Taking Chances (Taking Chances #1)(47)

“No, have you been cheating?” Bree's family taught me to play, and if anyone was as bad as me, it was definitely Claire.

“Course not! But I'm pretty sure Robert is.” She mock whispered.

I laughed and grabbed her empty beer bottle, “Need another?”

“Oh yes please, sweetie!”

“Anyone else?”

Three other people I didn't know said yes so I headed for the kitchen and grabbed five.

“Nu uh. If I'm not drinking, you're not drinking.”

I shot a sideways glance at Chase, “Well then why don't you have one?”

“Because I don't drink anymore.” He shrugged and looked around the kitchen for a moment.

“Since when?” I hadn't seen him drink in months, but I didn't know he'd actually stopped.

Chase stopped looking around and pierced me with his blue eyes, “Since I was a jackass and hurt my Princess.”

He said my Princess. My. I had goose bumps covering my body. “Huh...I didn't realize.”

“You're the one that told me I should stop.” He said it matter-of-factly.

“But I didn't mean you had to Chase. You're grown, you can do whatever you want.”

“I know. Nothing good ever came from drinking though.”

Who was this guy, and what did he do with Chase? “Do you want to split one? Nothing will happen from half a beer, right?”

He slapped his stomach and raised his voice an octave, “I guess my little body can handle half a beer.”

“You're so dumb. Help me with these, I'm hanging out at your mom's table.” I never could call them Mom and Dad in front of Chase. Thinking about them as my parents when I had these feelings for him was beyond awkward.

We watched Claire win two hundred dollars, without cheating, and even though I kept my beer in between us, Chase never touched it. With five minutes left of the year, everyone bunched around the massive TVs all over the house waiting for the countdown to begin. I found Bree and Konrad and joined them, though I doubt they knew I was there. They weren't waiting for midnight, they already had their tongues down the each other’s throats.

The countdown started and when we hit 'six', I was yanked back to the darkened hall and found the deepest blue eyes staring into my own. His hands cupped my face and the pad of his thumbs brushed back and forth over my cheekbones. I vaguely heard the party chant the final numbers before erupting into cheers and Chase's lips softly pressed into mine. I stood stunned for a few seconds before wrapping my arms around his neck and moving my mouth against his. When he traced my bottom lip with his tongue, I opened my mouth in invitation and he didn't disappoint. My stomach heated and I ached to press my body to his. He stumbled back to the wall opposite where we'd been and grabbed my hips, bringing me to rest between his legs. One hand went back to my hair while the other found its way to the small of my back, bringing me even closer to him and I moaned into his mouth. We poured four and a half months of longing and ignoring our chemistry into that one kiss...when it was over, I knew I'd never be the same. He rested his forehead against mine, and I had to press a hand to my chest, I swear my heart was about to explode.

“Harper.” His voice was rough and passionate, “I will think about that kiss for the rest of my life.” He held me back, stepped away and watched me for a moment, then turned to leave the house.

I stood there watching where he'd just been and tried to convince myself that had just happened. Next thing I knew I was back in Bree's room with my back pressed against the door, I didn't even remember walking up the stairs. I was still trying to calm my heart when my phone beeped and I ran for my purse, disappointment coursed through me when I saw it wasn't from Chase.

Brandon - 'Happy New Year baby. I love you'

Worst girlfriend of the year award should definitely go to me.

***

Five days went by without seeing or hearing from Chase. I hated that that bothered me. I hated that I dreamed about him. I hated that I cared at all. I’m madly in love with Brandon, so why do I have to love Chase too? I was relaxing on Bree's couch, still trying to excuse our kiss when my phone chimed. My heart kicked up a notch when I looked at it.

Chase - 'So...you ever going to come get that tattoo?'

The day we’d decided on our friendship, I’d come home from lunch with Mom and Bree to find him sketching on the couch. When he saw me he’d flipped the book closed and said he was working on a tattoo for me. Only problem? I wasn’t allowed to see it unless I actually got it as a tattoo, and it was finished. Of course I wanted a tattoo, but at that point I’d had a hard enough time just being around him. Having his hands on me for hours would have been torture I wouldn’t survive.

Me - 'When are you free?'

Chase - 'Seriously?'

Me - ':) Make me an appointment. I'll be there'

Chase - 'We open at four today come in then'

Me - 'Do I get to know what it is first?'

Chase - 'You can see it when it's done. I'm warning you now, it's going to take hours.'

Me - 'Chase I swear if you put something I hate on my body...I'll kill you'

Chase - 'I promise you'll love it'

Me - 'Don't make me regret this'