Silver and Chrome: A Bad Boy MC Romance (36 page)

Chapter Fifteen

I'm
silent, caught by surprise at having Harrison actually answer the phone when I
was completely expecting his voicemail.  The clock on the desk across from me
says ten thirty seven.  Why the hell isn't he already on his way back to
Toronto?

"Lila? 
Are you there?  I hope you're on your way to the airport.  The flight was
delayed but they’re expecting to board in a few minutes.  Where the hell are
you?"

"I'm
not coming," I finally find my voice.  The speech I'd prepared has fled my
mind completely so I have to wing it.

"What
do you mean you aren't coming?  Where are you, Lila?  Where have you been?  I
have your bag here with me."

"I'm...
I'm just staying in Vegas for a little while.  I need some time."

"Lila,
what the hell.  You haven't spoken to me at all, you have to let me explain
about-"

"Stop,"
I say.  Surprisingly, he does.  "It's over Harrison.  It really is.  It's
not about the other night, although that was certainly the last straw, but it's
been coming for a long time.  I think we both knew it.  There's nothing left
for us.  It just wasn't working."

"Lila,
I-"

"Stop,"
I repeat.  "Please, just stop.  Take my bag and drop it off with Evelyn. 
I'll let you know when I get back to Toronto.  I just wanted to call and let
you now that I was okay."  So that you wouldn't freak my parents out.

"Lila,
can we just talk about this?  I can change my flight as well."

"No!"
The last thing I want to do is have Harrison still in Vegas trying to meet up
with me.  I don't want to be responsible for him anymore, and I'm not ready to
have the conversation about Chase.  He'll say it's too soon.  It probably is
too soon, but I don't care.  It feels right.  Chase makes me feel right. 
"It's over Harry.  Please stop texting me.  I have to go."  I hang up
before he gets a chance to say another word.  This time I turn my phone
completely off.  I need a break from my old life for a few days.  From Harry,
from Evelyn, from everyone.  I'm here with Chase, and Chase is the only person
I'm interested in spending time with.

With
that thought, I head back into the other room and slip back into bed with him,
snuggling up to his warm naked body with my own.  This is exactly where I want
to be.

It
took me three days to even turn my phone back on again.  I wasn't exactly
avoiding Harry, Evelyn, or anyone else, I simply forgot about it.  Chase and I
have been busy almost nonstop since then, and whenever we do have a free moment
we usually spend it in his hotel without clothes.  Not because Harry took my
bag back with him to Toronto, either.  Chase took me on a little mini shopping
spree and bought me enough new outfits to last a week.  But the way we've been
avoiding wearing any in the hotel room means they'll actually last much longer.

The
only time I've spoken to anyone at all was when I called home from the room
phone to let my parents know I was staying a few extra days in Vegas.  I let
them know that Harry and I had broken up, and used that as an excuse by saying
I needed some time away from everyone. 

But
today I'm just standing around waiting for Chase to finish up doing a photo
shoot for some poker magazine, so I have some time to kill.  I can't avoid it
forever. 

Reaching
into my purse I look for my phone, which is side by side with Chase's at the
bottom of my purse.  He asked me to hold it and his wallet, as the photographer
didn't like the bulge it was creating in his pocket.  I pull mine out and
switch it back on.  As I expected, there are a number of messages from both
Evelyn and Harrison.  I flip through Harry's quickly.  Mostly they're just a
mixture of him apologizing and telling me he wants to talk.  From the
timestamps on them, though, they've been getting less frequent as the days tick
by.  He hasn't sent any at all today.  Maybe he's finally getting the hint that
it's over.

Evelyn's
are surprisingly not asking about my relationship with Chase.  Well, not
only
asking about it.  She says she has some news about her job and to call her when
I have a chance.  Evelyn works as a personal assistant at some company.  It's
always sounded like a glorified secretary to me, but at least she has a job. 
It pays surprisingly well, too, which has helped me in the past when I've had
trouble coming up with my half of the rent on time, which is often.  She
probably got a bonus or promotion or something.  Evelyn has always worked hard,
so she deserves it.  I feel bad for not talking to her at all these last few
days.  It's time to rejoin the rest of the world.  I need to call her back.

I
glance up to see if they're still taking pictures of Chase, but the
photographer is on the other side of the big room fiddling with his camera. 
Chase is still leaning against the poker table they were using as a prop, but
now there are a couple of young women talking to him, one of whom has her hand
on his arm as they all laugh.  I drop my phone back in my purse and approach
them before things get too friendly.

