Once and Again - By Lauren Dane Page 0,59

to join her, leaning across the seat to get close enough to kiss her. “You’re the only floozie I want.”

True to his word, he took her to dinner, doting on her, laughing, kissing her fingertips and letting everyone know they were an item.

Out on the dance floor at the Tonk he pulled her close, swaying. She put her head over his heart, reassured by the beat there. “Doesn’t matter who knows. You understand that, right?”

“I do, but for my own reasons. What are yours?”

She looked up into his face. “I love you either way. Doesn’t matter who knows it as long as you do.”

He grinned and swooped in for a sound kiss. “You do?”

She nodded.

And that’s when he dropped to one knee and held up a ring box. “Then make me the happiest man on earth and marry me.”

She froze. Her eyes widening. “Nuh uh! Really? Jeez, Nathan! We’ve hardly been dating.”

A crowd had circled them and a few chuckles sounded.

“Really. And hardly been dating? I’ve loved you for going on a decade. That’s not rushing. I know you, Lily Travis.”

That got some awwws.

“I want babies. With you. I want a life. With you. I want you at my side forever. Let me be your man. Tell me you trust me with your heart and our babies.”

“I guess so. I mean, I get to have the sex and you living under the same roof so you’ll carry heavy stuff and fix gutters and things like that. It’s really a good deal.”

“I think I’m flattered.” He slid the engagement ring on, and the entire room hooted and hollered, celebrating along with them.

Beth stood up at the edge of the dance floor. “To second chances and friends!”

Nathan dipped her. “To love.”

“I’ll drink to that.” He pulled her to stand and led her back toward the table where her friends and family sat.

Her future looked bumpy at times. But oh so very bright.

From friends to lovers, to friends to lovers again. Second chances and reunions all in one. Nathan Murphy was her past and her future, and she couldn’t wait to see what tomorrow would bring.

About the Author

To learn more about Lauren Dane, please visit www.laurendane.com. Send an email to Lauren at [email protected] or stop by her message board to join in the fun with other readers as well. www.laurendane.com/messageboard

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Chase Brothers

Giving Chase

Taking Chase

Chased

Making Chase

Cascadia Wolves

Wolf Unbound

Standoff

Fated

Trinity

de La Vega Cats

Revelation

Reading Between the Lines

Holiday Seduction

To Do List

Sweet Charity

Always

Matt is an expert and the Chase is on. Tate doesn’t stand a chance.

Making Chase

© 2007 Lauren Dane

Tate Murphy is a girl from the wrong side of the tracks. She grew up a million miles away from the easy life Matt Chase has had. She’s spent her life pulling herself and her siblings up and out of that trailer by the railroad tracks, and she hasn’t looked back. Matt Chase is a dream of a guy, and she’s certainly not going to turn down a short fling with one of the most handsome men she’s ever seen!

Matt Chase has watched each one of his brothers find love and he knows he’s ready for that too. It’s all a matter of finding the woman who captures his heart. He’s certainly sampled his fair share of them, but none has moved him the way Tate Murphy does when he goes to her shop to thank her for some cookies and a thank-you note.

But as Matt gets to know Tate and appreciate her strength and unique beauty, he also realizes she’s got some big self-esteem issues about her past. To build a future, he’s got to find a way past some big roadblocks.

Warning: this title contains the following: explicit sex, graphic language, some violence.

Enjoy the following excerpt for Making Chase:

He plopped down onto her couch and she stopped, looking at him, surprised. “What?”

“Yeah, not so good with the woo am I? I’d love for you to come here and sit with me.”

Tate didn’t know quite what to do. Matt Chase flustered the hell out of her. A sense of unreality settled into her. The guy, the donut of her dreams sat on her couch and wanted to kiss her? Did she hear him right?

“Tate? Did I say something to upset you? I want more than a kiss.” He stopped and shook his head. “What I mean is I want to take you out too. This isn’t just some fun way to spend my Sunday. Although, I’m certainly enjoying being with you. God, I’m usually