by Sandi Lynn
Rolling my eyes, I finished the amazing food that was on my plate and then mixed and mingled with people from the office. Maybe I was a little harsh by calling him a walking STD. I shouldn’t have said that, but he made me mad when he commented about my talking to Jarrod. Who the hell did he think he was? I took in a deep cleansing breath. I wasn’t going to let the likes of Chase Calloway affect me anymore.
I was talking to Lexi and Ben, when I looked over and saw Chase surrounded by a group of girls. He was laughing, smiling, and really enjoying himself. The one thing he said that caught my attention was how he could care less about wanting to get to know someone. I wondered why that was.
“Hey, Lexi, can I ask you something about Chase?”
“Sure. What do you want to know?”
“He told me that I should be flattered that he wants to get to know me because he generally could care less about getting to know someone. Why?”
“Well.” Her brow arched. “He loves women for what they can give him and what they can give him is sex. That’s all he cares about. God, I feel awful for talking about him like that because he truly is an amazing guy and friend. He’d give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. He just doesn’t care to get to know the women he sleeps with.”
“So you’re saying that he pretty much just has meaningless sex with them and that’s it?”
“Yes. To Chase, sex is just sex. It has no emotional meaning or attachment.”
“When was the last time he was in a relationship?” I asked out of curiosity.
“He’s never been in a relationship.”
“What?” I laughed. “That’s impossible.”
“Chase has a lot of issues stemming from his childhood. He doesn’t believe in relationships and sometimes he makes it difficult for us who are in them because he loves to voice his opinion.”
“I see.” I glanced over at him on the sand, still surrounded by women. “I can kind of see his point.” I lightly smiled. “After what I witnessed with my ex, it’ll be a long time before I trust another man again.”
“You never did tell me what happened.” She took a sip of her wine.
“We dated for a little over a year. He was the reason why I didn’t move out here sooner. I walked in on him and my best friend in bed together.”
“Oh. I’m sorry.” She placed her hand on my arm.
“Don’t be. He told me that it meant nothing and now I realize that it was the best thing that could have happened.”
“I can totally understand why you’re staying away from guys, and I don’t blame you one bit. Trusting someone after that is hard.”
“Yeah, it is.” I gave her a small smile. “And I’ll never make the mistake of putting my life on hold for someone else.”
****
The sun was starting to set, and it was such an amazing sight. I saw Chase standing by the water alone, gazing out the sunset, so I decided to walk over to him.
“It’s beautiful,” I spoke.
“It sure is. This is something I will never get tired of seeing.”
I glanced over at him as he stood there with his hands tucked into the pockets of his shorts.
“Chase, I’m sorry for calling you a walking STD. I didn’t mean it.”
“Nah. It’s fine. You don’t have to apologize.”
“I do, and again, I’m sorry.”
“Apology accepted.” He smiled as he looked over at me. “Are you liking it in California so far?”
“Actually, I’m loving it.” I grinned.
“Chase! We need one more person on our team for volleyball. Come play with us!” a girl in a teeny-weeny bikini shouted.
“I’ll be right there, darling,” he shouted back. “They need me.”
“Then you better not disappoint them.”
“Do you want to play? I’m sure we could squeeze you in.”
“Nah.” I waved my hand. “You go ahead.”
“Okay. We’ll talk later?”
“Yeah. Later.” I smiled.
He walked away, and I stared into the vast open water. I couldn’t stop thinking about what Lexi said and how Chase had many issues stemming from his childhood. Who didn’t? I remembered her telling me when we first met that his mother was a whole other story and she wasn’t around when he was a child. If anyone could relate, it would be me. But somehow, I didn’t think I was as fucked up as he was. All this thinking was bringing back the memories I buried so long ago. Memories I wanted to pretend never existed. I needed a drink, so I walked over to the bar and ordered a shot of tequila, downed it, and ordered another one.
“Look at you, Kinsley Davis.” Chase smiled as he walked over to the bar. “I didn’t think small town girls did shots.”
“This one does.” I pointed to myself.
“Well, good for you, letting your wild side out. I’ll have what she’s having.” He grinned at the bartender.
Chase and I stood there, doing shot after shot. Soon others joined us. I was having the time of my life. Laughing, dancing, and having ridiculous conversations. For the first time in my life, I let loose, lived in the present moment, and did what I wanted to do without having to worry about anyone else.
Chapter Fifteen
Kinsley
A noise woke me from a deep sleep. I opened my eyes and placed my hand on my forehead, somehow thinking that it would stop it from pounding. I looked around my bedroom in confusion, for I didn’t remember coming home last night. I started to panic at the thought that I drove home and I could have killed someone in the drunken state that I was in.
“Ah. You’re awake.” Chase smiled as he entered my bedroom.
“What are you doing here?” I asked as I pulled the sheet up to my neck.
“I brought you home last night. Don’t you remember?”
“No. I don’t remember anything.”
“Of course you don’t. You were too drunk. Good job, by the way.” He grinned.
“For what?”
“For letting your party girl out. Stay right where you are. I’ll be right back.”
