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I dressed as quickly as I could, in everything but my shoes. Those I held in my hand while I opened the door.
I stepped out just as an older woman appeared out of another doorway.
She blinked, then cleared her throat. "Good morning," she said pleasantly. Either she was used to seeing strange women in Chase's home, or she was good at covering it.
"Um, hi," I said awkwardly. "I was just…leaving."
"Ah." She nodded. "Would you like some breakfast?"
My stomach chose then to rumble, but I shook my head. "No, thank you. I really should go."
"Okay then." She stepped aside. "If you're sure. Chase would be down in the basement working out, if you wanted to say goodbye."
"No," I said too quickly. "I mean, thank you, but I'll catch up with him later." If he was still talking to me. This was a complication neither of us needed. A mistake. It would be better if we stayed away from each other. At least until the end of time, if not longer. Nothing could come of this. I knew it. He knew it.
I should just stay away from men entirely. It would be easier than being hurt again.
"Okay, I'll let him know you're expecting a call," she said. "Miss…"
"Ashley," I said. "Just Ashley."
She nodded. "Bernice. I keep house for Chase. Apparently I just got upgraded to secretary. That better come with a hefty pay rise."
I grinned. "I'm sure it will, but there's no need to tell him anything. I mean—" Great, now I sounded like I was only here for a one night thing. "He has my number," I finished lamely.
"And I'll make sure he uses it," Bernice said. "That last chick strode around in his shirt like she owned the place. He could do better."
She eyed me as though trying to decide whether or not I was like that. "She hurt him real bad."
"I know," I said softly. "The last thing I want is to hurt him." Or myself.
Bernice nodded.
I sensed I passed a test of some kind.
"Good. He's a nice kid, but he lets people walk all over him sometimes. Head too full of football to see what folks are really like." She tapped the side of her head. "He'd forget to eat if I didn't have a timer set every night."
I blushed. "Right." I remembered. It went off while we snuggled on the couch. We'd eaten quickly and gone to bed for another round. Or two. "He's very focused on work. He'd hate to let the team down."
"That he would," she agreed. She cocked her head. "The music just turned off. He'll be up here shortly."
She must have super hearing, because I hadn't noticed a thing.
"I should go," I said. "Um, tell him I said hi, and sorry I missed him. I don't want to be late for work."
"Okay then." I had the impression she'd waylaid me until Chase was done working out if she could. If I hesitated any longer, she'd succeed.
I flashed her a smile and hurried to pick up my bag from where it spent the night, beside the couch.
I almost ran for the door and slipped out as Chase's voice came from somewhere in the house.
Bernice answered him, so I assumed he wasn't calling out to me.
I pulled out my keys and hurried to my car. Outside all of these huge, opulent houses, many with massive iron gates, my car looked even more the crap heap it was. I should look at getting a loan for a new one. Or a motorbike like Chase's. Well, not like his. His cost more than my apartment.
I slid into the driver's seat and turned the key. Thank goodness the car started the first time. Sometimes it just…didn't.
I put my foot down and backed out of Chase's driveway. I waited for an enormous SUV, a Porsche and a classic mustang to pass before I was able to pull out onto the road. Any of those cars would have costtwicethe value of my apartment. Rich people had to spend their money on something, I supposed.
