Bounty (58 page)

T
he ride
back to Chase's hotel is quiet. We're sitting in the back of the limo and I'm happy to just hold his arm tightly against my body. Relief and fatigue after a day of travel have led both of us to exhaustion and now that I no longer have anger pumping me full of adrenaline, I'm ready to collapse. I can tell by the way Chase is riding with his eyes closed that he feels the same. By the time we get back to the room, we pull off our clothes, stumble into bed, and fall asleep immediately.

But hours later I wake. It's the middle of the night, and I'm disoriented after dreams of Chase and I being ripped apart, quite literally, by a Denise like demon. I reach out and find his chest, rising and falling in sleep but then stirring at my touch.

"What's wrong?" his voice is heavy and groggy but I'm happy to hear it.

"Nothing," I whisper back. "I just needed to feel you near me."

"I am. I always will be." His voice is getting stronger, more alert. His hand comes up to mine and closes on it, giving it a little squeeze. I appreciate it, but I need more right now.

Rolling to face him, our lips find each other in the dark as he pulls me into a warm embrace. Our kisses are shallow and quick at first, and soon Chase breaks away to kiss along my cheeks and neck before returning to my mouth. He takes one of my lips within his own, sucking it into his mouth and then finally his tongue presses forward and our kiss deepens. I sigh against him as his hand skims along my back and up into my hair, pulling me closer against him as he pushes in deeper. His cock is laying against my thigh, and without looking I can feel it harden. It stiffens even more as my fingertips lightly brush against it, but neither of us make any move to get there yet. Our kisses are all consuming at the moment, and their urgency is leaving us both gasping for quick breaks as we seek out each other's neck or shoulders before continuing.

Chase's strong hands are rubbing the back of my head, massaging my scalp and neck and pulling a shudder of relaxed pleasure from my body. I pull my lips away again and wrap one of my hands around his head, pulling his lips back to my neck. He responds by covering it in light kisses and then biting gently, not stopping until I'm covered in goose bumps and moaning in excited pleasure.

My hand wraps around his cock which is completely erect now, but his other hand closes against me just as I start to try and guide him between my legs. He stops me and then moves his hand between them instead, searching out my hot core and honing in immediately against my clit. A sound escapes my lips as my legs open wider. Chase wastes no time in slipping against my moistness and pushing in with his fingers, and I grind against him as he does. It's not ultimately what I want, but it’s a great way to warm up.

His fingers continue to rub and my ass is grinding against his bed in response. His touch is quick but not rough, and his mouth has left my neck again to return to kissing me deeply. I'm breathing heavily into his mouth, and my hand is wrapped tightly against his cock. It's throbbing in my hand, and hotter than I remember it ever being. I want to rub it and give him some extra stimulation, but his fingers are too distracting. It feels wonderful, but I need the closeness of his body on mine. I want to feel him fully inside of me, and not just with his fingers. I tug him again, breaking away from his mouth again so that I can whisper against his ear.

"I want you inside of me, Chase."

He nods, knowing immediately what I'm talking about. He reaches across me and grabs a condom from his side table, ripping it open and slipping it on in record time before rolling over on top of me. The heaviness of his body against mine, even as he rests most of his weight on his elbows, is immediately comforting. My hands drop down to his firm ass and I squeeze his cheeks while pulling him forward at the same time.

His cock enters me easily, the moisture from my insides providing a slick and ready passage.

We both let out a groan as his hips touch mine and he bottoms out. I'm stretched by his girth. It almost feels as if he’s bigger today than ever before. Maybe I'm just more sensitive, but I think he feels it too, and his body slides slowly back and forth as if he’s savoring each inch of stimulation as he draws his shaft along my wet flesh.

Chase pulls my leg up by the knee, raising my behind off the bed just enough so that he can push even deeper into me with each thrust. I let out a satisfied moan as he does, and then another as I feel his hand slide down along my ass and squeeze it. His chest is sliding along my nipples and I wonder if he can feel how hard they are. To me, it feels like they're little diamonds, trying to cut through the hardness of his chest. Each movement of his body stimulates me in a different way, and yet another moan of pleasure is only cut off as his mouth descends back onto mine to resume our earlier kiss.