I was confused, and as hard as I tried, the last thing I remembered was doing shots at the bar. A few moments later, Chase walked into the bedroom with a cup of coffee.
“Drink up.”
“You drove me home?” I asked as I took the cup from him.
“Yes, and you’re welcome.”
“How? You drank just as much as I did.”
“Alcohol and I have an understanding. We’re like best friends.” He smirked.
“How did you know where I lived?”
“I wish I could say I got your address from your driver’s license, but you don’t have a California license yet. Which, by the way, you better do quickly. So I checked your google maps on your phone.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it, but why are you still here?”
“By time I got you in your apartment, held your hair while you vomited in the toilet, and then put you to bed, I was too tired to drive home, so I just passed out on your couch.”
“Thank you for bringing me home.” I sipped my coffee as I still had a tight grip on the sheet.
“You’re welcome.”
“What about my car?”
“I had one of the guys, who was a designated driver, follow me here with it. Your keys are on the kitchen table.”
“There isn’t anything else I should know about, is there?”
“Like what? Oh right. You’re asking if we had sex, aren’t you?” He grinned.
I gulped as I slowly nodded my head.
“No. We didn’t. I’d prefer you to be sober when we do.”
“We aren’t ever having sex.”
“Never say never, darling.” He winked. “Anyway, I have to go. If you need anything, I’ve programmed my cell into your phone. Have a good day, Kinsley. By the way, you don’t have any contacts in your phone but three people. I found that a little strange.”
“You went through my phone?”
“N
o. I noticed it when I put my number in. Who’s Reece?”
“My cab driver,” I replied with furrowed brows.
“You are a strange girl, Miss Davis.” He smiled as he walked out of my bedroom and out the door.
I set my coffee cup on the nightstand and pulled the sheet over my head as I sank down into the depths of my comfortable bed. I was hungover, and I hated myself for drinking as much as I did. Chase was right; I let my party girl out, and today I was regretting it. After taking quite a long nap, I showered and changed into a pair of fresh pajamas. I hadn’t eaten all day thanks to my queasy stomach, but now that it was seven o’clock, I was hungry. As I was rummaging through the refrigerator, trying to figure out what to make for dinner, there was a knock at my door. It was probably Delilah stopping by to see how the party was yesterday.
“Chase,” I spoke in shock when I opened the door. “What are you doing here?”
“I figured since you won’t go out to dinner with me, I’d bring dinner to you.” He smiled as he held up two large plastic bags. “Plus, I was in your refrigerator this morning and I noticed you didn’t have any food. You really need to go shopping. May I come in?”
“Yeah. Sure. You didn’t have to bring me dinner.”
“I know I didn’t, but I figured you hadn’t eaten all day because of your hangover.” He took the bags into the kitchen and set them on the counter. “I brought a variety of food since I wasn’t really sure what you liked. We have two different kinds of salads, grilled chicken, salmon, seasoned rice, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, and asparagus. Oh, and a pasta dish.”
“Did you order the whole menu?” I laughed.
“Almost.” He smirked.
I grabbed a couple of plates and some silverware and took them over to the table while Chase set all the food down.
“I don’t suppose you want any alcohol, do you?” He smirked as he held up a bottle of scotch.
Just looking at the bottle made my stomach churn.
“No. I’ll stick with water.”
I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and we both sat down at the table.
“This all looks and smells really good, but if you’re expecting to get sex out of it, you can forget it.” I smirked.
“Kinsley, darling, I didn’t bring you dinner expecting to get sex. Actually, I had plans tonight, but they got cancelled, and believe it or not, I had nothing else to do. Plus, I knew you wouldn’t have plans.”
“Excuse me?” My brow arched. “Are you insinuating that I don’t do anything or go anywhere?”
“Yes.” He smiled. But I knew with what you drank last night, you’d be hungover all day. So, tell me about Kinsley Davis.”
“What do you want to know?” I asked.
“Everything.” He grinned. “But seriously, why did you move to California?”
“It’s always been a dream of mine to get out of that small town and away from everyone in it.”
“Even your parents?” He cocked his head.
“My dad died when I was six, and yes, even my mom.”
“Well, I can’t imagine your mom being too happy that you moved across the country. Did she try and stop you or try to talk you out of it?”
“I didn’t talk to her about it. I left a note.”
His brow arched as he took a sip of his scotch, and instantly, I noticed a look of disapproval cross his face.
“I see. Don’t you think that was a little harsh and unfair?”
“No.” I narrowed my eye at him.
“So you think running away has no effect on anybody who cares about you?” he spoke in a stern voice.
“Excuse me?”
“Don’t you think leaving a note was the coward’s way out?” his stern voice spoke. “Is that what you normally do? Leave a note and run?”
“Who the fuck do you think you are?” I shouted at him. “You know nothing about me or the way I grew up.”
“You’re right, I don’t. But I don’t think anyone deserves that kind of disrespect, no matter what.”
I could feel my blood pressure rise as my skin felt like it had been set on fire.
