Chapter 9

Chloe's Point of View

I was always the type of girl to pick a book over a party. I had never been to a nightclub. Sure, I had seen what they were like in movies and TV shows, but I had never been in one until now.

I was giggling, and I didn't know if it was the fact Sammie kept shoving these shots in front of me or hearing Oliver rap very badly to Bliss n Eso causing it. The club was packed. We didn't have to wait at the gate, like I expected. The McKenzies were ushered through. We even had our own VIP section.

One look at them and you would think they were famous actors and actresses. They looked like they should be on the cover of magazines. Then there was Chase.

I glanced up. He was looking even more good-looking, if that was possible. His t-shirt clung to his upper body and his leather vest, with all the patches just standing out. My eyes hovered over the President patch. I was beginning to understand that with that patch came a lot of responsibility. He also smelled amazing, and I would do anything to be clinging to his side tonight.

Instead, I was wedged between Jess and Sammie and doing shots. I knew I would have to stop soon. I wasn't a drinker, so it was going to hit me twice as hard.

Chase caught me staring at him again, so I quickly looked in the other direction. This gave me a chance to see what the other McKenzie brothers were doing.

Marc was making out with a girl against the wall. His hands were all over her. Declan was chatting with a girl just outside our booth. Dan was on the dance floor with a girl he met on the way in. Oliver was taking shots with us. Archie was standing next to Chase drinking beer, and they seemed to be in a conversation with each other, but I knew Chase had his ears on me.

I didn't know how I knew that - I just did. Maybe it's because I'm doing the same thing to him.

"Okay, okay!" Sammie said, slamming down her empty shot glass. "I have to ask." She looked at me, then Chase. "When did you two become a couple?"

I choked on my drink, causing Oliver to hit me on the back and me spilling the rest of the shot on the table.

"Sammie," Chase said her name in a way of a warning than anything else.

"Come on, you're sleeping together! We aren't dumb." Sammie scoffed.

"How did you know we slept together?" I couldn't see Chase mentioning that.

"Jess." She shrugged. "SO, who asked who?" Sammie pressed.

"Like he would want to be in a relationship with me." I blurted out. Then feeling immediately embarrassed, I added. "We aren't a couple."

"So, you sleep together and haven't had sex?"

"SAMMIE!" Chase yelled at her.

"What? It's just a question. Come on Chase, you usually aren't shy," she taunted him.

My cheeks were bright red and I was glad the club was dimly lit.

"So, you two aren't together?" Sammie looked between the two of us.

Chase wasn't saying anything, so I guess I'd have to say something. "I guess not," I muttered.

"Well then, if you two aren't together, there is nothing stopping you from picking up guys." Sammie clapped her hands together then grabbed me by the shoulders, pointing me towards the bar. "That blond guy is pretty cute."

My eyes were wide. No way in hell was I going over there. "I'll pass, Sammie."

"Oh come on. If you aren't with Chase, what is stopping you?"

Maybe the fact I hate men. Maybe the fact I was terrified of being touched. Maybe because I was feeling like I was in a relationship with Chase. I looked at Chase and he had his eyes on me, I guess waiting for my decision. Sammie nudged me. If I didn't do it, Sammie wasn't going to stop about Chase and I.

I picked up my last shot, threw it back, and turned around. This couldn't be that difficult, could it?

Sammie was clapping when I walked off.

My eyes were on the guy that Sammie had pointed out. He seemed well-dressed, tall, and some would say handsome but I was used to staring at Chase, and nothing and no one compared to him.

The guy’s eyes were on me and he watched me walk towards him. When I was close enough, he said, "Hi."

"Hi." I forced a smile, and then glanced over my shoulder. Sammie was still clapping. Chase looked rather tense, but not nearly as tense as me. What if this guy touched me? Worse, what if he kissed me? My eyes widened. I was so in over my head.

"Wanna dance?" He put his drink down.

No, I didn't, but I knew Sammie was watching. This was what you called peer pressure. Sighing, I nodded my head.

He reached out for my hand, but I didn't let him take it. We were in the middle of the dance floor now, and we had been pressed together by all the people. The music was pumping and everyone else was enjoying themselves.

His hand went on my hip and I automatically panicked. He. Was. Touching. Me. My palms went sweaty and my heart rate was sky-rocketing. I swiped his hand off me and was about to turn and run when I turned into a hard chest.

"Fuck off." Chase's voice was hard and stern that the guy just put his hands up and said nothing happened, which was true apart from the touching part. Chase's arm wrapped around my waist and calmed me immediately as he guided us through the crowd.

He bent down and whispered in my ear. "Next time someone questions us about being a couple, you say yes."

I nodded my head, but remained silent. When we got back to the table, Sammie was talking to Jess. Chase sat down and pulled me onto his lap. He picked up his beer with his free hand and went back to talking to Archie, who was the only other McKenzie brother who wasn't dancing or making out with a strange girl.

Chase's fingers were drawing a small circle on my thigh, and I curled into him. This felt right and right now, I wasn't scared or terrified or about to run.

I took a calming breath in, inhaling his scent. Why did he smell so amazing? Everything about him just pulled you in. I had to wonder, how many other women had felt this safe in his arms?

I knew I couldn't be the only one.

Chase's Point of View

The taxi had gone to each house and did the drop off. Sammie and Jess couldn't walk in a straight line; Marc didn't come back with us and instead headed to a hotel with his latest girl. All the others were either too drunk to walk or were spending the night with a stranger apart from Archie - he never drank too much to impair his judgment as he always had his head on his shoulders. I should be taking notes.

I gently woke up Chloe, who was asleep wrapped under my arm.

"Chloe."

"Umm."

"We’re back at the house."

"Umm."

I paid the taxi driver and slid out of the taxi, holding on to Chloe. Slipping my other arm under her legs, I carried her to the front door. Balancing her and unlocking the front door was a mission, but I did it.

She threaded her arms around my neck and curled into me. I admit I liked having her this close, being able to feel her every breath. She had drunk a lot tonight and something told me she wasn't used to it.

I opened her bedroom door and walked to her bed. I laid her on top, taking her high heels off first. She sighed and curled up. I should leave her like this, but she didn't look comfortable in that dress.

"Chloe?" I attempted to wake her.

"Umm?"

"Dress on or off?"

She rolled over, giving me clear access to the zip. "Off."

I had wanted to do this all night, ever since I saw her in that dress but I wasn't doing this for my own lust. I was doing this for her. I slowly unzipped her and the zipper went straight to the bottom. She moved as I pulled it off and dropped it on the floor.

God, she looked amazing. I took a sharp breath in as I held the blankets back for her. She slipped in and opened her eyes. I smiled. She looked like an angel and, if anything, I was the devil. "Night, Chloe."

"Where are you going?"

I turned at the bedroom door. "To bed."

She propped herself up on her elbows. "Stay with me?"

She shouldn't be wanting me to stay with her. She should be scared of me, or at least not encouraging whatever was between us. I stopped and sighed. I knew I wanted to sleep with her. I wasn't used to that with women.

I had never just 'slept' with a woman. I slid my leather vest off and put it on the chair. She was still watching me get undressed, as if she was scared I was going to leave or change my mind.

She didn't close her eyes until I was between the sheets with her, flicking off the light. She moved back until she was pressed against my chest, my arm underneath her, then went back to sleep.