Keeping their hands joined, he raised them above her head and held them against the mattress. Her back pressed flat on the bed as Trace lowered himself on top of her. His entire body broke out in goose bumps, the connection of skin on skin driving him to distraction.
Stroking the tip of his nose along her jaw, he murmured against her skin. “You pass every damn time.”
“God, I love you.” She exhaled. “I wish my mom could see how happy I am—how happy you make me.”
Stilling, Trace paused his seduction. He didn’t want to move from his current position . . . or his intended one, but a thought occurred to him. It was one that was important to Shae.
Shifting off the bed, Trace held out his hand. “Come.”
“Huh? Where are we going?”
“We’re going to tell your mom.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her up from the bed.
“But she’s—”
“At the cemetery, I know. We should still tell her, though.” He tilted his head. “Are you coming, or am I going alone?”
“Never alone,” she whispered. “Neither of us will be again.”
Trace heard her and agreed with every word.
Epilogue
1 year later . . .
Trace looked around the bustling room, amazed at the amount of people who had come. His sister and Kyran must have invited everyone they knew.
When he and Shae had arrived, D started to introduce them to each of her guests but people morphed into a sea of names. It was daunting at best. He’d called it quits and sat down at a table where Kyran’s brother, Taylor, and his wife, Libby, were sitting. It all seemed like a lot of fuss for a christening. Even if it was a double one.
“Don’t suppose Dale pointed out where my kid was? I’ve been looking for the last fifteen minutes.”
Trace stared at Taylor, trying not to smirk because he still wore his Stetson. “Um, what does he look like?”
Taylor pointed a thumb at his wife. “Like her but with curly hair. His name’s Levi.”
“Um, I think I saw him with a group of girls. They were fussing around the babies.”
Taylor laughed and patted his wife’s knee. “He’s already worked out how to impress women. Proud of him.”
Libby shoved at Taylor’s shoulder. “You’re only proud of him because you’re useless at it.”
“I impressed you, didn’t I?”
Libby scoffed. “I live on a ranch in the middle of nowhere. My choices were minimal.”
Her response had Trace snickering. “She knows just how to deal with you, huh?”
Wrapping his arm over Libby’s shoulder, Taylor winked at Trace. “Ignore her. She couldn’t help but fall at my feet the moment she met me. She just gets embarrassed when she tells people.”
“I’m sure that’s the story,” Trace replied. His conversation halted when he saw Shae approaching with a baby cradled in her arms. The sight had his skin heating and his heart pounding. His woman looked amazing.
“Hey, you,” Shae said, coming to stand in front of him. He reached out, touching her thigh over her long, billowy dress. “Hey, yourself.” He gestured to the sleeping newborn. “Has D got you on babysitting duties already?”
Shae opened her mouth, though her response was cut short by a screeching Ella. She shot past them, giggling as she evaded Levi.
Taylor looked at Libby. “You need to tell your son it should be the women chasing him. He needs to play hard to get.”
Libby shoved him again before leading him away in the direction Levi had disappeared.
“All these people are making my head spin.” Shae took a seat next to Trace. “It’s all a bit frantic for me. Family gatherings were never so . . .”
“Crazy?” Shae nodded. “It’s increased with time. More of us were added to the mix, I guess. You’re good with her.” He stroked the baby’s soft head.
“Him.”
Confused, Trace looked at the baby again.
“This isn’t Dale’s daughter, Gracie. It’s Clara and Jacob’s son, James. I guess that makes this little one her brother-in-law, huh?”
Trace tried to wrap his head around the twisted family tree and failed. “No clue. I’m kinda surprised that D agreed to a double christening with them, to be honest.”
“I think she’s too busy trying to stop Kyran having a heart attack to worry about the small things. He seems rather helpless in dealing with the fact that he has two daughters.”
Trace couldn’t stop the huge grin that spread across his face. Kyran Reese surrounded by estrogen was something that would never grow old. “Hilarious, isn’t it?”
Baby James cooed and snuggled closer to Shae. It ignited something within Trace, something that had burned out long ago. Over the last year, they’d grown to know so much about each other, and as a couple they were stronger than ever before. However, there were aspects of their future that neither of them had discussed and that was due to Trace and his past.
Clearing his throat, he placed his hand near the baby and smiled when he wrapped his tiny fist around Trace’s little finger. “You look good with him, babe.”
Her entire body went still. “I do?”
“Yeah. It suits you. Do you think we could make time for one like this?”
Shae gasped. “M-maybe we should think about other things first, like getting engaged, marriage, or even just where we’d live.”
“We can do all that, too. If you want.” His seduction was lame, and he knew it. This wasn’t how he’d imagined the discussion, but he’d gotten carried away when he’d seen her with the baby.
