and current half-assed bodyguard, but I’m yours.” He swiveled his hips against hers and heat flared to life in his sexy eyes. “Maybe with some of that work you mentioned, I might even be presentable someday. I’m finally handling the injury and I’m going to AA meetings again—” He sighed. “Okay, I skipped one this week, but overall, I’m getting there.”

“It’s a great start.” She had to grin at his sulky expression. God, he’d kill her if she told him he was adorable when he pouted. “You’re perfect as you are. Absolutely perfect. I love everything about you.”

“That’s overstating things a bit, but okay. I’ll concede to your assessment.” Grinning, he lowered his mouth to hers, only to have her nudge him back.

“And if you decide you want to get back into ball, I’ll be there for you every step of the way. We’ll figure it out somehow. We’ll make it work.” Then she frowned, reality crowding out the excitement already bubbling under her skin. “Wait. Your surgery. You can’t go.”

“Yes, I can. I’m going to follow you in my SUV. The day before my surgery, I’ll drive back and get it taken care of. Then once I’m fit for consumption, I’ll meet up with you wherever you are. There will be times, especially in the beginning, that I’ll need to stay in the city for rehab. But once I’m cleared, I’ll figure out a way to do PT on the road. Dr. Jensen’s the best and he says it’s doable. In the meantime, Jax can fill in for your security.” He swallowed. “Assuming you still want security. If you don’t, I’ll just go as your boyfriend.”

“Just my boyfriend?”

He grimaced. “That term sucks once someone’s past fifteen. All right, I’m up for suggestions. What do you prefer? Anything but beau, because that sounds weird—”

Scaling him like she’d once vaulted up the ropes in gym, she launched herself into his arms and knocked him back on the bed. Laughing, he held on to her as they bounced on the mattress and nearly fell on the floor, finally managing to right themselves. She slanted her mouth over his and kissed him with every bit of the joy coursing through her veins, wondering if they had time for another quickie before she—they—had to get on the road.

“Ah, screw it,” she decided, taking him in hand and parting her thighs.

“Uh uh.” He tapped her nose. “Need a condom, remember?”

“Spoilsport.” Grinning slyly, she gave him a long, slow stroke. “Guess I’ll be looking into those birth control pills, since we’re going to be a long-term thing and all.”

He nodded soberly. “Extremely long-term.”

“And since you’re my bodyguard, I know you’re all about being safe.” She squeezed him and leaned forward to nuzzle his jaw. “I love you, Chase.”

Wrapping his arms around her, he rolled them until she was beneath him. Surrounded. Loved. Finally. “I love you too. I’m so honored you’re going to share your dream with me.” He swallowed hard. “And someday, if you’re comfortable, you can share the ones at night with me too.”

Her heart started to race, which made no sense at all. “Oh. Those.”

“Yes. Those.” He lowered his forehead to hers. “Jax told me what happened with your dad. I’m so sorry. And I can promise you, you won’t ever wake up alone again.” As her eyes filled yet again, he screwed up his mouth. “I mean, unless you want to. Jesus, this not insisting thing is really hard.”

She laughed and fisted his silky hair. “I appreciate the effort. Speaking of efforts I would appreciate right now…” She waggled her eyebrows and glanced toward his jeans. “Want to suit up so we can get this show on the road?”

“I do like a commanding woman.” Flexing his deliciously muscled back—and dang, that deuce card tattoo on his shoulder blade was hot—he leaned over to grab his jeans.

If she smiled any wider, she’d crack her cheeks. God, she’d never been this happy. Never believed she could be. It scared her to think about the bends and valleys in the road ahead, but knowing he would take those curves with her made all the difference. “So I’ve heard, Dixon.”

When her cell rang, she pushed him aside and he almost fell off the mattress, making her laugh as she tried to help him hang on. “Damn, woman, kill a dude while he’s in a vulnerable state.”

“Sorry. I know that’s Cass and she’s probably freaking out.”

Chase emerged condom in hand and rolled back on the bed. “When isn’t she? She knows damn well she shouldn’t be getting herself worked up, but she does it all the time.”

Summer shoved her thumb under her thigh before she could drag it to her mouth. She’d have plenty of time to gnaw on her nail and worry about her best friend’s health later. Cass was fine. She knew how to manage her situation, and besides, Jax would be sticking in town while she and Chase were on the road. He would make sure Cass took care of herself.

She hoped.

“Yeah, but this isn’t her fault.” She glanced in the direction of her still ringing phone. “You told her I was tied up—”

“Huh. I did do that, didn’t I?” Grinning, Chase reached for her. “Want me to tie you up for real so it’s not a lie?”

Laughing, she pulled on his hair as her cell fell silent. Praise be. “Tell me why I love you again?”

“My first guess is my stunning good looks and magnificent sexual prowess.”

“Can’t argue with either of those.”

“And that I love you more than anyone else ever will.”

“While I love you right back.” She wiggled beneath him, urging him to hurry up. Would it always be like this between them? So frantic? God, she hoped so. “Good reasons, all of them. But you forgot your sharp mind, quick wit, caring heart and buff muscles.”

The phone started to ring again, Chase’s this time. They both groaned, though it took Summer a minute to recognize the ringtone—the theme from Jaws. “Nice ringtone for your sister, Chase.” A laugh escaped. “Really nice.”

“You should hear yours.” Waggling his eyebrows, he stretched his leg over the side of the mattress, ostensibly to kick his cell under the bed. Where it continued to ring ominously while Summer laughed and he ranged his long, sexy body over hers. “Now where were we? Oh yes, my attributes. You didn’t mention my remarkable penis.”

“It goes without saying.”

“It does. And it’s about to go right now.”

As he slid inside her, she gazed up into his eyes. There, she saw everything she’d ever needed. “Now my dream’s really come true.”