Clouds streak across a summery pristine blue sky. I stare at the fluffy shapes and try to discern objects from them. As a child, this was a favorite pastime, lying in the grass watching the clouds glide along the wide expanse of sky. I would giggle with extreme joy when my mother could name the object I had decided a specific cloud looked like. Now Chase lies next to me, staring at the endless sky. He points to a large cloud and asks me to guess what it is. I shake my head. I can’t take my eyes away from him. I’m too enamored with his glee at the passing clouds above our little enclosure. He looks at me warmly, the blue reflecting off his eyes, making them shine as bright and colorful as an opal. Never in my life have I been more content.

“Baby, wake up,” he murmurs.

I look at him, confused. My surroundings tilt and sway. I feel featherlight kisses against my temple, cheek, and jaw.

“Gillian, wake up,” he repeats.

His face dissipates and my surroundings change. Dream Chase has disappeared, and I’m left with lovely, warm, sleepy Chase.

I stretch and realize Chase is hovering over me. His knees firmly planted on each side of my hips. That’s the second time I’ve woken to him on top of me, but this time I’m not scared. I run my hands up and down his naked back, reveling in the feel of his warm skin and the joy of waking with this beautiful man. He’s kissing along my neck, long languid presses of his lips and tongue. Light fingertips trail along the balls of each shoulder as his head and lips move down to the swells of my breasts. I sigh, appreciating the intimacy. It’s not something I’m used to. I pull Chase over me, wrapping arms and legs tightly around his toned form. He snuggles fully into me, wrapping his arms around me. His head rests against my bare chest. I feel so protected. Loved. Nothing can harm me in the cradle of his body. And for a moment, I allow myself to wish it were forever—although a rather large intruder is poking against my hip. I slowly grind myself against the length.

“Happy to see me?” I ask coyly.

He rubs his forehead against my chest, his nose between my breasts. “Obviously.” He grinds his length against me.

“Again?” After last night’s marathon sex, I’m honestly surprised. After desecrating his office desk early in the evening, he later took me against the dining room wall before we even finished our meal. Then we slipped into a hot shower where he proceeded to soap every inch of my body in a deliriously meticulous manner that had me purring and moaning like a cat in heat. Soapsuds never felt so good.

We fell into bed sated, snoozed for a few hours, and then woke again and made passionate, unhurried love before we both passed out, completely exhausted.

“Yes, baby. You drive me mad with your sexy body.” He cups and squeezes my breasts, fingers rubbing little circles around the tightening peaks.

My body responds like Pavlov’s dog to a bell. In an instant, I’m needy and wanton, arching into him.

His foot slides between mine and separates my legs in one swift move. He seats himself firmly between my splayed thighs. With no preamble, he centers his cock against my moist opening, and inch by glorious inch, presses his length into me. The deliciously abused and swollen tissues attempt to reject him, but he slides out a couple inches and works his way in, slowly smoothing the way for me to accept his wide girth. Once he’s completely imbedded, I exhale the breath I was holding. It’s never been more perfect. When Chase is deep inside me, it’s as if our souls are connected and always have been.

“So good,” he whispers against my lips as he kisses me.

I return his kiss, enjoying this languid lovemaking.

After several long, slow strokes, he quickens the pace, sliding his hands under my back to cup my shoulders, giving him more purchase to pound into me. Sex with Chase is an event, not just a meeting of skin to skin. He does things to me you only see in movies. The feeling is unparalleled, unlike any experience that came before. The way he moves, the sensual caress of his fingers over my skin, his mouth worshiping every inch of me is like art imitating life. Hard, soft, beautiful, aching, devastating…nourishing. With every press of his body, every taste of his sweet kiss, he is healing me from the inside out.

Chase picks up speed, his movements becoming jerky, erratic. The pleasure within me mounts, crawls up that mountain and sits right at the edge of bliss. A couple hard strokes and I barrel head first off the cliff. I muffle a cry against his shoulder, biting the tender skin near his clavicle.

He roars into my ear, his face wedged into the crook of my neck. His body goes tight, ridged with tension as his climax overtakes him and he spills his seed hotly into me. I love the pulsing beat of his cock nestled deep in my core as the aftershocks extend his pleasure. I grip his length in a Kegel, using the muscles along the pelvic floor to clench around him.

