Kate glared at him. “You don’t know me that well.”
Chase clutched her hand again. “Well, I know you like dance parties in your kitchen. You twirl your hair when you’re nervous. You hate to drive fast. You like barbecue. You’re intelligent and loyal. And your Boston accent comes out when you drink.”
Kate shot him a dirty look. “It does not.”
“Yeah. Kate Piper turns into Kate Pie-Puh. It’s cute.”
Kate flushed red. “I thought I had gotten rid of that.”
Chase continued. “As far as I’m concerned, you’re perfect.”
“Oh, please,” Kate rolled her eyes. “I’m not perfect.”
“You are for me.”
As he looked at her, Kate felt like the only other person at the barbecue. She was suddenly aware of his arms and thighs next to her, emotion vibrating off of him. He leaned towards her, his eyes fixated on her lips then back on her eyes. She did not break his gaze, and as they looked at each other, she felt heat rise up at the base of her neck, in her belly, and between her legs.
“I think this is the most time we’ve spent together since the hotel,” Chase said, his voice low.
All Kate could manage to do in response was nod. She suddenly wanted to touch him, to feel the length of his skin against hers. She had just begun to close the gap when a gust of cold wind swirled around them. Chase looked up.
“Storm’s coming in,” he said.
Dark rolling clouds tumbled over the sky and the breeze brought with it tiny cold flecks of rain.
“Does it always change so quickly here?” Kate asked.
“This is Oklahoma. You never know.”
“Everybody grab something,” Rose called out, and people that remained at the barbecue started grabbing dishes and plates and running into the nearest doors as the rain began to land in thick, fat drops.
“Chase,” Rose yelled, raising her hand up to her mouth to be heard, “Get my tablecloths!”
Chase hopped up, his hair being blown one direction then the other. “Get inside,” he yelled over the wind.
“No, I’ll help.” Kate replied.
Together they ran from table to table, piling the wet table cloths in their arms then running for Rose’s front door. By the time they got inside, they were both wet and gasping.
Rose followed them in with a stack of dishes. “You two put those in for a quick wash, please.”
Kate followed Chase to the laundry room at the back of the house. They packed the wet tablecloths into the washer and hit the on button.
“I’m soaked,” Kate said, flinging water from her arms.
Chase eyed the wet sundress that clung to her in all the right places. She recognized the look in his eyes. Her eyes widened as she sensed what was coming next. He ran his hands through his hair once then came towards her. He grabbed her hips, pushing her back against the oscillating washer. His eyes slipped down her torso, taking in the tips of her breasts, erect and pushing up through the thin, wet fabric. Then in a rush, his head dropped down and he kissed her neck, his lips and tongue grazing softly against her skin.
His hair smelled like mint or jasmine and Kate breathed it in, the scent of him quickening her pulse like an aphrodisiac. She arched her neck, further exposing it to his hot kisses. She wanted to say something, but the words wouldn’t come. Instead, she pressed her hips into him, joining him in a rhythmic sway of need and desire. Without warning, Chase’s mouth was on hers, his tongue sliding in to touch her tongue. She felt another wave of desire as he pushed his knee between her legs, parting them. His hand reached up to her breast, squeezing it softly as he kissed her and pressed his knee up against her.
Kate could hear Rose in the kitchen, putting the dishes away and talking in muffled tones to Big Cal. “Chase,” she whispered in a raspy voice. “You’re parents are right outside.”
“Uh huh.”
Kate arched her back, pressing her sex down onto him. Her mind told her to stop, but her body wanted to give itself up to him completely.
She groaned. “Shouldn’t we…stop?”
Chase took one hand and clutched her knee, then slid his hand up to her inner thigh, his fingers grazing against her.
“Are you sure you want me to stop?” he whispered in her ear as his fingers slid inside of her. “It doesn’t feel like you want me to stop.”
