Page 84 of Things Good Girls Don't Do (Rock Canyon, Idaho 1)

Chase’s feet ate up the distance between them, and he reached out to cup her cheeks in his hands. “Just one more thing,” he said, leaning down to kiss her softly. She would have deepened the kiss, but he pulled back too soon. “I love you, Katie. I have never said that to another woman, but I couldn’t help myself. You are irresistible, beautiful, and keep me on my toes. You make me want to be a better man, and I need you. You are my first, last, and only love, and I never want to be without you again.”

Katie laughed and threw her arms around him, kissing him with all the love in her heart.

When he broke the kiss, Chase said, “Well, don’t you have something you want to say to me?”

With a wicked smile, she said, “Hey baby, do you wanna do this thing?”

Swinging her up into his arms with a loud laugh, he said, “Yes. Let’s do this thing.”

Epilogue

* * *

One year, seven months, and eighteen days later

CHASE SAT IN the big oak rocking chair, humming out loud to the tiny pink bundle he held in his arms. He rocked his nine-week old daughter, Lorie Quinn Trepasso, slowly as he sang, “You Are My Sunshine.”

Lorie’s sweet blue eyes opened briefly and she made a soft noise. Chase couldn’t get enough of his baby girl and snuck into her room to ogle her as much as he could. She was perfect.

“You know, everyone says that’s how babies get spoiled.”

Chase turned to smile sheepishly at his wife, who stood in the doorway with her lips pursed and her arms crossed. “That’s an old wives’ tale. Besides, I heard her fussing, and I thought I’d let you sleep.”

Katie uncrossed her arms with a smile and padded over to give him a soft, lingering kiss. “I have such a thoughtful husband.”

Chase stood up with Lorie in his arms and said, “Yes you do.”

She laughed and kissed their daughter’s forehead. Katie had been the one to suggest they name her for both their mothers, and he had been thrilled with the idea. He laid Lorie down in her crib and her eyes stayed closed as they snuck out. Chase wrapped his arms around Katie’s waist as they tread quietly back to their room.

Katie had sold her little house and moved in with him four months after their reconciliation and two months later they had been married in her church. Chase still grumbled about going to services every Sunday, but he did it for Katie. Because he loved her.

He ran his lips down her neck and teased, “Wanna play around a bit?” He laughed when she yawned and answered his own question, “Guess that’s a no.”

She turned around and said, “I’m sorry, I’m just so tired. Today I almost forgot to pay for milk at the store, I was so out of it.”

“Well, then, you would have been able to cross off another item from your list,” he teased.

She leaned her head back to look at him with pursed lips. “The list has been over for a long time, sweetie.”

“Of course, but only because you stole something already,” Chase said.

“What was that?”

He moved away from her. Dramatically, he held his hands against his chest. “My heart.”

“Ugh, gag me. Cornballs.” Opening her mouth wide, she stuck her finger inside to emphasize.

He dropped his hands and said, “Geez, you used to think I was romantic.”

“That was before I went through twenty-two hours of labor and started getting only five hours of sleep a night,” Katie said.

“Okay. Okay, let’s just cuddle.”

Giggling, Katie pointed to their bed, and Chase saw Slinks curled up on his side. Reaching out to move the devil cat, Chase chuckled as Slink’s lifted his head and gave a very whiny meow.

“No way, dude. I told you, you start hocking hairballs and you can’t sleep in here.” He scooped him up, and the cat cuddled against him, purring loudly. About the time Katie was seven months pregnant and cranky as hell, Slinks had started warming up to Chase, rubbing against him and purring. Maybe it had to do with him scooping the litter box, but Chase had welcomed the cat’s affection. Anything to stop the constant ruination of his clothes.

He put Slinks outside the door and the cat glared at him before swishing down the hall with his tail in the air.

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