"Holy shit! What the hell are you doing here?" she hissed.
Chase had been sitting on the couch in the living room, his arms stretched across the back of it, enjoying Julia’s Muffin Show, not ashamed to admit that watching her had turned him on a little. The woman knew how to enjoy a muffin, that was for damn sure. Even as bad as he felt about their last encounter and as nervous as he was about what Allen had to say, he couldn't help his mouth twitch as he’d watched her, but the urge to grin was now gone as she stood there in what he guessed were her pajamas which consisted of a tight tank top and short shorts. Jesus.
When she saw his eyes roving over her body, she frowned and quickly stepped behind the bar to hide herself. She so didn’t want to see him yet. She’d thought she’d prepare herself as she got ready for work before seeing him in the car. She’d been confused all weekend over what had happened between them at Clancy’s on Friday, including their ill-fated text message session afterward, and then with what Allen had brought up yesterday. She still needed a little extra time to get into I-don’t-give-a-crap mode so she could put a wall up to keep herself from being hurt even more by everything, including Chase’s impending daily rejection of her. Ugh.
As he continued staring at her, the lip twitch now back, she continued, "I asked a question. Jesus, you must flunk a lot of tests with that awesome answering technique you've got there." She smirked at him. Yep. Emotional girl gone. Smartass back. Protective wall back into place. Thank God.
Running his hand through his hair, lurking smile gone, Chase answered her question. "Your father called. Said we needed to talk." He hoped he came off as casual but wasn’t sure if he’d pulled it off.
Julia narrowed her eyes at him. Great. Allen had been serious. It upset her anew that he was pursuing it, and, not caring if Chase saw her in her pj's, she angrily stomped back to her room.
"Whatever," she huffed as she went by.
Chase chuckled at her agitated exit, not neglecting getting a good look at her ass as she tromped away, then sat up straight when Allen summoned him into his office. Standing, he wiped his palms on his thighs before walking down the hallway, preparing himself for the worst.
"Have a seat," Allen told him. Julia’s father had a damn daunting presence, standing about Chase's height and probably weighing the same, but he just had an aura of power about him.
"So, you and Julia."
Chase's heart sped up. Sack time to commence in three, two…
"Yes, sir?"
"You're getting along okay, right? I mean, after two years of this, I guess things are going well?"
Chase let out a little of the breath he was holding. "Yes, sir. We seem to have a decent working relationship."
"Good, that's what I wanted to hear. Take a look." Allen tossed the New York Times at him.
He still held his breath until he read what Allen had wanted him to see. The paper had been folded to expose a single article. As he read the headline, he realized this meeting had nothing to do with his foolish flirting with Julia. Midway through reading, he started breathing normally again but wrinkled his brow at the seriousness of the situation.
Businessman's Son Murdered in Kidnapping Heist, Police Working On New Leads, the headline read.
Chase looked up at Allen. Well, damn. See? This was what Julia wasn't understanding—how serious his job really was.
"Bad stuff, that right there. That man is a friend of mine and now he's lost his eighteen-year-old son. That's why I've called you in this morning. We're going to have to beef up security, as they say." Allen looked at him grimly.
Chase nodded in agreement. "What all does that entail?"
"Constant surveillance, for one. Julia thinks she can take care of herself, but we both know that no matter how smart or physically strong a woman is, most men could overpower her if she slipped from the line of vision of a protector. So, what I'm saying is, I need you to go with her everywhere for now. You can't just drop her off at places. I want you going in with her. Walk her inside her office building. Go inside when she goes to the bank. Those sorts of things. I'll double your salary for it. I’ll call CEP and let your father know.” He sighed. “Guess we'll just have to be on high alert until they catch the men who are doing this."
Wow. Chase had gone from thinking he was going to lose his job to getting extra pay for pretty much doing what he'd already been doing. Cha-ching!
"Yes, sir."
"I'm also going out of town tomorrow, and I'll be gone until Thursday of next week. I'll need you to stay the night here during that time. Can that be arranged?”
