Just One Week (Just One Song) (8 page)

“Chase?” she asks softly, and I catch a twinge of humor in her voice.

I pull my eyes to her, aware that I’ve been staring at her chest and the darkness around her nipples that can be faintly seen through her shirt.

Her lips are tipped up in slight amusement although there’s still a hint of anger in her eyes. She caught me staring, and I could play it off. But no way. I may want more than her body this week, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to take her body too.

“You can’t wear something like that and not expect me to look, babe.” I smirk and enjoy the way she fidgets in her chair while I watch her over the rim of my coffee cup.

“You said we had to talk, so let’s get to it. I have a plane to catch soon.”

No way in hell. I shake my head, still grinning, and I watch her fight to stay calm.

“I have something planned this morning. We can talk when you’re relaxed.”

Her mouth falls open a little bit and she snaps it closed. “You said we would talk in the morning and then I could catch a plane. Lying to me again?”

With a clearly frustrated move, she stands up from her chair, pushing it so harshly into the table that the glass top rattles. I follow her into the kitchen so she can’t run. Even if she’s just moving five feet away, I recognize her trying to make space between us and no way in hell I’m letting that happen again.

I’m right behind her when she shuts the door to the fridge and before she can say anything, I push her back lightly up against the fridge door, running my hand softly through her tangled hair. She freezes for a second and then her eyes go hazy. She also doesn’t push me away, but I don’t press for anything more.

“I know you’re still pissed about last night, and I don’t blame you. I
do
want to talk to you, but I have you booked for a massage this morning and whatever else you want. You just lost your job, Mia. And you’re stressed. I know I didn’t help with that last night by springing this trip on you, but let me help you relax first.” I move my hand from her hair and down to her shoulders, pressing my thumb into the knot just behind her collar bone. Her eyes close and she groans as I quietly prove my point of how tense she is. “Let me take care of you with the massage, and then we’ll talk.”

God she smells good. While her eyes are closed and her lips slightly parted, I lean forward, pressing my hips against her slowly. Her eyes fly open when she feels me, feels how much I want her. Her hands go to my chest, trying to push me away, but I don’t let her. And as I stand there, staring at her and quietly asking her to let me in, a sparkle flashes in her eyes and I know I’ve got her. And I love it. It’s that same mischievous glimmer she always used to have in her eyes and I realize that it’s been a while since I’ve seen it. I definitely didn’t see it yesterday.

I don’t give her time to change her mind before my lips crash down on to hers. She responds immediately, her hands go to the back of my neck and her nails dig in to my skin putting pressure on me and pulling me toward her. I let her. I let her control the kiss as my arms wrap around her waist.

It’s my favorite kiss with her yet, and we’ve shared lots over the years, but this one is filled with a different kind of passion than I’ve allowed myself to show her.

I move my mouth against hers, opening it when her warm, soft tongue flicks across my bottom lip and then I take over, devouring her and showing her how much I want her. I pull her head away and begin trailing soft kisses down her neck, toward the front of her throat and smile against her skin when she moans as I lick the skin right around her collarbone.

“Chase.” Hearing her rough voice say my name makes me press harder against her, pushing her until she’s plastered against fridge and I roll my hips into her. I don’t know if she’s trying to protest or urge me on, but I don’t stop. The thought of being so close to her that I’m in her, in her breathing and in every single part of her, makes me harder than I’ve ever been in my life. This is more than just sex and lust. I want her. All of her, and I’m not going to stop showing her that or proving it to her until she feels the same way about me.

I catch her next groans of pleasure with my mouth before I remember that taking her in the kitchen will go against my plan to prove that I want more from her than sex.

With my dick telling me to get closer, I reluctantly pull myself away, but leave my hips pressed against her. I cup her cheeks with my hand and gently press my lips against her flushed skin. It’s hot on my lips and I smile against her skin.

“You have a massage in one hour,” I remind her with a raised eyebrow. Her eyes slowly open and the smoky color in her blue eyes clears.

“Wha …”

I chuckle softly. It takes every ounce of self-control not to take her. How can one kiss turn both of so completely inside out like this?

“A massage. In one hour.” And then I smirk. “Unless you want me to take care of it for you.” I run my hands slowly down her throat, across her collar bone, and down her sides until I reach the edge of her short t-shirt that I want removed. Immediately. I play with the hem with my fingers and firmly grasp her thighs, squeezing the backs of them until my hands are cupping her perfect ass.

She jumps when I pinch each ass cheek, pushing me away. I throw my hands up innocently as she laughs just once. It’s the first smile I’ve gotten out of her since we stepped out of the plane. It’s progress and I’ll take it.

“You’re a tool.”

I place both hands on my hips, my feet shoulder-width apart, and watch her eyes fall to my erection that’s pressed so hard against my boxers I’m surprised it hasn’t popped out yet. When she’s looking, I wiggle my hips once. “We both know you like my tool.”

Her cheeks flush bright pink and she turns away, but she’s still smiling and laughing so I consider my work done for the morning.

I take a shower, turning the water as cold as possible, but it doesn’t help anything. My body wants Mia and I have a feeling that my dick is going to stay permanently hard until Mia is willing to help me take care of it. Once I’m out of the shower and dressed, I find her in the living room, staring out the window and chewing on the side of her thumbnail. She’s dressed in tight yoga shorts that barely cover her ass and a loose-fitting pink sweatshirt that falls off one shoulder. Her hair is pulled up into some messy looking pile on top of her head and she’s not wearing any make-up.

Even dressed and looking like this she’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

I throw my wallet and room key into my back pocket and hold my hand out to her. To my surprise, she takes it as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.

