Thrill of the Chase (Dangerous Love) (13 page)

E
rin hadn’t taken a bath since she was nine and pretended she was Ariel from
The Little Mermaid
. But after having Chase for a third time that night in the suds-ridden tub, Erin developed a new appreciation for lavender-infused bubble bath. As she watched the steam rise, she could feel her tension slip away and mingle with the water droplets. The only way he could get her out of the tub as she basked in an orgasm-induced haze was with the lure of tiramisu. She had forgotten that they had brought home the delectable dessert, and Erin suddenly felt somewhat rejuvenated at the thought of it. Chase exited the tub and dried off. She leaned on her elbow with the rest of her body submerged in the water and gazed at his perfect, chiseled body.

“You’re staring, Erin,” he said, his back to her.

What the hell! Did he have eyes in the back of his head or something?

There was no sense in playing it down. So what if she enjoyed the view? “Would you like me to stop?”

He turned and looked at her. “If I have it my way, you will never look at another man again,” he said, his voice steady and so deliciously dark.

Erin swallowed, feeling very vulnerable and what she could only describe as…claimed. And she loved it. Erin felt her face grow hot, and it had nothing to do with the temperature of the bathwater.

“You’re blushing,” he said as he secured the towel around his waist. He chuckled and then bent down until their eyes were level. For a moment, Erin thought he was going to kiss her. She breathed him in, a mixture of soap and his own heady scent.

His gaze was unwavering, as if he was trying to stare directly into her soul. Erin had to look away. She didn’t want him to catch a glimpse of all her ugliness and learn that she carried secrets no one should be expected to deal with. Especially Chase. He could have any woman he wanted. Why would he want someone with so much baggage…one who was so damaged?

Erin needed to play this off. Her emotions were in overdrive. She lifted her chin and, with as much confidence as she could muster, said, “And you’re demanding.”

He leaned closer, their lips almost touching, and whispered, “You have no idea how demanding I can be.” Chase kissed her and she felt it all the way to her core.

Considering her past and the trauma she had experienced, Erin couldn’t imagine that it was healthy for her to be involved with someone who had control issues. But there she sat in Chase’s tub, her arousal escalating by the second, then shooting off the charts as he alluded to his tendency to be demanding.

What the hell was wrong with her?

He broke away first and said, “You are insatiable, Erin.”

“Would you have me any other way?” she teased.

“I plan on having you every way imaginable.” He flashed that same smug grin that made her wet and bothered, and walked out of the bathroom. Like an idiot, Erin just sat there. Clearly, he was much better at delivering witty and incredibly sexy comebacks than she was.

Chase discarded the cappuccinos that had been sitting on the kitchen counter, neglected because they’d had more important things to do, and prepared two mugs of hot chocolate. He set the slice of tiramisu on a plate and retrieved two forks. He heard the tub draining and couldn’t help picturing a dripping-wet and very naked Erin rising from the tub.

His cock twitched against his cotton lounge pants. Who the hell was he to call Erin insatiable? He had already had her several times that night, yet he found himself yearning for the next time. He shook his head, trying to gain some sense, some understanding of why he was so addicted to her. No other woman, including Gabrielle, had affected him this way. He shook his head and turned off the kitchen light. He had no intention of visiting the kitchen again that night, or any other room in his penthouse, for that matter. He was more than content to lock himself and Erin in his bedroom for the remainder of the night…for the remainder of their lives.

His timing couldn’t have been any better if he’d tried. With two mugs in one hand and the piece of cake in the other, he stood at the doorway to his bedroom, appreciating the view. She was leaning down, her perfect, round ass peeking out the bottom of her white fluffy towel, sifting through his drawers. Erin’s hair had been towel dried, though it dripped here and there.

She was sexy as hell.

Erin must have felt his presence and turned abruptly. “Oh God…sorry. I was just looking for something to wear.” She seemed embarrassed for some reason and her towel drooped, exposing a two-inch scar just above her hip. He had thought that he had seen and touched every inch of her body by now, but from this angle, the opaque line was clearly visible. She followed his gaze and quickly covered the scar, which by no means marred her beautiful body.

“How did you get that, Erin?” he asked. Although he was curious about how she’d obtained such a wound, he was troubled by how she had rushed to cover her body, as if she was ashamed of it.

