Beautifully Awake (18 page)

“Thank you very much, Dana, pleasure meeting you.” He put the credit card back in his wallet. Dr. Money-Bags was uncomfortable about not paying.

Welcome to my world
.

I gave Dana another quick hug. “We’ll see you in the morning. Thanks again, goodnight.”

She smiled and walked through a closed door that I only assumed was a bedroom. Chase and I headed toward the stairs leading to our room on the second and top floor.

“Baby, I’ll grab the bags and meet you up there.” He gave me a quick peck and jogged back toward the car.

“Careful with my new clothes.”

He shook his head mid-stride and I laughed, loving that he got my humor. I climbed the outdoor stairs, admiring the hundreds and hundreds of twinkling stars. I filled my lungs with the fresh country air while our planetarium evening flashed through my mind. And at the forefront were the unforgettably beautiful lyrics that I had been reciting ever since. Would I let Chase see beneath
my
beautiful?

“You’re not in the room yet?” Chase dropped the bags and snaked his arms around my waist, pulling my back against his chest. He made smelling my hair a seductive act. “Mmm. Whatcha looking at?”

“Just the stars.” I snuggled in closer and pushed that looming question aside. “Come, let’s go. I want you naked.”

“Now that’s the “c” word I like to hear.”

C
hase cuddled into my sated body, kissing and sucking my neck right below my ear.

“Mmm, what a way to wake up. No traffic report today, huh?” I chuckled.

“Not my fault. I’m more than available to satisfy your needs anytime prior to four AM.” His tongue continued to explore my highly erogenous earlobe and neck. I wiggled my ass against his arousal.

“See what you’re missing? Let’s compromise,” I proposed. “Stay in bed a
little
bit longer.”

He flipped me around, pulling me tightly against his hard chest. His cock now found a very comfortable home between my legs.

“How about you get up a
little
bit earlier and I won’t be missing anything.”
Meet Dr. Stubborn
.

He knew he was so going to get his way, but right now I was getting mine. I inched my fingers between our bodies and slid my hand down his sexy chest and abs, finding my prize. I stroked him from base to tip and Chase groaned into my neck. He cradled my breast and his warm mouth bathed my nipple. My back arched instantaneously, giving him better access.

“Mmm.” I sat up a little and licked and nipped my way down to his unbelievably arousing V-cuts. I worshipped his nipples and chiseled abs, tracing the symbols of his tattoo with my tongue. I had dreamt of doing that. I pondered its true meaning and relished in the moment that he was allowing me to pleasure him. He relaxed and conceded to me ravishing his body with my mouth. I arranged my body between his thighs and continued to gently stroke him. My mouth savored his taste. He entwined his fingers through my hair and released deep sounds of pleasure.

“Oh Lili, baby, that feels so good.”

I smiled with my mouth wrapped around his thick erection and sucked a little harder. When he talked to me like that I felt sexy and in control. I dragged my teeth slowly up his length.

“Fuck,” he groaned.

I gripped him at the base and rubbed my thumb up and down the underside, pumping him faster and faster. He gripped my hair tighter and I sensed he was close. I sucked his smooth head, taking him deep to the back of my throat. His breathing accelerated and became shallow and ragged.

“Oh baby, I’m gonna come.”

I pumped my hand and mouth along his rock hard length several more times and he released and shuddered against my mouth. I swallowed and swallowed, savoring every last drop.

“Holy shit, baby, that felt so fucking good.” His head fell back and he released my hair, resting his forearm against his forehead.

I was more than satisfied that he finally let me get him off alone.

“Come up here, let me taste you.”

I looked at him with confusion. Then I realized where he wanted me. Holy crap, this man never ceased to amaze me.

He grabbed my hips, helping me up. I climbed from the covers and straddled his face. I was insanely turned on and the ache inside me was so deep I would have done anything to relieve it. I followed his command.

“Hold on to the bed frame.” He put a second pillow behind his head and secured his arms around my thighs. His tongue found me immediately.

“Oh my god,” I gasped instantly, wiggling my hips over his face. He slowly sucked and licked every bit of my sensitive flesh before plunging his tongue deep inside. My body convulsed in response. “Chase!” The sensations of his slick wet tongue sliding up and down my folds mixed with the coarseness of his bearded stubble was almost too much to take. I pulled back slightly in response, but he held me in place. He clamped down with the perfect amount of pressure. I came hard, circling my hips over and over against his face as he relentlessly sucked until every last wave rolled through. He smiled against my inner thigh.

“Baby, that was so hot.”

I slid my body down his chest, collapsing on top of his body.

“Chase, that was amazing.”