Chase moans into my hairline and thrusts his hips. “Whoa, what the hell was that?” A sexy grin adorns his beautiful face as he trails little bites and nips along my neck and chin before sealing his lips over my mouth.

He pulls away and cups my cheek with one hand, sweeping his thumb along the cheekbone. I smile, waggle my eyebrows, and clinch my internal muscles again. His eyes roll into the back of his head, and a quick breath leaves his lips.

“That was a Kegel, baby.” I roll the endearment around in my head. I guess if it works for him, it can work for me. I’ve never been one to dole out terms of endearment.

He grins that sexy sideways grin. I’m proud of my womanly trick, even more so knowing he’s never experienced it with anyone else.

Just when I think I’ve got one over on him, his dick twitches enticingly inside my womb. “Hey! What was that?”

“A bagel,” he answers and licks his bottom lip.

“A what?” I slide my hands up his dewy back and massage the muscles.

He nuzzles his cheek against mine. “If yours was a Kegel, mine was a bagel. A boy Kegel.”

His eyes dance with mirth, and we both laugh hysterically. So many rounds in the sack have made us silly and I love the carefree side of him. This is the first time I’ve seen Playful Chase.

He kisses me and sits up. “I have to get a little work done this morning.” His eyes seem to search my face, almost as if he’s looking for even a hint of irritation. When he finds none, a beatific smile graces his face. I understand. The man has to work. Even if it is Saturday. I can’t imagine he makes billions without burning the midnight oil and working on the weekends.

“’Kay. I’ll take a shower.” I stretch the kinks in my body and nuzzle into his pillow. It smells like him—completely divine.

“Help yourself to a little something to eat in the kitchen.” He moves over to a large chest, pulls out a pair of pajama bottoms and a white undershirt.

Damn, the man would look good enough to eat in a burlap sack, but casual Chase is sleepy sexy. My lady bits twinge excitedly as I watch him slip the shirt over his broad chest, his abdomen bunching and twisting with the effort. Next time we’re together I’m licking a trail along each and every bump on that heavenly landscape. He’s still talking, and I look away from his body to pay attention.

“I don’t usually have Bentley come until around ten. I prefer to have something light in the morning and then have a larger brunch.”

“Sounds like a plan.” I smile.

He leans down to kiss me one last time. “God, you’re beautiful.” He shakes his head and leaves the room.

Strange man, but I’m into him. At least until he figures out how messed up I am. I take stock of my body as I stretch each limb. Definitely well used. My shoulders are stiff, lady parts delectably sore, and my thighs feel overworked in a delicious way. Overall, I feel damn good indeed. I smile, proud of myself as I saunter into his master bath, completely naked.

Settling under the double-headed spray, I let the hot water massage my sore, underused muscles. I need to hit the gym this week. I only worked out twice instead of my normal three times, coupled with two visits to Bree’s yoga or Pilates classes. Although, the sexcapades last night had to count for a serious calorie burn. I grin to myself. Chase is a stallion in the sack. The way he used my body, gave and took pleasure… A shiver runs down my spine. I stretch each arm and fling my fingers out, trying to knock out the sexual energy that surges when I think of him.

Drying off, I evaluate my surroundings and learn a little about the man behind the empire. Chase’s bathroom is right out of a Modern Living magazine layout. The walls are covered in tiny mosaic tiles in varying shades of green and blue. A large brown star like shape cuts through the middle of the wall and borders the entire room. The intricate design is stunning. It reminds me of the cool calming colors found at the beach. It must have taken days to place each of the one-inch tiles in perfect order in a bathroom this grandiose. I’m sure Chase paid very good money to make it just so.

I blow dry my hair and use Chase’s brush. I smile as I see long red strands running through the bristles. If I were considerate I’d pull them out and throw them away, but I like the idea of a physical reminder of my presence here. He said he’s never brought a woman home. I wonder why. Would he tell me if I asked?

Opening doors, I make my way into quite possibly the largest walk-in closet on God’s green earth. I’m not sure it can classify as a closet. It’s a small men’s clothing store. The space is larger than my entire apartment’s living room and kitchen combined. The man is a fashion whore. Just like I am with my bargain shoes. The word “overboard” comes to mind. At least thirty feet of suits hang like perfect sentinels in exact order by color, mostly in shades of black, gray, navy, and tan. Tuxedos finish the lineup. The opposite wall holds jeans, dress shirts, and polos in a wide palette of colors. I grab a white pinstriped dress shirt with the tiniest green lines and throw it over my naked body. Since I don’t have suitable clothes, this will have to do. I highly doubt Chase will mind. If he does, he can just take it off me, the little devil on my shoulder laughs haughtily.

