Catching Chase

by Michelle Windsor

  I freeze, our faces so close I can feel the heat of her cheeks flaring a second before she pushes away from me, muttering under her breath. “Great timing Mom.” We free ourselves from each other, her eyes dashing to mine and then away as she starts for the stairs. “Sorry.”

  “Me too.” Not really, but I don’t want to make her feel any more uncomfortable, so I say what I think she wants to hear. I almost run into her when she stops short and turns to me.

  “Sorry about my mother.” She clarifies, speaking low. Her eyes cut to my mouth again. “Not that you almost kissed me.” Then she spins around, skipping down the steps, addressing her mother before I can respond. “Coming, Mother.”

  “Oh, don’t you look lovely!” Sandy exclaims as her daughter reaches her, her brow furrowing when Megan brushes quickly by her. Her eyes cut to me, a knowing look registering on her face as I scoot past her.

  “Sorry about that. We were just finishing up with Chase.” I sputter out the first excuse I can think of.

  “Uh-huh.” She drawls, following behind me. “If you say so.” Relief surges through me when I hear her chuckle lightly.

  Dinner ends up being really nice, and I’m glad I stayed. I’m seated directly across from Megan, which normally would have been fine. If she didn’t look so damn sexy. If I didn’t constantly want to touch her. If every time she laughed I didn’t want to swallow her whole. Every single thing I had felt for her in Los Angeles still lived in me, and has only seemed to intensify now that I was with her again. When I arrived here today, all I wanted was to get to know my son and be a part of his life. But, in one day’s time, I realize my life will only be complete if she’s in it too.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Every time I look across the table at Jasper, pings of electricity zap throughout my body, leaving every nerve ending tingling. He just looks at me and makes me feel so desired, so much like a woman, reminding me of the time we spent in Los Angeles. Never has anyone ever made me feel the way that he did, and being in the same space with him is stirring it all to the surface. And with every glance, every brush of our fingers, every word we share, it’s bringing that simmering heat between us to a boil.

  “Should we go into the living room and have some more wine?” I suggest, now that dinner is over and my mother has thoroughly embarrassed me with a large cake. It was its own fire hazard she had so many candles lit, as she and all my friends sang me Happy Birthday.

  “You kids go ahead.” My mom speaks first. “I’m going to head to bed. It’s been a long day for me.”

  We all wish her good night and then the rest of us transfer to the other room, Tom and Tyler each carrying a bottle of wine with them. I wait until everyone finds a seat, and then settle myself in last. I make sure to not sit next to Jasper. And not because I don’t want to. That’s the problem. I want to more than anything. I’d like to crawl into his lap and curl up like a kitten. I’m quite sure I’d probably start purring too. So, in order to keep from making a complete fool of myself, I place myself on the opposite side of the couch from him.

  Tom has another glass of wine, then excuses himself, citing an early morning departure for a client meeting he has in the morning. He’s a sports agent, and there’s an up and coming baseball player that needs representation. Tom’s going to the game in the city tomorrow, but wants to prep beforehand at his office.

  “Thank you again for coming.” I move to rise off the couch, but he motions for me to stay. He bends, placing a kiss on my cheek.

  “I wouldn’t have missed it.” He shares a look with me that only I can decipher, then whispers against my cheek so no one else can hear. “He’s a lucky bastard.” He straightens before I can reply, so I just give him a smile that I hope expresses what his friendship means to me. He shakes Jasper’s hand, says something to him I can’t hear, then moves quickly on to Tyler and his sister, giving them both a hug before leaving the room.

  “How long will you be home for this time Tyler?” I ask, wondering how long I’ll have my best friend around for before they leave on another adventure.

  “Three weeks I think?” He looks over at Leah for confirmation, who nods her head. “I have to be out in Los Angeles to record some new tracks. We wrote some great stuff while we were on the road and we want to lay it down while it’s still fresh for us.”

