by Lee Rose
Noelle giggled about to agree when Chase spoke up in his harsh voice.
He wagged his finger at Quinn. “You will not hunt anyone down. It is my job to take care of this situation.”
Quinn scoffed and put her hand on her hip. “Well, get to it, Deputy.”
“I don’t like leaving you here alone, Quinn.” His voice lost his anger and he looked worried.
Quinn’s expression softened. “I took plenty of self-defense classes, Chase. I can handle skinny Carly.”
“Unstable people are dangerous, Quinn. Never underestimate her. These pranks are childish, but they could get worse.” He looked at his watch. “Chance should be here in ten minutes. He wasn’t busy. I’ll stick around here with you.”
Noelle felt better that Quinn would not be at the store alone.
* * * *
Chance was pissed after Chase called him. He drove back to Willow Springs trying to calm down. How could Carly be so cruel as to remind Noelle of a painful event?
Having another talk with Carly would do no good. Chase was planning on doing it, hoping to scare her. He doubted it would.
He practically ran to the store after parking a block away. Noelle looked pale and her eyes were red. He groaned and pulled her trembling body as close as possible to his own.
Chase and Quinn moved away giving them space.
“I want to kill Carly,” he swore, kissing her head. He buried his face in her neck.
She looked up and caressed his cheek with her cold hand. He kissed her palm.
“She is not worth breaking the law for,” she whispered, looking sad instead of angry.
“I want to wrap you in cotton and make sure you never feel pain again. This pisses me off.” Chance felt the anger stir up all over again.
“That would be impossible, Chance. I have to be strong here. I can’t let Carly get to me. That is what she wants.” Noelle answered him in a shaky voice. “Thinking of the baby hurts so much. I would have loved him or her.”
Chance wanted to hunt Carly down himself. Everything was a game to her, but his patience was running out. “I feel like I drove her to mess with you. She started calling the house for me, but Mom told her I had no desire to talk to her. Hank banned her from the bar because she was harassing him, too. This could be her revenge. Hurting you guts me. I want to find her.”
“That might not be wise right now,” Chase told him, coming over to where they were. “I just convinced Quinn not to take the law into her own hands. Want to hear my lecture, too, Chance?”
“Say no, Chance,” Quinn warned, rolling her eyes and making Chance smile.
“Oh, I have been hearing them for many years now, Quinn,” Chance assured Quinn with a humorous glance. “Chase has always been the levelheaded one out of the three of us.”
Noelle leaned her head on his shoulder. He felt his heartbeat calm down immediately as he held her tight. He feared Carly would escalate in these childish pranks and Noelle would be hurt more than just emotionally. He wouldn’t allow that to happen. He kissed the top of her head, inhaling the fruity smell of her shampoo. Holding her in his arms felt good, but he needed to get her home.
“I will take care of Carly the right way,” Chase assured them all.
Chance nodded, knowing his friend would threaten her with legal action. He wasn’t sure that would deter Carly, but he would let Chase try it his way first. After that it was going to be his way.
“I am taking Noelle home.” Chance looked at Quinn. “I don’t like the idea of you being all alone.”
“Deputy Reynolds is my bodyguard to boss around for the next two hours.” Quinn grinned widely.
“I never said you could boss me around, Red.” His expression was firm, but he ruined it by smiling. Noelle had never seen the man smile. She stared at him in amazement before Chance grabbed her hand and purse and led her out of the store.
Chapter 13
Noelle had her head on Chance’s bare chest. His light sprinkle of hair on his chest tickled the skin of her cheek. They had just finished making love, but she couldn’t fall asleep. Chance stayed at her place most of the time and she toyed around with the idea of asking him to move in. She liked having him around. The house felt more like a home. She ran her fingers up and down, loving the feel of his muscled chest.
“Can’t sleep?” he asked, kissing the top of her head.
“I was thinking,” she started nervously. They hadn’t been back together for that long, maybe a month or so. What if he told her no? Could she handle the rejection?
“Will you move in with me?” she blurted out quickly before she chickened out.
He looked at her and brushed her bangs out of her face. “Are you frightened, angel?”
“No. It has nothing to do with the package,” she said firmly. She didn’t want him thinking she wanted to use him as a bodyguard. Carly might be cruel, but Noelle didn’t think Carly would physically harm her. Carly’s weapons were words and lies.
“I was lying here thinking how much I enjoy this. Me and you lying in bed together talking about our day. It feels so normal. Last year we never spent our nights together. You lived with your mom and you were gone a lot, too. It felt like we had sex and you left. Then you were gone for weeks,” she started to explain.
“I know,” he agreed, sounding regretful. “We drove to secluded spots to make love. I miss making love to you under the stars, angel.”
“I loved it, too. Maybe we can still do that once in a while. I want this life we talk about. Me and you. I love you, always have, but I was too scared to say the words out loud. I am tired of being afraid to dream, afraid to believe I deserve something good in my life.” She hoped he believed her.
His arms tightened around her. The room was dark, but the light from the bathroom shone a little light into the room. She could barely make out his features, but his lips were curved up. She was taking that as a good sign.