She couldn’t say a word. Her whole body was focused on his fingers; sliding around her clit, then inside of her, then sliding back out to stroke her between her slippery folds. She felt her blood rising as another moan escaped her lips, this time loudly. Chase took his other hand and cupped her around the throat, and then across her mouth. He was working his fingers in and out of her, and she was grateful he was able to stifle her groans with his other hand.
Her core clutched at his fingers; but her legs were weakening to the point she felt like they were on the verge of failing her. She threw her arms around Chase’s strong shoulders and neck for support. His muscles tensed as his head bent down, his eyes watching as she unraveled before him, his hand glistening and wet. He held her body up as he kneaded her over and over until she felt herself clench around him and her body flush with release.
Kate leaned against the dryer trying to slow her breathing. Chase held her by the waist and nuzzled into her neck. “My god, you feel good, Kate,” he said. Kate could feel the rod of his erection pressing through his pants and she reached down, grasping it. He moaned into her neck.
“Chase?” they heard Rose call out. “Is that load done? We have more to wash.”
Kate felt Chase swallow. “Almost done,” he replied through the door.
They fell together, their arms wrapped around each other, giggling.
“I need a minute before I go out there,” he said sheepishly.
Kate held his face in her hands and kissed him, long and slow. They did only have two weeks, and Kate was starting to hope they could spend it together.
Chapter 20: Chase
Chase bounded into KinCo Headquarters the next morning. He waved at the security guard downstairs as he walked in. “Good morning,” he called out.
“Morning, Chase,” the guard said in return. “Beautiful day.”
“It is.” Chase beamed, then took the stairs two at a time up to the Executive Floor. As usual, on a Monday morning, workers were gathering around, chatting casually about their weekends and getting coffee. The morning light filtered in through the overhead skylights, and Chase felt a renewed sense that all was right with the world. The launch was going well, in two weeks the company would be his, and then there was Kate. Wonderful Kate. Chase smiled. Maybe things with Kate could work out after all. She was giving him a chance. He could have Kate and the company. It was going to be a great day.
“Good morning!” he called out to a group of employees, who looked back at him with curiosity.
Chase stopped by his office to grab a fresh cup of coffee and some notes for a morning meeting, then headed down the hall to the Executive Conference room. Already seated inside was a group of fifty-two key employees, milling around chatting. When they saw Chase come in, they all took their chairs. Chase stepped up to the front of the room. Two rows back he saw Constance, to whom he gave a quick nod. He had been looking forward to this day and this speech for weeks.
“Good morning, everyone. Thanks for coming in.” Chase opened his hands wide and smiled. “As you know, this is an exciting time for the company. Our profits are up. Our product line is expanding. And in a couple of weeks, our brand will go public, and then international. Your contribution has been key to our success and I’m here to thank you for that.”
Chase looked around the room at the familiar faces. Most of them had given years to the company, had relocated out to this area to work for KinCo. He knew their families and their lives. He knew which ones were newly married or had kids in college, or an illness in the family. He paused to savor this moment.
“Each of you has made a special contribution to thi
s company. Without you, KinCo would not be what it is today. You deserve to share in our success. To that end,” he said slowly, “each of you will be receiving a packet later today, outlining how you will be receiving additional compensation in the form of stock options.”
A collective gasp arose from the employees and several of them looked at Chase open mouthed, while others turned and high-fived their neighbors. Chase beamed at the group. He saw Constance, clutching her purse with tears in her eyes. He mouthed a silent ‘thank you’ to her before continuing. “When the company goes public, you can sell your stocks, based on market value, or keep them and let them grow. All of this will be explained in the collateral you’ll receive this afternoon, but if you have any questions, HR can help you.”
Chase heard a ping and one of the employees looked down at his phone, then back up at Chase. Then another. Tablets and phones started vibrating across the room. One employee leaned over and whispered something in another’s ear. They both shook their heads and looked at Chase in disbelief.