She swallowed and then said, “Oh…I got that swimming last year. A seashell got me as I attempted to bodysurf in Ocean City.” She secured the towel around her. “Because I had conveniently forgotten that I was no longer ten years old, I earned myself a ride in a lifeguard’s Jeep and ten stiches.”

Although her story was believable, something nagged at him. Maybe it was the way she could barely look at him or the slight tremble of her fingers that made him want to question the validity of her story. But as much as he wanted to press her, he didn’t like making her feel self-conscious or give her the impression that her body repelled him.

He set the drinks and cake on the nightstand. He walked over and stood before her. She looked at him and, before she could say anything, he removed her towel and let it fall to the floor. He dropped to his knees and kissed her scar. “You’re beautiful.” He felt her quiver beneath his lips. He then left a trail of kisses along her belly to her other hip, where he kissed her gently. Her fingers gripped his hair as he sprinkled her heated flesh with nips and the occasional lick. She whimpered as he reached her breasts, and though he would have loved to have lingered there, sucking her nipples and feeling her quake with each swipe of his tongue, there was something he wanted to show her. He just didn’t know how she would react.

He stood and kissed her. She welcomed him as always, and it took him a moment to gather the strength needed to break free of her. He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. “As much as I would love you to traipse around my home all day in the nude, I realize that clothes are necessary at times.”

Chase walked over to the far side of his bedroom and reached for the closet door. “I got you a few things. I hope you don’t mind.”

He flipped on the light to the massive walk-in closet and turned toward Erin. She looked at him, though she remained glued to the floor on the other side of the room. It occurred to him that maybe he had made a mistake. Had he assumed too much? He held his breath as she finally walked over to where he stood. She looked past him and peered into the closet.

She didn’t say anything, just stared at the closet full of clothes. Dresses, suits, skirts, jeans and t-shirts with the tags still on them took over one half of the closet. His clothes, thanks to his meticulous housekeeper, hung neatly to the right.

“I just want you to feel comfortable when you’re here. I don’t want you to have to rush home in the morning to get ready for work,” he said, trying not to sound like a possessive new boyfriend. Though she remained quiet, he had a feeling she was silently freaking out.

To his surprise, she turned to him, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. Standing on her tiptoes in just a damp towel, she said, “A drawer would have sufficed.”

“Too much?” he asked.

“It’s always too much,” she said. Erin nuzzled into his neck and he shuddered from the warmth of her breath against his cool skin.

But he had the feeling that she wasn’t talking about the closet full of clothes anymore. The thought that Erin might also view what was happening between them as “too much” made him entertain the possibility that he was not alone. Perhaps she too realized that they were well past the point of no return.

T
hey polished off the cake and hot chocolates in record time, replenishing the calories they had burned off with all their strenuous activity. Erin was utterly exhausted, and she flopped on Chase’s bed after eating the dessert and snuggled into him. Chase held her close as she laid her hand on his chest. His hand came over hers, encasing it right over his heart.

Erin felt his heart beat faster and she looked up at him. “Is something wrong?”

Chase looked down at her, his eyes piercing, determined. “Erin, I need to know who your ex is,” he said, his voice steady and very businesslike.

She cringed, not just because of his question, but also his tone. Her tender, mussed, sexy guy had morphed back into the pristine, domineering suit. Erin evaded his gaze and watched her hand on his chest rise and fall with each breath he took. “Why?” she asked.

“Because I saw fear in your eyes when you received that text, not anger, not annoyance.”

Erin continued to stare at his chest, buying some time, as her mind entertained possible explanations. She must have been pondering a little too long, because he asked, “Are you in danger, Erin? Has he hurt you?” Chase released her hand and lifted her chin with his fingers. “Is that why your brother escorts you everywhere and why the receptionist in your apartment building has strict orders from Paul when it comes to your safety?”

Shit. Everything was falling apart, crashing down around her. Erin had been deluding herself, living in some fantasyland where she could pick and choose what she wanted to disclose and the other person in the relationship happily accepted the abridged version of Erin Whitley, no questions asked.

Erin looked into his eyes and fought vigorously to hold back the tears. She needed more time…more time before he told her good-bye. She was being selfish, but Erin didn’t care. She wasn’t ready to let him go.

“What would you do with that information…with his name, I mean?”

Chase’s eyes grew dark and ominous. But Erin knew it wasn’t directed at her. Still, his gaze was disturbing, and it was then she caught a glimpse of what he might be capable of. “I would use that information to protect you.” His voice was eerily calm.

