Ride (11 page)

The cowboy’s eyes moved to Chase, who had noticed where his friend was looking too. “Um. We’ll talk later.”

Mustang nodded. “I think we probably should.” Then his eyes caught the glint on Chase’s hand and they flew open wider. “Yeah. We definitely need to talk.”

Chase laughed. “I know. I’ll call you.”

“You do that.” The cowboy tipped his hat to her. “Ma’am.” Then he was gone.

Chase pushed the button to open the elevator doors again, since they’d long since closed during the strange exchange between the two men.

She waited once more with bated breath for the elevator to arrive, hoping with all her might that it was empty and that the search for her had moved elsewhere. She glanced up at Chase’s profile. “You know, we can take these rings off so you don’t have to keep explaining them.”

“I know.” He looked down at her but made no move to take his off.

“You don’t want to?”

“Nope.” Chase shook his head decisively.

“Why not?”

“Because I kind of like how it feels on.” With a grin, he scooped the bags off the floor as the doors slid open again. Then waited for her to get in first.

“Oh, okay.” She considered that as she stepped inside.

Chase stepped in after her and then pushed the button for one of the parking levels. Good. They weren’t going through the casino. “That all right with you?”

“Uh. Yeah.”

He leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on her lips and her stomach gave another flutter.

“Good.”

Huh. This gave her entirely something else to consider.

“How long will it take us to get to your place?”

“It’s about a sixteen-hour drive, not counting any stops we make. I figure we’ll drive maybe ten hours today, find a hotel for the night, then knock out the rest tomorrow. We’ll be home in time for dinner with my family. My mama’s the best cook. I’ll call her and tell her you’re coming and to make something special.” He smiled at her.

A hotel for the night. A special dinner with his family. Leesa swallowed hard. “Okay.”

It was going to be interesting.

Chapter Nine

He had sixteen hours alone with her in the truck to convince her they should give getting to know each other better a try. Actually, that wasn’t exactly true. They also had tonight in the hotel room.

All alone, all night long. Sure they had been together in his room last night, but there was always the threat of Garret busting through the door with Skeeter and Aaron, not to mention Aaron’s brother in tow to disturb them.

All night alone in a hotel room with Leesa, and they were married. Legally married. Legally allowed to have sex. All night long. He remembered he had promised her he’d have his uncle take care of the divorce as soon as possible. He shot a sideways glance at her across the cab of the truck. Maybe he could convince his uncle to drag his feet for a little bit. Just long enough for Leesa to realize they should at least give dating each other a chance.

Chase was tired of being single. He wouldn’t mind trying the girlfriend thing out for a little while. Perhaps for a nice long while. He had a feeling he’d like it. Hell, being temporarily married wasn’t so bad at all. Being in a relationship—an adult one, not the kind he’d had in high school—had to be the same.

Except for now they were married and not just dating. He shot her a look again. Visions of waking up next to Leesa every morning filled his head instead of the view of the road in front of him. Her hair would be all messy, splayed across his chest and the pillow like it had been this morning.

Yeah, he could get used to that.

Just as he was fantasizing his cell phone rang. Glancing at the caller ID, Chase saw Garret’s name appear. He groaned softly.

“Who is it?”

“Garret.”

“Aren’t you going to answer it?”

“And tell him what?”

“I don’t know. That you wanted to hit the road early to get home and didn’t have time to hang around until he woke up.”

“I wrote that in the note. Besides, he’s going to want to talk about…stuff.”

“What kind of stuff?”

Chase pressed his lips together considering his options here and decided honesty was the best policy. “About you.”

“Me?”

“Yeah. Look, I know it’s wrong but guys talk about stuff. You know. Girls. He’s going to want to know if anything happened. Between you and me, I mean.” Chase hated telling her that. It made it sound like guys always discussed their conquests the next day. Unfortunately, in Garret’s case it was true. He could tell by the silence radiating loudly off her that she was unhappy with that revelation. “I didn’t tell him anything about the other night.”