Chase saw Kate enter suddenly from the back of the room. She scanned the faces of the employees and walked briskly to join Chase at the front. “Everybody, thanks, we need to wrap up for now.”
“But, Kate,” Chase whispered, “I’m not done.”
“You totally are,” she whispered curtly,” but keep smiling.”
Employees stood, some going right for the door, others turning to look at Chase with a question in their eyes. “What’s going on?” Chase asked through gritted teeth.
“Just keep smiling.”
The employees cleared the room, but many of them lingered outside, watching Chase through the conference room windows. They grouped together, looking down into their phones.
Chase turned to Kate, blood rising in his face. “What is going on?” he demanded.
“Everyone can still see us,” she said in a brittle voice. “And never forget they all have cameras in those phones, so keep smiling.”
Chase looked dubious. “Okay…” He plastered a smile on his face.
Kate smiled back. “Now, we just look like we’re having a pleasant conversation, right?”
Chase nodded.
“Don’t blow up,” she continued.
Chase’s brow furrowed, but he forced the smile to remain.
Kate took a breath and looked up at him. “A tweet went out this morning,” she said.
“A tweet?”
“Yes. From your account.”
“My account? I haven’t tweeted anything in years.”
“Someone did.” Kate tilted her head and smiled. Her eyes were facing towards him, but she looked as if she was thinking about something else, something sad and far away. “Someone hacked it.”
Chase lowered his head.
“Keep smiling,” Kate said. “Let me guess. You never closed that account and never changed the password.”
Chase gasped and shook his head. “How bad is it?”
“Bad.”
Chase felt the room swirl. “Tell me,” he said.
Kate clenched her phone, holding it away from her, fingers apart, as if she were touching something horrid. She did not bother to raise the phone up to show him. She cleared her throat as her smile quivered and began to fail. Chase waited for her next words with a sense of dread.
“There is a picture of me in the tweet,” she began slowly. “A close up of my cleavage. I was in a chair and bending forward, and let’s just say―it was apparently cold when it was taken.”
Chase swallowed, then nodded for her to continue.
Kate recalled for him the exact wording of the tweet in a raspy voice, as if she had already read it a hundred times. “It reads: Happy to get my turn with @katepiper working under me. She’s looking especially happy to see me today. #itsgoodtobetheboss.”
Chase fell back against a desk. “Oh, my God.” His hand rose to his chest and he loosened his tie.
“They’re still watching,” Kate said with a strained voice and a thin smile.
“I can’t―I don’t…” Chase stammered, his shock evident. He looked up suddenly. “Kate,” he said, “you know I didn’t send that, right? I would never—”
“I know,” she interrupted. “Lindsey already figured out the picture was from several years ago when I lived in Boston. My hair was shorter, and the pixels indicate that it was blown up from another photo.”
Kate moved just an inch closer. She reached out the tip of her shoe and touched his. He focused on that small touch for a moment and tried to ground himself.
“What’s the password?” Kate asked softly.
“What?”
“The password for your old account. I’ll have Lindsey shut it down.”
Chase felt a pain in his chest. He did not want to tell her. “Fitz,” he said, shaking his head. “Captain Obvious, I know. How dumb.”
He watched as Kate tapped her phone with trembling fingers. It looked like she was struggling to take her next breath. His mind swirled. Of all the things to happen, he had never expected this. His reputation, the IPO, his family. Had he put everything at risk just because he didn’t change one password?
Chase gripped the edge of the desk and licked his lips. He felt his eyes and cheeks getting hot. “Are we screwed?” he asked through clenched teeth.
Kate gave a little shake of her head, but her eyes looked unsure. “I don’t know. I need to—” she paused. “We need to get out of this room. Go to your office. Get some privacy.”
Chase nodded. They exited the conference room, walking upright and nodding assurances to the staff. Kate looked completely in control, but he felt like he was unraveling. He counted the steps until they got safely behind his closed office door. When he turned around, Kate would not look at him.
