“Tell me.”
“My fiancé unzipping this dress.”
Chase downed his beer and was the first to scoot his chair back. “Thanks for celebrating with us, everybody. We’re taking off to celebrate alone at the ranch.”
“Chase!” Jade laughed and blushed.
Chase grinned, and everyone laughed along with them, congratulating them again. Shaking hands with Derek and Richard, Chase nodded at Kendra and Barry across the table. Then, taking hold of Jade’s hand, he led the way out, with Cash and Chloe following. Derek left with them as well, and at the door, Chase heard the detective’s voice.
“Maybe I’ll see you at the wedding, Chloe,” Derek said.
“Maybe I’ll save you a dance, Derek,” Chloe replied.
Walking to the Corvette, Chase said, “It’ll be an unforgettable day.”
Jade squeezed his hand. “And night.”
“That’s every night with you, buttercup.”
CHAPTERTHIRTY-SIX
Excited to find the one and only perfect wedding dress, Jade hopped into the passenger’s side of Chloe’s Jeep. She buckled her seatbelt as Chase stood in the open door of the vehicle, holding the reins to Valor. From cowboy hat, to dark beard stubble, to the muscles filling out his shirt, he was the most gorgeous man on earth. She was tempted to forget shopping and watch him rope cows. When he placed a hand on his hip, her eyes dipped below his silver belt buckle. His leather chaps accentuated the masculine bulge in his blue jeans. She tingled at the sexual attraction he exuded, and when she brought her eyes back up his body, his blue eyes glinted knowingly.
The night of their engagement, Chase had her zipper down and her dress off before they’d even made it to the bedroom. Fast and furiously first, seconds were slow and sensuous. When they parted after the third time, Chase swore his skin was raw. Jade snuggled to him, fearing not being able to walk well enough in two days’ time to go shopping for her dress.
“Are you sure you girls have to go to Denver?” Chase asked Jade and Chloe.
“Chloe knows just the bridal boutique with oodles of dresses,” Jade replied.
Chloe said, “Right, and it’s south of Denver, so we’ll only be forty-five minutes away. Since the wedding is just weeks from now, there isn’t time for ordering and alterations. We’ll find the perfect dress today.”
“And why can’t I go?” Chase asked as Valor shook his head and snorted. “Be quiet, Valor, you don’t know the answer either.”
“Because the groom can’t see the bride’s dress before the wedding,” Jade said.
“It’s bad luck!” Chloe told him.
“We don’t need that,” Chase grumbled.
“It’s tradition,” Jade said. “I’ll be safe. Chloe and I both have our guns.”
“All right,” Chase agreed. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a velvet pouch and placed it in Jade’s hand. “These belonged to my mother. Maybe they will go with your wedding dress. They have a platinum clasp to match your ring.”
“Oh, Chase,” Jade whispered, looking from him to the velvet bag. She opened it and poured a beautiful strand of ivory pearls into her hand. “I can’t…I don’t deserve—”
Chase interrupted, “Yes, you do.”
“Thank you, Chase,” Jade whispered with a catch in her voice.
“I have a strand too,” Chloe said, nodding. “And so does Cash.”
Jade smiled at Chloe, then turned back to Chase and said, “I’m truly honored.”
“Good, they’re yours.”
“I love them.” Jade clasped the pearls around her neck and laid her hand on top of them.
Chase smiled at seeing the sparkling diamond on her left hand covering the pearls. Then, a slight frown touched his handsome face as he said, “Keep your guard up.”