Too hungry to wait for Bentley, I make my way to the kitchen. It’s early, and it’s another hour or two before he’ll make Chase his breakfast. At the very least, I need caffeine. I look through a few cabinets trying to find the coffee and coffeepot. There’s nothing on the kitchen counters except a glass dish filled to the brim with what looks like homemade cookies. Crumbs scatter around the edge of the dish. He likes to have something light in the morning, I snicker. Yeah, right. He eats cookies for breakfast. Alpha male, master of his own universe, and sugar junkie. Somehow it makes him more real.

Again, I scan the space. At home, Maria and I have gadgets, trinkets, and papers galore covering the counters. It’s strange to see a living space so sterile. I open the bottom cabinets to the left of the kitchen island and find the coffeepot. Eureka! I give myself an internal fist pump, wiggling my bum in the air to a victory beat only I can hear. I move things around in the low cupboard to find the coffee.

“Damn!” says a loud unrecognizable voice behind me.

I spring up, nearly whacking my head on the cupboard, and am caught off guard by the smiling stranger in front of me. His eyes are wide and his mouth opens and closes a couple times, but no words come out. I’m certain the look on my face expresses the same shock. The man’s blue eyes travel up and down my scantily clothed body, and I pull the shirttails to cover as much skin as possible. It doesn’t work. The shirt only covers my naked form to mid-thigh, so I jump behind the island to hide more of me.

The stranger and I stare, saying nothing. He has blond shaggy hair that’s sexy in a boyish way. His blue eyes are really light, almost gray, and his smile is bright white as if he had a lot of orthodontia to make it so perfect. Chase saunters in as if nothing unusual is taking place. He sets down an empty glass, and milk residue pools at the bottom. He grabs a cookie from the dish. He’s oblivious to the crackling tension between the man and me as he pulls me to his side with a firm hand around my waist and nuzzles my neck. He kisses it lightly a couple times. The stranger’s mouth falls open again before a wide grin splits across his handsome face.

“Carson, meet Gillian Callahan.”

Oh, thank God! Carson is the cousin, his best friend from what I’ve gathered in conversations.

“Gillian, this is Carson Davis.”

“Hello.” I feel weakened by my lack of appropriate attire.

“Red,” he says in awe and shakes his head. “You’re a redhead,” he says again, sounding astonished.

I grab a lock of hair and self-consciously twirl it around my fingers. He was probably expecting a blonde. Chase eases my discomfort by walking over to Carson and clapping him on the back.

“Close your mouth, Carson.” He laughs.

Carson clamps his mouth shut but continues to stare. It’s unnerving and rude. First Chase’s bodyguard stares me up and down, now his cousin. What is with these guys?

“Gillian, your clothes have arrived. I set them on the bed,” Chase says.

“Nice to meet you. So nice,” Carson says and turns to follow Chase out of the kitchen.

Thank God! One more minute suffering this man’s stare would undo me. I scurry out of the room, holding the dress shirt firmly to my bum just in case he turns around. I don’t want the shirt to float up in my hasty retreat. Carson doesn’t need another show. Internally I groan, wondering how much of my bare ass he probably saw.

Several bags and boxes are strewn across the king-sized bed when I get there. What did he do, buy out Macy’s? No such luck. Every piece of apparel is designer. Gucci, Prada, Chanel, Marc Jacobs, Guess, Versace…shit. I can’t accept these. I fall to the bed like an elephant and put my head into my hands. Why is he buying me these things? Does he think that will make me happy? Adding up the price tags, I find there are over ten thousand dollars worth of clothes here, not to mention one long evening gown made by Valentino. Forty-eight hundred dollars. For one dress. Tingles of anxiety skitter along my nerve endings. Breathe. Deep calming breaths.

I look over the side of the bed and see a plethora of shoe boxes all in my size. How his assistant knew my sizes is beyond me. Maybe he owns a private investigator firm as well as his many other large enterprises. Am I one of his large enterprises? Does he think he needs to buy me expensive things to possess me? The thought makes my stomach lurch and churn. Whore. We are going to discuss this later. He’s waiting with his most trusted confidant—besides Dana, my jealous mind supplies unhelpfully. The redhead comment threw me for a loop. I make a mental note to bring that question up when I broach my discomfort with the money he’s spending on clothes and shoes for me.

