“So close.”
Chase stroked her hair as they watched a toothpaste commercial. He’d never enjoyed network TV quite so much, though his mind was far from toothpaste or anything else coming from the glowing box. “If I tell you I love you, are you going to chew me out this time?” he whispered.
Ashley sat up and looked at him. “No, I won’t chew you out this time. You already know that I love you, though I did kind of throw it at you. I’m sorry.”
His throat suddenly felt drier than the Sahara desert. “I love you, Ashley.”
She stared at him, her lips quirking into a smile. “Last question.” She leaned toward him, biting her lip. “Um, were you ever planning on kissing me tonight? You’re killing me here, Chase.”
***
Chase picked up the remote and turned off the TV before shifting his body to look at her fully. And oh, what a look. Ashley’s face warmed under his scrutiny. She shouldn’t have asked. Why did she have to be so forward all the time?
“I’ll kiss you when I’m good and ready,” Chase murmured as he closed the distance, his lips skimming just over the surface of her mouth before moving to kiss each corner. He was such a tease.
Then he pulled her to him and kissed her fully, thoroughly. Her whole body sang with delight. She loved the feel of his arms around her and the slow and steady way his lips moved against hers. She felt loved. She felt safe.
He brushed her hair back from her forehead and pressed a kiss there. His heartbeat under her hand jumped in double time, though his face was calm.
He moved to kiss her again when a screech from down the hall interrupted them. Chase groaned.
“Come on,” Ashley whispered, jumping to her feet. “Let’s go see what’s wrong.” She pulled him up, and they crept down the hallway, hand in hand, trying to figure out where the noise had come from.
Gabby’s door creaked open and she stared up at them with tired, squinty eyes. “I had a bad dream.”
Ashley wanted to immediately scoop her up and stay with her until she fell asleep, but she turned to Chase. She wasn’t sure what the protocol was for something like this.
Chase gave Ashley’s hand a squeeze. “I’ll be back in a minute.” He led Gabby back to her bed, asking if she wanted him to sing her a song.
Curiosity pulled at Ashley, but she didn’t stay to eavesdrop. There would be other nights here, other opportunities to be amazed and surprised by everything that was Chase Reynolds.
After sitting in the dark on the couch for a few minutes, she flipped back on the TV, hoping to find something other than news to watch.
But she wouldn’t be changing channels. Reid’s mugshot stared back at her. She got off the couch and knelt in front of the TV to hear better without having to turn up the volume. “Reid Kelley is being held in connection with a string of credit card skimming machines found at several valley gas stations. He was arrested this evening and is being booked into Maricopa County’s Fourth Avenue Jail…”
“You should still go in tomorrow.” Chase came to sit down beside her on the floor, taking her hand in his. They watched the footage for several more minutes, and then she reached up and hit the power button on the TV. Hopefully soon, she would never have to think about Reid again.
She turned to Chase and curled up in his arms, needing his warmth, his comfort. And with all the chemistry flowing between them, that comfort rapidly led to getting back to where they’d left off.
Ashley finally pulled away, taking deep breaths. “I need to go.”
Chase gave her one last soft peck. “I know.”
“Chase.” She put a hand to his cheek. How she loved this man. “I’m not the same person I was with Reid. There are lines I don’t want to cross again.”
“I don’t ever want to hurt you, Ashley. I’m sorry. I went a little hormonal teenage boy there for a minute, and I’m not the same person I was back then either.”
Ashley studied his face, looking for disgust, or irritation, or shock. But all she saw was love.
Chase helped her to her feet. “Call me when you get home so I know you’re okay.”
“I’m a five-minute drive away.”
“Call me anyway.”
She gave him one more kiss at the door, and another before getting into her car. Their goodnight phone conversation lasted several hours.