“I know.” Now he grinned against my forehead. I was way too tired to call him a cocky bastard. I giggled instead, cherishing my complete state of euphoria. He leaned down and kissed the tip of my nose.

“Hate to interrupt, but it’s 6:30, baby.”

“Ugh, we’re meeting my dad in an hour, crap.” Reveling in the moment, I clung to his chest. His power to abolish every ounce of my anxiety was unfathomable. This man’s arms were my peace.

“My girl really hates the mornings, huh? Go put your eyes in, shower, I’ll find us some coffee.” He swatted my ass.

I slid my naked body off his chest, moaning my displeasure the entire way. I ran a hand through my freshly fucked hair and briskly walked to the bathroom.

“Now that’s one sight I will never tire of.”

I stared at my reflection in the mirror for several moments; I looked happy. More importantly I
felt
happy. This man was here with me. In Wrangel. He wanted to be. He cared for me, worried about me. I was happier than I had been in my whole life, and ironically, I was in the place I dreaded the most.

W
e walked into the tiny diner in the center of town that was situated directly across the street from the courthouse. Nothing had changed. It was like time had stood still. Besides a bit more chipped paint and a couple more crooked shutters, the short drive from the motel to the center of town was exactly the same. No one had the time or money to take care of their overgrown, slightly dilapidated properties. A far cry from the perfectly manicured lawns and gardens filling the city parks I was accustomed to. People in Wrangel worked to provide the daily essentials. Eating and spreading town gossip happened to be two pastimes they did not skimp on. That meant the majority of them frequented the diner before heading to their respectable jobs.

Chase opened the dirty glass door and the familiar waft of insanely strong coffee mixed with greasy eggs and bacon reminded me why I avoided diners in Philly. I associated the combined odor with my miserable life in Wrangel.

Toward the back of the restaurant, hidden between the tattered white booth walls, was my father. Tears pricked the back of my eyes as I watched the all too familiar scene play before me. Legs crossed at the ankles and shoulders slightly slumped, he casually flipped through the morning paper and sipped his coffee. Years of hard outdoor work were etched into every deep line and wrinkle on his face. His ruddy cheeks and dark weathered skin were evidence of the long hours he spent in the sun. His short, light brown hair now sprinkled with grey hung loosely across his forehead. Stubble crossed his chin and lip as if he hadn’t shaved for lack of time or care, yet there was always a lightness about him. I stood for several moments before his cloudy blue grey eyes found mine. The corners of his mouth lifted into a small smile as his right eye gave me my quintessential wink. A wink he had been giving me since I was a tiny girl. My smile was instantaneous. Chase’s hand on my lower back nudged me forward. Seconds later I was wrapped in the arms of my dad.

“Babydoll, you’re stunning.” Oddly enough my dad called me a combination of two sentiments I heard on a daily basis. “Let me see you.” I stepped back so he could take me in. My dad rarely saw me dressed up, with designer clothes, no less. I decided on a navy linen sheath dress and matching suit jacket paired with my sling back camel Louboutins. My long dark hair was blown straight, hanging to the middle of my back. “Oh Lil, your hair looks gorgeous, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it this long.” My dad was never shy about giving compliments.

“Thanks, Dad. I’ve missed you so much.” I squeezed him tighter and glanced back at Chase. His soft smile warmed my heart. The two most important men in my life were meeting. “Dad, I have someone important to introduce you to.” My giddiness must have been infectious, because both men looked genuinely happy. “This is my boyfriend, Chase Colton. Chase, this is my dad, James Porter.”
Boyfriend.
I really liked the sound of that.

“Chase.” My father’s rough, oil-stained hand made contact with Chase’s clean, surgeon-quality hand. The affectionate embrace was my two different worlds colliding.

“My pleasure, Mr. Porter, very nice to finally meet you.”

My dad slid back into the booth, and Chase and I filed in across from him.

“Please call me Jim, we’re not that formal up here. So Chase, my daughter tells me you’re a well-respected doc.” My overprotective father wasn’t wasting any time feeling Chase out. Trusting another man with his daughter was not something my father took lightly. Trust, period, was a rare commodity for us Porters over recent years.

“Dad, I told you Chase is a neurosurgeon at the hospital.”

“That’s right. You good at what you do, son?”

I don’t think I ever heard my dad use that term, even casually, when speaking to fuck-face.

“I’d like to think I provide the best care possible for my patients.” Chase squeezed my hand under the table.

“That’s a good answer, son. So how long have you known my Lili?”

I held my breath, unsure how my dad would accept our relationship if he knew we’d only been dating three and half weeks.

