Game (Gentry Boys, #3)(45)

We let the afternoon pass that way. Then I needed to go and let her get some work done.

“Later?” she asked as she saw me to the door wrapped in her comforter and the note of breathless hope in her voice killed me.

“No stopping it, sweetheart,” I said, running my thumb over her lips before I kissed her.

I walked slowly back to my apartment. When I got to the parking lot I saw the Chevy out there. There was a meeting at the library in an hour. I should go. For a moment in the pizza place I’d been scared. I’d felt the urge to get numb. When Stephanie touched me I felt a little better but I knew the impulse would come again.

Creedence was in the living room, working out some songs on his guitar. He looked up when I walked in but didn’t stop. I didn’t recognize the song he was singing but I liked it.

“An oldie?” I asked when he finished and put the guitar down.

“Yup. An oldie. Called The Weight.”

Creed was gazing at me somewhat expectantly so I sat down beside him.

“You the only one home?”

“Yeah. Cord’s still at work and Saylor got a call to go teach tonight.” Saylor had started tutoring local high school kids who were new the country and still learning English. She loved the work.

“Are you performing later?” I asked him.

He nodded. “Small place out in Mesa. Truly’s getting off early tonight. So I’ll pick her up and head out there.”

I smiled, remembering something. “You know, Truly’s trying to get Stephanie a job at Cluck This. Can you picture my Stephanie smiling and taking orders for fried chicken?”

“No,” said Creed, not smiling.

“Yeah,” I laughed. “I give it about an hour before she dumps a basket of chicken in the lap of some jackass if he tries to give her shit.”

“I give it less,” Creed answered shortly. Then he shook his head, leaned on his elbows and stared at me. “What the hell are you doing, Chase?”

“I’m sitting on the couch. We need a new one. I can feel a detached spring jabbing me in the ass.” I stood so I could look down on him. I hoped he would just let this go for now. If he said anything about Stephanie then I wouldn’t be able to take it. Things would get ugly.

Creed stood too. He was only about an inch taller than me but he was broader, stronger. He could take me out if he felt like it and he wanted to make that clear.

I challenged him. “You got a problem with my girlfriend, Creed?”

He shrugged. “How could I? I hardly know her. You hardly know her and you’re way too into her.”

I had to take a deep breath. “I know everything I need to know. And by the way I don’t recall you hassling Cord like this when he moved Saylor in here practically overnight.”

My brother already had an answer for me. “Well, Cord is Cord and you are you.”

“What the f*ck does that mean?”

Creed would always look you right in the eye before he cut you open. “Chasyn, are you sure you’re not just trading one addiction for another?”

I had to walk away. If I didn’t walk away I would hit him. And I would mean it. I turned around and headed for the door. My back was still to him when I said the only words I had left to say.

“I’m not going to forgive you for that.”

I knew he heard me.





CHAPTER FIFTEEN


Stephanie



Chase wanted to dress up for Halloween. I agreed because he had so much enthusiasm for the idea and making him happy made me happy. He’d been agitated when he showed up at my door yesterday less than an hour after he left. He wouldn’t tell me why. As I stayed in my room and worked on my finance paper he sat quietly on the couch watching television in a very un-Chase-like way.

I hurried through my work and then couldn’t stand it anymore. I had to go to him. His arms went around me automatically as soon as I sank beside him on the couch. I held him to my chest and stroked his neck, feeling ferociously protective. It was strange because Chase was so much bigger and stronger. I’d grown used to feeling safe when I was in his arms. Now I felt like he needed the same thing from me.

Chase rolled me to my back and got on top of me but it wasn’t for sex. He rested his head on my breasts and stayed quiet. Chase just wanted me to love him. And I did. I loved him so desperately.

Eventually he took me to the bedroom and the passion took over as it always did. But usually Chase was all about dirty talk and dirtier deeds. This time as he moved inside of me the only thing he said was, “Look at me, baby. Keep looking at me.”

We finished like that, gazing deep into each other’s eyes. I gasped at the end when I came and then felt him shudder and do likewise. As I ran my fingers over his sweaty skin I thought about how we were together. I had never known it was possible to feel this close to anyone.

The next morning Chase was back to being playful and mischievous. He woke me up early and started reciting everything he knew about the history of Halloween. Apparently his knowledge was considerable so I dozed off for a little while as he talked. He got irritated by my disinterest and pried my eyelids open.

I swatted his hand away and sat up. “Fine,” I grumbled. “I’ll throw on some skanky witch outfit.”

He was incredulous. “A witch on Halloween? Dammit, that is so cliché, Stephanie. You should know better. And no zombies either. Shit’s been done to death. Haha, get it?”