Chapter 5

Chase's Point of View

Marc and women never went together smoothly. He had a crush on the girl next door, for how long I didn't know, but neither of them ever made good on it. She liked him, he liked her. She hated the fact he would ride out the next day.

I had calmed him down, but that didn't mean I was off the hook. He had ruined what could have happened between Chloe and me. I was so close to getting to kiss those beautiful lips. Finally getting a taste of what I had been craving. Instead, I get my brother breaking us up.

Then, to top all that off, I didn't even get to wait to have breakfast with her. I knew she was hiding from me, but I couldn't understand why she would be embarrassed.

I opened the front door and noticed the food that hadn't been touched. The wood fire was out and her bags were still in the foyer.

It was after twelve; she couldn't still be in bed.

"Chloe?"

I walked through the living hall and didn't hear a response. She wouldn't leave, would she? Not without at least giving me a chance to talk her out of it. Maybe she really was regretting what happened last night.

"Chloe?"

She must have left. My stomach dropped and I immediately started to think of where she would go. She wanted to get on a bus. If she had left and was walking there, she wouldn't be there yet. I still had a chance to stop her. Why the hell was I so worried about it? She left, big deal. I shouldn't be running after her, but that didn't stop me.

"Hey."

I spun around. She was standing at the end of the hall, dressed in a short black dress with silver beads around her neck. I took a sharp breath in. The dress hugged her tightly, showing off her curves and plump breasts, and the v-neckline showed off some of her cleavage. Her long blonde hair was pulled up in a ponytail, which showed the definition of her jaw line.

She was stunning.

"I thought you had left." I let go of the door handle and stared at her.

A guilty expression crossed her face as she walked towards me. "I was going to."

"But?"

"It didn't feel right." She stopped in the living room and glanced at the fire. "Sorry about that, I don't know how to keep a fire going."

So, she was going to leave but she didn't. That had to mean something. She must like me somewhat to not go. Didn't she?

I noticed too that she had put makeup over her bruise.

"It's just a fire. I can get it going again." I moved around her and went to the fireplace.

"Chase?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry about last night too."

I put the wood in the fire and turned to face her. "What about?"

She looked down at the floor. "You know, nearly kissing you. I know that you are just helping me out and that's it. I guess I should have just kept to myself."

So, she thought that last night was all on her? I'm sure I was the one taking her top off.

"I'm the one who took it too far." I dipped my head, trying to make eye contact with her, but she was hell bent on staring at the ground.

She was young and I should have known better. She would have regretted it this morning if she kissed or did what I had planned on doing to her.

"Chloe?"

Her eyes bounced up. Those sea-blue eyes stared through me.

"We'll forget it ever happened. Okay?" Did I want to forget it? No. Just thinking about it stirred something in me. The feeling of lust and that dress she was wearing wasn't helping any.

Her head tilted to the left as she watched me. "Is that what you want?" She shook her head and scoffed. "I guess you get this all the time. What am I, just one of the many? Actually, don't answer that."

"Chloe…"

"Don't." She cut me off. "I have embarrassed myself enough. It won't happen again. Now, I'll be in my bedroom if you need me."

She turned and walked back up the hall. She hadn't given me a chance to explain or even defend myself. Sure, I had been with women, but I had never felt this way about a woman before, wanting to protect her and wanting her so bad to gasp my name as I took her. She might be young, but she was doing deadly things to my body.

Chloe's Point of View

I was so stupid, so unbelievably stupid. I had stayed in the bedroom all day. I hadn't eaten breakfast, lunch, and now I couldn't go to bed without eating something for dinner.

I hovered around the bedroom door, building up the courage to open it and get something to eat.

I opened the door, only to come face to face with Chase. He had his fist up and it looked like he was about to knock.

"Hey." I exhaled.

The corner of his lips twitched into a smile, but it didn't meet his eyes. "I was just coming to get you for dinner."

"And I was just coming out for something to eat." I felt stupid again.

"Well, they have sent us a roast over, so come on." Chase turned and walked back the way he came. I slowly followed then the smell hit me. God, it smelled amazing.

I noticed the large dining table had two places set, and I wondered if he had set them. The two plates full of hot food looked so good.

"So, did you cook this?" I looked at the tidy kitchen.

"No, mom did." Chase pulled a chair out for me, and I couldn't help but smile at how nice he really is.

"So, are they all having roast?"

"Yep."

"You could have eaten with them." I felt bad getting in the way of a family dinner.

"Well, I thought you must be hungry since you haven't eaten all day." The disapproval in his voice was clear. "And I knew you would feel uncomfortable eating in front of them all. We can be overwhelming to new people."

He was so sweet. I just stared at him in amazement, and it wasn't until he took his seat that I spoke again.

"Thank you." I was thankful for the meal, for him blowing off his family and for making sure I ate something. "You really didn't need to go to this much trouble."

He poured me a glass of wine. I hadn't drunk wine with dinner ever. My stepfather was the only one allowed to drink in our house.

