up and paced the large living room, needing to put as much space between him and the thoughts that threatened to destroy him as he could. He told himself that Sloane was fine, that she was safe until even that wasn’t enough and he found himself heading toward the balcony, needing to make sure that she was okay while thoughts of all the ways that he could lose her had him moving faster.
When he finally managed to slide the balcony door open and saw her standing there with her back to him, safe and whole, he released a shaky breath. She was fine and he was fucking pathetic, Chase told himself as he ran his eyes over her, needing to make sure that she was okay, only…even that wasn’t enough.
Before he knew what he was doing, he stepped onto the balcony. She was so beautiful, he thought, watching her as she turned around. When she saw him standing there that same heartbreaking expression that he saw downstairs flashed across her beautiful face before she managed to pull it back, nearly fucking breaking him in the process.
This was just about sex, Chase told himself, needing the reminder as he reached for her. That’s all he wanted, all he needed from her, he told himself as he pulled her into his arms. Before he had a chance to finish wrapping his arms around her, she was sliding her hand over the back of his neck and pulling him down for a kiss that bordered on desperation, matching his need for her.
He couldn’t seem to pull her close enough, and god, did he fucking need that right now. He needed her, needed Sloane in a way that actually terrified him. His hands fisted in her dress as he used his hold to bring her closer. She always felt so fucking good in his arms, Chase thought as he pulled her back toward the suite, determined to spend the rest of the night in that large bed, working this hold that she seemed to have over him out of his system.
Chapter 39
This was a mistake.
She should have left as soon as he fell asleep, but she hadn’t been able to force herself to go. She’d come up with a hundred different excuses, but the problem was that she wasn’t ready to say goodbye. Not yet. She wanted a few more hours with Chase before she forced herself to let him go, and then…
Sloane didn’t want to think about what came next.
She should just leave the letter that she’d spent the last three hours struggling to write on his pillow, get dressed, call a cab and head back to his house so that she could grab her stuff and leave before she had a chance to talk herself out of this. Not that it would take much, Sloane thought, sighing heavily as she sat there with her arms wrapped around her knees while she watched Chase sleep.
She’d never wanted anything more than she wanted him, but…
He didn’t want her.
The funny thing was that Sloane knew that he would do the right thing if she told him everything, but she didn’t want him that way. So, she was going to force herself to do the right thing and leave before she did something stupid like beg him for something that he couldn’t give her.
Right now, she was going to focus on getting through this one step at a time. Once she said goodbye, then she would worry about all those other things that she’d been trying not to think about, but for right now…
Sloane climbed out of the chair and quietly made her way to the bed. Keeping her eyes on Chase, she slowly exhaled as she placed the letter on the nightstand. He was so handsome, Sloane thought as she reached over and ran her fingertips lightly over his scar and along his jaw before dropping her hand away.
For a moment, she stood there, watching him before she found herself reaching for the hem of the shirt that she’d borrowed from him and pulled it off, dropping it on the floor. Needing to touch him one last time before she forced herself to walk away, Sloane pulled the covers back and climbed onto the bed. Before she finished straddling his lap, he was reaching for her with a sleepily murmured, “Everything okay, Pookie?”
“Everything’s fine,” Sloane whispered as she leaned down and brushed her lips against his.
He returned the simple gesture with a small groan as