What happened in Vegas: Didn't Stay In Vegas! (26 page)

His comment
brought back memories of Vegas,
“
You so deserve to
have your hide skinned, Dickwad!
”
I leaned over and
kissed him on the cheek before Aria took to wheeling him out of the
ballroom. I was floating ecstatic with happiness for them. The
lights dimmed and the music restarted.

I returned to
my table and saw Shelly and Chase chatting away until I got close.
Suddenly, their conversation stopped. It was too obvious to
ignore,
“
Did I interrupt something?
”

“In fact you
did,
”
Chase said.
“
Shelly here was
telling me how much of an amazing student you were. She was asking
me if I was going to make you an offer.
”

“Oh,
”
I smiled at them.
“
There
’
s no
need.
”

Chase became
very serious in a flash,
“
There
’
s every
need.
”

I took my chair
in between them,
“
I have been hired at
Grimsby General. I
’
ve already secured
employment.
”

Chase had the
same habit as his brother and ran his fingers through his hair when
he was displeased,
“
You
didn
’
t give me a chance to make an offer. We took you under
our wing. You should have at least given us the courtesy of
considering our offer before you made a choice. Whatever
Grimsby
’
s offered you we
’
ll match it and give
you more. Just say what you want from us to keep
you.
”

I could feel
tears welling up in my eyes,
“
All I want is your
brother, and I can
’
t have him. Now I
need a fresh start, and you can
’
t give me that
here.
”

Chase very
authoritatively said,
“
Shelly if
you
’
ll excuse us, I
’
m going to talk to
her alone, on the dance floor.
”
He grabbed my hand
and led me to the dance floor where there were only two other
couples dancing at the time. I could feel
Bradley
’
s eyes on us as we walked past his table. He
turned his head away.

Chase started
dancing close to me, very close. He whispered in my ear,
“
I
’
m sorry that my brother hurt you. You chose the
wrong one. I wanted you from the first day you set foot in my
hospital.
”
A chill went up my spine.

He was admitting that he liked me! He was
gambling and decided to go all in, knowing I was leaving.

“I
’
m sorry but I can
’
t say that I felt the
same way about you when we first met. My first impression of you
was that you were cold and callous. I thought you
didn
’
t care about the patients as much as you did about the
bottom line of your balance sheet. That made you unappealing in my
book.
”

His body
stiffened,
“
Do you still feel
that way?
”
His grip on my tightened and his voiced
hardened,
“
That
’
s not fair.
I
’
ve always been forced to be ahead of the game. It
takes money to run this hospital and provide good care for the
patients and I
’
m good at getting
that money. That
’
s why they put me in
my position of CEO. With me at the helm, this hospital has grown
and prospered. Now that you know me better, do you still see me as
cold, callous, and unappealing?
”

“No,
it
’
s the opposite. I quite like you,
”
I
admitted,
“
I like you the way one likes a brother-in-law. I
feel the same electricity between us as you do. I
don
’
t deny it. I could only just imagine how hot you would
be between the sheets or anywhere else for that matter. I am a
woman with needs. I
’
m sure you would set
my body on fire, but I already hurt your brother once and whether
I
’
m with him or not, the last thing I would ever do is
hurt him again by going to you. I hope you understand and respect
that.
”

“I respect you
Chanel more than you know. I also want you to know, that if you
ever want to come back to the General, there will always be a spot
for you.
”

“Thanks Chase,
I appreciate that. On that note, I
’
m going to say
good-bye to you and Shelly. I need to go home. I will give you my
notice for the loft after Aria finds me a new place to live closer
to Grimsby General.
”

“Stay as long
as you like.
”

I hugged him.

I walked back
to the table and told Shelly,
“
I
’
m going to
leave now and call it an early night.
”
Chase sat down in my
seat next to her. I leaned down and gave her a kiss on both cheeks
before leaving the ballroom.

I headed for the bathroom on my way out. I
was shaking at the thought that Chase was into me. I never would
have known. He was so hot, and it was his looks AND his personality
that made him that way. He was just not in my league. He could get
anyone.

I left the
bathroom to go to my loft and there Bradley was, standing alone,
staring at me. I froze when I saw him. I felt winded. I cursed
myself for not leaving more quickly. He said,
“
I need to
talk to you.
”
He took my arm the same way he always
did and pulled me into a dark and quiet room that looked like a
closet without any coats.

My heart was
pounding through my chest; funny thing was the voltage of
electricity cursing through my veins was amplified. His effect on
me was increasing. So we were in this dark closet together and I
couldn
’
t see his face and we couldn
’
t talk loud
because neither of us wanted to be found. He started grilling me. I
wasn
’
t expecting this. He had ignored me since I got
there.