"Hi,"
I say, shooting a cold look at the girls who seem oblivious to anything other
than Chase.  "You all done or just on a break?"

"Hey
beautiful," Chase says, flashing his smile at me and giving me his full
attention immediately.  "I think we're almost done here.  I was just
getting a touch up on my hair and makeup."

"A
touch up, eh?"  My eyes flit down to the girl's hand that is still on his
arm.  He pulls it back and she removes it.  "They're also fans," he
says, his smile a bit more embarrassed now.  Both of the girls turn to me now
that they see how much attention I'm getting from Chase.  "Girls, this is
my girlfriend, Lila.  Lila, this is Ariel and Sam."

I
attempt to give them a tight, cold smile but I fail, my smile much broader than
I mean it to be.  Chase called me his girlfriend for the first time.  Does he
really think of me that way?  The girls smile back and then turn away,
obviously their touch ups were complete and they were just flirting with
Chase.  It happens so often now I'm almost immune to it.  Almost. 

"Just
another few minutes, then we can go for that swim," he says.  He touches
my arm tenderly, letting it fall down to my hand which he squeezes.  Chase has
agreed to take me back to his house for a swim, since I don't really like the
pool at the hotel.  It's very busy, and it seems like every few minutes someone
is coming up to talk to Chase.  And when they do, some of the women flirt even
harder than these two just did.  It's a lot worse when they're wearing a bikini
and I'm standing right there.  I lean forward and give him a kiss, meaning for
it to be quick but he pulls me a bit closer, letting it linger. 

"I
don't want to mess up your makeup," I say, pulling back.  There are a lot
of people standing around and I'm not sure I want all the eyes on us.  But my
excuse is partially true as well.  No reason to give those girls a reason to
come back.  The photographer approaches so I resume my place at the back of the
room to watch.

The
pictures continue for a few more minutes before I hear the notification sound
of a text message coming from my purse.  I fish around and pull out my phone,
remembering I had meant to call Evelyn back and hoping it was her.  My phone is
blank, no new messages.  I'm confused for a second and then I remember Chase's
phone is in my purse as well.  I pull it out and click the display to see the
last message.

11:31
AM Denise: So do you think you can ditch Lila at some point tomorrow so we can
get together?

Chapter Sixteen

I
stare at the phone in my hand as a million different thoughts roll through my
head.  Denise is a bitch, so it could mean anything.  It doesn't mean that
Chase is on board with what she's asking.  And yet, the way it's written, it
almost sounds as if they were having a conversation about it.  Like it was something
they had been discussing and she was just waiting for a final answer.  Of
course, it could be written that way on the off chance that I pick the message
up, or see his phone, just to piss me off and cause a fight.  That definitely
seems like something Denise was capable of, but I doubt it.  She would have no
reason to think I would have seen that particular message.  Although maybe
there were others all worded similarly.  I know it's an invasion of privacy,
but I have to know more.  If they are having a conversation about me, if he's
still having any kind of physical relationship with her, I deserve to know.

I
click to turn his phone on but I'm prompted for a password.  The only message
unblocked is the current one. 

Damn
.

Taking
a deep breath to steady my pounding heart, I force away the negative thoughts. 
I don't know anything.  I shouldn't have looked at the message in the first
place.  I have to trust that Chase will tell me if Denise is up to any funny
business.  Then again, I've only known Chase for less than a week and who knows
how long she's known him.  Can I really trust him at all?  He's a poker
player.  He makes his money bluffing, which is really just another word for
lying.  He makes money by keeping his emotions in check and his thoughts to
himself.  Can you ever really know someone like that?  I suddenly miss Evelyn. 
My best friend always had my back, and I feel shitty again for ignoring her all
week.

"You
ready?"  Chase's voice startles me and I jump.  "Shit, sorry.  You
okay?"

"Yeah,"
I nod and then work up a smile.  "Just thinking about a friend back
home."  Technically true.

Chase
nods, putting his hand on me so that he can rub empathetic circles on my back. 
It makes me feel instantly better.  Harrison would have probably made some joke
about me missing my friends but Chase can instantly tell that I just need a bit
of reassurance and compassion.  I must be misreading the whole thing with
Denise.  He'll tell me about it in his own time if it's anything.

We
leave the photo shoot and hop into his waiting limo on our way to his house. 
He's sitting across from me on the bench seats as usual.

