“You don’t have to buy me presents.”
“I know. I wanted to get you this. Please, just open it.”
She smiled and turned back to her gift. Bubble wrap and tissue paper still protected the treasure when she opened the lid. With a reverence that made his breath hitch, Katie picked up the object hidden within. A corner of her lip curled up when she pushed away the last of the tissue to reveal the glass dolphins she’d shown him in the window on the wharf.
“I could see how upset you were when you talked about Shawn breaking the one you had before, but that’s not the only reason I bought them.” Tears rolled down Katie’s cheeks while Chase tried to explain the significance of the gift. “That evening we saw a pair of dolphins in the harbor, and it was our first unofficial date. Then when we were on the boat with the kids, they were there.” Chase shrugged his shoulders and looked away, feeling self-conscious. “I thought you’d like them.”
Katie touched his arm, and he dragged his gaze to her deep green eyes. They reflected such intense emotion that he found himself holding his breath while he waited for her to speak.
“Chase, I—” Her voice broke, and he couldn’t resist the urge to touch her. Bringing his hand up to her face, he cupped her cheek and searched her eyes for something to reassure him.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
Chase smiled, satisfied that she liked the present he had put so much thought into. He pulled her onto his lap and brushed his lips across hers. One of her tears landed against his cheek, and a warning bell sounded inside his head.
Were the tears over the gift, or was something more going on?
He sat back and wiped at the wetness on her cheek with his thumb. “What is it? Talk to me, please.”
She took a deep breath and shook her head. “Can we stay in tonight?” More tears welled up in her eyes. “I just want to be with you. No distractions. Please?”
Chase’s resolve to talk about the rift he had felt over the last week crumbled with her desperate plea. That conversation could wait. Right now, she wanted him, and that was all that mattered.
He picked up Katie and walked to her room while she buried her face in his chest and inhaled his warm scent, trying to memorize everything about him. Chase loosened his grip on her, and she slid down the front of him until her feet met the floor. They stood, staring at one another. She knew she needed to tell him, but the urge to be with him overrode her conscience. His hand gently wrapped around her neck, and his thumb glided over her cheekbone.
“Katie,” he whispered, and her heart shattered a little more at the longing in his voice. “Please tell me what you need.”
She brought her hand up to his and closed her eyes before turning her face into his palm and kissing it. “Just you.”
When Katie turned her face back to his, there was more emotion in his eyes than just lust and desire, although those were clearly present. For just one night, she wanted to feel like Chase loved her as much as she did him, so she let reality go and latched on to the desire of her heart. “Make love to me, Chase.”
His lips hovered over hers for a moment before he gently took her top lip in between his and kissed it softly. Katie wrapped her arms around his waist and melted into him while his arms slid around her back. Chase continued to lick and nip at her lips while his hands deftly lowered the zipper of her dress. When he had it undone, his hands ghosted around her waist and over her breasts until his fingers found the straps. He pushed them off her shoulders, allowing the dress to pool at her feet.
His kisses trailed across her jaw, burying his face in her neck and taking a long breath. Her fingers worked on the buttons of his shirt while his hands ran up and down her naked back and his lips roamed over her neck. Katie pushed his shirt off his shoulders and went for his pants, but he grabbed her hands.
“This is about you, honey,” Chase said against her ear while he brought her hands up to his neck.
She wound the soft hair at the nape around her finger and tugged him closer.
“Let me be what you need,” he whispered against her mouth.
His words struck the last defense she had left. Everything Katie needed was right there, loving her, and it would all go away as soon as she let reality back in.
The tears welled in her eyes as his kiss turned passionate and hungry. She pushed down the sorrow and tried to treasure every moment of his warm skin under her fingers while she helped him shed his clothes. When Chase laid her on the bed, her memory took a snapshot of him kissing each hipbone before he pulled her panties down her legs. She filed away the memory of the look in his eyes when he slid into her with tenderness and care. Katie cherished every endearment he whispered in her ear while he slowly brought her body to pleasure.
Only after they were spent and Chase had fallen asleep did she let her fantasy slip back into reality. Silently, she wept in his arms until she drifted off into a restless sleep.
~*~
Chase felt a sudden jerk against his chest, waking him from a dreamless sleep. He squinted while he tried to adjust to the blinding light that filtered through the curtains in Katie’s room. His focus landed on the top of her brown curls, and he smiled. Her hand clutched at the comforter when she jerked against him.
“Katie, honey.”
He trailed his fingers down her arm, trying to rouse her from her dream. She turned her head until he could see her beautiful face. Her eyes opened halfway, and then she snapped them shut again.
“What time is it?”
Chase glanced at the clock on her dresser and groaned. “It’s seven-fifteen. I need to pick up the boys and head to the field by eight-thirty.”
A grief-stricken look crossed her face before she composed herself.
“What’s wrong? I know something’s going on, and it’s killing me to see you so upset.”
He continued to run his fingers up her arm, hoping she would open up to him. Shaking her head, Katie gave him a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“We don’t have time. We’ll talk later, after the party. I promise.” Giving him a quick kiss, she sat up, and his mind went blank when the sheet fell to her waist. “Are you going to take a shower here or wait until you get home?”
