God, thank you. Thank you so, so much. Almost there. Aria half-jogged to the back of the cab and reached for the door.
“Aria!”
She almost dropped her purse. That voice. His voice, calling her. God, no, please.
"Aria! Stop!"
Aria flung open the cab door.
"Aria!" A masculine hand she knew too well landed on the door next to her.
She didn't turn. Get in the damn car, you idiot.
He turned her, grabbing onto her upper arms with both his hands and pushing her between the car and him. He wore nothing but jeans and a white t-shirt.
Aria locked eyes with the ground, unwilling to stare him in the eye. Oh God, he was barefoot too?
"Why are you running? Beautiful, look at me. Why?" he asked in a low voice as he tilted her chin up.
She slammed her eyes shut, angry at the tears filling them.
"Baby, talk to me."
Her insides quivered at the way he said “baby”. She fought it for all she was worth because she had to. I have to get home. I can’t let him do this to me.
Because nothing would ever come of what he made her feel.
"Why wereyou running away from me? What happened Aria? What did I do?"
How did she explain to him that she had to leave? It wasn’t his fault, at least she didn’t think he’d done any of it on purpose, but she couldn’t accept it. She stubbornly kept her eyes closed; her mouth even more so. She couldn't let him know—
She gasped when he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. Once, twice, finally settling on her mouth, his tongue peeking out to tease.
Without her permission, her body melted against his, her mouth opening to allow his tongue in.
What are you doing, Aria? Stop!
Chase groaned. It set everything inside her on fire. The heat grew as he wrapped his arms around her and crushed her to him. Her arms, the traitors, followed his example.
"Why?" he pulled back and asked against her lips.
Aria shuddered, her defenses and will power destroyed by his touch. "I can't keep you," she answered in a small voice, her eyes still closed.
"Woman, that’s not your choice to make. You can’t disappear. Aria…” He grabbed her free hand and flattened it on his chest. His heart beat so damn hard. “Don’t do this.”
She opened her eyes, trying to put some space between them. “Chase…What are we doing? Do you even realize what’s going? Everything’s too fast. I’m confused. I’m still married, the divorce won’t be finalized for months—
"I'll wait for you."
"What?"
"I'll wait. Until the divorce is finalized. But you have to promise you won’t disappear on me," he said, squeezing the hand he held to his chest.
Aria braced herself against the tidal wave of sensation his touch evoked. "It could take months. Months, Chase. And I don’t know if I’m ready—”
"I can be patient. Give you time. But don’t ask me to just let you go.”
Every limb trembled as she stared into his eyes. "Why?" Did she even want the answer to that?
Chase leaned down until their noses touched. "Stop questioning it. Stop. I told you, it is what it is. And I'll wait. So promise me you'll stop running away."
This moment didn't seem real. Things like this didn't happen in real life, did it? Aria’s marriage was perfect proof that shit like that didn't exist, wasn't it?
“We’ll start with keeping in touch. I need to know how you’re doing. Is that doable?”
Could she do it?
You'll never know unless you try. Can you walk away after last night?
She bit her lip and fought the two emotions tearing her raw heart apart. Part of her was undoubtedly scared. Logic dictated that starting something under those circumstances would doom it to failure. Being with a man like Chase wouldn’t be simple. She was fresh—just plucked from the tree, actually—off a failed marriage. She needed time to pick up her life.
Another part of her wanted to try, consequences be damned.
The cab driver pressed on the horn. “Are you getting in or not, Miss?”
Chase glared at the driver, making the man go silent. “Just a second. Wait.” No denying his authoritative tone. Aria turned her head and saw the cab driver facing forward. He made no move to drive away, either, waiting for her as Chase had demanded.
"I can't let you get in that car unless I know I will see you again. Even if its months from now." He leaned down and kissed her again.
"Ok..." Her stomach hollowed out because of what she’d agreed to. Fear shocked her insides. “I can’t promise you it’ll be anytime soon, though,” she said, to remind him and herself.
“Told you: I’ll wait.”
Aria gave him a small nod. What else could she say? She didn’t understood the yo-yoing emotions slamming through her brain.
