AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Well, if I’m going to meet you for drinks, I need to take a shower,” I said, noticing it was almost five thirty. “I mean, if you still want to go, that is. You might be sick of hanging out with meby now,” I tried to laugh, but I hoped he didn’t bail on our semi-date.
“Are you kidding? You owe me a drink after that lesson,” he said, before leading us to the exit.
With a silly grin on my face, I rushed back to my room and took a quick shower. I dressed in a cute denim skirt and a purple tank top. I pulled my hair back and rolled some lip gloss over my lips. I didn’t want Chase to get the wrong idea. I was still telling myself he just wanted to apologize. This wasn’t a date. I had to make Avery swear that she wouldn't try to eavesdrop. Angrily, she agreed. In fact, she had been flirting with one of the security guards named Jax, and I was pretty sure she would be sexting tonight while I was gone. Ugh.
When I finally ventured my way down to the bar, I spotted Chase sitting at a table by himself. He looked amazing in a gray t-shirt that clung to his biceps and a pair of dark jeans and black boots. His short hair was gelled in the front, and he had an intense and worried look on his face. As I approached the table, I cleared my throat to let him know I had arrived.
“Hey, Lizzie. I’m glad you made it,” Chase said nervously.
“Yeah, well, you invited me,” I informed, as I sat across from him.
Nodding, Chase attempted a smile again. “Well, I’m glad you made it. I thought for a moment you would try to cancel on me. I mean, you did have a pretty rough session today,” he kidded.
“Yeah, right. You just caught me off guard. I’m much tougher than I appear.” I laughed, too.
His smile fading, he looked at me more intently. “I haven't had dinner or drinks with anyone in a long time,” he admitted, with a smirk.
“Other than Avery, I haven't either,” I added. “Maybe it will be nice for us to have someone new to talk to.”
I felt the air around us lighten. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.
“I ordered you a drink if that’s okay. I noticed you were drinking a peach margarita the other night,” Chase said.
My heart did a little jump as butterflies danced around in my stomach. That was really sweet. “Thanks,” I said.
Relief washed over his face. “I know I can be a little intense at times. I don’t want you to be afraid of me,” Chase stated.
“I’m not afraid of you. I just don’t understand you,” I admitted.
If we were going to talk and be honest, I might as well just lay it all out there.
“To be honest, I kind of like it that way. I like to be private. When too many people know what’s going on in your life, it can get complicated,” Chase said.
Those words spoke straight to my heart. I knew better than most what complicated was and how important my privacy was. Noticing my expression, Chase tilted his head and watched me.
“You agree?” he asked, as the waitress brought us our drinks.
Nodding, I took a sip of my drink. “More than you know. I left my home when I was young. I can appreciate wanting to remain private.”
“I had a rough upbringing. Most people who come to Vegas do so either to escape reality or are on some weird long-term vacation. I guess it’s nice to know someone else can understand how I feel. Most of the staff hates me. I come on strong, but that’s just me. When I first saw you that day in the casino, my first instinct was to grab you and tell you to get the hell out of here. But not for the reasons I’m sure you’re thinking. This is why I needed to explain myself to you, I think you have everything all wrong.” He sighed before continuing, “I can tell you’re damaged. You’ve been hurt, and it’s none of my business unless you want to tell me, but I can recognize that type of hurt in another person. The only thing I’ve found that’s safe for me iscontrol. I want to control my life, my privacy, my job, and after the other day—I want to control you. I know that sounds creepy, and please don’t leave now, but you need someone to watch out for you. To control the things you can’t around here,” Chase finished. I could tell he was worried about how I would react, and honestly, I was, too. But his words hit me hard.
I looked at him, speechless. How someone I had just met, could read me better than my own best friend, baffled me. I had never wanted someone to take control, to be forward, and show me I wasn’t alone. In a weird way, I had found solitude in hiding myself from the world. I wanted and needed to be independent to prove to myself that I could grow out of the shell my parents had forced me to live in all my life. I had never been protected or cared for with that type of care and intensity.
However, at that moment, I found myself craving the idea that someone might want to control me, if only to protect me. I understood what Chase was saying. This wasn’t a controlling issue in the form of abuse—but rather someone who understood not being loved and seeing in someone else the drive to protect them in ways others can’t understand. I was also getting hot and bothered by these thoughts racing through my mind. This man was delicious and had me wanting to do things I had never dreamed of before. My panties grew wet, and my cheeks flushed. Every rational side of my brain screamed at me that I was absolutely and irrevocably insane. To desire control after spending years breaking free of someone else’s hold over me was mad. I knew that. But my heart raced through my body, begging and pleading with me to listen to what Chase was saying.
In that moment, I learned what I needed most for myself. What I needed was someone like this hot, sexy asshole standing in front of me.
Biting my lip, I saw a smirk spread across his beautifully chiseled face. The dark stubble on his face screamed at me to touch him, but I kept my hands to myself for now.
“Tell me something real,” Chase urged. He licked his lips, and I almost came right there.
“Tell me something honest,” I urged, playing my part in the games.
“I left home when I was eighteen and never looked back,” Chase said, as his eyes traveled to mine.
My breath faltered, and I swear I felt like I would cry. Chase and I were very similar but so, so different at the same time.
“Me, too,” I said, as I held his gaze. I couldn’t believe I had just spilled part of my secret to him. Especially with how I acted with Avery only moments before. “Why did you leave?” I asked, unsure whether he would answer honestly or not.