Quickly, I pull out a pair of Guess jeans and a tan cashmere Marc Jacobs sweater. Probably the most affordable items of the bunch. The jeans are a size six and fit perfectly. They snugly encase my ass, and the length hits perfectly on my foot. It will be ideal for a nice bootie with a two or three-inch heel.

I make my way back to the kitchen barefoot and hear the men conversing. I wait behind the entryway wall to eavesdrop.

“Chase! Dude, when was the last time you brought a girl home?”

Chase laughs and I press my ear as close to the entrance as possible.

“I’ve never brought a woman here. You know that. I’m bringing her to the function tonight, too.”

“Seriously? Wow! You like her. You like her a lot!”

I can’t hear Chase’s reply. Dammit. He speaks too softly.

“Aunt Coleen is going to be there. The rest of the family too.”

“I know.” Chase’s voice is strained. “I want Gillian by my side.”

“Cooper will be there,” Carson warns.

“I don’t want her anywhere near that fucker!”

Whoa. He’s got some serious issues with his cousin Cooper. I knew from the conversation at dinner last week that something wasn’t right between the two, but this gets more interesting by the minute.

“She’s a redhead,” Carson mutters in a hushed tone.

“I noticed,” Chase says.

That’s when I decide to make my entrance.

“You noticed what?” I ask as I saunter in completely dressed, pretending I didn’t hear a thing.

“How beautiful you are,” Chase says without missing a beat.

Nice save. I warm, knowing that’s not what they were saying. I appreciate his compliment anyway. “I was just telling Carson that I was bringing you to the Houses for Humanity charity event this evening. The San Francisco Chapter is hosting quite the posh event to raise money.”

“That sounds wonderful. I’m happy to attend. It’s always great when I can attend a charity event and make mental notes of how they organized it, what they offered in way of food, how the presentation was done and such.”

Both men smirk at me.

“Gillian, this is not work. This is you going as my significant other. You will be meeting my family.”

Chase shocks me with that. His significant other. I didn’t realize we had reached an official status. I don’t really know how to respond.

“Why would you take notes at a boring ass charity event?” Carson asks.

It reminds me that he doesn’t know what I do for a living or anything about me really.

“Gillian works for the Safe Haven Foundation. She’s the contributions manager there. She makes us a great deal of money.” Chase beams with pride. “Her campaigns have been incredibly successful.”

“You work for Safe Haven?” Carson asks. “So…Chase is your boss?”

“You could say that,” I answer honestly and then hang my head. My hair falls in front of my face, hiding my embarrassment.

“Dude, that’s, well, I didn’t know you had it in you to break rules like that.” He laughs. “Damn, you’re smitten!”

“Shut up, you bastard.” Chase laughs too.

Bentley makes his appearance, rushing in with a pretty young blonde in tow. Must be his assistant. Are all the women around Chase blond and beautiful? It’s enough to give any woman a complex, especially being a redhead against a sea of shiny, perfect blondes.

“So I don’t need that extra seat at the event tonight.” Carson picks at a piece of invisible lint on his shirt.

“What happened to the girl you were bringing?” Chase asks.

“Didn’t work out. She wanted to get married and have babies…yesterday!” Carson cringes. “So I’m going solo.”

I immediately think of Kat. She’s available and can be ready at a moment’s notice. The show she’s working on doesn’t open for a couple more weeks. Her Saturday should be free, and Carson is just her type. Tall, good-looking, laughs a lot. “I know someone I could invite to be your date.” I venture into unchartered territory, wondering if I’ve suggested a double date too soon. I barely even know Chase, let alone Carson.

“Really?” Carson seems hopeful. “Is she hot?”

A wicked grin slips across my face. Is Kat hot? If I knew him better, I’d gush all over the place about how wonderful my soul sister is. Since I don’t, I just nod.

“No, I mean, is she hot like you?”

Chase punches Carson in the arm.

“Ouch! Damn, dude! What the hell?” Carson rubs his arm and looks like a sad little puppy.

“Don’t hit on my woman, and you’ll live life with a lot less bruises.” Chase’s hint of humor holds a note of warning.

