Page 64 of Chasin’s Surrender

I quickly changed, putting shorts and a tank back on, and decided to tackle the mess I’d made, when there was a knock on the open door frame.

“You hungry?” Chasin asked when I looked in his direction.

“Yeah, but I need to pick all this up first.”

He glanced around the floor and my gaze followed. In my haste to find the letter, thinking that I’d misplaced it, I’d thrown everything from my suitcases around the room. Clothes and shoes were strewn everywhere.

“Why didn’t you unpack?” Chasin asked.

His tone was tight and I wasn’t sure if he was upset about the state of his room or if he was still mad about the showdown with Len.

“Because I’m used to living out of a suitcase and you’re being way cool letting me take over the master. I didn’t want to invade anymore of your personal space.”

That was the truth. But part of me didn’t think I’d be here long, and for some reason, the thought of unpacking and mingling my stuff with Chasin’s seemed too intimate. And in that vein, when it was time to leave, taking my clothes out of his dresser and closet, packing it back up, would only hurt more. So I’d left everything in my suitcases.

“I told you I didn’t mind.”

“But I do,” I snapped, and Chasin’s body jerked. “I’m sorry, that came harsher than I meant for it to. I’m still kinda freaked out about Len.”

“Yeah, let’s talk about him. Honey, I hate to tell you, but you were way off-base about him. Not only was he looking at you, but he didn’t like me touching you. And I hope you understand, I did that on purpose.”

“Did what on purpose?”

Please be wrong. Please be wrong.

I stood rooted, something not pleasant stealing over me. Something that felt like dread. I wanted to be wrong about why Chasin had been standing close during my showdown with Len. I wanted to be wrong about why he’d whispered in my ear and threaded our fingers together.

But I didn’t think I was.

“Evie—”

“What’d you do on purpose, Chasin?”

His head tilted to the side and he did his normal perusal. Though this time, I didn’t bother hiding that something was wrong.

Please be wrong.

“Why—”

Fucking hell.

“All of that back in your office was for show? That’s it, right? You weren’t standing close in support, you were doing it so you could get a read on Len. Am I right?”

“Whoa!” Chasin put his hands up and took a step closer. “You’re reading way too much into what happened. I was standing there, silently supporting you. Any other time, I would’ve never touched you while you were in what was effectively a business meeting. But, yeah, I wanted to get a read on him so I touched you to see if he’d react. And, Genevieve, he did. He also didn’t hide it.”

“Right.”

“Baby, why do you look like I just sucker-punched you in the stomach?”

Because you did.

“You didn’t. I get it, I understand why you made that play. I’m gonna clean up in here then I’ll come down.”

“No. No way. Tear ‘em down. I see you’re erecting the wall and you’ve already stacked those blocks high. Take it down.” Chasin’s tone was gruff with a liberal amount of annoyance sprinkled throughout.

“I’m getting really tired of hearing you talk about walls,” I snapped.

“Then stop building them.”