Chase (7 page)

Chapter Nine

Chase and I were sitting on the deck. I was drinking a margarita and painting my toe nails a bright fire engine red, and Chase was sipping on a beer and making calls, on and off, to work.

“You could actually just go into work you know. Like everyone else has to...” I teased.

“I could, but then I wouldn’t be sitting here enjoying the view, would I?” He gestures towards my short white summer dress.

I stick my tongue out at him. He narrows his eyes at me. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep, baby.”

I slowly stick my tongue out once again, but this time I lick my lower lip. Chase slams his drink down and looks like he’s about to pounce on me, when his phone rings He glances and it and then growls.

“Fuck, I gotta take this. Don’t move a muscle babe,” he orders, getting up and heading into the house.

After about ten minutes, he walks back out, looking playful as ever. He picks me up and swings me around.

“Let’s go to the beach beautiful. I think seeing you in a bikini would make my day.” He kisses me on the temple and I hurry inside to get changed.

I pick my red string bikini; it’s my favorite because it compliments my olive skin tone. I put a dress over it, and pack my necessities. It takes us thirty minutes to get there. The beach is completely packed out, and we sit towards the back, away from too much of the commotion. I flop my bag down and take off my dress. The heat in Chase’s eyes makes me feel so sexy, so wanted. He rubs sunscreen all over me from head to toe. He looks amazing only wearing his board shorts. I can see a lot off female eyes on him.

“Chase, I think you should put your shirt on before you become a tourist attraction.” I tease.

He chuckles, and starts tickling me. “Look who’s talking, if I had my say you would be completely covered. Not even a little bit of your skin showing.” I laugh.

We are lost in our own world when we hear a “Umm.. Hi, Mr. Jackson.”

Chase and I both glance up to see three women standing there staring at him. One is twirling her hair with her finger, one biting her lip and the other is blatantly sticking her chest out. I groan. Some women. Chase smiles politely, but not very warmly.

“Ladies..” he nods his head at them, then turns back to me, ignoring them completely, until the hair twiddler steps forward. She has long bleached blonde hair and blue eyes, and her pink bikini leaves nothing to the imagination.

“We haven’t seen you at work for some time Sir, that is, we were wondering..”

I gasp out loud when she says she works with him, or for him I assume.

Chase hears it and he tries his best to get rid of these women ASAP. “Ladies I’m sorry but I’m here with my woman.. so...” he says in a toneless voice.

“Of course Mr. Jackson, perhaps when you and she are done, you can give me a call?” she purrs.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me.” This came from Chase. My thoughts exactly, but vocalized by him.

The girls stare at each other, now unsure. “It’s just that, we heard, that like..” This is from the one biting her lip. Short sleek brown hair, brown eyes, extremely tan and freckled, she was wearing a white one piece swimsuit that was only made a one piece by the thin chain attaching the top to the bottom.

Chase pulls down his sun glasses, so they can see the animosity in his eyes. “What part about I’m sitting here with my fucking woman do you not understand? I’m taken. This woman here,” he gestures to me, “she owns me. So.. I’m.not.fucking.interested,” he bites out. They flinch back, before hastily mumbling goodbye. He glances at me and sighs, obviously expecting an interrogation. Which he gets.

“They work for you?” I say this slowly.

“Well, I suppose they do. I don’t personally know all my employees.” He says defensively.

“Are you sure about that?” I mutter, more to myself, but he hears it anyway.

“Layla, let’s just enjoy our day okay. No arguing.”

“Fine.” I say rudely. I’m still in shock over the ‘she owns me’ comment he made. Wow, that is some heavy stuff right there.

Chase smirks and says, “I’m pretty sure those are fighting words baby.”

I roll my eyes and purse my lips to stop myself from smiling.

Chapter Ten

Before I know it my classes start and Chase and I develop a routine. He drops me off at classes most days, if his work schedule is flexible, and then he will pick me up and take me out for dinner, a movie or we will stay in and I’ll cook for everyone. A lot of the times Chase will deal with his business on the phone so he doesn’t have to go in at all. Must be good to be king. We are all sitting around the table having a few drinks, the guys’ playing cards, the four of us laughing and carrying on. I’m sitting on Chase’s lap, while he slams his cards on the table, winning his third hand in a row.

“I’m pretty sure Layla is your good luck charm. Let her come sit on my lap so I can prove my theory.” This is coming from Kade, who is sitting there wearing jeans and a tight white V neck top, his hair loose around his face. His eyes are alight with mischief.

“Seedy much?” I banter with Kade.

Chase glances at him and scoffs. “Nice try, bro. But you are welcome to bring your own good luck charm next game.”

A smile traces Kade’s lips. “Too many choices, how do I know which one will bring me luck? Maybe I’ll bring a couple of hot girls next time, and have a different one sit on my lap for each game.”

Chase looks into my eyes when he says, “Oh trust me, you will know.”

James laughs, “Oh, how the mighty have fallen!”

Chase simply grins and nuzzles my nape, placing a few chaste kisses there. My phone rings, and I sigh as I see it’s my mother calling. “I better take this.” I get up to move off his lap but he holds me there, not letting me go.

“Chase let me up.”

“No,” he says as he wraps his arms tighter around me.

