Ready to Love Again (Sweet Romance #2) (16 page)

Clark handed me a coffee, bringing me out of my own thoughts.

“I can’t wait until you get the keys, Lys. Will you have a house-warming party?”

“I don’t know, I might,” I said as I took a gulp of my coffee.

“It would be good, so long as no-one gets sick the way Lexi did at Chase’s party.”

“Yeah, maybe, I don’t know.” I shrugged nonchalantly. I wasn’t too bothered about the idea of a party. I was more interested in just moving out of the shoebox that was my current residence.

We spent the rest of the last day of the weekend talking about the new house, my job, and Clark’s budding romance with Jenny. It turned out he had asked her on a few dates and now they were in the early stages of their relationship. I thought it was wonderful and told Clark I was more than happy for them. It was nice that I had been able to set him up with Jenny. She was a sweet girl, a copy-editor over at Emerging Butterfly, and I had the feeling she was going to be good for Clark, that they would be good for each other. If I was being honest, I couldn’t help but feel a slight twinge of jealousy. I didn’t resent Clark for finding the possibility of love; as his friend, I encouraged it. But I had to admit I was lost without Ethan and just when I thought maybe I had found someone I could move on with, Justine had shown me I was wrong.

I would be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about Chase since Justine and I had argued, but I hadn’t contacted him. I had received a couple of “Hi how are you?” texts, but those had gone ignored. I knew I couldn’t avoid him permanently, I had to work with him after all. I guess this is what happens on the flip side of an office romance—not that this had been a romance, though it had shown some promise—you have to be polite at work no matter how you feel on the inside. That was a question I was avoiding too, how did I feel inside? I couldn’t deny my attraction to Chase and it wasn’t purely physical. As a widow though, how long was I meant to grieve? Was there a period of time that was considered ‘appropriate’? I’m young and have my whole life ahead of me. Do I really have to be single for the rest of my days? Or will I ever truly be ready to love again?

Chapter Twenty

Chase

It’s been a couple of weeks since I last spoke to Alyssa. I tried texting her, but I haven’t heard back. I’ve seen her around work, but not to talk to. I guess she could just be busy but I’m betting there’s more to it than that. Maybe she regrets our night together. We haven’t spoken about it since it happened. The last time we spoke was the night we went bowling and I had kissed her at the club.

I can still smell her on my skin, I can still recall the way she tastes and the way her body moves. Images of her tantalising body haunt me every night in my dreams, or in the moments when I close my eyes and bring to mind the way it feels to touch her, to be touched by her. What is it about Alyssa Young that has me so caught up that I can’t even look at another woman? Why do I feel incomplete? No other woman has ever made me feel so…alive. She waltzed into my life, so beautiful, so captivating, and now that’s gone. She doesn’t talk to me at work anymore, she doesn’t text me, and there’s been no lunches at The Mermaid. What am I doing thinking about her so much when she clearly isn’t interested?

I got an e-invite to a house-warming party, but I noticed it was just a mass email to people at work. I don’t know whether it’s better to go and see the woman I want but can’t have, or to stay home and wallow in self-pity.

What the fuck am I doing? I’m a man and I’m sitting here thinking things through the way a woman might. For the love of God, I need to grow a pair and just get on with life. You have to play the hand you’re dealt, right? So I’m going to play it. I’m going to that party and I am going to make her talk to me. It’s her party and she has to mingle with the guests, right? So I’m going and she can damn well answer a couple of questions. If she tells me to stay away after that, then I will, but damn it, Alyssa will talk to me and she’ll give me some semblance of closure so I can get on with my life. If I didn’t know better, I’d think I was falling in love with her. The influence she has on me, even when she’s not here, the way I imagine what it would be like if we were a couple…It’s driving me crazy. Hell, if this is what she does to me from a distance, I can’t begin to imagine what it would be like if we were a part of something bigger, together.

Her party is tonight. Time to shower and get ready. I’m going to show her just what it is she’s missing.

Chapter

Twenty-One

Alyssa

The sale of the house had gone through quite quickly and I had been able to move my meagre belongings in. I had bought some new things and had re-arranged the furniture a little to make it more like my house, but I wanted to redecorate. It wasn’t that there was anything wrong with the décor, it was just that I felt like an imposter living in someone else’s home.

