A Love for all Ages (Crockett County Trilogy Book 1) (17 page)

Not sure if she was doing the right thing or not but figures
why not try, “Excuse me Nick.”
Nick shifts towards Stephanie,
having his attention Stephanie continues, “Would it be possible for
you to give Marty a ride back to town?
She had just gotten a
phone call from the hospital and needs to get back.” Eyeing Marty
she prays she gets what she is trying to do.

Quickly rising from her chair Marty agrees with Stephanie, “I
would appreciate if you could, I am parked at the Diner, but I hate to
ask Deputy Johnny to leave so soon since he haven’t been here very
long.
Can you take the time to help me?”
As Marty finishes
speaking she notices Johnny out of the corner of her eyes; he looks
furious.
Well good, he is a jerk and she doesn’t want to ride home
with him.
She will miss supper but figured she could grab a burger
at the diner.

Tipping an invisible hat Nick agrees to take Marty to the
diner.
Maybe he had it wrong, maybe Deputy Johnny is blind or
stupid and doesn’t see how beautiful Marty is.
Either way it didn’t
matter to him, he would play the knight in shining armor to her
damsel in distress.

Moving from the door, Johnny asks, “What were you going
to do if Nick hadn’t showed up?
Miss work?
Why the rush to
leave now?
The steaks are just about done.”
He sees Marty look
at Stephanie.
“I brought you here; if you really have to leave I can
take you back.”

Stephanie responds for Marty, “Well Johnny, she was going
to try to get coverage at the hospital since she didn’t want to ask
you to take her back.
Now she doesn’t have too, Nick has agreed
to take her to her car, problem solved.”
Smiling a big smile she
winks at Marty.

Chase stands back to watch the play Stephanie has
orchestrated.
He detects Johnny is confused and furious, while
Marty looks relieved.
And poor Nick is clueless he has just been
played by two of the most beautiful women in Kentucky.
Coughing
to cover his laughter, he tells Nick, “Thanks for bringing the lab
results. I appreciate it as I am sure Marty appreciates a ride to
town.
Also, I bet Johnny appreciates the timing of your arrival.”
Chase observes the situation knowing he has added to the plot;
Johnny is clinching his jaw, a sure sign he is mad enough to chew
nails.
Marty is less tense then when she arrived and Stephanie
looks like the cat that got the mouse.

As Chase follows Nick and Marty to the door, he half listens
to the two he left in the kitchen. Not hearing any voices from that
area, he bids the two goodbye then heads back to the kitchen.
So
much for the nice supper he had planned for Stephanie.
Shaking
his head Chase enters the kitchen to sees Johnny sitting on the chair
Marty had just vacated and Stephanie is getting the salad items out
of the refrigerator.

Stephanie glances at Chase when she hears him walk in.
“Are the steaks about ready?
I don’t know about you men but I
am hungry, the sandwich at lunch is gone.”
Smiling she looks over
at Johnny.

Sensing Stephanie looking at him Johnny raises his head,
“Yeah, they are done.
We put them on the heat tray; we were
coming in to check to see if you ladies were ready to eat.” Looking
at Chase, “I guess I am the third wheel.
Hope you don’t mind.”
Feeling sorry about his situation, Johnny sits at the table, deep in
thoughts of Marty.

Chase and Stephanie look at each other and smile, Chase
goes out to get the steaks while Stephanie starts setting the table.
Johnny doesn’t even look up when she moves his hand to put his
plate down.
When Chase comes back carrying the platter with the
food, Stephanie shrugs, “They smell great.
Hope everyone is
hungry.”
Sitting down she looks at Chase and motions for him to
do something for Johnny.
Mouthing this is her fault.
Chase
watches as her eyes widen then she shakes her head no.

Placing a steak on Johnny’s plate Chase clear his throat;
Johnny looks up, seeing them both staring at him, he resolves to
stop thinking about Marty being with Nick.
Just because he is
miserable doesn’t mean he has to ruin the meal his friend and his
lady have prepared.
Making himself smile, he thanks Stephanie as
she passes the salad bowl to him.