  “Three weeks?” I whine, shifting my attention to Leah. “That’s not nearly enough time! I’m just going to get used to you being here and you’ll leave me again.” I push my bottom lip out in an exaggerated pout. “And poor Chase; he never gets to see his Godmother anymore.” Yes, I’m trying to make her feel guilty, but only because I’ve missed having her by my side for, well, for everything.

  “We’ll only be gone two weeks I think.” She defends, then swivels her body toward me. “What if I take Chase next weekend? I’d love to spend some time with him, and then you can spoil yourself rotten with a couple days off? It will be my bonus birthday present to you.” She looks at Tyler for confirmation. “That’s okay with you, right honey?”

  “Sure.” He shrugs. “I love having the little guy around.”

  I shift my eyes to Jasper to gauge his reaction. We haven’t discussed what our schedule will be, and how often he’d like to see his son. I feel like I’ve already taken so much away from him by not telling him I was pregnant, so I want to make sure I give him a chance to weigh in on decisions about him now. “Jasper? Would you mind that? I’m not sure if you wanted to see him again next weekend?”

  He’s quiet for several long seconds, but then nods once. “Sure.” He takes a drink from his wine glass, keeping eye contact with me while he does, then speaks again. “You and I can talk tomorrow to figure out when I can see Chase.”

  “Yay!” Leah claps in delight. “And I promise bestie, I’ll spend so much time with you over the next few weeks, you’ll be sick of me.”

  “Never.” I grin at her. “Impossible.”

  “On that note, I think I’ll hit the hay.” Tyler places his empty wine glass on the table closest to him, then stands, raising his arms in a long stretch as he yawns. “I’m beat.”

  Leah bounces up beside him, sliding an arm around his waist, delivering a flirty wink. “Come on. I’ll tuck you in.”

  “Good night you love birds.” I sing-song to them as they drift toward the stairs.

  “Nighty-night.” Leah leans over the railing as they begin climbing upwards, giggling. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

  I’m about to respond, but turn my attention away when I feel Jasper slide down the length of the couch until he’s almost touching me. I grip my wine glass with both hands as I lift it to my mouth, hoping he can’t see them trembling.

  “Alone at last.” He raises his own glass, tilting it back as he finishes what’s left in it, then leans forward to place it on the table in front of us. Without saying a word, he slips my glass from my fingers, then places it next to his.

  “What are you doing?” I cringe when I hear the slight shake to my voice. I’m not afraid of him, not even a little bit. And it’s not nerves. It takes me a second to realize that it’s excitement. To be this close to him again, and to know without a doubt that I want him, and that he still wants me.

  “Nothing, if that’s what you want.” He scoots a fraction closer, his fingers skimming over my knee before resting on my thigh, his thumb sweeping back and forth. “But I’ve been waiting for over three hours for the chance to try to kiss you again.” He leans toward me, my eyes locking onto his tongue as it swipes across his lips leaving them glistening and wet. “Tell me to stop and I will.”

  I shake my head, then propel myself forward until my mouth crashes into his, my arms coiling around his neck. His arms band around my waist, lifting me until I’m straddling him, our bodies pressing together as our kissing becomes almost frantic. His hands move to cradle my face as his lips leave mine and begin to rain small pecks on my cheeks, my nose, my eye lids. Between each kiss, he speaks a single word. “Mi
ssed. You. Missed. This. Want. You. Want. This.” His lips find mine again, passion consuming us both as our tongues slide together, a groan rumbling up from his chest when I grind my core against his hard length.

  He tears his face back, his chest heaving against mine as he pants, his caramel irises locking onto my confused expression. “What is it?” I pant out, my hand sliding up to cup his cheek. I’m still not used to seeing him without his beard, but kissing him is even stranger. It’s more bristled, but it’s still soft against my palm.

  “We should slow down.” He chuckles, giving a slight shake of his head. “I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but it feels a little weird doing this with your mom right above us.”

  I’m about to argue, but freeze, my brows raising in alarm as I cock my head to make sure I wasn’t imagining things. “Mommy?” Nope. Wasn’t my imagination. I push off Jasper to stand in one swift motion, looking down at him. “Chase is awake.”

