Seducing Chase
Page 17
Great job, you ass. That’s the way to impress her.
Val’s mouth dropped open and Nate had a sudden urge to be one with the ground. He started to go down right in her doorway and Val scrambled to catch him. “Nate!”
“I’m okay,” he mumbled. “Mortified, but physically okay. Mostly.”
“How did you get here?”
He chanced a look up at her. “I flew.”
“You flew?”
“Jack Daniels was the co-pilot.”
She briefly shook her head, a small smile playing across her beautiful face. “Come on, let’s get you inside.”
“Listen, I didn’t mean—”
“I hope you didn’t fly up here to tell me you don’t love me.”
She’s got me there…
“Well, um…”
Val helped him to the couch and sat next to him. “Then I’d feel pretty dumb telling you I feel the same way.”
“You do?”
“Oh, Nate—”
“Seriously? You do? Say it.”
Taking his hands in hers, she said, “I love you.” Her gaze turned to their joined hands. “You’re shaking, honey.” Pulling him into an embrace, she cooed nonsense as he tried to calm his body’s fight or flight reaction to a manageable quiver.
“So what do we do now? I’m not getting back on that damn plane any time soon, I can tell you that much.”
She cocked her head, asking, “Why did you take one in the first place and not just drive up here?” Nate face heated. “Oh my God, are you blushing?”
“I didn’t want to take the time to drive all the way up here. I needed to be here. Look how nervous I was after a short plane ride. Can you imagine if I’d had eight or so hours to get worked up?”
“Why was it so important to get here now?”
“It’s been on my mind since I left, but I’d convinced myself you didn’t feel the same way.” He debated whether or not he should tell her about her friend’s interference. “And then your friend—”
“Who?”
“Stacy, I think she said her name was. Anyway, Stacy called me tonight.”
“What? When?”
“About three hours ago. She told me I should come up here and see you. So I did.”
“Just like that?”
“Just like that.”
“Wait—how did Stacy know your number?”
Finally Nate was able to take a deep breath. With a sad attempt at a smile, he said, “She took your phone.”
“That little sneak. She never said anything.”
“I asked her not to. Don’t be mad at her. Personally, I’d like to buy her a house or something. Right after I buy one for us. This is nice, but we’re going to need something bigger.”
“Bigger?”
“Oh yeah. Even living in Manhattan I like my space.”
“So you’re moving here?” Val shook her head. “I need a drink.” She made her way to the kitchen. “Do you want something?”
“I think three shots of JD is enough for one night. Besides, my stomach still isn’t feeling all that hot.”
“Oh, baby.” She rushed back into the room. “Do you want to lie down? Need a cold cloth for your head? Something to eat? A glass of water?”
“How about a kiss for my belly?” He reclined on her couch and she gave him an incredulous look.
“Is that an attempt to seduce me?”
“No. You’ll know it when I’m trying to seduce you.”
With a chuckle she knelt in front of the couch. Slowly she pulled his shirt out of his suit pants and then laid a chaste kiss on his stomach. He sighed in contentment.
“I’m still gonna need that drink.” She left the room and reappeared a short time later with a glass of wine. After taking a sip, she set it on the coffee table and joined him on the couch. “Is this really happening? What are you going to do for work?”
“So many questions.”
“Well, yeah. You just turned my world on its ear. You’ve already decided we’re going to live together, for God’s sake.”
“I just like to know what’s happening.”
“You like to control what’s happening. That’s different.”
“Why do you think I’m in PR? I like the role of ‘the man behind the curtain’.”
Val laughed. “Hiring you was the best decision I ever made.”
“You didn’t hire me. Doug did, and you hated it and me.”
“Good thing I brought you around to the dark side and you started seeing things my way.”
“Good thing.”
She snuggled up against him and, for the first time in days, life was absolutely perfect.