The meal is eaten mostly in silent.
Johnny tried to
contribute to their conversation.
He did ask a few questions about
Stephanie’s injuries.
And he listened when she explained her
healing process.
He couldn’t taste the food but they ate so he did
too.
He also knew they didn’t really understand why he was so
upset. He hadn’t told anyone his feelings for Marty. They had no
way of knowing he felt as if she had slapped him in his face when
she walked out the door with Nick.

Setting her fork down Stephanie leans her elbows on the
table. Chase sees the look of intent on her face; he also lays his
fork down then leaning back in his chair he waits.
He smiles when
she doesn’t make him wait long.
Shifting in her chair Stephanie
turns to Johnny, “Why are you so upset about Marty accepting a
ride back to town with Nick?”
She tries for a look of innocence as
she stares at Johnny.

Not sure how to answer Johnny remains silence for a few
minutes gathering his thoughts, pushing up out of the chair he
paces, “I have been in love with Marty since she was 16 years old.
I just get frustrated that I can’t be with her.
I have been ignoring
her for years, while at the same time I keep tabs on what she is
doing.”
Stopping abruptly he stops to face them, “I know I am not
making sense.”

Standing up Stephanie asks, “Then why not just asks her out
on a date?
It seems simple to me.
Unless you keep acting like an
ass around her then she will tell you to go jump off a bridge.”

Shifting his eyes to Chase he sees him nod in agreement with
Stephanie.
Johnny hates to say this in front of Chase but knows he
has to convince them he was wasting his time.
“I can’t ask Margret
Faye out on a date.”
Spreading his hand in front of himself he
continues as both Chase and Stephanie stare giving him their full
attention.
“Marty is from a wealthy family, you know the kind, old
money.
She grew up having the best of everything.”
Standing
up straight Johnny looks at Chase, “I mean no disrespect to your
parents; you know I love them both.
But I grew up in foster care.
I had what I needed; I worked for what I wanted.
I was left at a
rest stop off the interstate when I was 2 years old.
I don’t
remember my parents, wouldn’t know them if I arrested them
tomorrow.”
Stopping to take a breath, he looks at Chase, he does
not see judgment and glancing at Stephanie he sees sympathy.

Johnny figures he may as well finish, “I am not good enough
for Marty. Even if she did agree to go out with me, what would we
talk about?
She has traveled, I haven’t been any further then
Tennessee.
She has been to college; I went to technical school
then the police academy.
She can trace her roots back to the Civil
War.
I don’t know any information about who my parents were.
I know since being an officer of the law, I could check, I just always
figured they left me on the side of the road like trash I was better off
without them.” Stopping he waits for them to agree he needs to
just leave Marty alone.

Neither speak, they just stare at him.
Not sure what they
are thinking, he shifts from foot to foot.
Taking pity on him, Chase
stands up and stretches his shoulders, he starts picking up their
dishes as he begins his lecture, “I always liked you, Johnny.
I don’t
know if it’s the fact we basically grew up together or if it’s your
character.
But let me tell you, tonight I was disappointed in you.
This is a first.
You have always treated people respectfully.
You
have been an upstanding citizen.
You are a helpful, generous,
caring individual.
But tonight you allowed a beautiful, intelligent
woman to walk out the door with another man.
All because you
have a stupid notion you are not good enough for her.
So you
think Nick is good enough for her?
Because if you do, then you
need to stop pouting like a baby that has had his favorite toy taken
away.
Either you decide to try to win Marty heart or you leave her
alone.
But no matter what you decide you had better treat her
respectfully. I will not tolerate anyone not treating a lady like a
lady.”
Finished with clearing the table he looks at Johnny.

Never having a family of his own, Johnny has always claimed
Chase as his brother and Carrie and Chase Senior as his parents,
Johnny had been the brunt of many lectures from their parents, but
this is the first from Chase.
Feeling he deserved this one, he closes
the gap between them, putting his hand out, he waits for Chase to
accept his jester.
him a quick hug.
everything, he then tells Stephanie good night.
He walks out the
door and gets in his car, as he drives to town he makes the decision
to send Marty a single rose tomorrow when a note of apology.
Instead of a hand shake, Chase grabs and gives
Stepping back Johnny tells Chase thanks for

As the door closes behind Johnny, Stephanie looks at Chase,
“Wow.
That was an eventful evening.”
She walks over to lean
her forehead on his chest.
Chase wraps his arms around her,
rubbing her back in small circular pattern.
“I hope I didn’t make it
worse for them.
It’s just she was so upset and then Nick showed
up, I started thinking, and bam, I acted on it.”