“I want, Trace, but living above the dance studio isn’t practical. Maybe I shouldn’t have leased out the house.”
Trace kissed her cheek, offering her what comfort he could in the busy room. “One day, you’ll be ready to live in the house again. I know this isn’t the day, so renting it was the best option. Don’t beat yourself up about that. Okay?”
James began to cry as Shae agreed. “I’d better find Clara. I think he’s hungry.”
Trace was about to follow her when his sister walked over, her daughter snuggled to her chest. She took the seat Shae had vacated, making it obvious she intended to talk to her brother.
“You doing okay?” Dale asked.
“Crazy amount of people here, D.”
“I take complete responsibility. I thought it would be so good to have everyone together. And I mean everyone.”
“Taking a risk having all the Reese men in the same space, aren’t you?”
Dale snorted. “Stop being so dramatic. They’re calmer now. Well, sort of. Babies soothe their raging egos.”
“Actually, I think your two babies are giving Kyran indigestion.”
“It was his idea to have another one.” She handed Gracie over to him, cradling her daughter’s head. “How’s Shae doing? I worry that all this family might be too much for her.”
“I think it’s good for her. She’s liking the time with the babies.”
Dale raised a brow, and Trace knew what was coming next. “Really? And you’re not?”
“No, I’m liking it, too. In fact, we had a chat about that.” He took a deep breath. “I think I’m ready, D. Ready with her.”
Dale started to whoop with excitement. Gracie jumped as the sudden noise startled her. Dale calmed her and opted to pat his shoulder instead. “That’s pretty awesome, brother. Are you going to tell Dad? I bet he’d offer to buy you a drink. Not right now, though. Right now he’s having an arm-wrestling contest with Kyran.”
Trace laughed and scanned the room again. “We did all right, didn’t we? Two messed up kids from Barren Island managed to make a decent life in the big city.”
“We really did. I’m happy for you, Trace. Shae is so good for you. And you for her.”
“I remember saying the same about you and Kyran. Eventually. I talked to his brother before. Not what I expected. Nor was his wife.”
“Libby is just who Taylor needs. She kicks his ass
every once in a while.”
Trace thought about them all and grinned. “Just like each of you women do to us.”
“Your sister kicks my ass often.”
Both Dale and Trace looked up to see Kyran looming over them. He reached out, lifting Gracie from Trace’s arms. Kyran placed a kiss on his newborn daughter’s forehead before he nestled her against his chest.
“I thought you were arm wrestling with Dad?” Dale asked.
Taking a seat next to his wife, he kissed her before he replied. “Your dad won. I came here so that you could massage my wounded ego.”
Dale didn’t miss a beat. “That’s what got us daughter number two. Care to risk it a third time?”
“I’d risk it a million times if I get to bury—”
“Hey! No! Stop, please stop.”
Kyran chuckled. “I suppose we should get everyone outside and start the speeches and thanks. Are you ready?”
Dale stood up and held her hand out to Trace. “Are you coming with me? I bet Shae is still cooing around James.”
“I think it’s going to be tough getting her away from here today.”
“Then you’d better get started with the whole trying thing.”
He saw Kyran’s frown but his brother-in-law didn’t ask any further questions. They walked together into the large garden at the back of the house, and Trace spotted Shae right away. She waved at him, tilting her head in a way she did when she asked if he was okay. Reading her body language, he offered her a quick nod and watched the way her hips swayed as she came over to him.
“You’re looking very pleased with yourself, Mr. Jacks. What have you been up to?”
“Nothing, babe. I was just thinking about how amazing it will be making our baby with you.”
“You’re such a charmer. Do you want to go and tell that to my mom, too?”
Trace hugged her tight, utterly content for the first time in a long time. He looked around the garden, seeing Libby with Taylor and his sister with Kyran. They all felt it, too. They had the same balance. The reluctance they’d experienced had been for nothing. Eventually, each of them had fallen head over heels.
Each of them had found their balance, and life was pretty fucking awesome.
The End
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About the Author
M. A. Stacie is never without a book or her eReader. A voracious reader, with a love of sexy, yet angst ridden novels, she adores getting lost in new worlds. Her need to write did not grip her until after her second son was born, when her previous rambles became fully fledged stories.
She describes herself as one huge contradiction, and though not the most conventional of hobbies, she counts getting new tattoos as one of hers. Running keeps her sane, along with knitting and listening to loud music.
M. A. Stacie lives in the UK with her husband and three sons.
Acknowledgments
An author always needs a good team behind her. Jan, Lauren, and Maylin are my team.
My words wouldn’t be half as legible without the three of them. I can’t praise them or give enough thanks for the time they spend on my work.
They’re amazing.
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M.A. Stacie, Beyond the Seduction
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