“Looking at you, I see a pampered little Southern belle with way too much time on her hands and piss pots of money at her disposal.”
I grinned, not at all insulted. “See, it works.”
He laughed, shaking his head. “Yeah, well, I’m a guy who prefers things the way God made them. You’re a beautiful girl, Chloe, but I bet you’re just as stunning without all the makeup and hair and whatnot. It would just be a shame if you thought you needed that stuff to be attractive.”
Stunned, I could only stare at him, open-mouthed. After a few seconds, his fingers came up to my chin, pushing it up to close my mouth. With a chuckle, he turned away and started pulling his shirt off over his head.
“Um … what are you doing?”
“It’s humid out today,” he remarked, bending down to untie his hiking boots. “I think a swim is in order. You game?”
Edging toward the pool, I peered over the edge warily. “Do I need to worry about some rainforest river monster nibbling at my toes?”
“A few fish, but nothing carnivorous,” he remarked. “Come on, I can see the straps of your bathing suit, so I know you’re ready to swim. The water isn’t salty, so you can open your eyes and see the bottom. It’s beautiful down there.”
Biting my lower lip, I cautiously edged away from the water before bending down to untie my Timberlands. “Okay, but if anything tries to eat me, I’m going to kick your ass.”
A splash was my only response, and I quickly doffed my tank top, revealing the black string bikini top I was wearing underneath. My hands were on the button of my shorts when I realized that Chase hadn’t surfaced after jumping into the water. Worried that he might have hit his head on a rock or something, I dashed toward the pool. The water lapped at my feet as I searched for Chase, worry growing with each passing second.
That was when something grabbed me by the ankle and dragged me beneath the surface.
“Okay, that was so not cool!”
Chase’s laughter rang out over the water as he surfaced, pushing strands of sopping wet hair out of his eyes. I glared at him as I trudged back toward the water’s edge.
“Oh, lighten up, you were coming in any way!” he called out.
“Not with these on,” I griped, indicating my shorts. “These are Calvin Klein!”
That only caused him to laugh harder as he left the water as well, coming toward me clutching his middle, his shoulders trembling. “It’s just fabric, princess. It gets just as wet in the washing machine.”
Turning toward him, I flipped my wet hair over my shoulder and speared him with a blazing glare. “You are a sick, twisted person.”
Chase’s arm came around my waist and yanked me up against him, causing the rants to die on my lips. Amusement turned to something else as he lowered his head toward mine, the seductive pools of his green eyes smoldering beneath the drooped eyelids and fan ofchocolatelashes. His breath was a warm caress against my cheek, his lips whispering over my jaw and toward my mouth. My lips parted, my breath racing and mingling with his as his open mouth caressed mine. Tingles traveled over the surface of my skin, spreading from my lips, and working their way down my neck. His hands were possessive, his grip tight on my waist as he pulled my body flush up against his. Tremors of awareness traveled through me as the hardness of his body met the soft curves of mine. My breasts responded to the closeness of his chest, becoming heavy and full, the nipples hardening and begging for his touch.
When our lips met, I reached up and held on to his shoulders, using him as an anchor. As it was, my knees were weak and my legs rapidly turning to jelly. His tongue probed for entrance, and I met it with mine, the velvety rasp causing a low groan to work its way up from the back of my throat. Chase’s arms tightened around me, his hips grinding into mine as our lips dueled. I’ve kissed a lot of guys, but damn if this wasn’t the hottest kiss I’d ever experienced. His lips were firm and sure, insistent without being aggressive, and just the right amount of tongue without being sloppy. He tasted like passion fruit and cupuacu, which only made me want to keep kissing him. When he pulled away, we were both panting, our chests heaving against each other’s as his bedroom eyes met my wide ones.
What the hell just happened?
As if reading my thoughts, Chase grinned. “You’re cute when you’re mad,” he said, his voice low and husky. “I’ve been wanting to do that since the first time you yelled at me in the grottos.”