"Sorry
about those girls."  He shoots his half smile at me as he reaches forward
to squeeze my knee.  "Sometimes fans can get a little personal.  They feel
like they know you so well after seeing you on TV that they forget you don't
know them at all."

I
shrug.  I'm over it.  I'm more disturbed by the message from Denise than a
couple of fan girls.  I reach into my purse and pull out his wallet and phone,
handing them back to him.  I watch as he turns the phone on and flips through
it briefly, presumably checking his messages. 

"My
bike is ready."

"What?" 
I'm not sure what he's talking about.

He
looks up at me.  "My motorcycle.  It's been in the shop all week.  You
ever been on one?"

I
shake my head.

"Really? 
Never?  Well then that's what we'll do tomorrow."

"I
don't know," I protest.  "Motorcycles seem pretty dangerous."

"Oh,
Lila.  You gotta live a little, babe!  There's nothing like riding really fast
in the desert, the wind wiping against your body and the scenery going by you
in a blur.  It gets your heart pumping, the blood in your veins will feel
alive."

"I
thought that's what sex is for," I smile and wink.

Chase
laughs.  "I'm not going to argue with that.  But if I can't keep you naked
and sequestered in my room 24 hours a day, then there are other ways to feel
exhilarated."

"I
guess."

"You'll
love it, I promise.  You have to live a little, Lila.  You don't always have to
be so safe!"

"I'm
not.  I do!" I protest, but he has me pegged.  I've always lived too
safely, afraid to take chances.  In fairness, I think it's probably easier to
live a little closer to the edge when you're rich than when you're struggling
to make rent each month.  It's not like I have friends with motorcycles or the
money to go diving with sharks in Australia or anything.

"We'll
see," he says.  "Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow,"
I agree.  I'm not exactly looking forward to it, but at least if he's making
plans with me for tomorrow then he isn't planning on ditching me for Denise. 
I'm feeling better about that situation already.

We
arrive at the house and he lets us in after telling his driver to go for lunch
but to bring us something on his way back.  We'll have a later lunch so that we
can get in the pool right away.

I
haven't been out in his backyard yet, and it's gorgeous.  I note how well
manicured the lawn is, considering he's never here to take care of it.

"I
have a service for that."  Of course. 

The
fence around the property is high enough that he doesn't have to worry about
any of his neighbors watching us, giving us the privacy that we lack whenever
we go to the pool at the hotel.  Or whenever we leave the house at all,
really.  I've never understood the complaint about celebrities being bothered
by people until I started seeing Chase, and he isn't even known outside the
poker or gambling world.  I can't imagine what it would be like for a movie
star.

I
follow him to the side of the yard where there is a little small hut with a
couple of doors used as a changing area.  He goes into one side after motioning
me to go into the other.  Once inside I pull my bathing suit out of the bag I
brought and strip off my clothes.  As I'm about to put it on, a naughty thought
creeps into my head.  Instead, I drop it onto the floor and wait until I hear
Chase exit the other room.  I step out completely naked and watch as his jaw
drops, and he lowers his shades to let his eyes roam over his body.  He's
wearing a shorts style swimsuit himself but lets out a low whistle as he sees
me.

"I
think you forgot something," he smiles.

"Well,
you said I don't know how to live dangerously..."

Chase
laughs.  "This is your idea of living on the edge, then?"

I
put my hands over my breasts and pretend to turn back to the changing room. 
"If you don't like it, I can go put my suit on."

"Definitely
not!"  He grabs my arm and pulls me to him.  "I have no complaints
about what you're... not wearing."

"You're
over dressed for this party, though."  I hook my fingers into the
waistband of his trunks and yank them down to his feet.

"Hey,"
he exclaims as I straighten up and kiss him quickly on the lips.

"Shut
up," I reply.  I put my hands on his chest and push him backwards.  The
surprised look on his face as he hits the water is priceless.

His
head breaks the surface and he glares at me in mock anger.  "So that's how
it's going to be, is it?"

I
laugh and nod right before jumping in next to him.  When I come up he kisses me
on the lips and puts his arms around me.

"So
you're not mad?" I ask right before kissing him again.

"Of
course not."  He kisses me back.  "I like seeing your version of
living dangerously.  But tomorrow, you're going to see mine."  I open my
mouth to ask for details but he catches my lips and tongue with his own, and
all sense of speech deserts me.  Whatever retaliation he comes up with tomorrow
will surely be worth this.