“Thank you for dinner, Mr. Calloway. I think it’s time you left,” I spoke in a stern voice as I got up from my chair and took my plate over to the sink.
“I think that’s a good idea,” he spoke as he walked out of my apartment, shutting the door behind him.
I stood at the sink, my fingers tightly gripping the edge of the counter as I tried to process what had just happened.
Chapter Sixteen
Chase
I climbed into my car and began to drive home with the music blaring as loud as it could go. My fingers gripped the steering wheel as I tried to calm down. Kinsley Davis was a trigger and I sure as hell didn’t see that coming. I changed my mind about home and kept driving to a club I visited on a regular basis called Phantom.
I pulled up to the valet and tossed my keys to Kevin.
“Good evening, Mr. Calloway.” He smiled.
“I wouldn’t really say there’s anything good about it. At least not yet.” I winked.
I walked through the doors and headed straight to the bar.
“Hello there, Chase.” Linda seductively smiled as she pulled a glass down and poured me a scotch.
“Hey, Linda.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Just a bad night.” I threw back my drink and set down my glass in front of her.
“Why don’t you tell me all about it?” she spoke as she leaned across the counter and ran her finger up my arm.
“I don’t feel like talking about it.”
“Okay. If you do, you know where to find me.” She smiled.
I threw back my second drink and stared at the beautiful women that were in my sight, especially the tall brunette with the bright red lipstick that was headed my way.
“Hello there, handsome.” She smiled.
“Well hello, gorgeous. May I buy you a drink?”
“Of course.” She took the seat next to mine.
****
“Hello, beautiful.” I answered with a smile.
“Are you coming into the office today or do I just have to sit around and play the guessing game?” Lexi asked.
“I’m on my way in now. I’m about fifteen minutes out.”
“Okay. I’ll let Steven know. The two of you had a meeting scheduled twenty minutes ago.”
“I know. Tell him I’m on my way.”
I was in a fantastic mood today and nothing was going to ruin it, except maybe the backup that I suddenly found myself in.
“Good morning, love.” I smiled at Lexi. “Can you let Steven know I’m here?”
“Sure.” She gave me an odd look.
I walked into my office, set my briefcase next to my desk, and took a seat.
“Here’s your coffee. Steven’s on a call. He said give him about ten minutes.” She cocked her head at me and narrowed her eye. “Rough night last night?”
“Actually,” I grinned, “Alania was a bit rough.”
“I can tell by the hickey on your neck. How old was she? Seventeen?” Her brow arched.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Lexi. Is it that bad?”
“It’s visible and ridiculous for someone your age. What’s going on with you and Kinsley?”
“What do you mean?” I sipped my coffee.
“You drove her home after the party. Anything happen?”
“No. You know I don’t take advantage of drunk women unless I’m totally plastered myself. Anyway, I don’t want to talk about her. No, wait. Actually, I do. Did you know that when she left Indiana, she wrote her mom a note and left without even talking to her or saying goodbye?”
“No. I didn’t know that. When did she tell you?”
“Last night.”
“I thought you were with the seventeen-year-old last night.” She smirked.
I rolled my eyes.
“I took dinner over to her place. I fig
ured since she refused to go out to dinner with me, I’d bring dinner to her.”
“Then how did you end up with the seventeen-year-old and the hickey?”
“For fucks sake, will you stop saying that! I may or may not have gotten a little angry and she asked me to leave.”
“What did you do to her?!” Lexi’s voice raised as her eyes glared at me.
“All I said was that leaving a note was the coward’s way out and it was disrespectful. Then I asked her if she made a habit of leaving notes and running.”
She placed her hand over her eyes and slowly shook her head.
“It was a trigger response, Lexi.”
“You don’t know her circumstances, Chase.”
“It doesn’t matter.” I leaned back in my chair.
There was a knock on the door and Steven walked in.
“Hey, I just saw Kinsley out there and she said if I saw you to tell you that your dad wants to see you in his office.”
“Shit.” I sighed. “I’ll come down to your office for our meeting after I see him.”
“Sure, bro. Hey,” he smiled, “nice hickey.”
“She was seventeen.” Lexi smirked at him.
“Dude! Shut the fuck up! Awesome!” Steven replied.
“She was not, and if you say that again,” I pointed at her, “I’m firing you!”
Lexi sat there with a smile on her face as I walked out of my office and down to my dad’s. The last thing I wanted to do was run into Kinsley today, but it couldn’t be helped since she was sitting right outside his office.
“He wanted to see me?” I asked as I stared at her.
She wouldn’t look at me and kept typing away on the computer.
“Yes. But he’s on a phone call right now,” she spoke in a flat tone.
I lightly tapped on his door and slowly opened it. When he saw me, he waved me in and motioned for me to sit down. His call only lasted a few moments, and when he hung up, he glared at my neck.
“Really, son?” He sighed. “At least cover the damn thing up.” He shook his head. “K-Com is highly impressed with your program and they’re going to go with it. Good job, son.”
“Thanks, Dad.” I smiled.
“Listen, Chase. You’re thirty years old. Have you considered that maybe it’s time to find a nice girl and settle down?”