“I thought you hated me!” I replied, shocked.
Chase shrugged. “Ever hear of that really thin line? I think we’ve been dancing on the edge of that since the second we met.”
I pulled away from him, crossing my arms over my chest. “Is that why you brought me out here? Did you think you could pull me over that line and get into my pants?” I had to do something, say something, to break the spell he was casting over me. Right then, it was taking everything I had not to launch myself into his arms and scream, ‘Take me now!’
Chase came closer to me, his thumb caressing my parted lips. My breath hitched in my throat. “I want you … badly, and that’s the truth, but it’s not why I brought you out here. I meant what I said about wanting another opportunity to show you how beautiful this place really is. I know you’re here for the resort, the spa, and the shopping, but you can do that anywhere. Where else can you eat passion fruit straight off the vine, or go swimming in a secluded lagoon?”
“Nowhere,” I answered breathlessly.
“Exactly,” he replied, taking a step away from me. “Getting into your pants was never the goal. Although,” he added with a sly grin, “if you’re nice to me, I might let you get into mine.”
He dove back into the pool, and I followed, desperate to cool off after that hot kiss. I was getting way more than I bargained for with this guy, which meant I needed to be careful. Most of the guys I dated and had casual sex with were superficial; pretty, but not that smart, nice enough, but not anything to write home about. Chase was the complete opposite of that, which made him dangerous.
We spent the next hour swimming, and then lounging in the grass beside the lagoon, staring at the canopy of trees above us. Beyond the canopies, I could see the clouds gathering, but was reluctant to suggest we go back to the resort. It wasn’t lying on a beach chair with a mimosa in my hand, but hanging out with Chase in the rainforest turned out to be a better day than I’d expected.
“Can I ask you something?” I asked, breaking the silence. I turned to look at him, lounging on my back with my wet hair frizzing around my head.
Chase turned on his side and propped his head up on his hand. “Sure.”
“Why were you having a bad day yesterday?” I asked.
Chase scowled, his eyes avoiding mine. “No reason,” he answered, his voice clipped. “Just woke up on the wrong side of the bed.”
Frowning, I sat up. “Yeah, I don’t think so. This place is paradise for you. No way am I buying that. You owe me an explanation for the way you treated me.”
“You weren’t exactly Mary Sunshine.”
I shrugged. “Fine, whatever, don’t tell me.”
I focused my stare back on the lagoon, exasperation pricking me again. God, how had I forgotten how annoying Chase could be? He wasn’t my type at all, no matter how attracted to him I was. After a few seconds of silence, Chase sighed.
“Okay, if you really want to know … I broke up with my girlfriend right before coming on this trip. We’d been dating since we graduated high school, off and on, and it just didn’t work out. After four years of trying to force it, the whole thing just blew up in my face.”
I nodded; I certainly could understand that. “Been there, done that,” I told him. “I haven’t dated anyone seriously in two years. I find it’s just simpler to keep things casual and fun.”
Chase snorted. “You got that right. You want to know the crazy part? You remind me of her in so many ways. I know it’s not fair to you, but it’s why I disliked you on sight. I detested you, but then I wanted to pr
ess you up against a wall and kiss you. It’s a volatile mix.”
“Was your ex-girlfriend a stunningly beautiful blonde?” I asked jokingly, hoping to ease some of the tension. Hearing about his breakup only reminded me of my past, and the reason I preferred to avoid relationships.
He shook his head. “No, a brunette. But her parents are filthy rich, just like yours. She’s a pampered, spoiled little debutante, just like you. And I didn’t realize it until it was too late, but she was a manipulative little bitch who knew how to string me along and keep coming back to her time and time again. We used to talk about getting married and all that. I was crazy about her, and I thought she felt the same way, even though my dad was a plumber and my mom was a housewife, and I barely had two pennies to rub together. I think she just enjoyed the fact that I was so devoted to her, all the while looking for a rich, connected guy behind my back. Well, she found more than a few. When I discovered she’d been cheating, I dumped her.”