“Yes, sir, it can.”
“I know Julia will balk, but that's her problem. I don’t need to tell you she’s very important to me. I expect you to make sure nothing happens to her, treat her as if she were your own flesh and blood."
"Yes, sir, I will."
"Oh, and I guess your father told you about Sam? His mother being ill? He and his wife are flying to South Carolina to stay with her for a bit, so you'll need to be available for weekends for at least the next four weeks. Does this also work with your schedule?"
"Yes, sir, it does. I already talked with my dad about it. I have final exams next week, but that shouldn't conflict with anything."
"Great." Allen stood as did Chase and they shook hands. "How'd you get the shiner, son?"
Chase was embarrassed to tell him he'd gotten it in a fight, but he also didn't want to lie to the man, especially since his daughter had witnessed it and it might come up sometime.
"Bar fight," Chase explained sheepishly.
Allen laughed. "Been in a few of those myself, but that was, what do you kids call it? 'Back in the Day'?"
Chase couldn't help but snigger. "Yes, sir. That's what it's called."
They walked out of the office, Allen yelling for Julia to hurry up, that Chase was waiting.
"I'll be done when I'm done!" she huffed from her bathroom.
Allen looked a little abashed at Julia's answer and tone then looked at Chase apologetically, shaking his head.
"Go ahead and relax until she's ready. Would you like a muffin? Our housekeeper can really bake."
Since he hadn't eaten because he'd rushed over, he told Allen that he'd definitely take one. Allen told him to eat as many as he wanted and pointed out the tin on the bar. Allen's office phone began ringing, so he excused himself.
"Wow. Stuff your face much?" Julia said as she walked into the kitchen fifteen minutes later, all set to go.
"I wath hungwee," Chase garbled at her, his mouth full of muffin. She was gorgeous in her business suit. He couldn’t help but check her out. And those heels she had on. They did things to her ass and calves that should come with a warning.
She narrowed her eyes at him. "You ready or do you wanna raid the refrigerator too?"
"Wouldn't mind a bottle of water," he said, swallowing, smirking at her.
Julia rolled her eyes but went to the fridge to get him water. Cute. God, the guy was cute and then some. Ugh. But might as well try to get along with him since he wouldn’t be going anywhere anytime soon. Just great.
"Here. Happy now?" she asked as she tossed him the bottle.
"Inordinately." He chugged the entire thing down in one breath then smiled at Julia as she scowled at him. "Here ya go." He handed her the bottle to be put in the recycling bin.
She rolled her eyes again before they walked to the front door and Chase held it for her. "Milady," he said, sweeping his arm toward the hallway. Julia shot him a look. “Man, try to be a gentleman…” he murmured with a chuckle as they stood waiting on the elevator.
"Uh huh. So, Petey, what'd Allen have to say?" Julia asked, snorting.
"Petey?"
"The dog on The Little Rascals…" Chase looked puzzled. "Has a ring around his eye…” She held a finger up to her eye, drawing imaginary circles. “Your black eye…" Jeez. Summa cum laude, huh? The elevator doors opened and they got on, Julia punching the lobby button.
"Oh, h
a, funny. Yeah, enjoy this 'cause it'll never happen again. Douche got lucky by catching me off guard.” An angry scowl covered his face as he remembered the idiot who’d surprised him.
“But you ended up putting all those guys in their place and, other than that massive shiner, you didn’t get hurt.” She chuckled and elbowed him softly trying to lighten the mood.
“Yeah, well, you know.” Chase chuckled right back, running a hand over the back of his neck. She was just so cute and sweet and he hated the situation they were in. Why couldn’t things between them just be easy? He knew he was gonna catch shit for this, but he had to go there. “Look, that's what I've been trying to explain to you. This," he said, pointing a finger at his black eye, "happened because I was looking at you." He saw her start to protest but cut her off, pointing his finger up now in a “Hold on a sec” way. "I'm not saying it's your fault. I'm saying I was distracted and I can't afford to be."