“You are being intentionally vague,” she said.

“And you are avoiding my questions,” he said, his fingers gravitating from her chin to the side of her face. He caressed her cheek and she leaned into his hand.

Erin needed to tell him something, just enough to satisfy him for now. “Like your breakup, ours was not mutual. Even after all this time, it appears that he still hasn’t accepted it.”

“How did he know you were at my penthouse that morning he sent you flowers?”

Erin had no idea what to say. So she just told the truth. “I don’t know.”

“Why are you afraid of him?” he asked.

Sticking to the truth, even if it was tainted with strategic omissions, seemed to be the safest route to go. At least she wouldn’t forget what she had said, and possibly get tripped up in a lie further down the road.

But Erin would need to find the strength to talk about that night, about that bastard, without giving anything away. “He was controlling and…possessive.” She felt her throat close up, and Erin knew she wouldn’t be able to expand or provide further details.

“I have been told that I can be controlling. And I know that I want to possess all of you,” he said.

Erin shook her head, feeling the first tear wind its way down her cheek. She turned away, hoping he hadn’t seen that she was falling apart. But she was too late. He sat up, taking her face in both his hands. Chase was nothing like the man who had raped her. And though it was possible that she would regret telling him, he had to know just how different he was from the bastard.

“He never touched me like you do—gentle…respectful.” The scar above her hip ached, though the pain was only in her head. The tears were freely flowing by that point, and she saw his body grow rigid.

“I’ll never hurt you, Erin. I think you know that. But it’s clear to me, from the look on your face and the tears that I so desperately want to stop, that your ex still possesses the power to inflict pain.”

Erin squeezed her eyes shut and for the first time, she wanted to tell him everything, lay out all her secrets. But she couldn’t do it. She would lose him. So Erin skirted the truth once again, straddling that ever-fading line. “I don’t want you to know who he is,” she said.

“Why, Erin?”

“Because I think you’ll try to confront him if you know his identity,” she said.

“Yes, I would. It’s obvious that you’re not ready to share that information with me and I would never pressure you to do so. But you leave me with no choice but to arrange for the necessary precautions.”

Erin blinked through the tears, wondering what he meant by that. “What are these ‘necessary precautions’?’’

“You will have a bodyguard with you each and every time you step foot outside your door and mine. No exceptions,” he said.

“Don’t you think that’s a little extreme?”

He raised his eyebrows, and by the stern look on his face, Erin knew she didn’t have any right to argue. He was willing to forgo his desire to press her to give up the name of her “ex.” She had no other choice but to agree. Erin sighed and then nodded.

“Good. There’s no way I would leave town tomorrow morning without knowing you were protected.”

“Where are you going?” she asked, trying hard to mask the desperation in her voice. “For how long?”

Chase let go of her face and pulled her closer to him. His fingers caressed the blond waves that had scurried down her back. “I have some business to take care of. But I’ll be back for your presentation on Friday.”

“Oh,” she said. Erin didn’t even attempt to hide her disappointment. The thought of not seeing him for a few days, not waking up next to him, made her heart ache.

“And then there is the benefit you agreed to attend with me on Friday night. I know you were put on the spot at the time, but I had every intention of asking you myself if you would like to accompany me.”

Erin wasn’t by any stretch thrilled about being on the receiving end of the stares and whispered comments that were destined to come the moment she stepped out on the arm of one of the city’s most eligible and wealthy bachelors. But he was worth it, and there was no way in hell she was going to let the beautiful women in attendance think he was available. But that wasn’t the only reason that Erin was willing to attend.

It had been months since Erin had thought of her work at the hospital. A curious feeling shot through her, and it took a moment to realize where it had come from. It was a jolt of excitement, a glimpse of that fire she had once possessed whenever she pictured herself working as a doctor of medicine, helping those in need.

Was it possible that her dream of being a doctor could be resuscitated?

Tonight wasn’t the time to make such an important decision. Though it wouldn’t appear to be the case, she had disclosed a lot to Chase over the past few hours. Erin decided it was best to entertain at a later date the idea of returning to the path that she had chosen so many years ago.

“Cancer research is very important to me. I volunteered in the pediatric oncology unit at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia while attending college. Though it was an emotional roller coaster witnessing children under the unrelenting grasp of cancer, I never forgot the elation I felt when a patient responded to treatment and the doctor was able to tell a very exhausted parent that her child’s cancer was now in remission. My mentor was wonderful. He sort of took me under his wing, and it was during that stint I realized what I definitively wanted to do with the rest of my life. I always dreamed of being a doctor, but it was my mentor and the experience I shared with him that made me want to make that dream my reality.”