I stiffened, my jaw clenching tightly. “You don’t know me,” I ground out, my voice trembling with anger. “You don’t know anything about me. How dare you compare me to her after knowing me for only five minutes?”
“Experience has taught me that judging a book by its cover is a real good way to save yourself unnecessary pain down the road. Sorry, princess, but if it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck …”
“Then it must be a manipulative bitch,” I finished for him. “Well, let me tell you something, Mr. Know-It-All, we’re not all like that, you know. Just because I like expensive things doesn’t make me a bad person. One of my best qualities is that I’m exceedingly honest, to the point of being downright blunt. You know what I think of you? You’re a pretentious little snot who thinks he’s better than everyone else because he doesn’t eat anything with a face. The truth is, you’re insecure because that girl spent four years breaking you down and you just can’t stand for anyone else to do that to you again. So you act all high and mighty to keep people at arm’s length.”
Chase’s eyes were wide as he sat up as well, turning to face me. “Wow,” he said, clearing his throat. “It seems you’ve pretty much got me pegged. You know way more than you should for someone who just met me yesterday. I wonder why that is, Chloe?”
I smirked smugly. “I’m a terrific judge of character,” I said.
He shook his head. “No way, no one’s that good. It’s because you’re just like me. Your little stuck-up snob routine is just an act. Underneath all that, you’re just a lonely girl who got her heart broken by some jerk.”
He was actually only partly right. I used to be lonely as hell before I met Jenn, Kinsley, Christian, and Luke. They filled that void in my life, and living with them has made me considerably happier than I used to be. Still, he hit pretty close to the mark.
“What happened, Chloe?” he asked when I didn’t answer. “You owe me, I told you my entire story.”
I wrapped my arms around my knees. “What’s to tell? My parents were friends with his, we went to the same prep school and all that. Our moms played matchmaker to get us together, and I fell for it like an idiot. He was white, handsome, and rich—three qualities my father requires of the guys who date his little girl. I’m sure you can see where this is going.”
“I’m guessing he wasn’t as much of a Southern gentleman as he seemed.”
“Not even. He liked his girls submissive, and I’ve never been the type. He didn’t like it when I stepped out of line.”
Chase’s frown deepened and he leaned forward, searching my face for the truth. “Chloe … are you saying this guy put his hands on you?”
A lump rose in my throat as the memories flooded my mind too quickly to stifle them. “Yeah, whatever, don’t make a big deal about it. It happened, and now it’s over. Once I came to my senses, I gave that asshole a black eye and walked away. I never looked back.”
“Damn, princess,” he said, “how am I supposed to pry my foot from my mouth after that? I’m sorry.”
I stood and forced a laugh. “Come on, don’t get all mushy on me now. I still think you’re a pretentious little snot.”
Chase stood as well. “And I still think you’re a spoiled little brat. What are we doing here, Chloe?” He came closer to me, his hands finding my waist and pulling me close. “You’re exactly the kind of complication I don’t need in my life right now.”
My hands found his belt buckle, using it to pull him even closer to me until our hips met. “Yeah, well I don’t need you either,” I answered, standing on tiptoe to reach his lips. I bit down on his lower lip playfully and tugged. “But I want you. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.”
His hands slid down to grip my ass and he ground his hips against mine suggestively. “Want is instinctive, it’s something that can’t be helped. Why fight it?”
Slowly, deliberately, I slid his belt through the loop and reached for the button of his shorts. “I won’t fight it if you don’t,” I whispered, my fingers skimming the fine hairs running down his abdomen, and the bulging undulations of his muscles. His stomach clenched in response, the muscles in his neck and chest tensing.
Wordlessly, Chase reached up to the strings holding my bikini in place at the back of my neck. With a swift tug, he loosened it, causing the black triangles to fall away. His eyes fixated on my breasts, going wide as his tongue swept out to wet his lips. Another tug, and he had the strings at my back undone, letting the top fall away. His hands came up to touch me and I moaned, my back arching in invitation, begging for more. He kissed me again, his tongue invading my mouth this time, as he reached down to grasp my hips, lifting me until my legs were wrapped around his waist.
