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My elbows on the bar, I place my hands over my face. “I don’t know. I told you I wasn’t ready for this,” I pout. I take a deep breath. “I don’t know what to think anymore.” I look up at Brenda. Her eyes show compassion. She knows Evan fucked up my head. Maybe I am being a little harsh. Chase doesn’t know anything about me, why shouldn’t he be surprised that I’m smart. Now I feel like the asshole. “After I cool off, I’ll go next door and apologize for being such a bitch,” I concede.
“Good,” Brenda nods. “Take a deep breath and realize that every guy isn’t an asshole just because Evan was.”
I walk back through the house, out the front door, and make the right towards Chase’s cottage. I knock on the door but no one answers. I wait a few more minutes and turn to leave. Then, I hear his voice on his back deck. “I said don’t call me . . . No . . . I can’t talk about this now . . . I’m done . . . I’m hanging up now.” What was that about?
“Hello,” I call out. I almost don’t want him to hear me. “Chase, it’s Liv.” He comes out from around the back, his expression aggravated. Then he sees me, and his expression changes into a sexy smile that makes me melt. I don’t think he knows what to make of me. “I’m sorry about before. I overreacted. I’ve been having a bad week, and I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”
He strolls towards me and stands within inches of me. He smells amazing. Hmmm, Lacoste. One of my favorite colognes. I’m frozen. He tips my head up so I am looking straight into those big blue eyes. “There is nothing to forgive,” he breathes, his voice as smooth as silk. “I’m sorry I said anything to offend you. It was not my intention,” he whispers, his lips so close to mine. I am shaking, my mind blank. He brushes a lock of my hair that has fallen out of my ponytail and tucks it behind my ear. I start to back up.
“Okay . . . then . . . we’re all good,” I say, not quite sure of my convictions.
“Yes, we are all good,” he breathes. Then he steps closer.
“I can’t. “
“You can’t, what?” he asks, his eyes shining. I can feel the heat coming off his body even without his touch.
“I’m not ready for this. Please, don’t.” I am begging him to stop although he hasn’t touched me yet. Somewhere deep down I’m begging he doesn’t stop. But I know in this moment, if he starts kissing me I won’t be able to stop myself. His eyes search mine, looking for something that isn’t there.
Chase closes his eyes then exhales. “Okay.” He steps back to give me some space. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
“You didn’t. I’m just . . . I have to go. I’m glad I came over to apologize,” I say with sincerity.
“Me too,” he purrs.
I run back to the house.
I lay in bed staring at the ceiling. I had an amazing time tonight with Chase, until I overreacted and almost ruined it. He is so sweet, the total opposite of Evan. Evan and I would have fought until all hours of the night.
Chase has every right to not want to see my kind of crazy. But, there is something drawing me to him. He oozes sex appeal, and there is nothing I want more than for Chase to throw me up against a wall and have his way with me. I’ve never felt like this before, even with Evan. Evan and I were more like an old married couple, more friends than lovers. Maybe that’s why he cheated. Still, I can’t take my mind off Chase, and I’m not sure what to do about it.
I can’t wait to get down to the Casino today for Drop Dead Sexy. The deck is bound to be packed. I want to get there early so we get a good spot by the bar. It’s supposed to be a perfect day today, no rain in the forecast. I look through my wardrobe, which is mostly beach attire. I brought a few sundresses just in case we decided to eat on the restaurant side of the bar. I grab a short halter neck floral print dress and change. I wear flip-flops until about November, but if I’m going to be jumping around all afternoon, I’m going to need something a little sturdier. I find a pair of white sandals. These will have to do.
Brenda is already dressed when I come out of the bedroom. She has on a really short pair of denim shorts with a lace camisole underneath a sheer white tank. “Ready?” She is all smiles. Drop Dead Sexy is one of her favorite bands too.
“You look hot. What’s the occasion?” I giggle.
“I don’t know. There are going to be lots of men there,” she says with a sly smile. Brenda works almost sixty hours a week and doesn’t have time for a man in her life. She prefers to live on the wild side.
I plead, “Just don’t find any for me, okay?”
“I promise, at least for today.”
We get down to the bar around two. The band starts to play in an hour, so we have plenty of time to get a drink and place ourselves where we plan to stay for the rest of the afternoon. I run into a few friends who my family has known for years. Thank God, they haven’t asked the looming question. Maybe they think he had to work. Evan wasn’t a big fan of Drop Dead Sexy. He wasn’t a fan of the beach, either. I would have to drag him here by his hair kicking and screaming. Then, he would stand in the corner sulking, trying to stay out of the sun. He was very light skinned and would burn at the drop of a hat. I used to have to douse him in sunscreen, and he would still get all red and blotchy. He was such a miserable prick every time we came to Davis, sometimes I wonder why he even came with me at all.
I step up to the bar and order two Rocket Fuels from Mac. These are special Piña coladas with 151 floaters. I need at least one of these a summer, and they are a must with this band. I bring one back to Brenda who has already has her hooks into a likely candidate for the evening. I hand it over with a wink.
“Thanks,” she smiles back.
I walk through the crowd that has started to gather. Once the band gets going, it gets very tight so you can barely move. Through the crowd, I see Chase with his friends toward the entrance to the bar. I feel a chill run down my spine just looking at him. I turn toward the stairs leading up from the beach. There at the top of the stairs stands Evan. Holy fuck. He’s the last person I expected to see here. Evan is scanning the crowd, no doubt looking for me. I duck down behind some girls and slowly make it back over toward Brenda.
“He’s here,” I shriek.
“Who?”
“Evan,” I whisper horrified.
“Where?” Frantic, she scans the crowd.