The whole experience is an assault on my senses and I'm happy to let myself be overwhelmed by him. I can taste the masculine flavor of Chase's tongue as it works against mine. I can smell the sweat of his body as he pulls and pushes against me. I can hear the grunts coming from low within his throat, and I love watching him move up and down against my body. But most of all, the feeling of him inside of me is what I'm focused on the most. The merging of our bodies, the complete invasion of his cock within me, the sensations have taken me away to a world of pleasure that I have no desire to escape.

The feelings today are different than they ever have been, with Chase or anyone else. What we're doing isn't just trying to get off. We aren't just two strangers or casual daters trying to fuck and make each other come. This time isn't about having sex. This time is about making love. And each time Chase looks down at me, I can see in his eyes he feels the same way.

His blues are shining, and he tilts his head a bit as he gives me his little half smile right before kissing me again. His speed has increased, and the pleasure within my core is at its height. There is a tension within me that I can't hold back any more. I let out a scream and my body tightens around Chase. I wrap my bent knee up and around his body, pulling him deeper against me.

Chase goes with it, only pulling back a couple more times against my grip before unleashing a roar of his own. His hips slap against me and push deep as he shudders with his own release. I can feel the tension in his back with my arms that are also draped around him, hugging him close, but after a few more twitches I feel it relax. He finally sinks down onto me, and I pull him even tighter. I don't want him to roll off just yet. I want to feel his weight just a little bit longer. I want to feel his cock inside of me for just a few more moments.

"Wow," he breathes into my ear. His breath is hot and fast.

"Wow," I agree.

B
y the time
we wake the next morning it’s almost noon. Chase heads to the shower and I pick up my phone to check my messages. There are a few texts from Harrison. He's asking how I'm doing, if I want to get together for coffee. He heard about Evelyn and wants to know if I'm okay.

Of course, he has no idea I'm in Vegas, and still doesn't know about Chase. There’s really no reason for me to keep things from him anymore. It's been long enough, and I owe him some truth. As shitty as I think it was for him to wager our relationship, Harry's main problem is gambling. People say it’s an illness. Maybe I can forgive him now that I've moved on. Maybe he couldn’t help himself, and I've been too hard on him. Not that it means I want to be in a relationship with someone like that, but after the ups and downs I've had with Chase and the understanding I have now, that each lie, half-truth or omission can't be judged the same and there are always two sides to everything, it might be time to give Harry a break.

Besides, with Evelyn gone now, once I go back home I don't have a lot of people to talk to. Other than Harry and my parents, all of my other friends fall more on the acquaintance spectrum. I guess if I spent more time with some they would become friends, but as of now, going right back would be pretty lonely. Maybe I Shouldn’t shut Harry out completely. I still don't know what I'm going to do with myself now that my roommate’s gone and I have no job.

I notice I also have a voicemail from Evelyn. I listen but it’s just a quick hello from her to say that she is settling in and leaving me her new number. I immediately call her back, anxious to connect with my best friend again.

"Hey you," I say as she answers the phone.

"Lila! Are you still half way around the world?" She sounds happy and full of energy, but that's always been Evelyn.

"Nope. I'm in the same country as you, actually. Back in Vegas with Chase."

"How are things? Still going strong? You patch everything up?"

For a moment I wonder how she knew about what happened yesterday but then I realize she’s referring to what happened back in Toronto after the house incident. Either way, the answer is the same but still reminds me how quick I am to judge. I really should reconnect with Harry. I've ignored him for long enough.

"Yes. Things are good. Great, even."

"I'm so happy to hear that Lila. Chase seems like an awesome guy."

"He really is, Eve. What about you? How's the new job?"

"Busy! Already I'm swamped but it’s actually pretty great. I'm enjoying it so far. But Edward keeps me on my toes. I'm at the office more than home so I haven't even had a chance to unpack anything yet."

