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“Mmm. Won’t say no.”
“Jensen isn’t hungry?”
“So what if he is? I want to be with you.”
I sighed in relief. Jensen was a great friend, but he was with us so much and he was sans female companionship on this trip, so I fully expected him to tag along. I was worried that I’d have no time alone to speak to Chase, and if there was an opportunity to tell him, I wanted to take it. We never kept secrets from each other, but I hadn’t wanted to distract him from the playoffs. “Okay. That sounds nice.”
“Are you ready? The bus is just pulling into the hotel parking lot.”
“Um, I can be. I just need to retouch my makeup and run a brush through my hair. Should I meet you downstairs?”
“I’ll come up for a bit. I want to tell you something. Be up in a minute.”
“Okay. Love you.”
“Don’t I know it,” he said with a chuckle.
“You, do, huh?” I couldn’t help but smile at his confidence in me. “Ass,” I teased.
“Yup. Hurry up!”
He hung up the phone and I flew into the bathroom. My makeup and toiletries were all over the vanity and I rushed to clear the traces of tears off of my face. Chase was in a great mood so I decided to play the evening by ear and try to find the best time to drop the bomb. Maybe tonight wouldn’t be a good time at all, but I had to tell him, soon.
I grabbed the brush and quickly ran it through my long hair, trying to calm the fly-a-ways. My dark hair was straight and fine, but I had a lot of it. I put on a touch of foundation under my eyes, set it with powder, and used a bit of contouring to define my cheekbones. I used a small piece of tissue to remove the mascara smudges from under my eyes and then quickly re-lined them. That was all I had time for before the door to our room burst open.
“Where are you, Monkey?”
“In here.” I barely put the eyeliner down when Chase’s happy face appeared as he bounded around the corner and then leaned into the doorframe. He was always handsome; dressed casually in a black V-neck T-shirt, dark blue jeans, and boots. The light team jacket he wore wasn’t enough for the weather. I’d changed into a red sweater over my black leggings. I’d practically frozen in the stands.
“Mmm,” he murmured and reached for me. His expression was flirty as his arms enfolded me, only to lift me up and leave my legs dangling as he walked back into the main room. The room had two beds because it was less expensive than a king upgrade. “Monkey me,” he commanded, huskily.
My lips turned up in a smile as I lifted my legs and caged his body in, using my arms around his shoulders. He’d started calling me Monkey, the first time I held him like this and now it was a thing.
In less than a second, I was on my back on the bed with Chase on top of me. He felt so good against me. I felt safe and protected in his arms, like nothing in the world could hurt me. I laughed softly. “Chase,” I murmured, trying to ignore the way his body fit so perfectly with mine. He shifted against me, leaving me in no doubt he desired me. One of my feet slid down over his butt and thigh to hook on the inside of his knee.
“We fit like a glove,” he said my thoughts out loud. “And not just like this. In everything.” He was suddenly serious. “I love you, Teagan. You’re my girl.”
I slid one arm up so a hand could wind into his hair; while the other came down to brush the back of my fingers against his face. “I know.” I nodded just before his open mouth brushed mine, gently teasing a response from me. My body arched and my head lifted, communicating that I wanted the kiss to deepen, and he gave me what I wanted. The kiss was slow but deep, our tongues tasting, laving, and moving deep into each other’s mouths. God, it was good. I felt my body open, heat pulsing through me as he pressed his hardness against me, stimulating us both beneath our clothes. Making out with Chase, even dry humping through our clothes was satisfying because it was Chase, and I loved him more than anything. He was the beginning and the end for me.
“Uhhhh, God, Teagan. Don’t start,” he murmured, then came back for another kiss and then another before pulling away and falling limp on top of me. It was a thing he did, like a physical protest when he was turned on and we stopped in the middle of making love. It was cute and endearing.
“I didn’t start it,” I laughed softly, running a hand down his back kneading his muscles lightly. “Babe… I can’t breathe.” I gasped and Chase eased his weight back onto his elbows, easing the pressure on my chest, though he stayed on top of me, looking down at me. There was a brilliant smile on his beautiful face. His jaw was strong, his lips full, but not overly so, straight nose that had never been broken, and clear, intent eyes that could see right through me.
“Yes, you did. You monkey’d me. It’s all your fault.”
I smiled up at him, taking in his sparkling green eyes. “I guess that makes sense, in a weird way.” His face was serious despite our make-out session and I sensed he needed to talk. I stroked the hair back off his face. “What is it? I can tell you want to talk.”
He nodded. “Yeah. I do.” He rolled to his side, pulling me with him until we were facing each other, lying with our heads on the pillows, but close together. Chase pulled my leg over the top of his thigh and hitched it over his hip. His hand rubbed my leg from my knee up, over my hip and down again. “I got an offer today. Professional ball.”
I was instantly excited and I screamed. “EEEEHHHHHH!” I smiled brightly and gave him a tight hug, before pushing back and scrambling up to jump up and down on the bed. Chase laughed as his body lifted and fell on the bed due to my excitement. “Oh, my God! Yay! Yay! Yay! EEEEHHHHHHH!” I screamed again.
Chase continued laughing as I danced around on the bed, bouncing him up and down, but his eyes were intense as he trained them on my face. “My boyfriend’s a professional, baller! My boyfriend’s a professional baller!” I was giggling, looking down at him as he gazed up at me. He grabbed my ankle and yanked knocking me back down beside him in a fit of laughter. “Where? With what team?” He was a year ahead of me in school, so this was his last season at Clemson, and I fully expected him to be picked up. I was happy. This would mean my dad’s reservations about us would tamp down with concrete evidence that Chase had a future in the sport. “I’m so proud of you! I knew you’d do it!” My heart swelled with love and admiration. “You work so flipping hard. Is it with the Battery?” I prayed it would be with the Charleston team in order to keep him close. I rolled toward him and he pulled me close again, his demeanor serious. I reached out to touch his hair at his temple, hesitantly, concerned by his expression.
“That’s the thing, Teag; it’s not a local club,” he said hesitantly, pulling the hand that had paused mid-stroke on his hair, to his mouth to kiss it. “That’s the part I need to talk to you about.”
The air whooshed from my lungs. I wanted to be happy for him. I was happy for him, but I couldn’t help how my heart fell at the prospect of being without him. I wasn’t sure what it meant for me, for us, and our baby. I nodded. “I’m listening.” I fought the rising ache in my throat and the burn of tears at the back of my eyes. “Where, then?”
“London.”
