“Doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to be upset.”
“I know that.” She continued closing the distance between them. “And I had my moment of tears, but that’s over.” Scottie stopped inches from where he stood. “When I left California, I swore I was done letting the shitty parts of my life dictate how I live the rest of it. Same goes for tonight.”
“Scottie—”
“Do you want me, Chase?”
The woman’s blunt question took him by surprise, but he wouldn’t lie. “Pretty sure you know I do.”
“Do I?” She reached for the same button from before, rolling the plastic disk between her thumb and forefinger as if she were contemplating its release.
“I want you” he rumbled the admission. “I’ve always wanted you.”
He never wanted her to doubt that. Not fucking ever.
“I want you, too, Chase.” She brought her other hand to his chest and popped that button free. “I wanted you back in high school.” Another button came loose. “After I left.” The taunting woman pulled the hem of his collared shirt free from the khaki pants he’d worn to work before continuing her efforts to release the rest of the buttons. “In fact, there hasn’t been a time in my life I can ever remembernotwanting you.”
The two halves of his shirt fell from her hands as she brought her palms to his bare chest. Chase sucked in a breath, his heart pounding beneath her electrifying touch.
“Scottie…”
That was it. That was all he managed to say. And yet, it felt like…
Everything.
“Make love to me, Chase.” Her hands moved lower, her torturous fingertips tracing the curves of his six-pack as they went. “We’ve waited long enough, don’t you think?”
He’d tried. He really,reallyhad. But he wasn’t a fucking saint.
Tonight was a shitstorm of anger and fear, but still mild compared to other scenes he’d witnessed in the past. All because he happened to show up at the exact right moment. If he hadn’t…
I could have lost her.
And what would he have done then? Nothing, that’s what. He would have done absolutelynothing, because if that had happened…if Tommy Gallo had pulled that fucking gun and used it to hurt Scottie…there wouldn’t have been a damn thing he could’ve done.
He would’ve put the son of a bitch down where he stood. Absofuckinglutely, he would have. But that wouldn’t have brought Scottie back. She’d still be gone.
She’s here now.
Chase reached out with one hand, using the front of her shirt to pull her body flush with his. “You sure about this, sugar?”
“Surer than I’ve ever been about anything else in my life.”
He didn’t wait. Not a single second longer. She’d assured him she was okay, and he could tell she wanted him as much as he did her.
With his next breath, Chase slammed his mouth against hers. Scottie opened for him, the tips of their tongues meeting again in an impassioned explosion of pleasure. And when she reached a hand behind his neck to fill her fist with his hair, he knew she was right.
I’ve waited long enough.
10
Scottie yelpedin surprise when Chase scooped her up into his arms as if she were as light as a feather. On reflex, she threw her other arm up, locking it with the one behind his neck to keep from falling.
“Chase! What are you?—”
“Need a bed.” He marched toward the stairs leading up to the home’s two bedrooms.
“Uh…there’s a perfectly good couch behind you.”