Page 26 of The Chase

After we finished dinner, we ordered a figgy vegan cheesecake dessert to share while I sipped on a coffee. I understood now why she freaked out about me driving her home the night we slept together, so another glass of wine was out of the question. I didn’t want to be out too late tonight anyway, since we had a game tomorrow.

After we finished, I paid the bill, even though she tried to argue with me. I secretly loved it when women did that. But I made a shit-ton of money playing hockey; I could afford to take her to dinner.

I helped her into her coat, and I took her hand when we walked outside. “Where to?” I asked.

She didn’t miss a beat. “My place.”

I grinned, and we walked back to the parking garage to get my car. In hindsight, maybe it should have been better to take a rideshare, but I would know that for next time. I knew what she meant when she said, ‘my place,’ especially with the way her eyes had been tracking over me all night. She wouldn’t get it that easy, though. Not this time.

She gave me her address, and I drove across town to South Philly to a brick facade row house.

“Oh, I know this neighborhood,” I said.

“Oh, yeah?” she asked.

“Yeah, Metzy lives not that far away.”

“Oh! Right! We went to the same prep school.”

“Small world.”

I didn’t cut my engine because I wasn’t coming inside with her. She turned to me, and I leaned across the center console. I pushed her hair behind her ear and slanted my mouth on hers. She made a little noise in her throat, but then she kissed me back, and her tongue slid across the seam of my lips. I smiled into the kiss and let her take the lead, letting her set the pace as she deepened the kiss. We tangled together, and I slid my hand through her silky blonde hair while I pulled her closer.

A few minutes later, she pulled away and was out of breath. Her blue eyes were wild with a hunger I had only seen a glimmer of the last time I kissed her. “Are you coming in?” she whispered huskily.

Oh, she definitely wanted it, but I needed to play it slow with her. I caressed her cheek with the back of my hand. “Not tonight.”

Her face fell. “What? Why not?”

“We should take it slow.”

She glared at me. “TJ, please come upstairs and…” She trailed off, all flustered.

I got the feeling talking about sex was uncomfortable for her. I wanted the next time we were together to be something we could discuss and explore together. We jumped too soon before. I had been a horny bastard, and the next time I had her, I wanted to savor every last inch of her. I wanted her to beg for my dick after I made her come multiple times.

“And what?” I asked, giving her my famous smirk again.

Her cheeks colored. “We can…you know.”

“What?”

She growled at me. This tiny five-foot-five woman actually growled at me. Hell yeah, I wanted to get her there, but she wasn’t ready yet. I had already fucked up with her so many times; I needed to take it slow. I needed her to know this wasn’t just a casual thing for me. That I was ready to stop being the guy who slept through all of Philadelphia.

I shouldn’t want that. I should want to have as many girls in my bed as I could. Maybe my sister was right, maybe losing Taylor was a wake-up call.

“You know. We can have sex,” she muttered and clenched her teeth.

I faux-gasped. “I don’t put out on a first date!”

She shook her head and laughed. “Seriously? You? We already had sex.”

I brushed her hair behind her ear. “Patience, baby girl.”

“I had a great time,” she said.

“And?”

She gave me an exasperated look. “I’d like to do it again sometime.”