She looked up at him, her brows drawn down in dismay. She knew even though they’d crossed the line a couple times, he’d told her that they couldn’t become involved. She knew this. So why did it hurt so much to hear him say as much again? He was never going there with her, so she needed to move on.
Chase reached a hand out, running the backs of his fingers down the side of her face, his gray eyes penetrating hers so deeply she could hardly breathe. "I'm here to protect you, and that's what I'm going to do. I'd die if anything happened to you." His eyes held hers for a few seconds before he realized what he'd said and he drew his hand back quickly, turning away, a look of consternation on his face. He cleared his throat roughly, turning to face the front. Shit. He needed to watch what he said, damn it.
He was impossible. And if actions spoke louder than words then he definitely had feelings for her. Julia looked at his profile thinking how handsome he was. "I know you care about me," she whispered, still looking at him.
"I can't allow myself to." He sighed and focused his eyes on the numbers above the door.
God, this was killing her. She knew she had to respect what he was saying. And he had a girlfriend anyway. So why couldn’t they both just drop this?
"Besides, what would your boyfriend say?" He now looked down at her, eyebrow raised.
She frowned. "I don't have a boyfriend."
"The guy at the bar with you?"
"Jacob's one of my best friends."
"Well, you'd better hope you don't need the little wuss to protect you any time soon. I saw him cowering during the fight the other night." Chase shook his head.
"Oh, what, that makes you a bigger man because you know how to throw a punch?" Julia narrowed her eyes at him.
"Well, yeah. It's kind of what makes a man a man."
"Jacob's a fine man. He's just… sensitive. Besides, you don't even know him!" she responded, getting ticked off now. She crossed her arms over her chest, staring at the elevator door.
"I don't think I'd wanna know someone who's as big of a pussy as he is," Chase said with a sneer.
"You’re such a jerk," she mumbled under her breath, shaking her head.
"What was that? You think I'm the hottest guy you've ever seen?" He bent down trying to make her look at him. She really was too cute when she was angry. And wasn't he a shit for making her that way.
"I said you're a jerk," she repeated through clenched teeth as she stayed focused on the door. God, he was aggravating.
They were silent the rest of the way down and all the way to her office, Chase thinking it was for the best that she was angry at him and that things could finally cool down between them, Julia still seething over his assessment of Jacob thinking what an asshole he was.
After arriving at her office building, Julia got out of the car then stuck her head back in to say something to Chase but he'd gotten out.
"What are you doing?"
"Your father wants me to make sure you get inside safely."
"Oh, brother. I forgot. That's so frickin’ dumb."
He chuckled.
She gave him a dirty look for laughing at her, still ticked off at him. "What I was going to tell you is that I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon at three. Think you could be here to take me?"
"Yep. I think I can handle that. Pick you up right here at two-thirty then?"
"Yes, that's fine. See ya, Ricky." Julia smirked when Chase narrowed his eyes at her, not getting her reference that with his black eye he resembled a raccoon.
He left her office building making a mental note to look up the name.
****
True to his word, Chase was waiting for Julia in the lobby of her office building instead of in the car when she came down. Damn Allen. Inside the car she gave him the address to her doctor's office and he put it in the GPS.
"So, you sick?" he asked her, trying to make small talk. May as well get along, loosen the tension between them, keep things friendly, right?
"No. Why?"
"You're going to the doctor."
"Oh. No, just a yearly check-up." Ugh. She was too embarrassed to tell him it was a gyno appointment.
"Physical?"
"Not really."
What the hell else could be a yearly check-up for her?
"Eye doctor?"
"No."
"Dentist?"
God, he was so damn nosy. Well, he asked for it.
"No, Chase. I'm going to the gynecologist. Happy now? I suppose you'll wanna be in there when he examines me? Just to make sure he's not some kind of terrorist or anything? Check that the stirrups aren't going to explode or the speculum’s not made of C-4 or something?"
His face turned bright red. God, she was crass sometimes.
