35. Cassidy

5 weeks later

The cabin air's warm and carries a faint smell of cedar. An entire hour in my leatherworking space felt like a vacation, even though I didn't get much work done with my mind constantly wandering to thoughts of how Chase was coping. He insisted they'd be fine—that Hazel would likely sleep the whole time I was gone—and it would appear he was right. He's reclined on the couch watching TV, feet resting on the coffee table, holding her tiny body against his bare chest. Her legs curled up under her diaper-clad bum, tiny fist tucked in next to a chubby cheek, wispy red hair stood on end.

Something about the sight of them together always plucks at my heartstrings. I seriously doubt I'll ever get tired of watching Chase hold our baby. While I thought seeing him as an uncle was hot, watching him fall madly in love with our baby girl has made me even more attracted to him than I thought possible. But there are certain moments when the six-week postpartum date cannot come soon enough. Like now, when they're having skin-to-skin bonding time, or when he bounces her to sleep while shushing softly, or when he wears her in a baby wrap while he cooks dinner.

I'm ruined.

I sink down into the worn couch next to him with a contented exhale.

"So, how did it go?"

"I spent most of the time worrying about you two, but that'll probably get better, right? I have to say, it was really nice to see something other than these four walls for a change." I tuck my feet under me and peer over at her fluttering eyelashes. "I came back because I'm guessing she'll wake up any second, based on how sore my boobs are."

On cue, she whimpers, lolling her head across his skin. Just before she starts to really wind up, I pluck her from his chest, bringing her to mine. All the worries about not bonding with her seem silly in hindsight. I loved her before she was even born, but reaching down to grab her as she entered this world filled me with an entirely indescribable feeling. Like we share a soul, she and I. I'm not concerned about whether I'll follow in my mom's footsteps—not anymore. And I can't speak for Chase, but I don't think he's scared of becoming his dad.

Looking at our perfect baby girl, it's impossible to imagine how anybody could hurt their child. Hazel has two parents who would do anything for her. Two parents who are so in love time stops when we kiss and shooting stars whizz past when I look into her daddy's eyes.

"You're incredible." Chase leans in so the side of his head is touching mine. These days we spend the majority of our time exactly like this, watching in awe as our perfect daughter simply exists. It doesn't matter if she's eating, sleeping, pooping, or doing all three at once. We're obsessed.

My phone vibrates, and Chase reaches to grab it from the coffee table. "It's Blair. Um, apparently she was volunteering at the rodeo today and Denny got knocked out. So they're heading to the hospital."

"Shit. Is he okay? Do you need to go?"

"Um, hold on. I'll ask." His fingers are already tapping out a reply as he speaks.

"Also…" I give him a mischievous look. "Denny and Blair are together right now? For the first time in over a decade? Can we talk about that?"

"You're such a shit disturber." He nudges me with his shoulder. "Denny's awake and they're going to run some tests at the hospital. So I'm good to stay here with my girls."

"You know you make my heart melt every time you call us your girls."

He kisses me, then leans down and softly plants a kiss on her head, taking a second to savour her sweet baby smell. "You're my two girls, my world, my entire reason."

4 months later

Lounging by the riverbank, I dip my toes into the cold stream while nursing Hazel under a beach umbrella. Aside from my leatherworking space, where I've been spending hours each week in preparation for my online store launch next month, this is my favourite place to be. Everyone on the ranch takes advantage of this small slice of heaven every chance we get. Which hasn't been terribly often, thanks to the unbearably hot summer so far, with raging forest fires and plenty of days when the skies are too smoky to safely sit outside with an infant.

Cecily's lounged back between Austin's legs, nose buried in a book. Kate and the kids are stacking rocks downstream. A little further down, some of the ranch hands are splashing and acting like teenage boys while chugging back beer. And Blair's lying on her stomach on a towel next to me—her sunglasses so dark I can't tell if she's simply zoned out or asleep—either way, she's been perfectly still for at least twenty minutes.

