The Promise (16 page)

Fuck me!
I moved my lips to speak but when nothing came out, I tried again, clearing my throat. I squared my shoulders and although I hadn’t been that mortified in a long time I faced him with the most impassive look I could muster.

“Well I can’t say that I blame you,” I started in a small voice and shrugged quickly. “Alicia Keys is an amazing artist.” I couldn’t help but hear the deep chuckle that escaped his lips as
he looked down at me. Before he could respond, I tried the only thing I could think of and began shaking my head in denial. “But that doesn’t mean it was me you saw, Chase,” I tried, though if I was being honest, I knew it was in vain. I’d been busted. “Lots of girls in Rockport drive trucks and like Alicia Keys. The fact that you saw some random girl singing along with her radio at a stoplight means nothing but that you can’t determine me from a complete stranger. Your argument is crap,” I finished off with another smirk. Was this the best thing I could come up with? Even I knew this was a lame ass attempt.

“First of all, I know just about everyone who lives in Rockport, Sophie, so a new face isn’t something I’m used to seeing around here, especially one as pretty as yours,” Chase started, stealing my smirk and plastering it onto his face as I felt my cheeks flush further at his compliment. I loved that he affected me like this. “I could never mistake you for anyone els
e, Baby,” he’d said before he quietly sang a familiar line from the song I’d been belting out that day in the hot Texas sun.

His smoldering gaze was so arousing
that I’d felt a shiver run down my spine. Chase watched my cheeks explode into flames as he smiled knowingly before bending back down to my ear and whispering again “Second of all, your blush keeps giving you away.” I closed my eyes, recognizing defeat. The strong hand that he had splayed across my lower back brought me back to reality. “So if you’re nervous to sing in front of me, don’t be, Baby. I’ve already heard you and you’re amazing.” I reached up to rest my hand onto his face and kissed him gently before slowly turning back to the mirror.

“Thank you
, but I’d rather not,” I’d told him. He looked at my reflection in the mirror and finally asked the question I’d known was coming.

“Why?” Chase asked and
at this, I closed my eyes, panic slowly creeping in.

“Please don’t ask me to sing, Chase,” I begged.

“Baby, I promise you that I’ll never make you do anything you don’t want to do but I wish you’d tell me why you’re so against it. I know you’re not scared,” he stood upright but remained behind me, placing his hands on my shoulders.

“Why do you want to know so badly?” I asked as I beg
an chewing on my lip nervously. He leaned against the sink beside me as I faced him. His gaze locked onto my lips before he pulled gently on my chin, which caused my teeth to release their grip.

“Because I care about you and I want you to be happy
, Sophie. And because for the two minutes that I saw you singing in here tonight and that morning at the light on Madison, you were the happiest that I’d ever seen you.”

Crap. I’d have to tell him.

I took a deep breath and turned to face him more directly. “I’ll tell you if it’s really what you want but you’re not going to like it,” I told him honestly. “Are you sure you really want to know?” he nodded at my question. “Fine,” I started as I rested against the counter behind me. “When I was a kid, I always wanted to be a singer but I had unbearable stage fright so I never pursued it. Then I met Jack and he helped me get over my fear. We used to sing together all the time. It was kind of our thing.”

I turned in time to see
a flash of what looked to be jealousy creeping into his eyes before they softened again. “So, if he helped you face your fear, why did you stop?”

“It puts me in a very vulnerable place that I’ve never been comfortable visiting on my own. I’ve tried a time or two since, but I just choke up so I don’t do that anymore,” I explained as I examined my hands nervously. “I don’t really understand it, Chase. I think I just fooled myself into thinkin
g the attention was all on him with none on me, so it made it less scary.” He thought about that for awhile before he stood and moved in front of me.

“Would you sing for me?”

“I don’t think I can yet,” I started. When I saw his expression I felt awful. “It’s not you at all, Chase, you’re perfect. The thought of it just terrifies me. I promise you that someday I will try but I just … I can’t do it yet, okay?” He nodded but I knew he wasn’t happy about it.

“Thank
you for telling me,” he said as he leaned down and gave me a chaste kiss on the lips.

While the conversation had
n’t been one of our most pleasant, it said a lot about the progress we were making as a couple, if that’s even what we were. We hadn’t had any conversations about our relationship, but I didn’t really know what else you would call us.

What I do
know though is that a few weeks ago, that conversation wasn’t one I could have had with anyone aside from Ana, especially not so calmly. For that, I was grateful and it was one of the first times I’d felt hope of moving forward with my life since I’d lost Jack.

Tonight, we’
ve planned a pretty low key evening. We’ve been going up to the bar all week and since Ana isn’t going to be there, we figured we’d skip it. Instead, we decided we would just hang out in the apartment and watch movies after eating the supper that I’m currently making.

Chase w
ill be here any minute straight from work so I’m busy trying to clean up and get everything together for our meal. It isn’t a fancy one, but I’ve never cooked for him before so I want it to at least be edible. When the door opens, I’ve just finished putting our roast back in the oven and poured myself a glass of wine.

“Babe, it’s me!” he call
s out into the apartment.

“Kitchen!” I yell. He walk
s around the corner, meeting me with a wide smile.

“Hey
, Baby,” he greets me with a kiss. “How’s my girl?”

“Good, how was work?” I ask
while walking back towards the fridge to grab him a beer.

“Meh, it was work. You?” he asks
as he leans against the counter.

“Same,
” I say, handing him his beer and leaning against the counter next to him. He slips his arm around my shoulders, pulls me in closer to him and kisses me on the head.

“Thanks.
Drake and Ana leave already?” he asks after taking a drink from his beer.

“Yeah, they left about an hour ago. Drake said to tell you he’d call you about something to do with a job in Houston. Do you think you’re going out of town?”