"Oh. And, uh, no, I'll stay in the waiting room, thanks," he mumbled.
She snickered at his being embarrassed. Served him right.
****
Chase sat in the waiting room feeling about as uncomfortable as he'd ever been. There were several women waiting and kids galore running all over the place.
A little boy who was about four years old looked up at him from where he was playing with blocks on the floor. "Hey, mister? Why are you here? My mommy says this is a doctor for ladies.” The kid eyeballed him then practically yelled, “Are you, like, really a lady or something? And did someone beat you up? You have a big circle around your eye!"
Every kid in there looked at Chase, which made his face turn scarlet for the second time that day. Good God. The mother told her son to be quiet, looking sympathetically at Chase, but the damage had been done. The kids watched him warily the rest of the time, keeping their distance, wondering if he might really be a woman disguised as a man. Who’d been beat the hell up. Great.
"Ready?" Julia asked when she finally came out.
"More than you know," he mumbled.
She looked curiously at him.
"You don't wanna know."
"Uh, yeah, I do," she pushed.
He held the door for her out of the doctor’s office then to get in the car and walked around getting in the driver's side.
"So what happened?" she asked as they pulled out into traffic.
"Nothing. Drop it."
"C'mon, you can tell me."
Irritated, he snapped at her, "Jesus, would you just let it go and stop acting like we're best friends or something."
Ouch.
"You know, you've had your friggin’ tongue rammed down my throat, Chase, so it's not like we're complete strangers, you douche." She huffed out an exasperated breath.
He looked at her in the rearview mirror. She had a point. And she never failed to shock the hell out of him. He had to laugh.
"Okay. It was just this little boy asked why I was there since I was at a doctor’s office for women. Not a big damn deal."
"That was it? You didn't think you could share that with me? Wow. That really hurts."
He had to look again in the rearview mirror to see if she was being a smartass but she wasn't. She genuinely looked hurt.
He took a brea
th. "I'm sorry. I was just embarrassed. Well, the most embarrassing part was the stupid kid asked me if I was really a woman."
Julia met his eyes in the mirror then cracked up. Yeah, he was so damn glad he'd shared that info with her now.
"That's so cute!" she said giggling.
"Yeah, adorable." He sounded annoyed.
She snickered some more. He looked at her again then started chuckling too. It was kind of funny, he guessed. After that, on the way back to the Tower, they chatted about various things, both somewhat surprised at how easily their conversation went.
"I'll see you in the morning," Julia said with a smile, after Chase had walked her into the Tower.
"Bright and early," he replied, smiling back then walked out to the car. He was glad they were getting along and there was no longer any tension between them. Well, regular tension. He thought the sexual tension could still be cut with a knife. But it was just nice being friendly; he hadn't realized how much he'd missed her when she hadn't been talking to him. He just hoped like hell he could keep his feelings for her under control.
****
"I hate to do this to you, but I'm meeting the girls to shop tonight," Julia said after getting in the car the next evening.
Chase inwardly groaned. Women and their shopping. "Okay. Where to first?"
"Agent Provocateur on Mercer."
He had no idea what Agent Provocateur was, so he put the address in and headed to the store.
They parked in a nearby parking garage and he walked with Julia to the store. Upon entering, he felt his face flush. Fuck. It was a lingerie store. Holy God.
"You okay?" Julia snickered at him.
"Uh, yeah, I'm good," he replied, his hand going to his collar tugging at it a little.
"Jules!" Claire hollered, walking up with an armful of items. She giggled when she saw how uncomfortable Chase looked. "First timer, huh?” She patted his forearm sympathetically which brought the lacy bits and pieces closer to him making him pull back a bit. Both Julia and Claire chuckled at him. “Just remember, Chase, it’s a few minutes of pain for a lifetime of hotness!” She waggled her eyebrows at him, which made his face turn redder. Laughing, she jerked her head toward the back and said to Julia, “Lily couldn't make it, but come look!"
Being Chased Page 8