  He’s standing beside me before I can blink. “Are you sure?” As if answering his question on cue, Chase calls out for me again, louder this time. “Mommy?”

  “I’m here honey.” I call out, giving Jasper’s arm a light squeeze as I hurry for the stairs. He’s still not good on them and I don’t want him to try and go down them in the dark. “Stay there, Mommy’s coming.” I fly up the stairs, Jasper on my heels, and find Chase standing outside the door to my bedroom, his fists rubbing his eyes as he tries to focus. “What’s a matter Bugaboo?”

  “I woked up.” He mumbles, leaning into my body as I pick him up.

  “Okay, let’s see if we can get you back to sleep.” I stroke a hand gently over his back. “You want to sleep in my room with me?”

  “Okay.” He says, his little mouth forming an O as he lets out a silent yawn.

  I look up to find Jasper staring at us, my heart skipping a beat at the expression on his face. It’s pure, unfiltered love shining from him. It takes my breath away when I realize the feelings we had for each other never really went away. We both just stored them away in a box, trying our best to forget about them. I open my mouth to speak, but can’t seem to find the right words, then snap it shut, only to open it to try again.

  “It’s okay.” He smooths his hand over mine on Chase’s back, and then drops a kiss against the back of his downy locks. “I’ll see you in the morning. Get some sleep.”

  “Okay.” I finally manage. “Good night.”

  In the morning, Jasper and Chase play together after breakfast, Chase passing out immediately when I put him down for his nap at eleven. Tyler and Leah left after breakfast, so Jasper and I take the quiet time to sit down and figure out what’s next for us. Well, at least when it comes to Chase.

  “I work during the week, and Chase goes to a really nice daycare.” I take a sip of the coffee I made for each of us, then continue. “If I have to travel to a client site, my mom will either come with us, or he’ll stay here with her, depending on how long I need to be gone for. I don’t like to leave him for more than three days.”

  He leans back in the chair, his chest heaving as he takes a deep breath. “I was actually in Boston because of the marathon tomorrow. I’m supposed to fly back home on Wednesday.” He frowns, his fingers tracing the rim of the coffee cup in front of him.

  “Oh.” I digest what he just revealed. “So, by home, you mean California?”

  “During the off season, yeah. I usually don’t come back to Boston until late June when training starts again.” He nods, looking directly at me. “Obviously this changes things for me. And to be honest, I haven’t thought about what comes next because I wasn’t sure how coming to see him yesterday was going to go.”

  “And now?” I shift forward, folding my hands on the table.

  “And now I just need a few days to figure it all out.” He leans forward, putting his hands over mine when I start to slide back. “I want to be a part of his life. There’s absolutely no doubt about that. I want to be his father.”

  “But?” I arch a brow, because I know it’s coming and just want him to spit it out.

  “But I just found out I had a child four days ago. It’s a lot.” He looks over my shoulder for a second, then continues. “All I’m asking for is a little time to process that so I can figure out a new game plan for the next few months.”

  “Okay.” What he’s asking for is more than reasonable. He’s been pretty gracious up to this point, and the very least I can do is meet him halfway.

  “That’s it?” His brow furrows.

  “What else do you want me to say?” I slide my hands out from under his so I can lean back in my chair.

  “It just seems too easy.” He shrugs, a crooked grin on his face. “I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

  “Jasper, what you’re asking for isn’t much.” I lift my hands, palms up, in front of me. “A little time is fine.” I settle my hands back in my lap, looking down at them as I ask the next thing of him. “Just promise me you’ll come back?”