“Lindsey has closed your account,” she said in a clipped voice. “Don’t do anything. Don’t talk to anyone.” She shook her head slightly. “I need to think,” she said, then walked out the door.
Chapter 21: Kate
Rain tapped softly against the rooftop as Kate sat in the dark wishing the whole world would just wash away. She had pulled her comforter to the couch and sat there in the dark for hours before daring to look into the cold glow of her tablet. The tweets about her, Chase, and KinCo flew across the globe. She pressed her fist to her lips and choked back a sob. “@KatePiper is a bimbo,” read one. “Wear a bra, @KatePiper, you slut,” read another. And there were hundreds more. Kate shook her head in wonder and wiped a tear from her cheek.
The tweets about Chase were equally bad. “@ChaseKincaid should be castrated,” and “sexists like @ChaseKincaid should never be allowed to run a company.” She grimaced at the screen. The financial news had already picked the story up, tying it to the IPO. She tried to focus in on what to do next, but every time she did, she only saw spots in her vision. She found it hard to breathe.
Kate heard the distant chime of a video call in the kitchen. No doubt it was Lindsey calling again. It had been hours since they talked and Kate knew Lindsey was losing her mind with worry, but she couldn’t manage talking to anyone, right now. She untangled herself from the comforter and dragged herself to the bathroom to get another box of tissue. This is it, she told herself. This is the end. Her reputation was shot. Anytime anyone ever did a search of her again, this is what they would find. Kate Piper, joke. Kate Piper, failure.
She shook her head in disgust. They didn’t know anything about her. They don’t know she had been trying to dig herself out of a deep hole since her family died, that she had been alone and fighting a system that wanted to call her bad and keep her in a box. She had fought her way out, put herself through college, and built a business of her own through sheer determination.
All she ever wanted was to make something of herself. To succeed. Now, that was all taken away. Kate retracted her arms into her torso with a wet tissue clenched in each hand. She felt exhausted. She couldn’t fight anymore.
A soft knocking sound echoed through the house. Kate lo
oked around. It wasn’t coming from the front door. She sniffled again and listened. The knock came again, this time from the hallway. Kate padded over and listened. She closed the bathroom door, and behind it, she saw another small door built into the wall. The knock sounded again. Kate hesitated, then reached out and turned the knob.
Chase stood one step down in the open doorway of what must be the stairway to the tornado shelter. Kate remembered vaguely that all the shelters were connected underground. He didn’t want to be seen coming over here, she thought. I don’t blame him.
Chase looked up at her from the dark stairwell, a deep line lodged between his eyebrows. He ducked under the door jam and entered the house, silently walking around Kate and into the hallway. He turned and took a deep breath, standing with his legs planted apart as if bracing himself for Kate’s anger. Kate opened her mouth to say something, but no words came.
Chase looked down at her in confusion. A pained look ran across his beautiful green eyes as she met his gaze and began to sob. She could see the look of surprise in his face, but she couldn’t summon the will to stop the tears from falling.
Chase reached out and put his long arms around her. He held her tight, pulling her head into his chest and stroking her hair. He smelled like rain and cedar, and she breathed him in as a sob escaped her lips.
“Oh, Kate,” he said, and she felt his muscles clench as they tightened around her. He pulled her arms gently around the back of his neck, and lifted her up, sweeping her legs off the ground and into his arms. He carried her down the hallway into the darkened bedroom and reached down with one arm, tossing the bed covers aside.
He gently laid her down, brushing her hair back across the pillow. She closed her eyes, welcoming the cool fabric behind her neck. She heard Chase slip off his shoes, then slide in beside her, pulling the covers up around them. As they faced each other, Chase wrapped his strong arms around her waist and pulled her against him. His hand stroked the back of her neck and hair while he planted little kisses on her cheek and mouth. He murmured gently in her ear as he held her, “Shhh, Kate, it’s going to be alright.” He kissed her again. “Everything will be okay,” he said. “I love you.”
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