“Let’s go get you relaxed,” I tell her. She follows me, not questioning why I’m walking her down to the spa. Why am I? I have no idea except for maybe the fear that she’ll take off if I let her out of my sight.

She’s silent in the elevator and for the walk through the hotel lobby to the spa. My sense of smell is assaulted when we get close to the door. I can never understand why women need to slather themselves with so many different smells when men don’t care, but Mia loves this girly shit; so girly shit she gets.

As soon as we reach the check-in counter, she turns to me. Her lips are turned slightly down and she looks uncertain when I look down at her.

“Thanks for doing this for me. I know I’ve been a bitch, and I’m sorry.” I frown, watching her look so nervous around me. It’s something new I’ve never seen in her before and my heart sinks, wondering what she’s going to tell me. “I’ve had a lot going on these last few weeks, but this massage is exactly what I need.” She leans up, kisses me softly on the cheek and takes a step away, letting my hand go. “So, thanks again. I’ll see you when I’m done?”

I stand there, nodding like a fool, and watch her walk away. And I can’t stop wondering the entire time she’s gone – what in the hell does she have to be so nervous about? Breaking my heart and running? Or finally admitting she wants me?

By the time my massage is done, my body feels completely relaxed while my head feels more confused than ever.

I truly had no idea I was so stressed out until Chase’s hands were on mine this morning, immediately erasing all the anger I had so quickly stored up when our plane arrived in Napa.

I’m not being fair to him and I know it. I’m still upset that he trapped me here, although who am I kidding? If I really wanted to leave, I could have called a cab and had it take me to the nearest open airport in San Francisco. I could have been on a plane late last night, or at a hotel far away from Chase and his ridiculous plot to get me alone with him. I could have demanded a separate room. So why didn’t I?

The question has been in the front of my mind since I stepped into the gorgeous hotel room and realized all the work he put into our weekend trip.

But I have more than just losing my job to deal with. I swallow the lump in my throat at the thought. My anger at Chase and planning to help Nicole with her wedding has temporarily made me forget about all the other bullshit going on in my life, but being alone this morning has given me the time to solely focus on all my fears all over again. I don’t have to return my doctor’s phone calls to know what she’s going to say. I’ve known it’s been coming for years.

I close my eyes, letting the pressure of the water beat down on me.

He wants all of me for one week, but what he doesn’t realize is that I have always given everything I have to him. I just don’t have anything more to give. He looks at me as if he can see something in me that simply isn’t there. I can give him this week because maybe if he finally sees me for who I truly am, he’ll finally realize that I can never give him what he wants.

I step out of the shower dressed only in my towel and grab a bottle of wine from the wine fridge in the kitchen. The best part about this weekend? Free, fabulous tasting wine from the local wineries. I smile as the fruity and smooth texture of the Riesling wine hits my tongue and slides down my throat.

I pick up my cell phone and type out a text to Nicole.

I’m so pissed at you for your part in this weekend. Thanks a lot.

I add a smiley face so she knows I’m just giving her a hard time. I’m upset, but I had it coming to me.

Nic:
Payback is a bitch, yeah? :-)

I smile, knowing she’s talking about when Zack and Nic first met and I gave Zack her address and phone number as soon as he showed an interest her. I knew from the beginning he’d be good for her, even if it only led to a short-term fling to get her moving on from the loss of her family.

She’s probably been plotting her revenge for over two years. Payback is mostly definitely a bitch.

I sigh when I spot the hot tub on our private terrace. If I’m going to stay here this weekend, I’m determined to enjoy it and push the rest of my problems to the back of my mind until I absolutely have to face them.

I’m in the middle of tying my bikini top behind my back when I hear the door to our suite open and then close. Chase is at my doorway in seconds and then freezes immediately.

His eyes go hazy looking for a second as he just stands there, watching me wearing my short pajama shorts and a half-on bikini top that is really nothing more than a couple triangles and a few pieces of string.

I smile at him, looking at him over my shoulder. “Are you going to stand there staring at me, or do you want to help me put this on?”

He grins devilishly and takes a few steps closer. I turn around and hold out the strings for him behind my back but he doesn’t take them. Instead he leans over me – more like towers over me – and brings his lips close to my ear. I wonder if he enjoys watching me shiver and come apart under his warm breath and sexy voice.

“I most definitely do not want to help you put this on.” But even as he says it, he’s tying the strings at my back into a knot. And then he slowly wraps his hands around to the front of my stomach, slowly covering my abdomen before rubbing them around to my back and up to the sides of my swimsuit top. “I take it based on how you’re dressed and not packed and ready to leave that you’ve decided to say?”

He spins me around so I’m facing him, leaving his warm hands at the top of my hip bones.

“I’ll stay.” I watch him breathe out a sigh of relief at my news and then I look him up and down. He’s dressed in a pair of jeans that are ripped at the knees – from wear, not fashion – and a tight simple black t-shirt that flexes perfectly across his chest. “I thought I’d get in the hot tub and enjoy the view for a little bit. Wanna join me?”

I walk past without waiting for his answer, knowing he’ll follow me. And with my decision made to stay and enjoy my time, I feel less stressed than I have in months. I can do this.

“So what made you decide to stay?” Chase asks me. We’re sitting in the hot tub, facing one another with the hills to his back. We haven’t said anything since he joined me, but I’ve been slowly raking my eyes up and down his entire body.

It’s not just that Chase has a nice body. It’s perfection in the finest form. A true work of art with every muscle defined on his eight pack down to the ‘V’ just above his waist band. His colorful tattoos all over his shoulder make me want to lick and taste every mark that is on his skin.