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For a bachelor as eligible as Chase, it did seem bizarre that I’d never seen him with a woman since the end of his military career.
Then again, we could go a year or more without running into each other sometimes.
It had been well over a year since I’d seen him prior to today.
It wasn’t like I didn’twantChase to be happy. I just hadn’t wanted towatchthat happen…up close and personal.
Dammit!Why couldn’t I just get over this ridiculous infatuation with my best friend’s brother? It’s not like it wouldevergo anywhere. It hadn’t in the last decade, and I was quickly approaching my mid-thirties. Having a mad, decade-long crush on a guy that was completely unrequited at my age was nonsensical.
And I was a realist, through and through. An investigative journalist who saw raw truth and the worst of humanitarian crises around the world on a regular basis.
There was no such thing as fairy tales for me.
Yes, I’d had relationships over the last decade. Several of them. I’d even managed to forget about how ridiculously attracted I was to Chase while I was involved with someone else.
Then, I’d run into him again, and those silly emotions would rush back like they’d never left.
I couldn’t even say precisely why I felt this way.
It wasn’t just the fact that Chase was attractive. I worked in the entertainment and news field. I saw drop-dead gorgeous men every single day, but none of them made me feel like I was a moony teenager experiencing my first major crush.
There was so much more than just his gorgeous face and body that drew me to Chase Durand. Maybe that’s why I’d never quite figured out exactly how to shake those feelings off.
He grinned at me, and my damn heart actually skittered in reaction. I had to remind myself once again that Chase and I would never have anything other than a sibling like relationship.
“I definitely believe in love for Torie,” he explained. “No one deserves a happily ever after more than she does. What about you? I heard you were dating some A- list celebrity a while ago. Why isn’t he here today?”
I swallowed hard, trying not to remember how hurt and humiliated I’d been after that particular relationship had ended so publicly. Obviously, Chase paid no attention to the gossip rags or he would know exactly why Bradley wasn’t here.
“We broke up a while ago,” I said hastily, not really wanting to discuss my short-lived love affair with the famous actor. “We both had to travel a lot. It didn’t work out.”
He frowned. “I have a hard time believing that you gave up that easily if you really cared about him, Vanna.”
Damn!Chase obviously wasn’t going to let things drop until he got some kind of explanation. “He had no idea how to have a monogamous relationship, especially when I was away so much,” I confessed. “He couldn’t keep his dick in his pants when I wasn’t around.”
“That’s too bad,” Chase said empathetically. “Although I have no idea why he’d want anyone else when he had you.”
I assessed his sympathetic gaze as I answered drily, “Apparently, women were interchangeable for him. I guess he didn’t mind when I was out of the country because there was always another woman nearby. Lots of them actually.”
Honestly, I’d probably never been Bradley Warner’s type. But I’d thought that I’d finally found a guy who didn’t mind if I preferred spending more time traipsing around the world in mud boots and dirty jeans than attending swanky parties.
Obviously, I’d been completely wrong.
Whatever brief interest he’d had in a woman like me had faded just as quickly as it had manifested.
“Then he definitely didn’t deserve you,” Chase grumbled.
I tried to keep my tone light as I replied, “No worries. I don’t think my career is really conducive to a serious relationship anyway. My job takes over my life most of the time.”
“You need somebody who treats you a hell of a lot better,” Chase replied. “Don’t settle for anything less, Savannah.”
Disconcerted that I was actually discussing my love life with Chase Durand, I stood and took my mug to the sink. “I suppose I should get going back to my own room,” I said uncomfortably.
“Hey,” Chase said as he stood and moved toward me. “I didn’t mean to make you run off. Did that bastard really hurt you, Vanna?”
He stopped much too close to me as I answered, “Not really. We were only exclusive for less than a year. He was a big movie star. I do special reports on a small cable news channel.”
“Bullshit!” Chase said in a graveled voice. “Deadline Americaisn’t some small, insignificant television program. You’re famous because your work is incredible.”