  His chair scrapes back as he rises, then kneels beside me, pulling my hands into his. “Megan, I promise.” He squeezes my fingers gently. “Hey, look at me.” I lift my gaze, trailing slowly up until I lock onto his, remaining silent, even though my heart is pounding loud enough to announce my fear. “I’ll be back.” He releases his hold, moving one hand to cup my cheek. “For both of you.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  After driving around the block five times, I’m finally able to snag a parking spot only a half-block away from the building number she gave me. It was probably a bad idea to drive into the city, but when I left Boston, it seemed like a good idea. At least easier in terms of bringing with me what I needed. I glance at the clock on the dash of the Porsche. Just a little after five. Hopefully she’s home. It is a Saturday night, and it is her actual birthday, so there’s no saying for sure if she’ll even be here. I know I’m taking a chance. The one thing I know for sure is that Chase is with Leah and Tyler tonight, so if she is home, we might actually get some time alone.

  I hop out of the SUV, then open the back door to gather the items I brought with me. I kick the door shut with my foot, then head down the sidewalk until I reach her building. There’s a doorman outside, which surprises me a little. I wasn’t expecting her to live in such a nice area of the city, but I guess there’s still a lot about her I don’t know, including her financial situation. The doorman holds the door wide when he sees me, addressing me once I’m in the lobby. “Good evening, Sir.”

  “Hi.” I give him a nod. Before I can ask if Megan is home, he starts talking again.

  “Aren’t you Jasper Chase?” He scratches his chin as he stares at me, cocking his head in examination. “From the Patriots?”

  “Yeah.” I shuffle in place, my load getting a little heavy. “Hey man, I’d be happy to sign something if you want, and even take a picture, but could you tell me first if Megan Lewis is home?”

  “Well, normally I wouldn’t reveal that kind of information, but-” His eyes widen like the reason is obvious. “you’re Jasper Chase!” His voice rises in excitement as he says my name. God damn. Any other time this wouldn’t bother me at all, but I’m nervous as hell showing up here without telling her and just want to get this part over with. “But, yes, Ms. Lewis is home. Should I announce you?”

  “No, she’s expecting me.” One little white lie wasn’t going to hurt. “Can you just get the elevator for me?” I look down at my full hands, hoping the reason for the assist is obvious.

  “Of course.” He strides over to the elevator, pressing the up arrow, the door opening immediately. “Here you go.” He keeps his hand against one side of the door as I enter, then reaches around the corner to hit the button marked eleven. I smile, taking some small satisfaction in her floor number being the same as my jersey number. I’ll take that as a good omen. “Have a good night Mr. Chase.”

  “Thanks.” I reply, then call out as the doors start to slide shut. “I’ll give you that autograph on the
way out!”

  A minute later, the doors slide open and I step out into the hallway. I look in both directions, noting there’s only six doors total, and decide to try going right first. I get lucky, the second door I come to, marked with a B, the apartment letter she wrote down in the information she gave me last weekend. I take a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever happens next, and then use my knuckles to knock on the door. I can barely hear some rustling on the other side of the door, then the view slide moving, snapping closed quickly a second later. Guess she knows I’m here. I hear two locks turning, then the door swings open, Megan standing in the doorway a wide-eyed expression on her face.

  “What in the world are you doing here?” Her hands are planted on her hips, but there’s a wide smile lighting up her expression, so I don’t think she’s mad.

  “I told you I’d be back.” I hold up the bottle of Veuve I have in one hand, then extend the bouquet of roses I have in the other. “I thought maybe we could start over from the beginning?” I shrug, one side of my mouth lifting in a hopeful smile. “Plus, it’s your thirtieth birthday.”

  She wraps her fingers around the roses, sliding them out of my grasp, her lids closing as she brings them to her face and inhales. “These are beautiful.” She opens her eyes and steps back, motioning for me to come in. “It’s a mess. I wasn’t expecting anyone, and thought I had tomorrow morning to clean before Chase gets back.”

  “I don’t care how messy your home is.” I look around, noting that it seems neat as a pin, just like her hotel room back in the day. “I didn’t want to wait any longer to see you. I hope it’s okay that I’m here.”

  “It’s more than okay.” She shuts the door after I walk through, then spins around. “You didn’t go back to California?”

  “No.” I shake my head. “I couldn’t leave. Everything I want and need is here.”