“Maybe, but if I do it won’t be for a few more weeks. Usually I only have to go for a couple of days,” he answers and I nod. “So … we’re all alone, huh?”

“Yes, we’re all alone f
or the whole weekend,” I answer while biting down on my lip nervously.

“You okay?” h
e asks eventually.

“Are you scared I’m going to freak out on you?” I joke.

“I am a little now that you said that,” he laughs as I give his chest a playful smack.

“I’m fine
,” I say, surprised that I meant it.

“Good,” he replies,
kissing me quickly on the lips. “I’m gonna go take a shower. Dinner smells great!”

Supper ha
s at least another hour or so and I’ve already cleaned up so I decide to watch some TV while Chase cleans up. I’m watching one of those teen mother shows when he comes back out to join me.

His hair i
s still wet from the shower and he’s changed into some Adidas shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt. I can’t help but stare at him when he sits beside me lazily. I watch him throw his feet up on the ottoman in front of us and sigh appreciatively as I begin taking in the tan, muscular calves that are now in front of me.

Damn
. This man is
hot
.

“What?” he asks as he rests
his ink clad arm behind me and over the back of the couch while pulling me closer and resting his other on the arm of the couch beside him. His clean, masculine scent assaults me then and all I can do is shake my head and stare at him with a stupid grin spreading across my face. “What did I do?” he asks.

“Nothing,” I say
, grinning wider. I like making him squirm.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Like what?” I ask.

“Like I look ridiculous or something,” he chuckle
s nervously.

“Oh, I don’t think yo
u look ridiculous at all,” I say quietly, raising a brow and raking my eyes back over his body, spending extra time on his massive tattooed arms and hard chest.

I
almost manage to find the strength to tear my gaze away from him when a stray droplet of water escapes from his still wet hair. I watch it slide slowly down the side of his neck, traveling south until it slides over his collarbone and into the dip of his throat.

The traitorous drop then fi
nds refuge in Chase’s t-shirt, causing me to bite my lip, my attempt to stifle the whimper that has just caught in my throat. I think I’ve pulled it off but judging from the cocky grin that is now beginning to spread across Chase’s face, I don’t think I could have been more wrong.    

With his g
rin still planted firmly in place, Chase reaches up to release my bottom lip from the grip of my teeth, “Oh! I get it,” he says seductively, with a deep chuckle leaving his throat. “You think I’m hot.”

“Oh get over yourself! You kn
ow you’re hot,” I admit, nudging him slightly as my cheeks begin to blaze.

“It’s alright
, Baby. I get it. Being around a body like this all day, I gotta take a look myself sometimes. Don’t be shy, you look all you want,” he raises his shirt so I can admire his perfectly sculpted abs as he winks, continuing to tease me as my face begins to heat up. “You better do it quick though,” he whispers, suddenly serious. “I’m gonna have to go to the vet soon,” he adds while flexing his arm in front of me. “’Cause these pythons are sick, Baby.” 

“Oh shut up! I take it back, you’re repulsive!”
His corny joke manages to break my stare as I laugh and move to stand up.

“Oh no, you don’t!” he says,
grabbing me by the waist of my jeans as he pulls me down onto his lap. “You don’t get to ogle me like a piece of meat and then leave! Come here and give me some loving,” he says with a laugh. “You know you want to, don’t deny it,” he maintains his teasing tone as he pulls me down onto his chest before giving me a mind numbing kiss.

His hands slid
e slowly down my waist until he rested them possessively on my hips causing my whole body to ignite, all the way down to my toes until I completely melt into him. When he pulls away, he leaves me feeling lightheaded. He looks pretty confident with that cocky grin still visible over his face. “Hmm,” he licks his lips appreciatively and whispers huskily. “You like that, Baby?”

“Meh,” I manage a
playful shrug. “I’ve had better,” I say as seriously as I can manage but as soon as the look of surprise hits his face, I can’t hold back my laughter any longer.

“What? How could you?” he asks, feigning hurt. T
he oven timer sounds off signaling that supper is ready. I plant a chaste kiss on his lips.

“I’m sorry.
I didn’t mean it. You’re super-hot,” I rise to stand, holding my hand out to him. “Now, come let me feed my big, sexy man.”

He laughs and follows
me into the kitchen where I start making our plates. He offers to help but really, our kitchen isn’t big enough for two people to comfortably move around in.

After I insist
he waits patiently, watching silently from his spot against the door frame. As I begin pouring our drinks, he comes over and takes the tea pitcher out of my hand, turning me to face him. When my eyes found his, he gently strokes my cheek and says, “You really are beautiful. Do you know that?” I don’t really know what to say so I smile up at him. His giant arms engulf me as he pulls me close for a hug, continuing to hold me there in the kitchen for a few moments. “I’m so glad I found you, Sophie. You make me really happy,” he says and I feel the smile breaking wide across my face.

“You make me really happy, too,
Chase,” I whisper and he gives me a gentle kiss on the lips.

Just
when I think he can’t be any sweeter, he smacks me on the ass and says, “Now, get my supper on the table, woman!” He breaks out into another round of laughter like he’s the funniest man on the planet.

Without mis
sing a beat, I look at him, throwing him a deadpanned expression. “Do you have any ideas how many knives are in here?”

“I’m sorry, Baby, I’m
playing. Please don’t stab me,” he laughs and releases me with another kiss.

This
is how the rest of the night goes for the most part. Chase cracks me up while being his usual affectionate self, making me feel wonderful like he always does.

Once we’ve eaten our
supper, he helps me clean up and then we cuddle up on the couch to watch a movie. I make it about halfway through ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ and consume another couple glasses of wine I think I have enough liquid courage to take the big step I’ve been thinking almost constantly for the past month.