The End
About the Author:
Cassandra Carr is a multi-award winning erotic romance writer with Ellora's Cave, Sybarite Seductions/Twenty or Less Press, Decadent Publishing, Siren Publishing, and Loose Id. She lives in Western New York with her husband, Inspiration, and her daughter, Too Cute for Words. When not writing she enjoys watching hockey and hanging out online.
For more information about Cassandra, check out her website at http://www.booksbycassandracarr.com , "like" her Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/AuthorCassandraCarr or follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/Cassandra_Carr.
Praise for Cassandra Carr:
~Should’ve Known Better (Storm Series, Book 1)~
“…a good contemporary romance read and perfect for a day of reading. Should've Known Better has you cheering the team as well as their [Sebastian and Sarah’s] relationship. I can't wait to read more about each of these players and how they discover love.”
~Night Owl Reviews
“Cassandra Carr never disappoints. Having read several of her books, she is a must read author and one we highly recommend and Should've Known Better fits right in there…. I seriously hope that Cassandra Carr writes more books based with this hockey team. I love a good hockey story with romance mixed in and as she is such a talented writer it would be a pleasure to read more…. I loved the characters and storyline so much that I finished it quickly just absorbing everything.”
~Illustrious Illusions
“5 stars! Cassandra Carr scores again…! Carr writes an absorbing contemporary romance that grips you from the beginning and does not let you go. … The romantic tension between Sarah and Sebastian is electrifying. With its lively storytelling and loveable characters, Should’ve Known Better is an entertaining story that readers will be glad they picked up.”
~Jeep Diva
~Talk to Me~
“Ms. Carr wove the sexual tension and interludes so seamlessly into the story that they were not just delicious but also necessary.… Readers will easily relate to the theme and be cheering the characters on as they discover love in a place neither thought they would.”
~The Romance Reviews
~Collision (Buckin’ Bull Riders, Book 2)~
“I was hooked into this story from the beginning and didn't want to put it down.… This book engaged my emotions throughout as I wanted to laugh, cry, and even got mad at the characters. ”
~The Romance Studio
~Momentum (Buckin’ Bull Riders, Book 3)~
“I absolutely love this series and this book is a great addition to it, even though I couldn’t figure out how Ms. Carr was going to make me fall in love with an Italian cowboy, she not only did but did it well.”
~Night Owl Reviews
~Master Class~
“The writing was fresh and fun and I couldn’t have asked for anything more. … It was a story that was perfectly written and perfectly told.”
~Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
~See the Light~
“I became emotionally invested through the author’s eyes as I read page after page, cheering for the happy ending that I so desperately wanted.”
~The Jeep Diva
~Service Ace (Close Contact anthology)~
“Fun short and sexy sports tale, with some sports lingo but mostly
all the hot intensity. Cassandra Carr never seems to disappoint me!”
~For the Love of Reading
~Loaded Question~
“Ms. Carr did a phenomenal job of bringing these characters to life in a very short story and giving the reader a heat level that is scorching while never compromising the plot or message of the story.”
~Sizzling Hot Book Reviews
Other works by Cassandra Carr:
Underneath It All (Storm book 2)
ISBN: TBD
Publisher: Twenty or Less Press
Publication Date: October 22, 2013
Sizzling Shorts
ISBN: 9781-30171170-3
Publisher: C-Squared Publishing
Publication Date: October 1, 2013
Going All In
ISBN: 9781-30169955-1
Publisher: T&D Publishing
Publication Date: August 28, 2013
Moving Day (Storm book 1.5)
FREE READ SHORT STORY
ISBN: n/a
Publisher: Twenty or Less Press
Publication Date: August 8, 2013
Should’ve Known Better (Storm book 1)
ISBN: 9781-3-0164-425-4
Publisher: Twenty or Less Press
Publication Date: April 2, 2013
Unexpected Top
ISBN: 978-1-419943157
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Publication Date: January 18, 2013
Talk to Me
ISBN: 978-1-607379812
Publisher: Loose Id
Publication Date: March 22, 2011