Chase returned her nod. His eyes glittered in the morning sun, intense. Even in just jeans and a plain t-shirt, he took her ever-loving breath away.
He’d run out of his penthouse, barefoot, to catch her before she left.
In over your head, Aria. Nine feet over.
Make that twelve.
She spared him one last look and turned to get into the cab.
Chase grabbed her hand, stopping her. “Wait, Aria. One thing. What’s your last name?”
She scowled at him, surprised. “Wait, are you saying you haven’t looked into that?”
He shook his head, staring at her as if he needed her answer.
He wanted her maiden name. The name she’d had before Douglas. With a sigh, she said, “Harrington.”
His eyebrows rose before he nodded at her. “Okay. I’ll be waiting for that call Ms. Harrington.”
A giggle almost escaped her. “See you around Mr. Blaine.”
He closed the door for her once she was inside the cab. Then he walked to the passenger side and tapped on the window. “Here.” Chase handed the driver a roll of money once it was lowered. “This should cover her fare.”
“Chase—”
He gave her a look that made her go quiet. “Please. No complaining. It’s not a big deal. I wish you’d wait ‘till I can drive you home, but I know you won’t. Take care of yourself Ms. Harrington.”
Trying to fight back a smile, she gave him a small wave. She told the driver her home address.
He stayed on the sidewalk—despite the fact he was barefoot and it was freezing outside—watching the cab as it pulled away from the curve.
Aria watched him the whole time through the rear-view mirror.
Her heart ached, and the farther she drove away from him, it became very obvious why.
She hadn’t wanted to fall for Chase Blaine…but she had. Now, she doubted there’d be any going back.
She would never be able to forget him, no matter how hard she tried. And that meant he was right.
They would be seeing each other again.
Small mini-teaser of Damage Owed, the continuation to A Debt Repaid.
"And this woman. Don't you believe she might be harmful to your well-being?"
Chase shifted in his seat, nearly suffocating on the urge to strangle his psychologist for even thinking of that. "She's necessary."
More notes jotted down. "So necessary that you'll continue your association, while knowing that she's the reason all of this is coming out now?"
More teeth grinding on Chase’s part. "You said it yourself. Been saying it for years. Something had to break that part of me open eventually."
His therapist intertwined his fingers and leaned on the desk, staring right into Chase’s eyes. "Yes, but what about her? Chase, what you're dealing with is volatile. Will become even more so as your mind continues to sift through all those years of buried feelings. Eventually, you might become a danger to not only yourself, but to those around you."
His nails bit into his skin as he clenched his fists. "I won't let it get to that point."
"You might not have a choice."
"I won't
hurt her."
"Chase, I don't think you understand--"
"No. You don't understand." This time, Chase was the one that leaned forward, so that the man in front of him could see how damned serious he was. "I'm not letting her go."
About the Author
N. Isabelle Blanco was born in Queens, NY (USA). At the age of three, due to an odd fascination with studying her mother’s handwriting, she began to read and write. By the time she’d reached kindergarten, she had an extensive vocabulary and her obsession with words began to bleed into every aspect of her life.
An avid reader in her teens, her fascination with Japanese anime eventually led her to the universe of fan fiction, which became her on-again, off-again hobby for the next ten years. During that time she amassed a following of fans that, by her own admission, she would never be able to live without. It was those fans who encouraged her to step beyond the fan fiction realm and try her talent in the publishing world.
N. Isabelle Blanco now has three novellas and two full-length novels under her belt, and spends her days working as an author, web programmer, marketer, and graphic designer. That is when she isn’t handling her “spawn”, as she calls her son, and brainstorming with him about his future career as a comic book illustrator.
Other books by N. Isabelle Blanco
Destructively Alluring (Allure#1)
Allure Magnified (Allure #2)
Addictive Lunacy (Compulsions #1)
Blood Flows Deep in the Empire (Szolites #1)
Teasers for all of N. Isabelle Blanco’s
upcoming works are now up at
www.houseofmalfunction.com.
A Debt Repaid (1) Page 16