"Edward?"

Eve giggles nervously. "Sorry, that's my boss, Mr. Stonewall. He has me call him Edward."

"Uh huh. What's going on over there? Are you two...?"

"No! I mean... not really. I don't know. He's very handsome and refined. Not what I'm used to at all. Very strict and business like at the office. Some people think he’s a complete ass. But he’s not like that with me. I don't know. Shit, I gotta run actually. He just texted me."

Chase emerges from the bathroom just as we're saying goodbye and promising to keep in touch. I wonder whether or not I should stop over in Chicago on my way back to Toronto, whenever that ends up being.

"Eve seems happy. I think she has a crush on her new boss."

Chase smiles. "Lucky man then. She’s a nice girl."

"Yeah," I sigh, already starting to miss her.

"Listen, Lila..." Chase approaches from the bathroom. He's wrapped in a towel but he sits down on the edge of the bed next to me. "We haven't had a chance to really talk yet, but I wanted to apologize for not telling you about Mirana. I wanted to. Especially after... after the thing with the house and Denise. We had that talk and I know that you were hurt by the fact that I wasn't honest, but-"

"It's okay," I interrupt him.

He's peering into my soul again, his blue eyes burning into mine as he looks for something. He's probably trying to tell if it really is okay.

"Are you sure?"

"I should have trusted you, Chase. I should know by now that if you're keeping something from me there’s a really good reason. I shouldn’t have assumed you were automatically trying to fool me. You're not..." I trail off, but he picks up my thought.

"Harrison?"

I shrug. "Maybe I've been too hard on him, too. He has a gambling problem and although I don't want to date someone like that, I don't think that makes him a bad guy. He got carried away at the table with you, sure, but he was probably just excited about playing against the famous Chase Anderson. Probably figured it would be a big story to tell if he won, and as usual didn't even consider what would happen if he lost."

"He's an asshole, Lila. Don't fool yourself into thinking otherwise."

"Why?" For some reason every time Chase puts down Harrison it bugs me and makes me rush to his defense. "I agree, he did a shitty thing and he lied a lot, but just about his gambling. Beyond that he wasn't that bad."

Chase is just shaking his head. "Just forget him, Lila. Trust me."

"Why? Because you know gamblers? The only difference between you and him is that you're a better poker player. If you were shitty at it, you wouldn’t be called the famous Chase Anderson, you'd be called Chase Anderson, the addict."

"No, it’s not that. He's just... he’s not a nice guy, Lila."

"You barely know him. You played with him for what, a few hours? I’ve known him for close to a year. And might I remind you that the whole wager for me was your fucking idea in the first place. You basically led him into it. I'm sure he never would have thought of that on his own. Of course he should have said no fucking way and punched your lights out, but still, who does that? Who asks a guy to give up his girlfriend in a poker game?" The truth is, I've wanted an answer to that question since the day we met. It has always bothered me that Chase suggested it, and the more that I've gotten to know him, the more out of character it seems.

Chase's lips are a thin line and turning white he’s pursing them so hard. It's as if he’s holding something back. "I explained that to you the first night," he finally says.

"Right, you took a chance and he didn't value me, yada yada. What aren't you telling me? What made you think he didn't value me in the first place? Why do you have such a low opinion of Harrison after just playing cards with him for a few hours? I know you're a fantastic judge of character, Chase, but even for you that borders a little too much on the side of mystical mumbo jumbo. Are you a mind reader, Chase? Is that it?"

"No."

"Then what?"

"Why does it matter? You guys are broken up. Let's just drop it, okay?"

"No, I don't want to drop it. Practically every time I bring Harry's name up you have something negative to say and all you know about him is he took the bait when you offered to play for me that first night after he'd lost a lot of money to you. I think lawyers call that entrapment. And you know what, Chase? You're the last person to be so judgmental about exes. Not when you have Denise trying to break us up every fucking five minutes."

Chase lets out a long sigh. "I didn't just play with him for a couple of hours the night we met..."