His woman? I like the sound of that but choose not to let it go to my head. I’m still unconvinced this will go further than a few weeks and a few rolls in the hay once he learns how weak I am.

“I’ll call her now! Her name is Kathleen. We call her Kat. She’s tall, blond, thin but curvy in all the right places,” I tell Carson.

He waggles his blond eyebrows. I think he might be perfect for Kat. She has a soft spot for big, hunky blonds. Carson fits the bill perfectly. Hell, I may get BFF of the year award for this setup. Now I just have to pull my “get out of jail free card” to get her to go on a blind date. Every woman hates a blind date. Once she’s there and sees his fine ass, she’ll be thanking me!

“I’ll be back in twenty,” I tell the men.

Chase catches me as I turn to leave. He grasps my waist and pulls me against him. I fall into his lap. One hand strokes my thigh, and the other holds me close. He inhales my scent at the crook of my neck. Carson gets up and leaves the room. I’m not sure where he’s going, nor do I care. When Chase’s arms are around me, everything and everyone ceases to exist.

“What do you want for breakfast?” he whispers into my ear. He slides his tongue up the curve of my neck.

I lean to the side giving him better access. “Mmm, you?” I breathe seductively against his lips.

He laughs. “Seriously, whatever you want. It’s yours.” He slides his hands up the front of my shirt and cups my breasts.

I increase the pressure by pushing his hands against me and sigh with pleasure. He tweaks the peaks through the fabric.

“Jesus, I want you again,” he says through clenched teeth, thrusting his ridged length against my ass.

I flip myself around and put my legs on either side of the chair, straddling him, and plant my lips over his. He deepens the kiss, and we spend a few minutes groping and kissing like two hormone-driven teenagers.

“Chase! Today!” Carson yells from somewhere outside the kitchen.

Chase pulls away. “If that bastard weren’t my best friend, I’d throw him out on his ass.”

I laugh and shimmy out of his grasp. I mouth the word “later,” and he grins and heads out of the kitchen.

After heavy cajoling and pulling out every trick in the book, Kat agrees to go to the charity function as Carson’s date. I’m thrilled. I tell her I owe her one. She reminds me I owe her plenty more than one. I squeal in excitement and then compose myself once more.

Kat is going to evaluate her closet. The woman has more dresses than a bridal shop, though many are in various stages of creation. I’m sure one of them will do. I remind her that she’s the most talented designer I’ve ever known and she should wear something already finished. I also inform her that Chase’s cousin is a designer. I hear her intake of breath when she puts two and two together and realizes that Chloe Davis is Chase’s family. Apparently she knows who the young designer is and groans, saying she can’t possibly wear anything old. I hang up, leaving her talking to herself and freaking out. She couldn’t care less about the date now. She’s more interested in meeting the designer.

I go back into the kitchen and realize Chase and Carson are no longer there. I look around perplexed.

“They are in the garden,” Bentley informs me.

A garden? We’re on the fifty-first floor of a skyscraper. Where the hell would they put a garden?

“Take her to the garden,” Bentley tells his assistant.

“Come with me, Miss Callahan,” she says.

“Call me Gigi.”

The young girl smiles shyly and nods her head.

We walk through the length of the apartment to a spiraling black staircase. It reminds me that I haven’t really had the tour of Chase’s home. I’ve seen the dining room, kitchen, his bedroom, and bathroom. I smirk, realizing that Chase and I have been too busy pleasing each other to have a proper look around. I shrug, not really caring.

“Just go up the stairs and you’ll be there,” the young blonde says.

“Thank you. What’s your name?” I ask.

“Summer,” she says, looking down and gripping her black dress.

“A beautiful name,” I tell her.

She smiles and rushes back to Bentley and her tasks.

The staircase is wrought iron and very intricate. The spindles are swirled metal with curling ends that encircle the railing like a claw. I reach the top and open the heavy metal door. Bright light blinds me as I put a hand over my eyes. Oh my God!

The garden spans the entire rooftop. It looks like a huge courtyard with a greenhouse, trickling fountains, shrubbery, pretty much everything you would find in an upscale mansion’s backyard but on top of a roof. There’s even a lap pool and a hot tub. I let out a wolf whistle as Chase grips my shoulders.

“You like?”

“I like,” I say, barely able to speak.