Continuing rubbing her back he bends down and kisses the
top of her head.
“Stephanie, let it go, you helped a friend tonight.
Sometimes while helping one, you upset another.
I think we both
need to try to relax and unwind.” Remembering the lab results
he decides not to mention it now, it can wait until morning.
He
will review it, than tell her.
He suggests, “Why don’t we go to the
living room and watch some television?”

Moving his hands to her shoulders Chase leans Stephanie
back just a little; when she looks up at him he kisses her.
As she
responds he deepens the kiss, sliding his tongue inside her mouth
making her moan.
That is all the encouragement he needs, Chase
sweeps her up in his arms, Stephanie laughs when he breaks their
kiss and she realizes he is carrying her to the bedroom.

Setting her on her feet beside the bed, he places his hands
on the sides of her head and kisses her soft lips, she responds with
passion.
As he slides his tongue between her lips he intensifies
their kiss, the sensation has him moaning deep in his throat.

Stephanie pushes her hands under his shirt; sliding her hands
along his chest she feels his muscles tense.
She pulls back breaking
the kiss as she starts pulling his shirt up, he finishes removing it then
throws it down.
Chase grabs the hem of her tank top lifting it up
and over her head, sliding the straps down her arms.
He stands
looking at her as his hands move to the zipper for her shorts,
patiently she watches as he fingers fumble.

Laughing Stephanie slaps at his hands then continues where
his hands stopped.
Seeing her undressing for him, his desire
grows.
Slowly she removes her shorts, standing before him in just
her bra and panties.
She watches as he removes his jeans, leaving
his boxer shorts on.

Sitting on the side of the bed, he pulls her closer; she stands
between his legs, her hands resting lightly on his shoulders.
The
white lace covering her breast is see-through, allowing him to see
her nipples erect with desire.
He cups both with his hands,
squeezing gently.
Her nails dig into his shoulders driving him on,
he pushes the bra down under her breasts allowing his eyes to drink
in the sight of her naked mounds.
Chase bring his hands back to
cups them as he guides her closer.
He licks first one nipple then
the other one; she lets her head fall backwards as he pulls one
nipple deep in his mouth, sucking it into a hard bud.
When he
moves to other breast he repeats the same technique.

She moans as she feels herself getting wet at the junction
between her legs.
The sensation of him sucking her nipples is
going all the way down her belly to her womanhood.
As he moves
back and forth between her nipples, he reaches behind her and
unhooks her bra, she moves her arms allowing him to slide it off.
Her bra lands on the floor by her shorts.
Stephanie places her
hands back on his shoulders to keep from sliding to the floor in a
puddle.

Chase loves the way she trembles in his hands.
Taking a
break from her breasts he begins kissing her stomach, Stephanie
giggles when he tickles her, lifting his head he smiles up at her.
Hooking his fingers under the elastic band to her panties he pulls
them down, letting them pool at her feet.
She moves her feet
kicking them out of her way.
With her now completely naked he
moves her back to get a better view; his eyes devour her beautiful
body.

With his hands itching to touch her everywhere, Chase
continues to gaze at her perky breasts with her nipples still erect, at
her flat stomach, he eyes drop lower he smiles looking at the short
curls covering the secrets of her desire.
Taking Stephanie’s hands
in his he pulls her closer, rising to stand he kisses her tenderly on
her lips.
Shifting slowly Chase turns positioning Stephanie at the
edge of the bed, guiding her to sit, he gently presses her backwards
until she is lying on the bed.

Leaning over Chase takes Stephanie’s hands in his holding
them above her head.
Chase sucks one nipple lightly biting the
bud, hearing her moan he proceeds to the other nipple, and rolls it
with his tongue.
Feeling her hips raise in reaction, he sucks harder
taking the taut bud deep inside as he suckles.
Releasing her hands,
Chase moves to kneel between her legs, spreading them wide he
places her feet on the edge of mattress, he takes a few seconds to
just look at Stephanie.
The curls at her junction have been
trimmed short, smiling he licks the center of her womanhood
tasting her juices.