Taking Chances

Mom and Dad went to Lake Tahoe with a few of their friends yesterday, and Bree begged me to go to LA with everyone for the weekend, but I faked being sick. A bunch of them were going clubbing tonight and tomorrow and pla

Chase walked into the house an hour after Brea

“No, I told Bree I was sick.”

“Are you?” He started to move towards me but stopped himself.

“I'm fine, I just wanted to be alone.”

“Well I'll be gone in a few minutes. I just need to grab a few things. How's the uh – how's the tattoo?”

“Beautiful.” I breathed, “Can we talk about that night?”

“There's nothing to talk about.” He called over his shoulder, heading for the stairs.

I jumped off the couch and raced behind him. “Yes there is, you completely shut down and you've been avoiding me ever since!”

“I'm not avoiding you, I just have nothing to say.”

“Why are you treating me like this? What did I do?”

“Nothing!”

“So this is what you do then? You make girls feel like they're special for a few days, then treat them like they're nothing?”

He turned on me right before he got to his room, “You're really go

“What did you want me to do, not answer it?”

“It doesn't even matter Harper,” He laughed humorlessly, “drop it.”

“It does to me! I'm so tired of this roller coaster with you. I never know which Chase I'm going to meet up with that day. Is it going to be the cold or the fu

He just continued to glare at me.

“You're all over the place, I don't know how to act around you, I don't know what you want!”

“I want you! All I've ever wanted is you.”

“Then why are you trying to hurt me again?”

“Because it's easier that way.” His voice was soft now, and I could see the pain in his eyes, “You're with Brandon. Do you know what it's like watching you with him? Wanting you so bad, but knowing he's who you should be with?”

“But what if I want you?”

“Harper, don't.”

“I'm so in love with Brandon, but I can't help what I feel for you, and I know you know what I'm talking about. Whatever this is between us...it's been there since we met. It's like I can't get enough of you, but all you do is push me away. It's all you've ever done!”

“Because I'm not what you need Harper!”

I stepped closer towards him, “Then why did you kiss me Chase? You knew it would change everything, and it did. So tell me, why did you do it?”

He ran a hand through his hair and blew out a frustrated breath, “I needed to.” He closed the distance between us, “You're all I can think about and it drives me crazy! I would have given anything for that kiss, and I knew I wouldn't get that chance again, so I had to. I had to know if you felt something too.”

I threw out my hands in exasperation, “Was that not obvious? Is it not obvious that I'm in love with you?”

His mouth was on mine then and my surprised gasp turned into a moan. He wrapped my legs around his waist and pushed me into the wall, his lips moving fiercely against mine. “Say it again.” His breaths were coming hard and fast as he kissed me again.

“Chase,” I grasped his face so he would look at me, “I love you.”

A huge smile spread across his face before I pressed my lips to his, “God Harper I love you too, so much.” He growled against my mouth.

Chase walked us into his room and fell with me to the bed. I pulled the bottom of his shirt up, and realizing what I was doing he let go of me long enough to rip it off and throw it aside. Our mouths slammed back together and he shivered when I ran my fingertips over his chiseled chest and stomach. My shirt ended up on the ground next to his, and my entire body felt like it was on fire when he kissed a trail from my lips to the tattoo he gave me. Slow enough to make me think I'd lose my mind, he took off my pants and added them to the growing pile of clothes. He pressed his body into mine, but it still wasn't enough. I didn’t know if I could ever get close enough to him.

“I want you.”

He groaned into my neck and nipped my collarbone, “I don't have any condoms here Princess.”

“I don't care.”

“Don't say stuff like that,” He huffed a laugh, “I'm only so strong.”

I reached for the button on his pants and struggled to get it undone, “Please Chase, I don't want to wait any longer.” I whimpered when he stopped my hands. “I want you to be my first.”

He sat back and searched my face, “I can't.”

“You don't want me?” My eyes widened and my heart sunk. I hadn't been expecting this.

“Of course I do!”

“I don't – I don't understand.”

His face was completely unreadable as he just stared at me.

“It's because I'm a virgin.” It was a statement, of course he didn't want to be with me, he'd always made fun of me for it.

“Not in the way you're thinking. Trust me, I want to make you mine.”

I cupped his face in my hands, “Then please.” I whispered

“Princess,” his voice sounded pained, “you can’t want it to be me. With what I’ve done…I don’t deserve to be given something like that.”

“It’s yours. I’m tired of ignoring what I feel for you and denying myself of what I want.”

I watched as his chest rose and fell again and again, when I looked back up into his eyes minutes later, he finally spoke, “You’re sure Harper?”

“I want you. All of you.”

The sense of urgency was now gone, and we took our time getting to know each other intimately. Each kiss and touch was filled with so much passion, I didn't know how anything could ever be better than this moment in bed with him. When our bodies finally joined, I cried out in pleasured pain as Chase continued to slowly, and lovingly, make me his. I now understood why I'd never been ready with Brandon, I was always meant to do this with Chase. After we were done, we fell asleep wrapped up in each other’s arms.

I woke up with my head tucked into his neck and was already smiling widely, Chase loves me. Brandon's face flashed through my mind and I quickly pushed it back, I knew I would have to deal with this mess I've made, but I didn't want to think about it right now. I planted a light kiss to his throat and wiggled back some so I could look at his body and trace the tattoos I've wanted to inspect since the first night I met him. I was surprised that on his chest and the one arm I could see, he didn't have a ton of them. He had a half sleeve on the arm I was admiring, his other was now a full, but each tattoo was large enough that I could only count six separate ones. I bit back a laugh as I thought about the one that was just above where the top of his jeans sat. It said 'I'm Ron Burgundy?' Apparently he'd lost a bet while watching the movie, and that was the result. I was tracing more tattoos on his shoulder when his husky voice caught me.