I’ve never seen anything quite like it. It’s out of this world. We’ve escaped the city and landed in the book A Secret Garden. I feel worlds away from concrete and the city, though if you look across the horizon, you can see the entire cityscape in all its glory. There’s the magnificent view of the ocean and the bay. It spans the horizon in a perfect line as if the world just clips off and ends where the line stops. The view is incredible.

Chase walks around the garden, holding me close, pointing out different plants, telling me names and whether they bloom or are seasonal plants. His knowledge is telling, and I ask about the greenhouse. He explains that he believes all buildings need greenhouses, and that Americans can lessen our carbon footprint by placing them atop every city building across the nation.

Being green is something we have in common. I make a mental note to bring it up at dinner tonight. Kat could go on and on about it. Between her and Bree, I’ve been completely brainwashed. I buy organic regardless of the price because I’m convinced that if I bought otherwise they would know and I’d suffer the consequences. I choose to pick my battles with the lovelies. Then again, I make them feel guilty about not giving to charity every chance I get, so it evens out.

Bentley serves us a scrumptious brunch, including feta-stuffed egg white omelets with plenty of spinach, tomatoes, and honey-glazed bacon. He couples it with homemade hash browns that are cut into perfect squares. How he was able to cut a potato into a square I don’t know, but it is delicious. The cook added several different fruits and pastries, and Chase opens up a bottle of champagne. We sip mimosas and gaze out over the city. It’s been lovely getting to know Carson and Chase in a casual setting. It’s one of the best mornings I’ve had in a long time.

Carson takes his leave shortly after breakfast, and Chase and I spend the rest of the day getting to know each other better.

I’m not surprised to learn he’s involved in a dozen charities. He serves on several of their boards. The others he mostly gives monetary donations to. He also tells me about the different types of businesses he owns, from hotels, to tech-related companies, to fashion stores, to nightclubs and restaurants. His interests are fascinating and broad. He really does have his hand in a bit of everything.

“You know what’s funny?” I lean my head against his chest as we sit on a large garden lounge chair not quite designed to fit two, but we make it work.

“Hmm?” He massages my shoulders.

I lean my head back to give him further access to my aching muscles. “You’re Phillip’s boss, too!” I laugh.

He stops massaging and hums. “Really?”

“Yup, he works for the architectural firm on the twentieth floor.” I giggle.

“Small world.” He continues the massage, digging into the overworked muscles. “So tell me more about you and Phillip.”

I know Chase is worried about my relationship with Phil, possibly even jealous. “We met in high school. I introduced him to his wife, Angela. Stood up in their wedding as maid of honor. Oh, that feels good,” I groan as he finds a knot in my neck and works his magic fingers through it.

A sigh slips from my lips when the muscle releases and he smoothes his hands along the base of my neck. “Then they had Anabelle, and I was honored to be asked to be her godmother.”

“You love that little girl a great deal.” It’s a statement, not a question.

I answer anyway. “So much. And since her mom passed, I feel it’s more important than ever that I be there for her.”

He nods his head and snuggles into the crook of my neck from behind. “So you and Phillip were never in a relationship?”

Closing my eyes, I groan. I really didn’t want to go into this. “I wouldn’t exactly say that,” I admit.

He stops massaging, and his body tenses. The air around us is suddenly thick. Chase pulls me to lean fully against his chest. His arms cross around my front in a hugging manner.

“Tell me,” he whispers against my ear, sending chills of excitement dancing along my nerve endings.

“Phillip and I weren’t in a relationship in the conventional sense. We never dated. He never considered me his girlfriend. I never considered him my boyfriend. Nothing like that.” I exhale, feeling a bit annoyed that we’re even having this conversation.

“What is it, baby? Just tell me what it was.” He slides his hands up and down my biceps.

I stiffen, destroying the relaxed place we were moments before. I’m not embarrassed by my relationship with Phillip, but I know instinctively how Chase is going to take this bit of information.

Instead of dragging it out and attempting to walk around how I might think he’ll respond, I go for broke. “Phillip was my first, Chase.” I turn my head but he doesn’t look at me. “It was a long time ago. We were teenagers. I didn’t want my first time to be with someone who would take advantage of me.”

Gripping his chin, I force him to look at me. I need to see his eyes. He doesn’t say what he’s thinking, but his eyes tell me what I need to know. They are cloudy and deep blue. Not good.

“He was your first?” he asks through clenched teeth.

I nod as his eyes calculate my features, jumping from one plane to the next.