I sigh. Guess I’m taking this call in front of all of them.

“Hi mama.”

In a slightly accented voice, my mother replies. “Layla, are you too busy to call your own mother these days?”

“No I..”

She cuts me off before I can continue. “I have your sister on the other side of the world, and you, not even keeping in touch. How’s school? You better be studying Layla, and not partying with these men you live with.”

“Of course I’m...”

“We miss you. Will you come home soon, or shall we come there? I don’t mind coming there to see these men you are living with. I still don’t like it Layla, it’s not very proper.”

“I’ll come as soon as I get holidays from school.” I finally get a sentence in, and I avoid her last comment.

Chase is massaging my back seriously messing with my concentration.

“Okay mama I’m studying right now, tell dad I love him.”

“Okay Layla. I hope you are eating healthy!”

“I am I prom....” I can feel Chase’s body shaking silently.

“Good darling, you know you need to watch that figure..”

Someone kill me.

“Bye mama.”

“Bye sweetheart, remember that you don’t have to drink alcohol to fit in.”

I hang up and groan. And that would be why I moved away from home. I glance up to see everyone’s eyes on mine, then they all burst out laughing.

“It is not funny!”

“It is, you barely got two words in.” Chase chuckles.

“Yeah, I was too busy being lectured!”

James walks past and musses my hair. “I hope you aren’t drinking to fit in Layla.” They all chuckle and my face goes red. Great of course they heard that. “You’re mother sounds fun; I can’t wait to meet her.” Oh great, that is just what I need.

“Where is your mother? I’m sure I’d love to listen to a few stories about you guys.”

Chase grins, “She’s overseas right now. She travels a lot; when she gets back you can meet her. I’m her favorite, you know.” He looks smug.

Kade scoffs. “Bull shit. I am her favorite!”

James groans, “I didn’t wanna mention it, but she told me I was!”

I burst out laughing, while the three of them continue arguing. I’m pretty sure their mother is playing all of them.

******

Later that night I’m in bed snuggling with Chase, watching Game of Thrones.

“If you keep staring at him like that, I’m going to ban you from watching this!” He grumbles.

“As if you could!” I tease.

“Come on Layla, you are practically drooling! Right in front of me!” he complains.

By now, I’m trying to contain my laughter.

“If I ever see this Jason Momoa, I’m going to kick his ass!” He’s practically pouting.

“You want to take on Conan the Barbarian? Really?” I tease.

“I think it would be a fair fight,” he flexes his biceps, showing off.

I stick my face into the pillow laughing. When I come up for air I assure him, “Don’t worry Chase you’re my number one man. Is your ego better now?”

The corner of his lip twitches and I ache to kiss it. His eyes darken as he takes me in staring at his lips.

“Chase,” I rasp.

“Yes, baby.”

“Kiss me.”

He does, and it’s perfect.

******

I wake up in the middle of the night, to find the bed empty. I check my phone and it says two am, I walk into the kitchen, where I can hear someone ravaging through the food cupboards. It’s Chase, only wearing a pair of superman boxer shorts.

“Miserable fucking bastards..” he’s muttering to himself.

He bangs closed one cupboard and opens another.

“Chase? What are you doing?” I ask softly.

He turns around and gives me a lopsided smile when he sees me.

“Sorry baby, did I wake you?” he asks in a tender voice.

“I woke up and you weren’t in bed.”

“Sorry, I had a craving. Except I can’t find them! And I’m going to kill one of my brothers, I’m guessing Kade!” he growls.

“What exactly are you looking for?”

He looks sheepish. “My stash of Twix bars.”

I blink. “You’re looking for Twix chocolate bars at two in the morning?”

He huffs, “Yeah well, everyone has their vices.”

I snorted a laugh. “Honey, come to bed. I’ll buy you a shit load tomorrow.”

“It’s the principle! They know not to touch my stash!”

Okay this is getting ridiculous.

“Chase! Bed now,” I hiss.

“Fine.” He sulks.

“I know it’s not a Twix, but I do have a Snickers bar in my handbag, if you are interested.”

He perks up. “Really?”

I giggle. “Come on.” I open my giant handbag and search for the chocolate bar. Chase is watching me eagerly, drumming his fingers impatiently. I purposely take my time finding it, laughing to myself as I finally pull it out from the bottom and hand it to him. He almost snatches it off me, and gives me a huge smile.

“You are the fucking best, Layla! I knew I loved that huge handbag filled with crap.”

He eats the chocolate bar with relish, brushes his teeth then comes back to bed.

“Night baby.” He kisses my neck.

“Night Chase,” I mumble back.

Chapter Eleven

Two weeks later

It’s my day off and I’ve decided to do some volunteer work at the animal shelter. I’m a huge animal lover, and want to help out in any way I can. I’m about to leave the house when all three guys come out of the kitchen and ask me where I’m going.

“Going to the animal shelter to volunteer for a bit.” I say. All three guys stare, surprised.

“You’re so cute Laylay,” Kade says smirking.

“Hey, you’re breaking the rules using that name!” I say, annoyed. I really hate that stupid nickname.

“It was a slip! My bad,” Kade says, completely unapologetic.

“It’s your day off and you are going to the shelter? I thought we could go out for a movie or something,” Chase sulks.