My fingers tangled in his hair as I kissed him back hungrily, my body surging with heat and lust so strong I couldn’t deny it any more. What did it matter that nothing could ever come of this? Hell, neither of us was ready for another relationship, anyway. It just felt so good to surrender, to lose myself in this guy who made me feel things no other guy ever had.
He sank to the ground, laying me back, his fingers running through my damp waves. One of his hands found my face, his thumb caressing my cheek. “What if I told you all of your makeup had washed off?” he asked with a smirk.
I scowled at him. “I’d say you were rude for pointing that out.”
He leaned close, his tongue finding my ear in a spine-tingling stroke. “And what if I told you that I thought you were beautiful just like this?” he whispered, his breath tickling my neck. Shivers ran through me, and my answer lodged in my throat as his lips lowered to my jaw, my chin, my throat—kissing, nipping, sucking. His hands were everywhere, skimming my curves, finding all the little spots that made my toes curl.
My fingers dug into his shoulders as he lowered his head, his curls tickling my chest as he traced a path of fiery kisses down to my belly button. I closed my eyes as he snatched at the strings holding my bottoms up, baring me completely. The warmth in my middle had spread, the tingle increasing to an unbearable throb between my legs, which was only slightly relieved when Chase touched me.
By the time he was undressed and lowering himself between my legs, I’d forgotten every reason why this was a bad idea. I’d forgotten that I’d gone so quickly from hating this guy to wanting him so badly I thought I was going to die; from feeling as if we were from different planets to realizing that we had more in common than I’d realized. I forgot everything except for Chase, and how it felt to have him on top of me. I knew then that even though we’d pretty much agreed this would be the only time, once would never be enough.
Chapter 3
“I’m pregnant!”
I shouted the words the instant Chase’s lips broke away from mine. I was determined to get it out before I lost myself too fully in his kiss and the large hand pressed against my stomach, angling its way toward my breast.
Chase paused, his wide eyes darting up to mine, the boob forgotten. He jerked away from me as if I’d stung him, leaning back aga
inst the driver’s side door. Eyebrows scrunched, mouth open … yep, he was definitely as shocked as I’d been. The poor bastard.
“It’s your baby, by the way,” I murmured, turning to stare out into the rapidly darkening night. “In case you were wondering.”
Chase cleared his throat, then shifted a bit in his seat. From the corner of my eye I could see that his hands were on the steering wheel, clutching it tight. He cleared his throat again.
“Yes, I gathered that,” he said, his voice raspy and choked. “You’re sure?”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m pretty sure that magical, plastic stick I peed on wouldn’t lie to me. Not to mention I haven’t had a period since before we met. Safe to say … yes, I’m sure.”
He inhaled, puffing out his cheeks, then exhaled noisily. Leaning forward, he rested his head on the wheel and closed his eyes. “Whoa.”
That’s it? Whoa? I was expecting screaming and flailing, Kermit the Frog style. Maybe a mad dash for the hills. Definitely not his almost calm state of shock.
“I don’t want anything from you,” I said softly. “I don’t expect you to drop out of school to support me, or be involved if you don’t want. I can handle this just fine on my own, but I figured you had a right to know.”
One of his arms shot across the space between us, his fingers curling tightly around my wrist; not so tightly it hurt, just enough that I knew he meant business when he leaned over the center dash and said, “That’s my kid. I’m going to be involved.”
I could only stare at him and blink, dumbfounded by his intensity. My throat constricted and I felt tears springing to my eyes—something that rarely happens. I chose to blame those mythical pregnancy hormones everyone’s always talking about.
“Okay,” I said gently, afraid to upset him even more. “I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just that, you know, usually when a girl tells a guy she’s knocked up, the jackassery ensues. Besides, I haven’t even decided if I’m going to have it.”
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