A deep emotion crosses his features, and then, with finality, he says, “I’ll be your last.”

The look in his eyes is steadfast and haunting. This is the Chase I don’t want to cross. The one who says what he means and means what he says, almost frightening in his intensity.

I don’t know how to respond. His words floor me. The meaning behind them, his promise, is startling. “What’s happening between us?” I take a shuddering breath, asking the question I’ve wanted to know since the moment I realized this thing between us wasn’t going to go away. If I’m honest, it was the moment I realized the hell we were going to go through when I found out he was the chairman of the board. My insides heat, and anxiety swirls within my gut as I take a deep breath. The words spill from my lips so quickly I’m not able to hold them back. “What I’m feeling… It’s too fast.” I close my eyes.

He pulls me to his chest and holds me tightly. His gaze pierces mine. “For me, too.”

After an eternity of staring into one another’s minds, hearts, and souls, he pulls at my sweater and I hold my arms above my head. He slides the straps of my bra down and unhooks the back, letting it fall. My breathing quickens. I can tell he’s brooding about Phillip and me, but this thing between us is too strong to ignore. It’s like a live wire sparking at both ends, burning us, scarring our souls with an imprint of the other.

Chase doesn’t speak. He unsnaps my jeans and gestures for me to stand. I do, and he pulls my jeans and panties down at the same time leaving me bare before him. His eyes scour every inch of my naked form. His fingers trace the sides of my rounded breasts, down each rib, along my waistline before he grips my hips possessively and brings his face to my stomach. He places a hard kiss just under my naval before he pulls my body down to straddle his legs. I pull his T-shirt over his head, leaving him tenting his pajama bottoms, the fabric restricting his manhood. He traces my curves with the tips of his fingers again in the lightest caress. He draws an infinity symbol over my chest and between my breasts. I lean my head back and close my eyes in pure ecstasy as he takes one hard peak into the warmth of his mouth. He sucks the tip and then clamps his perfect teeth against the swollen flesh. The jolt goes straight to my core, and I push my breast against his mouth, wanting, needing more of him. My fingers dig into his shoulders as he places wicked lashes of his talented tongue against each breast with biting precision. He nips and licks until I’m panting and grinding against his cock. I’m coating his pants with the wetness between my thighs.

Finally, I can wait no longer. “Chase, please.”

He grins devilishly and bites my breast softly while pinching the other peak to perfection.

I grip his head. “Chase…”

“These are mine.” He licks and bites each tip again.

I sigh wholeheartedly in agreement.

“Say they’re mine, baby,” he urges with a hard suck and swirl of his tongue.

My hips jerk. I’m eager to meet his hardness as I try to force him to touch me there.

“Yours.” The word slips from my dry mouth as I focus hard on the building pressure his words of ownership send through my body. He has me twisting and rutting on top of him, barreling to the top of the roller coaster, waiting to be pushed off into a free fall.

He slides his hand down to my clit and presses his thumb in teasing circles. I cry out and shudder, wrapping my legs around his waist to thrust harder against his hand. He swirls slowly, just out of the realm of tipping me over into the release I’m dying for. He licks his lips and kisses my throat.

“Look down, baby, see me touching you.”

I look down and see his finger spinning in lazy circles over my cherry-red clit, engorged and aching for the pressure only he can provide.

“This. This is mine,” he affirms.

I nod, gyrating against his hand, needing more.

“Say it, Gillian.” His tone is strong, forceful, demanding.

“Yours, Chase. Yours.” I gasp and tip my head back to see the swirling blue-and-white sky above our castle in the clouds.

He removes his hand, and I cry out until he pulls down his pajama bottoms, freeing his thick cock. God, he’s enormous. Harder and longer than I remember. I lick my lips in anticipation. He lifts my hips and rubs his dick along my soaked folds. He grins when he becomes slick with my essence before he centers me perfectly and presses just the head in. Teasing me with the beauty of his cock, of the completeness of our bodies joined together.

“More, please…” I go straight to shameless begging. I would do anything to get his dick inside me at this moment.

His hands on my waist bring me down hard as his hips thrust up, tearing into me, splitting me in half with the most obscene pleasure imaginable.

“Chase!” I scream out into the heavens. The enormity of this moment, of being taken so fully, his penetration piercing a part so deep within me it’s never been touched before. Chase is a steel rod inside, wedged to the point where I don’t know where he stops and I begin. I can’t move, stunned by the perfection of our coupling.