Clark had been great helping me move in and Lexi had an eye for interior design, go figure. I thought she was just a daddy’s little girl who lived on his dime, a bit of an airhead. But actually, we had gotten to know each other more lately and she was more than just a pretty face. She helped give the place a lick of paint before I had my house warming party. Everything had happened faster than I thought it would but now I was a proud homeowner and what a home indeed. It’s certainly one of the nicest places I’ve seen in the area. Lexi’s home was beautiful as far as I could recall from that night I took her home. It was tastefully decorated and you could definitely tell it belonged to Lexi. It had her personality. Chase’s home is the most beautiful place I’ve seen, though. The amazing library with its wrought iron staircase and upper level, the great adaptations that Chase’s cousin Parker had made were what really set the house apart from those around it. Chase…I had thought about him over the last couple of weeks, but I banished the thoughts the moment they entered my head. Okay, maybe not the exact moment, maybe I had let them linger for a few seconds. I could recall the way his lips tasted, the way his tongue felt as it had dipped into me. I could feel his hands roaming my body, the soft caress of his skin against mine. Even more potent was the memory of the way he felt inside me. My warm wet walls wrapping themselves around the length of him…Damn it, why couldn’t I just forget? I willed myself to forget, but memories of our night together played in my mind when I was awake, when I was asleep. Thoughts popped unbidden into my mind as I was reading in my office at work. When the words on the page got a little steamy, I could visualise Chase and I doing what the author was describing. I had sent him an invite to my party, but I didn’t know if he’d come, considering I hadn’t spoken to him via text or at work. When I saw him, I walked the opposite way.

The night of the party arrived and I was feeling happy. The wine was chilling in the fridge, along with beer for the boys. There was party food thanks to mine and Lexi’s hard work in the kitchen that morning. I had tasteful decorations around the rooms on the ground floor. The upstairs was out of bounds, but guests could make themselves comfortable in one of many rooms downstairs. Clark had brought his MacBook and some speakers and stuff for music. He was sure that he could find music to please everyone, so I had left him to it.

I was drying myself from the shower when an image assaulted my mind—Chase situated between my legs, kissing his way down to my panties. I could feel the heat of his breath on me, the touch of his lips against my thigh—I shut the thought down a moment too late, as I moaned at the provocative image I had conjured up.

Wrapping myself in my robe, I sat at my dresser and made a start on my makeup for the night—I had chosen a sleek dark purple dress that fell to the knees and had just one shoulder strap which was covered in delicate flowers—so for my makeup, I was going for the smoky-eyed look.

Chapter

Twenty-Two

Chase

I’m ready to go and looking good, even if I do say so myself. The cab is on its way and I’m looking forward to seeing Alyssa. Anticipation is making my palms sweat a little, but I’m trying to calm my nerves with a JD and Coke. I don’t even know exactly why I’m nervous. All I know is I want to see her, to show her what she’s missing. But I know that I too will see what I’m missing.

The cab arrives and I down the last of my drink. I make my way to the kerb and get into the cab.

As we pull up in front of the address that was on the invite, I look up at the house. Alyssa sure has good taste. It looks like a Georgian period property and definitely has kerb appeal. I pay the driver and walk up to the front door. I stand a few moments to collect my scattered thoughts before knocking on the door. Moments later, the door opens and the sight before me scatters my thoughts once again. Alyssa is standing in front of me looking absolutely ravishing. I feel a twitch in my pants and try to swallow past the sudden dryness of my throat. She’s dressed in a knee-length purple dress that drapes over one shoulder. She looks every inch the Grecian goddess. I look up to meet her eyes and am transfixed by the pools that are swimming before me.

“Come in, Chase.” Alyssa is the first to break the silence.

I walk past her into the hallway. The house looks every inch as beautiful on the inside from what I can see. There’s soft music floating down the hallway from some distant room. The ambience is perfect, but what’s more perfect is this devastatingly beautiful woman that comes to stand in front of me and lead me into one of the rooms. Part of me hopes it’s a bedroom, but the realistic part of me knows it isn’t.

“This place is lovely, Alyssa,” at last, I am able to form words.

“Thank you.” She smiles at me briefly before turning her head back the way we’re going.

As we enter one of the rooms on the right, I see what’s been transformed into the main ‘party room’ for the night. It’s tastefully decorated for tonight, but I can see beyond that to what the room must look like normally. It’s in keeping with the rest of what I have seen of the house. I really want to ask her for a grand tour, but I hold my tongue. I look over and see Clark with his MacBook and some other stuff set up. I should have known he would be in charge of the music. Music is one of his passions. I smile and nod my head at Clark as he looks up from his computer. He smiles, nods, and goes back to it. I’m glad Alyssa has friends like him in her life, he’s a good guy. I just hope he isn’t the reason she has been ignoring me. A touch of jealousy rises in me at the thought of her being with him; I squash the feelings down and smile as Alyssa hands me a bottle of beer.