"You're welcome, Chloe." His words were warm and from the heart. I picked up my knife and fork and began cutting the meat.

"So, what did you do this afternoon? After I yelled at you." I asked, feeling guilty.

"You didn't yell at me." He sipped his wine, watching me. "You just said what you thought... which is wrong, by the way."

"How so?" I said before chewing on a piece of roast. God, it was amazing.

"I've never had a serious relationship. You were right about that. I don't go from girl to girl, but I'm no saint either."

"So, you have never had a girlfriend?" I didn't believe that.

"No." He cut up his meat, and I wanted him to look up so I could stare into those green eyes of his. "How about you?" This time he did look up, and our eyes locked with each other's.

"I don't trust men." I didn't see the point in lying to him. "Plus my stepfather and mother would never have it."

"Maybe you haven't met the right one yet."

"Men all want the same thing. Use you one day, hit you the next, and leave the following."

"You shouldn't believe that all men are like that." Chase's eyes reflected honesty. "I'd never hurt you."

I pointed to my left cheek. "That is from someone who should have never hurt me." I stood up, lifting up the dress so he could see my left side. "That is also from someone that should never hurt me."

Before I could pull my dress back down, he was pulling me into his lap running a hand down the bruise.

"I'm sure whoever did this to you will get what they deserve."

I felt safe in his arms, so I didn't pull away. I didn't climb off his lap and I didn't pull my dress down. Instead, I found myself throwing an arm around his neck and twisted into him.

"My stepfather is a well-protected man. He won't ever get what is coming to him but I'll live with that." I looked into his eyes. "I should really let you eat your food." I went to move, but his hand went to my thigh, keeping me in place.

"Trust me. I'm enjoying this much more." He then planted a small kiss on my bare arm, causing shivers to run down my spine. Why did his touch have such an effect on me?

"But your food will get cold," I blew out, unable to keep my breathing steady or my heart from pounding outside my chest.

He planted another kiss on my arm and then with ease, he lifted me up and put me back down, so I was straddling him. My dress was still up, and my underwear rubbed against his groin.

My fingers ran through his hair and then down his neck until they locked together behind his head.

"Your sisters or brothers might come in," I blew out, just below a whisper against his lips.

"I locked the door." His hands ran down my sides until he reached my hips, where they stilled.

I cracked a smirk. "Thinking ahead?"

"Just didn't want to get interrupted by anyone again."

So, no one was going to interrupt us and we had this whole house to ourselves and Chase had a passionate look in his eyes, like he was losing his self-control. I had already lost my self-control as I leaned forward, my lips so close to his. What would he taste like? I had only been kissed once and it was behind the canteen in high school, and I didn't feel like this.

I didn't feel like my stomach was in a tight knot. I didn't feel the heat between my legs, wanting more. I had never felt the desire to connect with another person like this.

"Chloe?" His hot breath swirled across my lips.

"Yes?"

"Will you regret this?"

Would I? I was sure I had been saved last night; now it was all I wanted.

I leaned forward, silencing him with my lips. I was soft and gentle, and it had only been a peck.

"No," I said.

His eyes were painted with lust as he stood up, holding me by my thighs, and I linked my legs behind his back. He drove forward, his lips smashing against mine. It was hot and passionate and lived up to everything I was expecting.

I kissed back with just as much force and ran my hands over his tight shoulders.

He balanced me with one hand while the other cupped my face, keeping me still.

Then there was banging on the door. I withdrew from kissing him, taking in a deep breath. "You should get that," I stuttered, out of breath.

"Fuck no." He leaned forward, but I turned my head so his lips landed on my cheek.

"Really, Chase, it could be important. They haven't stopped banging."

He groaned but lowered me to the floor. I heard him grumbling something under his breath as he stormed across the room to the front door.

"What!" He opened it. I could see Sammie slightly from here.

"It's mom, she's passed out. We called the ambulance, but she isn't coming to." Sammie rushed the words out, panicking.

I pulled my dress down and grabbed Chase's sweater off the couch. I was at the door just as fast.

"When did you call the ambulance?" I asked while Chase just stood there, frozen.

"About ten minutes ago, but everyone always gets lost on the property." She looked at me. Her skin was very pale and she looked like she was about to pass out.

"Someone should go and wait for them at the gate. In fact Sammie, you go do that and we will go to the house." My hand slid into Chase's. "Chase, we have to go." I handed him his sweater.

"Right." He seemed to snap back to it, taking the sweater and letting go of my hand. He slid it on and then reached for my hand again. We were walking down the porch steps when he stopped.

"You okay, Sammie?" He was worried about his sister, who was about to jump on his motorbike to meet the ambulance at the gate.

"I'll be better when they get here. Jess will fill you in on what happened." Sammie kicked the bike to life and took off.

Chase watched her disappear into the trees up the small road.

"Come on Chase, we need to get to your mom." I pulled on his hand and he nodded his head.

"This way." He took off up a dirt path and I half ran to keep up with him. I guess this meant I was about to meet the family - all of them. I swallowed hard at that.