The Billionaire Athlete’s Christmas Fling - Leslie North Page 0,54
Jonas and demanded he give you your job back and give you the promotion. I made it pretty clear to my brother that if he didn’t reinstate you, I was leaving with you.”
His words hit Tana like the world’s most exciting snowballs. She hadn’t checked her voicemails, not wanting to face the inevitable message that they were letting her go before she got the jump on the situation and resigned. It was a matter of pride. But this, this was a miracle.
Chase wanted to leave with her more than he wanted to stay here without her. Her heart broke open, spilling hope all over her insides in a warm wave.
“And,” Chase continued, “I guess I should say that...it’s okay if you’re done with this place. But I hope you’ll at least consider the offer.”
Tana stepped closer to him. The longer he stood in her house, the harder he was to resist. Don’t just melt into his arms, Tana. Be honest with him. “I was really hurt when you ran out before that meeting. That was one of the most humiliating moments of my life, and you just...you walked away.” There. It was out in the open, and not during a shouting match. “And... I’ll be honest because that’s kind of my thing. The pain hasn’t faded. I can still feel it…” she tapped her chest, “in here. But the fact that you did what you did to clear my name, that means something.” Tears welled up in her eyes. Don’t cry. Don’t do it. She swallowed back a relieved sob.
“Oh, Tana—” He took a step closer.
“Wait, I’m not done yet.” She didn’t stop Chase when he put his arms around her. “I realized after the fact that you were in a really awkward position with your family. I should have taken that into account. You were probably just as blindsided as I was.” Another deep breath, this one for courage. “The reason I never mentioned the articles and all those other things is because I never wanted to think about it, or him, ever again. That part of my life doesn’t even seem like it belongs to me. I was another person back then, and that person’s never coming back.”
“What about this, Tana?” Chase took in all the boxes in the living room. “I don’t want you to leave.”
“Oh, God.” Tana leaned her head forward until it rested on Chase’s chest and let out a laugh that carried an incredible tension with it. “I’ve never been so lonely in my life. I miss you. I....love you.”
She felt his shock through the palms of her hands, and then Chase reached to cup her face, tilting it up toward his. “Say that again,” Chase murmured.
“I love you.” One errant tear fell onto her cheek. “And Lindsey loves you. We both miss you like crazy. She wants to come back here and do her ski lessons. She never wanted to leave.” She laughed, but it made her cry to think about it. “Linds kept trying to get me to make up with you just so she didn’t have to go away. This place is home to us.”
“Thank goodness.” Chase leaned down and kissed her, his lips soft and manly, confident and sensual. They fit.
Her arms went around his neck like they were made to do it, and his arms pulled her in close. The heat between them grew until Tana was panting, desperate to be free of her clothes. But the conversation wasn’t over yet. If she tumbled into bed with Chase before they were finished talking, she knew she’d let it be—water under the bridge, something out of the past. And she couldn’t be that woman anymore. He had to know what she wanted.
“Chase,” she said.
He paused, resting his lips against her neck.
“I want to stay at the lodge.”
“I kind of gathered that,” he joked.
“I know you want to leave.”
He pulled back, his expression sobering.
“I know you have that job offer in LA, and maybe you still want to take that.” Tana wasn’t going to hold him back from doing what he loved. If they had to be apart, so be it—she’d wait for him. Or go with him. They’d figure it all out. “Again, I want to stay here, but if you want to leave, there’s room in my car for one more, though you’ll have to put up with Frozen playing on repeat on the iPad.”
“What about this?” He kissed her neck, working his way up to her earlobe. “What