“You didn’t?” Her voice held a good amount of doubt.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s none of his business for one. And because I…I don’t know. I didn’t want to.” It would have cheapened what had been a pretty nice moment. On top of that, Chase really did want to see her again, and if they had started dating, he didn’t need Garret and the rest of the guys knowing what had happened between them the night they’d met.

Chase nearly laughed. He definitely hadn’t figured they’d end up married. Now he really didn’t want the guys knowing what had gone on with him and his bride. And he didn’t need any shit from them about waking up married in Vegas. Nope, it was best to let ringing phones lie.

Meanwhile, Leesa was watching him with a strange expression. He frowned. “What?”

“Thank you for not telling them.” Her voice sounded soft and full of sincerity.

He tried to dismiss her gratitude with a casual shrug. “I’m not the type to kiss and tell, but you’re welcome.”

Chase glanced across the truck and was treated to a small smile from her, before she turned to stare out the side window at the passing scenery. His heart, and parts lower, tightened. Damn, he really, really hoped she didn’t ask him to book two rooms tonight. Sure, he would do it if she asked, but he truly hoped she didn’t.

“You know, I didn’t think you recognized me yesterday afternoon.” Leesa’s comment broke into a very nice fantasy about what married life would be like.

What she’d said finally registered with the part of his brain not occupied with thinking about sex. “Why wouldn’t I have recognized you?”

“You didn’t say that you did when I came up to your table.” She laughed. “And I wasn’t exactly dressed the same as the other night.”

He let out a laugh of his own. “No, you weren’t, but I knew who you were. Even with the hat, I’d recognize your face anywhere. Then when you talked to me, I knew for sure. I remembered your voice…”

Chase’s cock stirred at the memory of her outfit at the strip club. The way she had danced only for him on stage. Her voice in his ear when she’d told him to relax and enjoy it, then called him cowboy. He swallowed hard. If he didn’t stop this, his dick would be able to take the wheel and steer for him.

He glanced from the road to her face, which was turned toward him. Her cheeks pinked and her eyelids dropped for a second before she brought her gaze back up to meet his. Chances were she was remembering the same things he was. His hands guiding her hips. The way she shook in his arms when she came.

They sped by a sign along the side of the highway for a fast-food restaurant. Chase cleared his throat and wrestled his mind away from the fantasy of what it would be like to take her breast in his mouth and tease the nipple until it peaked. “Hungry?”

She nodded. “Yeah, I am. Can we go through the drive-through window instead of going inside?”

“Sure. You don’t need to stop for, uh, you know, anything?” How ridiculous was that? They’d been nearly naked together, he’d come in her hand, but he found himself getting embarrassed asking if she needed to use the bathroom.

Leesa shook her head. “No. Thanks.” She dropped her gaze again. They were both feeling that they were strangers. Married strangers. It was a very strange sensation.

He already knew the sex stuff was great between them. Hopefully by the end of this trip they’d be more comfortable with each other as far as the everyday normal stuff. Like boyfriends and girlfriends were with each other. Or husbands and wives.

Chase flipped on his blinker and slowed for the exit ramp. Tractor trailers lined the shoulder. He drove past them and followed the signs for the drive-through lane.

He stopped by the menu sign. “What’s your pleasure?” He knew what he’d like to be eating at the moment and it wasn’t on that big lit-up menu, but he tried not to think of that.

“Just a breakfast sandwich and a cup of coffee. Thanks.” She began digging in her bag. She finally emerged with a five-dollar bill and thrust it at him.

Chase frowned. “Don’t worry about it. I got it.”

“No, really. I want to pay my own way.”

This was not good. When a woman wouldn’t even let a man buy her a damn fast-food breakfast sandwich it meant she wasn’t interested. That she didn’t want to owe him anything.

He felt his hopes hit the ground as he shook his head and pushed her hand away.

“Really. It’s fine. You won’t owe me anything. I swear.” That had come out sounding a bit harsh. He pursed his lips and mustered up an apology. “Sorry.”

He moved the truck up to the window and ordered, then pulled to the second window to pay and wait for their order, avoiding eye contact with her the entire time.

After he handed her the bag full of food so he could roll up the window and pull away, she finally spoke. “I already owe you more than you know.”