“That’s what I want, too.” He tilted her chin so she could see him better. “I understand what you’re saying, angel. I’d like nothing more than to come home and have dinner with you. To talk with you, share our thoughts and worries. Start our life. I loved you all along, but I thought it would make me a weak soldier. I should have not fought it and I would have saved you all this heartache. I found love for the first time in my life and I did not handle it well. That shame will be with me forever.”
“I am just glad we are both on the same page this time.” She smiled with relief.
He understood she wasn’t asking him out of fear of what happened at the store. She moved and straddled him. They had just made love, but she wanted him again. She was nude, and she saw his eyes wander to her breasts. Her nipples hardened into pebbles. He put his hands behind his head, looking confident and all male.
“I think we are right where we are supposed to be. We discovered what we want without any doubts. Maybe we had to go through all of that to know.” She found him so sexy but best of all was feeling secure with him. She wasn’t experienced in the art of sex, but she went by instinct and love. That had to count for something.
“I want to touch you whenever I want.” She ran her palms slowly up and down his chest and over his nipples. She placed her lips on his neck and down his chest. She scooted down and kissed his belly. He had a tattoo above his belly button of an eagle and an American flag. She kissed it and ran her tongue over his skin. She heard his intake of breath. “I want to make love in the mornings or afternoons.”
“Anytime, angel.” He smiled. She felt his cock twitching with excitement. She scooted down toward his thick thighs. His male member stood straight up. He was long and thick and surrounded by dark hair. She wrapped her hand around his cock and licked her lips eagerly. She thought she heard him groan. She ran her hands up and down, loving the hard shaft, loving how rough he felt. He was so big, and she felt eager to taste him. She leaned down and licked the tip that was already moist. She swirled her tongue around it in circles.
“Mmm,�
�� she hummed. His hands went right to her hair as she opened wide to suck him in deep to her mouth. He couldn’t lie still and she knew she was doing something right. She wanted to please him, to show him how much she enjoyed his body. He was always catering to her enjoyment, but she wanted this to be for his pleasure. She bopped up and down taking as much of him as possible into her mouth. She licked him from his base to the top of his penis while still touching him with her hands.
“Oh yeah, that feels so good, Noelle,” he moaned. His excitement fed hers and she put her all into it. She was an avid reader and knew in theory what to do. She licked him up and down and cupped his balls with her hands. He groaned again and felt him arch up. She continued taking him into her mouth. Soon his seed filled her mouth, and she swallowed it all.
She couldn’t wait to feel him inside of her. She already knew how amazing it felt, so her anticipation level skyrocketed. She straddled his hips until she was right over his cock. She slid down slowly, easing her slick pussy on his hardness. Her wetness allowed her to slide down until she felt him deep inside. She closed her eyes and bit her lips. It felt so good. Chance’s hands gripped her hips tightly, and he was the one to set the pace. She followed his lead. She didn’t care if it was slow or fast, she just wanted him. She wanted to feel that connection with him. She threw her head back as he cupped her breasts. His thumb swiped over her hardened nipple, and she moaned. “I don’t know if I will ever get enough of you, Chance,” she admitted honestly, feeling slightly vulnerable because her love for him was so strong. It grew stronger by the day. She also knew what it was like to be without him and that was a daunting worry. She pushed it out of her head. Now was not the time to be thinking about every worry that passed through her head. She wanted to concentrate on how she felt.
“I hope not, angel. I know I will eagerly look forward to being inside of you for the next fifty years,” he promised in a gritty, rough voice. He thrust in and out of her.
She grabbed on to his shoulders as he moved at a faster pace, going up and down and rotating his hips. She could feel sparks of electricity heating up her insides. Like hot lava ready to explode. She closed her eyes, intensifying her feelings.
“Oh yes, Noelle,” he groaned, throwing his hips into it and going faster and faster. “Being with you is the most amazing feeling in the world. I love you so much, Noelle.”
She wanted to agree out loud, but she was too busy giving into her oncoming climax. It exploded, and her vision got cloudy and dizziness hit her. She welcomed it and shouted out his name. He followed a few seconds later, and she felt his warm seed fill her. She felt so weak she lay on top of him for a few minutes. Soon she would move her body over. Then she closed her eyes and drifted off to a deep sleep.
Chapter 14
Noelle hummed to the tune of the song playing on the radio. The rain came and went and did bring the temperatures down. She drove with a crack of her window down, feeling happy. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt so content. Chance was settled in her house, but they still had Sunday dinner with Polly. Polly was happy to see the couple working things out and looking happy. Carly had not been seen lately. Gossip was even her parents were fed up with her and she was staying with a friend in Cole County. Noelle was completely okay with that. She felt sorry for Carly, but she didn’t want to have to deal with her either.
She was off today, so she planned on making dinner. Polly had given her a few recipes to try and she was excited. The last few weeks of living with Chase had been her happiest time. They had settled into a good routine.
She turned into the parking lot of the grocery store. Noelle found a parking spot and parked. She was walking toward the front entrance of the store.
“Noelle?” Noelle turned behind her and recognized Carly. She was wearing shorts and a tank top. She looked like she lost weight when she had already been skinny.
