heard her name being thrown back at her like an annoying echo. Someone reached for her elbow, yanking her back so that she lost her footing.
“Get your hands off me.” Laura glared at the man who had too much to drink. She pushed away from him, as he hooted and hollered with his friends. She turned to look at Chase who still called her up to the stage to join him.
Anger propelled her forward. She’d had enough. With or without Kasey, she was leaving. But before she left, she planned to tell Chase and his alter ego just what she thought of his school boy antics.
Laura strode up to Chase, stopping a few inches from his face. Her finger started poking at his chest before she could think straight to get out the words.
He smiled with all his teeth and charm displayed, while she sputtered incoherently. Why did he have to look so good? Never mind that, she knew enough to stop talking when he shoved the microphone in front of her.
The music started. Then the words scrolled on the monitor. Chase put his arms around her waist. He held firm. With a bold wink, he pulled her into his arms, swaying to the music. Laura looked out at the crowd, deciding not to make a scene. Plus the song was so addictive that her brain already followed the lyrics, reminding her of their times in the roller skating rink.
As a teenager, she couldn’t wait for couples only. He’d come to take her hand while she was surrounded by her girlfriends. They would descend into a giggling mess, while she left them for Chase. They’d skate hand-in-hand, weaving their way among the others, each wrapped up in their own world.
She may not have been allowed to go on dates, but the skating rink was as good as alone time. Her siblings had to attend and so did his sister. But everyone was on the prowl to hook up with someone, so no one bothered her and Chase. Besides, everyone took it for granted that they were together.
She sang the words, knowing that she wasn’t anywhere close to the quality of Chase’s melodious voice. Although she sensed him looking down at her, she refused to look into his eyes. He already had enough power over to her to make her act like a fool for four minutes. She didn’t need her legs to feel like rubber when she gazed into his honey brown eyes.
The song did manage to summarize some of her feelings and the current state of affairs with this sudden reunion. Boy, did it feel good to lean against his body, firm and very muscular. His hand sliding up and down her back made her want to purr. She was relaxed enough to sway in time with him. Her leg slipped between his as they waltzed the last verse.
Her brother, Pierce, had taught her to dance the box step. But Chase had taken it to another level full of sensuality and forbidden passion. When he spun her and ended the move with a dip, she succumbed and slowly moved her gaze from his full lips in its constant grin, up to his nose with its slender bridge, up to his eyes that pierced her with their intensity.
The song died and yet she remained in his arms. Good sense prevailed as she broke the eye contact. Or, maybe it was Kasey’s sudden appearance as she popped her head between theirs.
“That was awesome, guys. Ever thought about taking that stuff on the road?” Kasey straightened up and emitted a loud hiccup. “You all shouldn’t break up. Ya’ll look too good together.”
Laura stepped away from Chase. Any high that she could’ve blamed on the caffeine from the cola was gone. There’d be no getting together. His family had made sure of that and he had aided and abetted everyone’s handiwork.
Maturity had given her an upper hand. She didn’t plan to be in the position where a man’s rejection could devastate her to that degree. Life may not have any guarantees, but it didn’t mean that she had to go blindly into wrong situations.
“Kasey, I’m ready to go.” Based on her friend’s drunken weave back to the chair, Laura figured that Kasey needed to leave also.
“What’s the rush?” Kasey asked, her voice slurred.
“You’re right, you should get her home. Do you need any help?”
Laura jumped, not realizing that he’d approached.
“I’m fine.” Kasey stomped her foot. The effort threw her off balance and she fell heavily into a nearby chair.
Laura didn’t want to make a scene. She hoped that her friend would follow her quietly to the car. Despite the fact that she really wanted to get out of there and put some distance between Chase and herself, she couldn’t in good conscience leave Kasey. She’d never forgive herself, if something happened.
“I don’t need your help.” Kasey showed her annoyance by shoving a chair aside before Laura clamped a tight, firm grip around her friend’s waist and propelled her out of the building.
Immediately the cool night air hit them with a shocking blast. It had the desired effect, letting some rational thought make headway this disastrous night. She snapped the seat belt around Kasey.
A tap on the glass startled her. Her nerves were on edge.
Chase motioned for her to lower the window. She started the car first just to let him know that there would be no long conversations. Then she pushed the black button on the door panel until the window slid down mid-point.
“I can follow so you can leave her car at her place. Then I can give you a ride home.”
“Nope.” She hadn’t thought about the car logistics, unless she took Kasey to her place.
“Laura, I know that I’m fine enough to drive.” Kasey must have seen the ready argument on Laura’s face. “But let’s go home. I’ve got to head to Savannah tomorrow morning—early.”
“And you were out partying tonight?” Gosh, she sounded like her mother.
“Well, I roll like that.” Kasey yawned and leaned her head back on the head rest.
“If you ask me, I don’t think she’s going to be fit to go anywhere until probably noon tomorrow,” Chase offered.
Laura nodded, keeping her eyes forward. To turn her head would mean that he was in kissable distance. Thanks to Kasey’s SUV, she was sitting high enough that she or he only had to lean forward and succumb to a good night smooch.
Not a chance.
“For once, would you not be so stubborn?” Chase placed his forearms on the door.
“Stubborn? Because I won’t let you take me home?”
He pulled on his ear lobe, a familiar habit when he got irritated. Good. His cologne was driving her crazy. The very clear memory of swaying to an old-school song had more than her mind buzzing. And darn it, she couldn’t stop thinking about kissing him.
Maybe that’s why she turned her head. Of course, she later told herself that she had to let him know whom he was dealing with, eye-to-eye.
“We’re not buddies, Chase. I need this favor from you to take me home. But don’t think what happened in there is the beginning of a new chapter for us. We are still at the end of the happy trail. No happily ever after, no riding off into the sunset and certainly no reunion of the cast members here.” She had more to say about hurt and disappointment, but for the life of her, she couldn’t remember what it was. But she shouldn’t have looked into his eyes.
Then,