He frowned. Pulling the truck into an open spot, he threw it into park and turned in his seat. Was she finally ready to explain all the strangeness he’d noticed with her? The nerves. The aversion to any place public. Always keeping one eye on the nearest exit like she might need to escape. “Why?”

She shrugged and shook her head at the same time, suddenly very busy arranging the food inside the bag in her lap.

“Here.” Leesa thrust a hash brown at him. He took it from her and laid it on the dashboard. Another hash brown and his own breakfast sandwich came his way. She put her coffee in the cup holder. “Thank you for breakfast.”

“You’re welcome.” He stifled a huff. She wasn’t talking. He could wait her out. He was a patient man, but he wasn’t going to put up with her paying her own way. He was a gentleman after all. If Leesa’s secret had anything to do with finances, she may need to hold on to any money she had. “Am I going to have to convince you to let me buy you lunch and dinner too?”

“Probably.” She kept her eyes down, focused on unwrapping her food.

Chase reached along the back of the seat and let his fingertips brush her shoulder. “Why?”

Leesa finally looked up at him, a small apologetic smile on her lips. “Because I’m stubborn.”

He cocked a brow in doubt. “That’s the only reason?”

She drew in a deep breath. “Chase, I’ve been on my own for a while now. I’m not used to anyone doing things for me.”

“Well, while you’re with me, you better get used to it.” Feeling moderately better, he waited for her response. This wasn’t like a girl who ordered chicken instead of lobster because she had no intention of putting out for her date after he paid for dinner. This was definitely something else. Leesa was into him, he was certain. It was whatever else was up with her that was getting in between them.

She finally nodded and mumbled, “Okay. I’ll try.”

“Good.” He turned back around in his seat and got busy devouring the meal.

Hopefully she’d allow them to actually sit down and get some decent food at one point during the trip. In any case, his mama’s food was going to be very welcome by the time they got home.

The miles and the hours passed, and so did other more personal milestones, such as the first time she touched his arm and asked quietly if they could stop at a rest area. One barrier crossed. Many more to go.

Sometimes they sat in silence and listened to the songs on the radio, until they drove out of range and static took over. Then he’d ask her to find them another station.

Other times they talked, but never about anything really serious. Like when she asked him to explain bull riding to her.

At first he wasn’t sure what she meant. What was to explain? You got on the bull. You tried not to get bucked off. Then once he got into it, he realized there was much more to explain, especially for someone who hadn’t been around it their entire life the way he had.

He explained the bull score and the rider score. What it meant to challenge the four judges’ decision and how much it cost a rider if their challenge was overturned. He told her the reasons a rider could get awarded a reride and also how he could be disqualified.

Before he knew it, it was long past time for lunch and closer to dinner. It was the fading light of day that first signaled him to that fact, followed closely by the grumbling of his stomach.

“Thank you.” He glanced at Leesa across the dim interior of the truck.

She frowned. “For what?”

“For keeping me company. This ride is pretty agonizing when I do it alone. You made the time fly by.” Chase was finding it hard to keep his mind on the road the nearer they got to stopping for the night.

“Good. I’m glad.” Leesa smiled at him. He loved when she smiled.

He grinned back and decided to use the situation to his advantage. Maybe he could get her to agree to let him get them some decent food for tonight. “So, as you can see, I owe you and I’m going to take you out to a nice dinner.”

She frowned again and started to shake her head.

Determined, Chase shook his right back at her. “Nope. I won’t take no for an answer this time.”

“I don’t have anything to wear for a nice dinner.”

He didn’t believe that excuse for a second. “I’m in jeans and cowboy boots.”

“Every male around here is in jeans and cowboy boots. It’s different for females. I’m in a sweatshirt and sneakers. Maybe we could get some really nice takeout and eat it in our hotel room instead?”

Chase wasn’t about to argue with that, especially since she’d said
our
hotel room instead of your room, or my room. Our room. He smiled. “Okay. Sounds good.”

Leesa looked happier. Chase definitely was happy. He began keeping is eye peeled for a town that would offer both a decent hotel and a restaurant with takeout.