“Carly?” she asked, stepping closer to her without thinking of her own safety. She was alarmed by the girl’s appearance. “What’s wrong? You look sick.”
“I’m fine,” Carly snapped angrily. Her hands were trembling as she held on to her cell phone. “You think you won? I heard Chance moved in with you. He will get bored again and come back to me. I will always take him back because he loves me. He is mine.”
Noelle could have argued with her and gotten upset. In the past she might have, but she felt secure. Chance loved her. He showed her in many ways and gave her the words every day. She sighed sadly. Alcohol and drug abuse had warped Carly’s mind. Any relationship between her and Chance was all in her mind. “Carly, you need help. Can I call your cousin Missy to come and get you? Letting any man bring you down is not worth it. I have been there. You need to move forward with your life.”
“You wish I would so you wouldn’t have competition, right?” Carly replied with an attitude.
“No. I don’t wish any harm on you,” Noelle told her softly. “I understand the pain of having your heart broken. Drinking it away is unhealthy. I am sure your parents are worried for you.”
Carly looked pained for a minute, then rolled her eyes. “Not really. Robert cares about his position and Mama worries what the ladies in her stupid tea club think. That stupid deputy turned them against me.”
Carly rubbed her forehead. “Chance loves me, not you.”
Noelle did not know what else to say. It was early morning, and not many people were grocery shopping. Carly looked confused, as if she forgot what they were talking about.
“Let me call your mother.” Noelle took out her new cell phone that Chance bought her. He would be so angry knowing she stopped to converse with Carly. She could hear his lecture now. Obviously Carly was not all right, and Noelle couldn’t help but feel pity for the woman despite the problems they had with each other. “What is her number?”
“I don’t need your pity.” Carly took the phone out of her hand and threw it on the ground. The screen cracked, and it broke in two. Carly laughed and ran away.
Noelle picked up the pieces with a deep frown. She felt angry and dumb for even offering her help to Carly. Noelle shook her head with a last irate look at Carly, who was crossing the busy street.
* * * *
Chance looked at Noelle from across the table with unbelief. They had just finished a wonderful meal. Noelle was telling him about her encounter with Carly. It concerned him greatly. He wanted to call Chase. If Carly was withdrawing from drinking her behavior could become worse. What if she was also taking drugs? She could be dangerous.
“I don’t like the idea of her being near you, Noelle.” He frowned, feeling heated with a mixture of anger toward Carly and annoyance with Noelle for even having any kind of communication with Carly. He knew Noelle had a gentle heart but that was going to get her in trouble one day and that is what scared him.
“Chase has been in contact with her stepdad Robert. Her parents are very worried about her. They have a rehab all set up, but they can’t find her. They have the Cole County Police looking for her, too. Her girlfriends claim she had hooked up with some guy they didn’t know.”
“Maybe she is trying to dry out on her own. She looked real bad, Chance,” Noelle told him, getting up to take the empty plates away and putting them in the sink. Noelle had a troubled look on her face.
Chance followed her to the kitchen. “People drying out are just as dangerous as people who are high, maybe more so. You should have gone into the store and called Chase.”
Noelle set the plates in the soapy water and turned to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned on him. He couldn’t help but hold her. He loved Noelle and didn’t want to see her hurt emotionally or physically. After all she had been through she deserved some peace. He felt like they were finally in a good place in their relationship. Her soft heart could get her in a sticky situation. He didn’t trust Carly for one second.
“I don’t want her hurting you in any way.” He kissed the top of her head. Noelle leaned back and looked up at him w
ith a sweet smile. Her skin was a golden tan color, and she had gained enough weight to make her face look full and healthy.
“Thank you, Chance. I’m sorry about the new cell phone though. I just started getting used to it.”
“I will buy you a hundred cell phones, angel. I care about your safety. I can’t lose you.” He leaned down and took her mouth in a passionate kiss, invading her mouth with his tongue and swallowing her moan. Her eyes were shiny with desire once he stopped so they could breathe.
He swooped her up in his arms and headed for the bedroom, where he could show his love in the best way he knew how.
“What about the dishes?” She giggled, hanging on to his neck.
“Dishes can wait. I can’t,” he growled and placed her on the bed. All the covers were neat, and her frilly pillows were everywhere. He was amused by how neat she was. He never saw the need.
“Why bother making the bed when we will be getting right back in it?” He threw his T-shirt to the ground. Noelle lay back and watched him strip with a seductive smile on her face. It turned him on even more. She shrugged. “You’re right. We spend a lot of time in it.”
“Damn straight we do, angel.” He was completely naked, and she sat up, unbuttoning her blouse slowly.
“You are trying to kill me, right?” He stroked his already hard cock as she unclipped her bra and cupped her full breasts with her hands. Her fingers played with her nipples, which were hard.
“I am trying to show you where I need your hands,” she said, looking innocent, but her eyes were filled with humor.
She slipped her skirt and panties off and opened her legs widely, showing off her wet pussy glistening with moisture. She inserted her finger into her folds. “Right here would be a nice place to start.”
He grinned and moved her hands out of the way. He used his tongue to explore her folds, making her lie back on the mattress and moan. “Oh yeah, right there is great.”
