“You can peek around all you want, baby girl. I don’t give a shit.” The hell? Did he call me baby girl? It’s always been little girl, which pisses me the hell off. Never before has he referred to me as baby girl. I have no clue what to make of that. Maybe I’m drunker than I realized.
“I was sure I’d find condoms, but this was a nice surprise.” I pop one of the sweet treats in my mouth and leave the wrapper on the nightstand, knowing Chase tends to want things to be tidy.
“This isn’t a fuck pad, Emily.” His playfulness quickly fades away. “Food’s ready.”
“That was fast.”
“Mom had some stuff I could heat up. I picked the lasagna. I know it’s your favorite of hers.” He puts his hand on my back to guide me out of the bedroom.
How does he remember that’s my favorite? It’s been years since I went over to his family home. But he’s right: his mom’s lasagna is my favorite. She always made it with only chopped hamburger meat and didn’t add sausage like most people do.
“You don’t have a table.” I laugh when we pass the empty dining room.
“We never used the dining room.” No, at his home, they never did. Cooking was a part of the whole dinner process, and everyone ate at the giant kitchen island. Not everyone cooked, but they would still hang out while the others did. I always loved that they all enjoyed spending time with each other. It was nice to see a functional family, and it was a break when I was younger from my dysfunctional one.
“Two chairs.”
“Only two people.” He pulls one out for me. I sit, placing the napkin on my lap. I force myself to take a bite of the lasagna, but the second it hits my lips, so many memories come flying back to me of being back in his old home. In minutes, I have my plate cleaned. “You should stay the night. It’s late. We’ll drive your car home tomorrow, and I’ll have one of my drivers pick me up.”
“Stay the night here?” A squeak. “Your bedrooms are all empty, and I don’t know what’s happened on that sofa.” I point to the giant leather sectional. “Or your bed.”
Chase drops our dishes into the sink, making me jump at how hard they land. I wonder if they broke. “This isn’t a fuck pad.” I roll my eyes.
“Roll your eyes again, little girl, and you’ll regret it.” All the air leaves my lungs as an expression I’ve never seen before crosses Chase’s face. I want to push, but for some reason, I don’t.
“Okay, I’ll stay. I need to be home early—”
“For your dad’s party. I know.” Right, I’m sure he’ll be there. I can’t help but wonder if he’ll be bringing a date. I want to ask, but I don’t have the balls or the heart to. “My bed is big; we'll share it,” he informs me before entering his closet. He comes out a second later wearing only a pair of sweatpants and hands me a shirt.
“Thanks.” I pull my dress off, my swimsuit still on underneath. I turn to give him my back as I slide the shirt on before I reach under and pull the strings to the top of the bikini to loosen it and slide it off. I’ll leave my bottoms on. When I turn back around, Chase is watching me.
“Get in the bed,” he orders.
“What is with your mood? I don’t even know why you showed up tonight, and now all this.”
“Get in the fucking bed, Emily.” Something tells me not to push again. Also, something else inside of me is getting off on this firm bossy side of Chase that’s got a bit of an asshole edge to it. It’s so unlike him. I love that I’ve made him be that way. That I pulled charming Chase out of character. Why I enjoy that so much, I have no idea.
I slip into the bed. A moment later, the lights go out, and I feel Chase get in on the other side. I’m sure there is no way I’m ever going to be able to fall asleep. Sleep never comes easy for me. My mind never stops, but for some reason within seconds, I’m out.
5
Chase
I suck in a deep breath. The smell of strawberries and something else I can’t place fills my nose. It’s all over her, making her seem fresher and more innocent than I already know she is. I try to think of the last time I was this close to her. It’s been years. Some days it drives me insane, and others I am thankful because I don’t fully trust myself.
That bikini she had on last night left nothing to the imagination. After seeing her in it, I’m not so sure how innocent she really is anymore. Don’t get me wrong; I know without question that she’s never been with a man. But I do think she knows the lure she has over men whether she wants to have it or not.