“Coffee? Miss, Sir.” We nodded at our waitress, who handed us menus then slopped coffee into our mugs. A perfectly timed pause. “Cream, milk?”

“Black is fine, thanks. So Dad, what have you been up to?” Luckily he was easily distracted.

“Just working, babydoll, and lots of it. It’s been nuts down at the garage this week. Street car race up at the speedway this weekend. All the boys left this morning. Hopefully gone the whole weekend, but damn, was my garage packed this week. Of course everyone wanted their car in top shape.” His accentuation of
boys
lifted a three-year weight from my shoulders. I knew exactly
who
he was referring to. He was assuring me there wouldn’t be an accidental run in with fuck-face; he never missed one of those stupid races. The yacht-sized knots in my shoulders and neck released.

“Oh yeah, I remember those stupid races. Good for business, though.”

He nodded and took a sip of his coffee.

“When you gonna retire, Dad, have you thought about it?”

“I don’t know. Sharon really wants to travel a bit. I’ve been trying to save a little money.”

“Dad, you should do it while you’re healthy. You deserve some time to yourself, not working. Why don’t you start with a visit to us?”

“It’s been years since I was down in Philly, last time had to be when your mother was still alive.” Dad still couldn’t mention my mother without an aura of longing. She was his world. His everything. I always felt cheated that I never got to see their story play out firsthand. “You look just like her, babydoll. You’re turning into a beautiful woman.”

“Thanks, Dad. But don’t get all mushy, Chase doesn’t want to witness that.”

Chase ran a soothing hand up and down my thigh several times.

“So Jim, know anything about this trial Lili has to testify for today?” Chase tactfully changed the subject this time.

“It’s been in the paper on and off for weeks. A sad one. Kid got burned, luckily he recovered, though.”

Chase’s hand froze on my thigh. He was so not okay with this whole situation.

“I only spoke on the phone with the attorney briefly the other day and they emailed me all my old documentation to review. Poor kid was only seven when I saw the red flags, mostly verbal abuse then. I suspected physical abuse and reported it. But there was no evidence. The system makes it so impossibly difficult sometimes. One look at the poor kid and you could tell something was wrong. I recommended foster placement pending a more thorough investigation, but his mother denied everything and the case was closed. Unfortunately, she was the picture of abuse as well, but wouldn’t admit it. Still turns my stomach.” Nothing was going to change the outcome, but I couldn’t help but feel partially responsible. The bastard burned his own son. “Look, I can’t say I like testifying, and it definitely makes me nervous.” I needed to rethink the full-caff coffee. Ugh. “Okay, really nervous, but it’s part of the job. Someone has to be a voice for these kids. If I had screamed louder for this poor kid when I had the chance maybe it would have never gotten this far.”

“You’re not to blame.” My father barely let me finish my sentence. “You did everything you could to help that kid, you always do. He was lucky he had you on his side, especially back then when everything ... was going on. No one else could have done more.” Dad caught himself. “You didn’t fail that kid, the system did, just like it fails everyone. It’s not right you got dragged back here, Lili, it’s not right.”

“Dad.” I covered his worn hands with my own. “It’s fine. Really, Dad. I’m fine. And I’m glad I’m here with you.” I gave him one of his own comforting winks, hoping my overprotective father read between the lines. I was fine. And the gorgeous man secretly caressing my thigh had almost everything to do with it.

“Still, babydoll. It has to be hard to sit up there. I give you a lot credit.” Dad looked at Chase, who gently kissed my temple.

“What do you say, let’s order. I’m starved.” Dad waved our waitress over.

“I think that’s a fine idea.” Chase agreed and steered the conversation toward idle chitchat while we ate.

I stayed quiet, listening to the two men of my life get to know each other. Chase seemed genuinely interested in Dad’s shop talk and asked my father lots of questions about some classic cars he was interested in. Boys and their cars. And of course, my dad rambled on about how Claude Julien needed to make serious changes next season if the Bruins had a chance. Chase was smart enough to agree. Emphatically. Even though, I swore there were a few moments Chase looked a little lost. Basically testosterone drove the breakfast conversation. I didn’t mind in the least. Who was I kidding? I loved it.

Before it was time to go, Chase excused himself to the restroom and quietly handled the bill, insisting to my dad that it was the least he could do to thank my father for arranging our hotel stay.

“It was great meeting you, Jim. Would love to have you down to Philly or even Manhattan. Your daughter took a real liking to the Big Apple, especially the planetarium.” Heat flushed my cheeks instantly.
Oh no he didn’t.
“She’d probably be a better tour guide than me. Maybe we can plan something for the fall.”