Hoping to tease her out of her mood, Chase bolted upright and snagged her around the waist, making her squeal at his sudden movement. She smiled down at him and let him pull her on top of his bare chest. “I’ll take one here, and you’re joining me.”
Katie shook her head but continued to smile. “You’re going to be late for the most anticipated game of the season if you don’t let me go.”
He nipped at the flesh below her ear. “We’ll finish this later,” he said before kissing her neck. Her dark mood seemed to return as she rolled off. She gave him a hesitant smile before she turned for the bathroom. Perplexed by the sudden change, Chase pulled himself out of bed when he heard the shower turn on.
As he reached the door to the bathroom, the phone rang. “Could you get that? I’m already soaked,” Katie asked.
He grumbled under his breath about a wet, beautiful, and naked woman waiting for him before he made his way to the kitchen to grab the annoying interruption.
“Hello?”
“Who’s this?” said the low, yet demanding, voice on the other end of the line. The hostility surprised Chase.
“Why don’t you tell me who this is, and then I’ll reciprocate.”
“This is Victor, Katie’s husband.”
“Ex-husband,” he corrected. Victor grumbled, and Chase smiled smugly to himself.
“Who the hell is this?” Victor barked, which made Chase’s smile widen.
“Chase. The boyfriend.”
“Put Katie on the phone.”
“She’s in the shower.” Chase couldn’t resist sticking the knife in a little further and twisting. If the man hadn’t been such an ass, he would have reconsidered what he said next. “Waiting for me.”
“Where the hell is Shawn while you’re screw
ing my wife?”
“Wow, such the gentleman. No wonder Katie left you.”
Victor laughed, but it sounded anything but amused. His voice turned cold. “Tell Katie my flight comes in at one on Shawn’s last day of school, and I plan on taking her and Shawn to dinner at her favorite restaurant since she offered her home to me while I’m in town.” His words dripped with innuendo, and Chase clenched his fists. “I thought she deserved to be pampered.”
Chase’s mind raced at Victor’s taunting. Why didn’t she tell me he was coming? Maybe it slipped her mind. Is this what’s bugging her? She offered him a place to stay? Why would she do that?
“Didja get that, Chase?” The way Victor sneered him name made him want to reach through the phone and yank out his tonsils—without anesthesia.
“I’ll tell her,” he said before he slammed the phone on its base. Chase stared out the window, trying to curb the anger that raced through his body. He growled again at the way Victor had implied Katie invited him for something more. Although he didn’t think she wanted her ex-husband, the lingering doubt and strong tug of jealousy were still present.
“Who was on the phone?” Katie asked. He felt her soft lips press against his spine, and he turned in her arms.
“Victor.” He watched her face for any sign of deception.
She looked surprised. “Oh?”
“He said his flight lands at one on the fifth, and he’s taking you and Shawn to dinner.” Chase didn’t like the accusation he heard in his voice, but he could still feel the sting of Victor’s insinuation. That, combined with the way she’d been acting, left him feeling uneasy and more than a little paranoid.
The emptiness that met his gaze struck him to the core. “You need to get ready to go,” she murmured. With her quiet dismissal, Chase couldn’t help but wonder why she hadn’t told him that Victor was coming.
He expected her to deny, or at least explain, the arrangement, but Katie didn’t say a word, leaving him to guess what was going on between her and her ex-husband. Chase gave her an abrupt nod and left her standing in the kitchen.
Letting the water run down his back, he tried to soothe the green-eyed monster that had reared its ugly head. It took him several deep breaths and a shot of cold water before he calmed down enough to think rationally about the situation. Chase knew Katie would never go back to that loser, but he also knew history was hard to erase. After warring with his emotions and convincing himself for the tenth time that he had nothing to worry about, he climbed out of the shower, feeling ridiculous for entertaining the idea that Katie would get back together with her ex.
Once he’d dressed, he found her in the bedroom, pulling the sheets off her bed. He strode over and pulled her into his arms. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. He pushed my buttons, and I let him get to me. Forgive me, please?”
Katie looked up at him with sad eyes, and he felt like even more of a jerk. With a small nod, she pressed her face to his chest. Chase wasn’t sure if her reaction was about his stupid jealousy or something else.
“Katie, sweetheart.” He tilted her head back until she looked at him. “I don’t like to see you like this. Please, tell me what’s wrong.”
She gave him a sorrowful smile. “We’ll talk after the party.” This was the second time she had said this, and Chase had a nagging feeling this talk would redefine their relationship.
Nodding, he kissed her once more before he grabbed his things and walked out to his car. Katie stood on the porch and waved while he pulled out of her driveway.
~*~
By the end of the game, Katie still didn’t know what she would tell Chase. She drove to his house and tried to conceal her tears from Shawn, who chattered on about the last game and how he wanted to play fall ball.
Chase stood on the stairs leading to the house, waiting for her, when she pulled into the driveway. The camera in her mind took a picture of him in his baseball shirt and jeans, the breeze ruffling his dark hair. He held out his hand when she reached the stairs and gave hers a gentle squeeze.