“This, Gillian…”

He slides his cock out of me, dragging the wide crown along swollen tissue from last night, and then slams it back so deep I cry out. Tears prick my eyes, the pleasure is so intense.

“This. Is. Mine. Your pretty pussy is mine now.” His teeth clench, the muscles in his forearms, biceps, and neck are bulging with every thrust as he powers into me.

“Yes!” I cry out as my orgasm rips through me. I think I lose consciousness. All I can feel is movement, pleasure touching every surface of my skin, my insides, until I hear Chase’s mighty roar as his release overtakes him. He grips my ass and holds me in place until his jerking comes to a blistering halt, his semen filling me so full some of it spills out between our bodies.

Limp. My body, my mind, my heart are limp and sated. Chase holds me close as we lie naked, his hands sliding up and down my back tracing endless infinity symbols. Is it a metaphor for us? Forever. Has he always known from the moment we met? I remember him drawing the symbol on my knee in the bar that first night.

It’s too much.

Him. Me. Us.

It’s all encompassing and far too much to consider after the mind-blowing sex we just had.

I lie there in the bliss. The sun on my skin is warm, but so is his chest. I snuggle in, sexually sated and exhausted. What happened here was monumental. It’s not possible to wrap my mind around it. He essentially staked his claim in no uncertain terms, and I gave myself to him in a moment of passion. Completely, unequivocally agreed to being his.

My self-doubt creeps in to this blissful moment, and I worry about what he’s going to think when he finds out I am like the women he committed to protect as Chairman of the Board of the Safe Haven Foundation. Safe Haven helped save me once upon a time, which means he saved me. I sigh, and he kisses the top of my head.

“Let’s shower and get ready for this evening.”

“About that. Chase, you spent an awful lot of money on those clothes and that dress.” I look away nervously. “I can’t let you spend that kind of money on me. It’s not right.”

“Baby, I am a very rich man. I will buy you whatever I want, whenever I want, and you will let it go.”

“I know you’re rich. I don’t care. I’m not, and I can’t afford things like that!” I cross my arms over my breasts struggling to find some modicum of decency for a serious conversation.

He unhinges my arms, leans down, and kisses the top of each globe tenderly. “Good thing you don’t have to. When you’re with me, I will buy you things. Lots of things. I will never buy you anything I cannot afford.” His gaze holds mine. It’s hard and unrelenting. “Now you will let it go.”

This is not going as planned.

“Do you not like the things Dana picked out for you? I told her what I thought you would appreciate and told her your sizes.” He looks concerned.

“Everything is beautiful. But I’m not used to this. I don’t want you thinking I’m after your money. That’s the farthest thing from the truth.” I bite my lip and look deep into his eyes, hoping he can see the sincerity there.

He smiles a heart-melting smile that makes me want to hug him but I don’t. He needs to know I’m not the type of woman who uses men and I’m definitely not a gold digger.

“I wouldn’t care if you were poor, Chase.”

He shakes his head and pulls me back on to his chest. “Gillian, I know that.” He hugs me, skin to naked skin. It is lovely. “I want to give you the world. I’m not used to being around a woman who doesn’t expect a damn thing. It’s refreshing.” He looks in my eyes and caresses the apple of my cheek with his thumb before moving my hair behind my ear. “Please, accept the things I bought for you, and know that it pleases me to give you them. They are yours for no other reason.” He lifts my chin. “Okay?”

I close my eyes and nod.

“Not another word about this.” His words come out harsh and unrelenting.

Not wanting to argue, I nod again.

“Now, shower?” He waggles his eyebrows suggestively. The man hasn’t even slipped from my body and he’s already thinking about sex again.

“Yes, shower. Nope to sex. You’re going to have to wait until the evening is over!” I giggle and slip off his lap. The proof of our mating starts to trickle down my thighs.

He watches in fascination, before using his shirt to wipe up the inside of my leg and over my sex.

“I love seeing me on you and knowing I’m still inside you.” He stands, grabs my nape, and pulls me into a toe-curling kiss. “Makes me wildly happy, baby,” he says with that cocky grin.

I shake my head, and he leads me through the house, stark assed naked. I don’t even question whether the staff will see because I don’t think he’d be keen on sharing my naked body after he just spent the last hour claiming it.