“Thanks,” I manage to get out around the lump in my throat.

“As you can see, not many people are here yet, but make yourself comfortable.” Alyssa smiles at me and I can see some kind of inner struggle taking place in her eyes. Does she not want me here? She invited me but was that to be polite?

I look around us at the seating area pushed toward the walls so that there’s a little space to dance. I want to ask her to dance, but know it’s too soon. I’ll see how she is later and see if I can manage to persuade her. She wouldn’t say no in front of her guests, surely? At this point, I really can’t answer that. The doorbell goes, saving her from having to stand with me for much longer. If I’m honest, I’m kind of relieved because I don’t know what to say. Normally, conversation comes easy between us, but her lack of communication recently leads me to believe that whatever it was we had, or could have had, has run its course and even conversation is difficult.

Moments later, she returns with Jenny and Lexi from work in tow. The three are giggling like schoolgirls and it makes me happy to see the sparkle in Alyssa’s eyes, even if it isn’t caused by me. She pours the girls glasses of wine and stands talking to them until the doorbell goes again. I know she invited a few people from work, she doesn’t really know anyone else in the area. I don’t know who to expect as I haven’t made it known that I was coming.

Over the next half an hour or so, plenty of guests arrive and Alyssa stops to chat with them all as she leads them into the party room. I hope she hasn’t made a mistake in asking so many people. I wouldn’t want them to ruin her new home before she’s really lived in it. I know what the boys from work can be like when they have a few beers. Us guys know our drinking limits and yet exceed them at parties because that’s to be expected—or so I’m aware. I’m not one of ‘those guys’.

I’m bored sitting here alone, so I wander over to Clark to see what’s on the playlist for tonight.

“Hey man!” Clark says as he welcomes me with a one armed bro-hug.

“Hey! I was beginning to wonder what tunes you would be subjecting us to tonight?”

“Oh, just the usual, you know. There’ll be some oldies but goodies from Depeche Mode and New Order. There’ll be a bit of Beck, I happen to know Lys likes “Sexx Laws”. Possibly some Muse, Killers, Editors. Then you got to throw some stuff in for the girls, Ed Sheeran, maybe a bit of ‘cock rock’ like Bon Jovi. Don’t get me wrong, man, I actually like Bon Jovi, but the guys here…Nah, not so sure they’re fans.”

To prove a point, he chose a Bon Jovi song next and some of the guys booed. But tonight Chase was the DJ and he could play what he wanted.

I wanted to ask him to play a song for me to ask Alyssa to dance to, but if they were an item now, he wouldn’t like that. I hate to think that Clark might be the reason I haven’t heard from her, but Clark is my friend, so I’ll just have to suck it up and be happy for him. I’m used to pretending things don’t bother me. I smile as “Happy” begins to play and can’t help but want to dance, so I walk towards the space cleared for dancing and begin to move to the beat. I catch Alyssa’s eye and she smiles so wide that it touches her eyes and I lose myself in them, moving to the music as if I’m dancing for her. “Lose Yourself To Dance” is the next track to play and I do exactly that, closing my eyes, immersing myself in the moment. Behind closed eyelids, I picture Alyssa here dancing with me, losing herself to the beat and giving in to the moment as her body grinds against mine.

“I didn’t know you could move like that,” her words are a warm caress across my skin. Inside, I melt a little, but keep myself composed on the outside.

“Care to join me for a dance?” I ask, my eyes still closed.

“Sure.” She smiles, I can hear it in her voice.

As “All About That Bass” comes on, Alyssa begins to dance in front of me. I can no longer keep my eyes shut, I have to see her as she moves her hips in time to the beat. I might not be keen on the song, but I can’t get enough of the woman in front of me.

“Sing!” she shouts over at Clark and his head dips as he obliges her and plays the request. Her hot little body is moving and shaking and I roam my eyes from her head to her feet. The outfit she’s wearing tonight looks like it was made just to tempt me, to taunt me with what I mustn’t touch. But touch I must, as I reach a hand out and put it against her hip. She doesn’t bat me away so I tempt fate by doing the same with my other hand. I can feel her sensuous hips under my palms and I feel a slight twitch down below. The devil in me risks taking a step closer to that pert little ass of hers and I know I’m taking a risk by letting her feel how hard I am becoming, but something drives me towards her.