He stared at her, his smile reaching those deep blue eyes of his. Erin felt his fingers continue to circle her back, sending sweet sensations to different parts of her body. “I like to see that.”

“See what?” she asked.

“That fire in your eyes. It has snuffed out the shadows that were there just moments ago,” he said. “Erin, why did you give it up? This dream that I know you still want? I can see it. I can hear it in your voice.”

Her heart started to race. Breathe, Erin.

“I realized after I graduated that I wasn’t ready to fully commit to medical school. I needed…time.”

Keep breathing. Don’t look away. Don’t bite that fucking lip!

Chase stared at her. He opened his mouth, as if he was going to say something, and then reconsidered. He leaned in and kissed her. “I’ll support you in whatever you do, whatever you choose. I need you to understand that, Erin.”

Erin wanted to cry, but she choked back the tears. It meant the world to her that he would support her decision to return to school, but it was his loving tone that did her in. She smiled. But it was time to end the conversation. It had been a risk allowing Chase to see into her past, though it was only a small glimpse. He seemed to sense her desire to shift the conversation in another direction, because he changed the subject and simply asked, “So, you will go to the benefit with me?”

“You do realize that if we attend the benefit together, people, including those at your company, will think we are…” Erin didn’t know how to complete her thought.

Luckily, Chase interrupted with, “Together?”

“Um…yeah.” It definitely wasn’t one of her most sophisticated responses.

“I absolutely hope so. I want everyone to know you belong to me.”

Erin melted. He had said those words so easily and with such confidence. She had fallen so fast…so hard.

But reality had a tendency to rear its ugly at the worst possible moment, and she thought it was time she stated the obvious. “But aren’t we breaking some workplace rule? Isn’t it against company policy for two employees—and in our case, employee and employer—to sleep together?”

“If that is what my company policy dictates, then I will change it to meet my needs. And right now what I need is you.” Erin loved the way he looked at her, his eyes dark, those sensual lips only inches from hers. He had the power to ward off nightmarish thoughts and fill her with hope that everything was going to be okay. “And Erin, to set the record straight, we are not just sleeping together.”

She loved how honest, how possessive he was with her. But she also took notice that he had refrained from using the L word. It frightened Erin to think of the possibility that his feelings might not mimic her own.

She didn’t want to ruin their evening together, especially since she wasn’t going to see him for the next few days. So she decided to add levity to their very heavy conversation and said, “So, should I go to the benefit or leave one of the city’s most eligible bachelors unescorted and available to countless women?” She knew her attempt to lighten things up had failed when his smile faded. Instead, he looked at her with such a serious expression, she thought he was angry with her.

“There will be no other women for me, Erin.”

Erin wanted to believe that. She wanted to believe that he would never hurt her, that her heart was safe in his hands. He must have seen her apprehension, because he rolled her onto her back, his body on top of hers, and said, “I won’t hurt you.”

Erin’s eyes started to well up and she swallowed hard. She put her hands around his neck and drew him close. Though she wasn’t ready to tell him exactly how she felt, how far she had fallen for him, Erin could show him. She nodded and said, “I need to feel you inside me.”

His mouth came over hers with so much intensity that she felt her entire body react. Chase pulled her boy shorts off in one quick swipe and she moaned with anticipation. Erin watched as he tugged his boxer briefs down, exposing his hard shaft. She licked her lips and, though she would have loved to have sucked him deep, feeling his seed slide down her throat as he came in her mouth, her body craved a more intimate connection.

“Please, Chase…hurry,” she begged. He slid into her, her slick channel clenching down on him, now familiar with his massive size. Erin wrapped her legs around him, holding on to him with everything she had.

“Ahh Erin, I’m already so close!” he groaned. His thrusts weren’t hurried, but determined, as if he wanted to ensure that every inch of her body had been touched, claimed by his cock. Her orgasm crashed over her, and she screamed for him to come with her.

She felt his body shake as his warmth filled her. She held onto him as the quakes of his climax subsided and then brought his face to her chest. Erin wasn’t sure how long they lay like that, with his face nuzzled against her breasts, his one leg entwined in both of hers…and her heart bared to him, completely exposed and wanting to trust.