“Are you happy
for Nick?
”

“Very.
”

“Is it true
you
’
re leaving the General?
”

“Yes.
”

“Why?
”

“Because of
you.
”
He felt really close to me now.

“Are you back
together with Bitch Ex-Wife?
”
I hear him move, I
don
’
t see him but I can feel heat coming from his body,
his breathing has changed too. It sounds of want.
I
’
m aroused and we
’
ve done nothing. How
does he do that to me?

“Not
yet,
”
he answers. Yet, that means it
’
s impending. He
clearly wants to hurt me. My tears feel as though they are composed
of acid, they well, and scold my eyes. I close my lids to force
them out and fight the pain off but it doesn
’
t work.
“
My brother wants you doesn
’
t
he?
”
He asked.

Retaliation is
bittersweet,
“
Yes.
”
I tried to find his face, I felt into
the darkness. OH, found it. My vengeance was over and now I found
myself throbbing for him. He touched my cheek now and felt my
tears. Fuck, I didn
’
t want that to
happen. Then his fingers touch my bare nape. He glided them upwards
until he managed to find hairs long enough to grab and he forced my
head to almost face the ceiling. His lips closed down on mine and
his tongue forced entry into my mouth and fireworks were starting
as I had this insatiable desire for him.

Bradley
’
s kisses were
demanding, and relentless. He cradled the back of my head and
placed it in a more comfortable position for me and then he pushed
me up against a wall I had no idea was there. So now his body was
pressing hard against mine and he was so fucking hard it hurt but
it made me want him more.

I wanted to
tear his pants off and beg him to fuck me but I reserved myself
remembering that he wants his Bitch Ex-Wife and that probably
wouldn
’
t change.

I never thought
the three letter word yet could hold so much meaning, or have such
an effect on my life. It was like a bomb detonated in the closet. I
pushed his chest away from me to create a space and said,
“
I have to go.
”
I knew he couldn
’
t follow me
out of the closet right away because he was still hard. When I got
out, I ran to Snowball and hurried home. Obviously, I
wasn
’
t over him, yet.

~40~

Snowball got me home quickly and I went right up to the loft
and closed the door. I stripped naked and jumped in the shower. I
scrubbed the paint off my face and cleansed myself.

I had to
develop a stronger backbone. I couldn
’
t let myself get hurt
so easily.

Bradley and I
were broken up so the fact that he might get back together with
anyone or have a girlfriend shouldn
’
t make me cry so
easily. After I pruned, I reluctantly stepped out of the shower and
dried myself off before putting on my housecoat.

An alcoholic
beverage from the fridge was my next destination. I quickly passed
through the living room to get to the kitchen. I stepped back
thinking I had seen something there. I saw a silhouette in my
living room and gasped. I wasn
’
t alone. I flicked on
the light and saw it was a brother. I had to almost guess which
one, but I suspected it was Bradley,
“
I
’
m sorry I
didn
’
t mean to startle you.
”

“How did you
get in?
”
I asked as I continued to the kitchen knowing I
wasn
’
t in danger.

He remained
seated on my ugly grey sectional which I decided for sure I
wasn
’
t bringing with me,
“
I stole the master
key from my brother
’
s
penthouse.
”

“I
’
m making myself a screwdriver, 2:1. Do you want
one?
”

“Two shots
vodka, one shot orange juice?
”

“Is there any
other way?
”

“Sure,
I
’
ll have one,
”
He sounded nicer;
his voice was calm and mellow. I wondered why such a big
change.

I
didn
’
t want to talk about Maggie but my curiosity got the
better of me,
“
Where
’
s Bitch Ex-Wife? Did
you leave her at the fundraiser?
”

“No,
she
’
s not impressed though. I drove her home telling her I
had business that I had to take care of.
”

“Am I your
business? This is surprising to me considering you implied to me
that you were getting back with her, as if it is just a matter of
time.
”

I handed him
his drink and received his confession,
“
I said it to
hurt you. I was still angry.
”

“It did just
that, worked like a charm,
”
I said bitterly. I
took a seat far away from him on the sectional.

“Come
closer,
”
he ordered. I moved onto the pillow next to him.
He was staring at me. I needed to lose my inhibitions so I took a
really big drink of the screwdriver and it burned going all the way
down.

He placed his
drink down and ran his fingers through my hair.
“
Nick tells
me you
’
re in love with me. Is that right?
”
Obviously
Nick true to his word had attempted damage control for
me.