A Debt Repaid (1) (18 page)

She straightened, eyes locking on the broken mirror.

Aria’s reflection stared back from within a sea of cracked glass.
Her hair was a huge mess around her head. There was still make-up smudged around her eyes. Anyone that stared at her mouth would be able to tell; it’d been well-used last night. Over and over.

Aria didn’t recognize the warped girl whose reflection spread across the broken pieces of the mirror. And she
knew the mirror wasn’t to blame for that lack of recognition. It was all her.

THE THINGS I SAID TO HIM.
Aria shook her head. The things he’d made her confess. He’d pushed her to another level of…of…
Sensuality? Carnality?
Or a whole new level of sex, plain and simple.

Of course she’d known sex like
that existed. But after not having it herself for so long, she’d never expected it to happen to her.

Okay, confusion
was normal. She’d been blind-sided.

But she needed to be alone. If Chase caught her before she left, there would be no thinking for her. No making sense of everything. He’d swoop her right back onto
his ride, overwhelming her senses until all she cared about was having more.

When did it stop? What had happened between them in had been to
o intense. If she didn’t put a halt to it now, when would it end?
Not ever. You’ll end up stuck. Addicted.

You already are.

Something rolled inside her. Her throat heaved and she swallowed back the almost expulsion, surprised when tears spring into her eyes.

What the hell?

Adrenaline unleashed itself in the back of her brain again. It spread, taking over every internal function in her body.
Her forehead broke out in a sweat; she shivered, a sudden bombardment of coldness invading her body. Her hands curled into fists.

No.
God help her, no.
She felt sick.
So very fucking afraid.
She needed to get the hell out of there.
Yes, before he came out and found her.
Fucking now.
Because that's what she was afraid of. Seeing him again.
She couldn't see him before she left. Couldn't see that face...those eyes...

On weak limbs, she spun, picked up her heels, and ran toward the elevator. It’d been open all night, beeping the whole time. No one had sent it down, and
surprisingly, no one from the front desk had called up to ask why.

Barefoot—she
couldn’t put her shoes on and walk with them without him hearing—, Aria stopped in front of the elevator and picked her purse off the floor.

She rushed inside the elevator.
Shaking, she pressed the button for the lobby and put her heels on. Her legs seemed jellified. She throbbed between her thighs.

How many times had they slept together? Three?

It hadn’t even occurred to her to have him wear a condom. She didn’t even remember if her birth control was up to date.

Her stomach heaved again. Aria slapped a hand over her mouth and closed her eyes.
No, don’t think about it. Get home first, then shift through this shit.
When the world spun once in front of her eyes, Aria braced herself against the wall.

Breathe. You got yourself in this mess. Be woman enough to deal with the consequences.
Why, God, why had she decided on something so stupid? Nothing had turned out as she’d expected last night, but that didn’t make her any less guilty.

She’d decided to fuck Chase. He’d warn her she might regret it.

He hadn’t warned her it would be that way between them. The echo of her own voice telling him she belonged to him made her groan. Why did she say that to him?

Maybe because it’s true?

Ah, fuck. I’m going to throw up.

She wanted to beat the questions out of her head, but they wouldn’t stop.
What the hell have I done to myself?

The elevator door slid open in the lobby.
Just like the day she’d been at his office, she avoided eye contact with anyone. She took off as fast as her ridiculous heels would let her go. The world blurred before her as she rushed out into the street.

Cab. Please Lord,
just this once, let me catch one.

At the curb, she raised her hand and waved it
frantically, trying to catch the eye of the one cabs heading her way.

She stared in disbelief as
one pulled up to the curb next to her.

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 di
vorce 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.”

E
very 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.