Looking down, Hazel's fast asleep in my arms. Taking my chances that Blair's awake, I say, "Can you watch her while I go see what's taking Chase so long?"

"Mmmm. What?" She tilts her head, shielding the sun with a flat palm, then realizes what I was asking. "Oh, yeah. Yes. Give me my niece." She sits up in a hurry and drags the umbrella toward her, then scoops up my daughter and eases her into her arms with a calming shush.

"Thanks. I'll be right back." I stand and brush the sand from my legs before slipping on my sandals and heading up the hilly path toward the ranch.

I'm taken aback by Chase carrying a loaded cooler down the dirt path. Bulging veins weave an intricate pathway up both arms, from his large, work-hardened hands to his massive biceps. His chest is taut, gleaming with a light sheen of sweat. And the smile he shoots me nearly brings me to my knees.

God. It's cruel how attractive he is.

"Hey, you," he says.

I respond by grabbing the back of his neck and kissing him. Exploring his warm mouth with my tongue, biting his bottom lip to pull him further into me. We don't break the kiss as he bends over, clunking the heavy plastic cooler on the ground. Then his hands are free to touch me. To run down my waist, slip under the summer dress I'm wearing and grab my ass. He toys with the strings of my bathing suit, running a finger over my hip bone.

"Hey, Daddy." I smirk against his lips.

"God, Cass. You know what that fucking does to me." His hips roll, pressing his quickly hardening bulge against me. I know exactly what it does to him.

"Auntie Blair has the baby."

"Yeah?" His fingertips press harder into my ass. "Should we go home for a minute?"

"Better idea." I lick my lips. This is the moment I've wanted. "How fast can you run, Daddy?"

I don't wait for his answer before taking off up the path then veering left onto a trail that runs further down the creek. Even with a head start, he's catching up quickly. Admittedly, I wasn't a runner before. But five-months postpartum, I'm not exactly in the best shape of my life.

His fingers graze my back, and I squeal, not wanting to be caught and also desperately wanting to be caught. Then they snag on my dress, and I'm brought to a screeching halt. His free hand latches onto my arm, tugging me into him.

"Why you running, sweetheart?" Out of breath, he smashes his lips to mine.

I huff, holding a palm to my burning chest. "Wanted… to see… if you'd chase me."

"Of course I'd chase you. Always have. Always will." His heavy body presses me into a tree, the rough bark scratching my back as he kisses me deeply. Calloused hands glide under my dress, his finger hooking on my bikini string. His hand runs across my lower stomach, inching closer to where I'm throbbing—where I'm aching to feel his touch. We haven't had much opportunity for this since Hazel was born, and it shows in how wet I already am. How hard his cock is against my stomach.

"Touch me," I whimper. "Please."

"Right here in the open? Broad daylight? You're something else, Cass."

"Guess you were right." I get close enough that my lips brush his ear. "I'm a total fucking slut for you. What are you gonna do about it?"

He blows air from his nose and digs his fingers into my fleshy hips. "You keep talking like that, and I'm going to fuck you up against this tree, then send you back down to hang out with our friends with my cum leaking out of you. That's what you want, isn't it?"

"Yes. God, yes." I grab his hand, pulling it between my legs. Discovering my soaked bikini bottoms, a low rumble resounds in his chest, and I'm pinned between his hot, half-naked body and the tree. Every fantasy I've ever had come to life.

"Have you been swimming, or is this all for me?" he asks with a teasing smile.

"That's such a pervy dad comment."

"You love it." A calloused finger skims across my skin before slowly sinking inside me. "Fuck, you're my everything. How did I get so lucky?"

I muffle a moan with a clenched fist held between my teeth, biting into my knuckles as he slips in a second finger, then third. His mouth explores every inch of me with ferocity, as if we're on borrowed time and he may never get another chance to have his lips on me. When his hand retreats from under my dress, we fumble together to get his shorts off. And, for a split second, our eyes meet and a spark of fear flashes in his eyes. Or, perhaps, he's simply mirroring the way I feel.

