“I did enjoy my time off. I got to spend time with my nephew as well as my brother and his girlfriend. It just wasn’t relaxing,” I corrected.
She opened her mouth to say something, but Chase walked in carrying a bag of food. The smell quickly filled my kitchen causing my mouth to water. When I got up to get plates and silverware, Hilarie stood, too. “I’m going to have to take a rain check for dinner. I just remembered that I still have laundry to do before tomorrow. I’ll see you in the morning.”
I walked her to the door to see her out. When I returned to the kitchen, Chase had gotten the plates and utensils and was in the middle of dishing out our meal. I absolutely loved Hibachi style food and was blessed to live in an area where I could have it delivered to my front door, which I frequently did.
Chase and I ate in an uncomfortable silence. I had no idea how he was feeling, but I was a little irritated with his behavior. He was a total ass to Hilarie for no reason.
When I was finished eating, I rinsed my dishes and placed them in the dishwasher. He followed right behind me and did the same. Once everything was put back to rights, I silently checked the locks on the doors and padded to my bedroom. Our issues would have to wait. I was simply too tired to discuss it. It was all I could do to get changed into my pajamas.
“You going to give me the silent treatment for the rest of the night, baby?” Chase asked from the doorway of my bedroom.
“I just want to go to bed, Chase. I’m exhausted, and I have a full week of work starting in the morning,” I explained.
He prowled toward me, placing his hands on my hips when he reached me. Leaning down, he nipped at my earlobe. “You going to let me sleep in here with you?” His lips moved slowly down my neck and back up to my ear as his warm breath caused goosebumps to erupt on my skin.
My traitorous body melted into his. “Yes,” I breathed. His response was to scoop me up and deposit me on the bed. He crawled in behind me and wrapped his big arms around me. A few hours ago, I was sure I wouldn’t get any sleep that night, but with Chase cocooning me with his big body, I quickly fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
The next morning, I woke feeling refreshed and ready for work. When I was ready to leave, Chase met me at the front door, also dressed and ready to go. Damn. The man was sex on a stick, and he was looking at me with a hunger in his eyes.
Shaking my head to clear my naughty thoughts, which did not work whatsoever, I asked, “What are you doing?”
“Are you new? I’m taking you to work,” he said.
“Why?”
“Seriously, Harper? One, because someone broke into your house and trashed it in the weirdest fucking way ever. Two, because Judge is coming to install your security system, and I didn’t think it would be wise for him to find me piddling around your house.”
I hadn’t thought of that. Who could blame me? I was tired, and my mind was a jumbled mess. I still hadn’t fully processed everything that happened with Duke and Reese while I was in Croftridge, and here I was with my own bullshit starting.
Chase drove me to work and told me he would be around, but I wouldn’t be able to see him. I wasn’t sure how he was going to pull that off, but I didn’t ask. He insisted that I tell no one, not even Hilarie, that he was outside keeping an eye on the place. I didn’t like it, but I agreed.
I couldn’t help myself. Every chance I got, I was peering out a window to see if I could catch a glimpse of him. When lunchtime rolled around, Hilarie asked me if I wanted to join her for lunch at a restaurant down the street. I wasn’t sure how to answer her because I didn’t know if Chase would be able to follow me without being seen or not.
I was trying to stall and come up with an answer when none other than Chase came through the door. “Hey, baby. You ready to go to lunch?” he asked with a bright smile on his face. “Hello, Hilarie. Would you like to join us for lunch as well? You do have that rain check to cash in.”
Was he high or something? This cheerful man standing in my office was most definitely not my gruff and grumbling Chase. He must have seen the confusion on my face because the big beast winked at me and continued to smile at Hilarie.
“Uh, sure,” she stammered out. “Are we ready to go now?”
“I’m ready whenever you two ladies are,” Chase said cheerfully. He was starting to freak me out. He looked like one of those people who appeared to be happy all the time, but you just knew that they were really a closet psychopath waiting for the perfect opportunity to burst into the world.
I shot him a stern look and grabbed his hand. “Let’s go.”
Lunch was uncomfortable and awkward, to say the least. I would rather be probed and prodded at the lady doctor after having a fresh Brazilian wax than have to sit through a meal like that again. There was an almost palpable tension between Hilarie and Chase, and I didn’t have the first clue as to why. They both made ridiculous small talk and kept these horrific fake smiles plastered on their faces. By the end of the meal, I wanted to scream at both of them and demand they tell me what in the hell their problems were with each other. I wanted to, but I didn’t. Instead, I kept my mouth shut and returned to the office.
Chase walked in with me. I moved down the hall toward my office when one of the receptionists stopped me. “Harper, your cousin is waiting for you in your office.”
Shit.
Shit.
Shit.
I turned my wide eyes to Chase.
“Go on. Keep him busy for a few minutes while I slip out of sight.” He gave me a quick kiss on the lips and then he was gone.
I slowly walked to my office, trying to force myself to relax. I lived with Judge from the age of 10 until he moved out when I was 15 years old. Judge was like a brother to me, a brother who could easily tell when I was lying to him or hiding something from him. I knew he was coming to install the system, but I wasn’t expecting to see him. I assumed he would leave instructions on the kitchen table or email them to me.