“I was doin’ somethin’ fucked up, like lyin’ to my friends about you or puttin’ my life in jeopardy, I got caught out, I hope I’d have the balls to own it and take my licks.”
This fraking sucked because it was a really good answer.
I had no idea I scrunched my nose thus communicated this to Chace until his body started to shake under mine, his arms closed tight around me in order to slide me up and I focused on his face to see he was smiling.
When he got me face to face with him, he left one arm angled across my back, hand cupping one cheek of my bottom. But his other hand lifted and he tucked my hair behind my ear, his eyes watching before his hand cupped my jaw and his thumb stroked my cheekbone and lips.
When he started doing this, he asked gently, “Why’d you tell them I was with someone else?”
“Well, um… because, uh –”
“Faye.”
Frak.
“It was after that kiss at the Station that went bad,” I said quickly.
I saw his eyes flash with remorse but I powered through.
“They knew I’d been crushing on you for a while. The whole mission with finding out who killed Misty was about easing your pain and getting you to notice me. So, I had decided I was going to avoid you at all costs after that happened at the Station and that meant avoiding discussing you with them. So I lied and said you’d moved on. I didn’t share when things happened for us because I wanted to make sure it was real and good and might last before I blew up their pretty bubble. We’ve never met but we care about each other a whole lot so I didn’t want to blow up a bubble that would just as quickly burst.”
“This bubble isn’t gonna burst, baby,” he whispered and my body melted into his.
“I hope not,” I whispered back.
His eyes dropped to my mouth as his thumb slid over my lips and he muttered, “Best kiss I ever had.”
My head tipped to the side and his eyes came back to mine as I asked, “Pardon?”
“In the Station. Best kiss I ever had.”
I melted more into him and whispered, “Chace.”
“Fought the pull of you. Lost.”
Oh God. I liked that.
“Honey,” I breathed, my hand sliding up his chest to his neck.
“Was comin’ home from Deck’s, saw your lights on, late. Didn’t even think about it. Stopped and sat in my truck on the street lookin’ up at your apartment, wonderin’ what you were doin’ up so late. Five seconds later, there you were on the street, oblivious to everything. Told myself not to follow you. Followed you. Fuckin’ glad I did.”
“You knew where I lived?” I whispered.
“Knew where you lived. Knew where your parents lived. Knew what you drove. Knew where you worked. Knew what you ordered at the diner. Knew everything I could know about you.”
Oh my God!
That was huge.
My fingers dug into his neck and I kept whispering when I said, “Chace.” But I couldn’t think what else to say.
“Best thing I ever did, goin’ after you,” he whispered back. “Got my dance with you. Led to different kinda dances with you. Best thing I ever f**kin’ did.”
His words affected me so deeply, since I couldn’t hold it up anymore, I dropped my head and buried my face in his neck.
His hand at my jaw slid back into my hair and his head turned so his lips were at my ear.
“Love your hair, Faye,” he murmured.