Due to Gina’s fine attention to detail, everything was set up for the end-of-the-season party by the time the first guest arrived. Chase spent most of his time greeting the boys and discussing the season with the parents while Katie stayed busy in the kitchen.
Time passed more quickly than she’d anticipated, and when the party wound down, her stomach twisted in knots. She helped Gina clean up the mess while she watched Chase say goodbye to his team out of the corner of her eye.
After the kitchen was back in order, Chase walked in and smiled at Katie before turning to his sister. “Do you mind watching the kids while we take a walk?”
Gina waved them out, and Chase took her hand and led her to the beach. It was early evening, and the breeze off the ocean was warm and refreshing. He laced his fingers with hers, bringing them to his mouth and brushing his lips across her knuckles. When they had walked far enough away from the house, they sat in the sand and looked out over the ocean.
Neither of them spoke for a long time. Katie tried to enjoy every moment with him, but the impending pain crept into her every thought.
“So what did you want to talk about?” Chase asked.
The time for procrastination was over. Katie continued to watch the waves lap against the sand, knowing that if she looked at him she wouldn’t be able to stop the tears.
“I think we need a break.”
“What?” She could hear the shock in his voice, and she bit her lip, trying not to look at him. “Is this about Victor?”
“What?” Her eyes snapped to Chase, confused by the hostility she heard in his voice. “No. Why would you think—”
“Because he implied that there was something going on between you two.”
Katie laughed. She couldn’t help it. The idea of taking back her ex was absurd. “If I wanted Victor, I wouldn’t have left Albuquerque. I can’t imagine what he said to you on the phone, but he was only trying to irritate you.”
Chase dropped his chin to his chest and stared at the sand. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I know how you feel about him, and I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions.”
She watched his finger draw small circles in the sand while he slowly slipped further into his own thoughts. Katie didn’t know what else to say, so she looked back at the ocean and waited.
“Is this about Liz?”
“No, not her directly.” Katie sighed. “Your whole family hasn’t dealt with Terri’s death. You need to focus on healing your family, and I can’t see how you can do that and maintain a relationship with me.” They were quiet for several minutes, the pain in her chest increasing with each breath.
“I’m getting her help,” Chase said.
Katie’s head whipped around, and what she saw broke her heart. His legs were pulled up and spread apart, while his arms rested on his knees. His head hung down in what looked like defeat. She wanted to tell him that she loved him and that breaking things off with him was like cutting out her own heart.
“You mean like therapy?” she asked instead.
Chase nodded. “Yeah. I should have done it a long time ago.” His voice cracked, and she felt her heart rip a little more.
Although Liz was getting help, Katie still would be a distraction while Chase worked to heal his daughter and their relationship. “You and Tony need to talk to someone, too.”
Chase shrugged. “I’m going, too, but my main focus is helping Liz. I need some solutions to help me give her what she needs to heal.”
“And dealing with your own loss?”
“I’m fine. I’m a doctor. I see death every day.”
“Chase, it’s different—”
“I don’t want to talk about Terri, Liz, or therapy. I’m going for Liz, and hopefully I’ll understand how to give her what she needs to get past this.” Chase looked at her, and she saw the anguish in his eyes. “Don’t do this. We can work through everything together.” Before she could protest, he pulle
d her into his arms. “Don’t leave me, Katie.”
Her fortitude was tested by his simple plea. “You need to focus on your family,” she whispered against his chest.
“I’ll do that, but I need you with me, too.”
Tears were in his voice when his arms tightened around her. Katie shook her head and pulled away. Chase tried to hold her closer, but when he saw her determination, he let her go. She sat in the sand in front of him and continued to shake her head.
“My presence is making things worse for her, and you can’t deny that.” Her hope was to shake him up enough that he would look at the circumstances through rational eyes. “Liz needs to get over her fears without the threat of someone taking her father away. Your whole family needs to come to terms with your grief before you can even consider having a healthy relationship with someone.”
Chase’s head drooped further, and she knew he recognized the sense in her words. “What about later?” he asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Maybe in a few months, when Liz is doing better—”
“This isn’t just about Liz, Chase.” His reluctance to recognize the bigger picture disturbed Katie. He might never understand that he needed just as much counseling as his daughter. “Besides, you can’t guarantee this will only take a few months. It’s not fair of you to ask me to stay and put Shawn through more heartache if things don’t change.”
Katie had already experienced a relationship in which she’d waited for things to work out, and it had never happened. She couldn’t leave herself or Shawn open to that situation again. Dreading what she needed to say next, she met his gaze.
“You have obligations, and like you, I have to look out for what’s best for my child,” she said.
Chase stared at her for several moments. He finally shook his head and let out a long sigh. Straightening his legs, he motioned for her to come to him. Katie wanted him to hold her one last time, so she complied with his request. When she crawled onto his lap, he pulled her against his chest and wrapped his arms around her. Her cheek pressed into his neck while he stroked her hair.
Ready To Love Again Page 23