"Are you sure about this?" The flip of a switch, he becomes the caring, concerned man I love. "If you still aren't comfortable, I get it."

"I started the pill specifically so we didn't need to use condoms forever. At some point we need to trust it'll do its job, right?"

He cocks an eyebrow with a grin before steeling his face again. "Spread your fucking legs like a good little slut. And be quiet, unless you want everybody to know you have a thing for being fucked where anyone could catch us."

Plucking at the bikini string, he exposes me in one move. Clutching the pink scrap of fabric, he wraps his hand around my neck, pinning me and tangling my hair in the tree bark. And when his cock drives into me, I moan despite the pressure from his fingertips.

"So you do want somebody to catch us?" he asks between kisses along my jaw, pumping in and out. My dress bunches up, my bare ass dragging across the tree with every jarring thrust.

"No," I whimper. "I just… can't be quiet."

Chase tucks his tongue in his cheek. "Open up, sweetheart."

I do as he tells me, letting my jaw go slack. And, for a second I'm entirely disgusted, but the look on his face as he gently tucks my bathing suit bottoms between my lips is all it takes to convince me this is the hottest thing in the world. My leg wraps around his hips, my heel spurring him. Over and over. Forcing him deep. Deeper. Until every last goddamn inch of his thick cock is filling me to the hilt. I groan around the soft fabric in my mouth, letting him tear me apart and put me back together—his cock and fingers working to set off a tsunami inside me. If it weren't for his hand on my throat, I'd be falling to the ground. My knees are weak, muscles liquified, and I can't see straight.

"Breathe, Cass. Through your nose. Keep coming for me. You look so fucking gorgeous right now. Your cum's dripping down me, baby." He thrusts harder. Faster. The grip on my neck is tight, and the skin along my spine stings with every pump, the rough bark scraping and rubbing me raw. He's so close, I can feel it in the tremble of his hand. See it in the delirious look in his eyes.

As he starts to fall apart inside of me, I yank the bathing suit from my mouth and cram it into his, stifling his roaring moan. Stoking the fire in his eyes as he comes entirely undone.

That. That was worth the risk of skipping a condom.

With a smirk, I pull the fabric from his lips and kiss him, feeling his fingers swipe against my skin before easing into my pussy. My eyes flutter shut and I bite my lip to stifle another moan. I know what he's doing. We both know it's not going to lead to a pregnancy—at least, it better damn well not. But he loves ensuring every last drop stays inside me, and something about Chase marking his territory like this has me wanting to jump him again. I pull him in for a final slow kiss as his hand retreats.

I fight to catch my breath as he bends down to slip my bathing suit back on, pressing a soft kiss to my sensitive skin.

"I don't know if I can walk back. I think you broke me."

"Hop on my back."

I give him a look of disbelief. This man refuses to believe anything negative I have to say about my size. I love that there's no pressure to lose all the baby weight, or to be anything other than myself with him. But that doesn't mean he can carry me down a winding, uneven dirt path.

"Cassidy, let me piggyback you. Or I'll be forced to pick you up against your will and practice the best way to carry you across the threshold for when we get married one day."

"When we get married, hey? Bold statement."

"Oh, it's happening. I need to get a ring on that finger before I knock you up again, or I think your dad really will kill me next time."

Reluctantly, I accept the piggyback and all eyes are on us when we turn back up at the riverbank. I sink back onto the blanket next to Blair, and she shakes her head with a knowing smile.

"Hey, Cass." She leans back in her seat, and I feel her delicately stroke my exposed shoulders. "You're gonna want to get Red to slather some Polysporin on your back later. Looks like you had a tangle with a feral cat."

"We could also talk about what it looks like you've been doing." I point at the poorly concealed hickies on her boobs, and she slaps my hand away with a laugh.

Chase settles in next to me, picking up Hazel from her bounce seat and tucking her against him. His left hand falls to my thigh, and I trace an imaginary line back and forth across his ring finger—cementing a promise I know he understands.