Game (Gentry Boys, #3)(26)

There was a knock at the door. I ignored it. We got solicitors around here sometimes. Missionaries too. Whoever was knocking was persistent, keeping up a steady bang bang bang that was beginning to drive me nuts. I jumped up off the couch. If they were here to invite me into the kingdom of heaven then I had a few obscene answers that would make them change their minds.

I flung open the door. Chase was standing there.

“I’m not an *,” he said.

“Fine, you’re not an *.” I tried to shut the door but he stuck his stupid foot in the way. “What do you want?”

“Can I come in?”

“No.”

“Okay.” He barged in anyway.

“Did you follow me?”

“I didn’t have to. I know where you live.”

“Well that’s pretty bizarre and creepy considering I’m sure I never told you.”

Chase raised his eyebrows. “You forget? Your roommate is my brother’s girlfriend.”

“No.” I actually had forgotten for a little while.

Chase sat on the couch. Dolly, the little traitor, climbed into his lap immediately and began purring. “Sit down,” he gestured, as if this was his place and not mine.

I shut the door. I sat.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Chase said.

I didn’t answer. I just stared at him silently until he began to shift with discomfort.

He sighed and ran his hand over Dolly’s fur. “I get that you’re one of these keyed up angry chicks. In fact, it’s a hell of a turn on.” He gave me a mischievous grin. “That’s why I wanted so bad to feel you come. And damn, did you come hard.”

I winced and looked away. I didn’t want to think about it.

“Hey.” He touched my arm. “Stephanie. Look, I’m sorry. I mean, you seemed like you were into it. Really into it.”

“I was,” I answered flatly.

“Would you at least look at me? Please?” I slowly turned my head. He was frowning and his blue eyes were concerned. “I’m sorry I told Cord. He won’t tell anyone and I won’t tell anyone else, okay?”

“Yeah, you seem so trustworthy,” I muttered, realizing I wasn’t being fair. Maybe he really wasn’t as much of an * as I’d thought but I still didn’t feel like playing nice. Chase was right; there really must be something wrong with me.

He moved his hand to my shoulder, squeezing lightly. “So are we cool?”

“I guess so.”

“Good. Can you come over here and straddle me for a few minutes?”

I gave him the most evil look I could muster and he laughed.

“Kidding! Girl, you need to lighten up.”

“Maybe that’ll happen on my next sexual encounter.”

Chase lost his smile. “Oh shit,” he said softly, looking at me with sudden horror.

I stared at him. “What?”

“Shit,” he said again, “I mean, I realized you hadn’t been around much but dammit Stephanie, I didn’t know you were a virgin.”

I felt fire rise in my face. “I wasn’t!”

He looked relieved. “You weren’t? Are you sure?”

“Are you serious? Yeah Chase, I think I would know. Relax, you weren’t my first sex and I shouldn’t have bugged out on you. It’s just that it was the first-“ I nearly bit my own tongue off to stop the words from coming out.

Now he was deeply curious. “What?”

“Nothing.”

“It is something. Tell me.”

“No.”

“Steph.” He pulled my hair back from my face and looked at me with honest concern. “Come on, it’ll stay between you and me.”

I almost didn’t tell him. I almost just kicked him out of my apartment and then wallowed in ice cream for the rest of the day.

Chase took my hand and watched me patiently.

“It was the first time I ever…liked it.” I heard the words come out and wanted to die. I prayed that the couch would somehow animate itself and swallow me.

Chase gaped at me for a few seconds. Then his face slowly broke into a broad smile. “It was the first time you came, sweetheart? Holy shit. Is that what you’re trying to tell me?”

This was horrible. This was absolutely horrible. “Yes,” I squeaked out and felt like the saddest loser in the western hemisphere. I couldn’t believe I’d just admitted to this grinning jackass that he’d been the one to make me finally understand what the rest of the world had always been crazy about. And why did he have to be so goddamn good looking?

Chase was obviously incredibly pleased with himself. He sat there on my couch preening like Miss America.

“If you don’t stop smiling,” I grumbled, “I’m going to make you stop.”

“Really?” He got closer, smiled wider. “How will you do that, Stephanie?”

“Stop saying my name.”

“Stephanie. It suits you. It’s sexy. Didn’t anyone ever tell you that?”

“No.”

Chase ran a hand down my arm. I recognized it for the practiced move that it was, but a shiver still ran through me.

“You are, you know,” he said in a low, husky voice.