The Choice (7 page)

“Are you sure this is what you want to do, Jack?” I ask.

We’ve been standing outside the recruitment office for the last ten minutes. He was ready to go in immediately, but my feet have refused to move.

“I’m sure it’s what I need to do,” he answers, his eyes full of regret. “I never want to leave you, but I know what I have to do to give you the life you deserve.”

“Jack,” I start. “I don’t want you to go at all! Please don’t do this for me, Baby.”

“It’s not just for you,” he admits. “It’s what’s best for everyone, Soph. You, Ana, JT, our kids…”

“You’ve never mentioned what’s best for you, Jack.”

“If you’re all taken care of, I’m good, Baby,” he whispers, kissing my hair and taking my hand. “Come on, let’s go in.”

“Baby, your phone is trippin’!” Chase says in a grumpy, sleep filled voice from beside me.

“What?” I
mumble from beneath the comforter I’d pulled over my head at some point during the night.

“Your phone
is ringing, Baby,” he says again, this time more awake, but no less agitated by the noisy intrusion.

“Break it,” I grumble, pulling the pillow over my head to drown out the unwelcome noise.

Chase chuckles as he reaches over me and grabs my cell off of the table on my side of the bed, looking at the screen.

“It’s Ana,” he says handing me the phone as he presses the answer button.

“What time is it?” I say into the phone.

“Seven thirty, why are you still asleep?” Ana answers me, clearly already on her third cup of coffee.

“Because I’m normal, what do you want?” I groan across the line. Chase chuckles again and gets up to walk into the bathroom.

“Well
, good morning to you, too, Sunshine. Did you talk to Chase yet?” Ana asks.

“No, not yet,” I confess as I
sit up on my elbow and start to rub my eyes awake. “If you recall, we were sleeping.”

“Well
, when are you going to? I need to call the lady at the apartments and let her know if you’re moving out, too or if you need a new rental agreement.”

I can tell she’s irritated that I haven’t discussed things with Chase yet
, but it’s early,
too early
. I fall back on my pillows in frustration as I answer her.

“I don’t know, Ana. I’ll talk to him about it today.”

“Cool! I’ll call you back in thirty minutes,” she says with a snicker.

“
Thirty minutes? Ana!” I yell into the phone, but she’s already gone. “Ugh!” I yell at my phone as I toss it back onto the bed and angrily kick the covers off of me. I’m halfway across the room when I look up and see Chase leaning against the frame of the bathroom door with an amused smirk spreading across his face. Even a little banged up he looks utterly delicious in his fitted black boxer briefs.

“Good morning, Baby,” he says in his husky, post sleep voice as he catches my arm and leans down to give me a chaste kiss on the lips. “Go do your thing. I’ll get the coffee going.”

“Thanks,” I yawn and give him a small smile, a little embarrassed that he saw my childish outburst.

Stopping in the living room to place my phone onto the coffee table, I make my way into the kitchen to find
my two favorite things: Chase and coffee. I find him reaching into a cabinet for the powdered version of the flavored creamer I like and stop dead in my tracks at the sight in front of me. The muscles in his abs flex and flow so perfectly that I’m at a loss for words or even thoughts. Seeming to sense my eyes on him, he looks over his ink clad shoulder and smirks down at me.

“Enjoying the show, Baby?” h
e teases, but I can’t answer yet so instead, I just nod. Seeing my struggle, he takes a step over to me and pauses in front of me. Taking in the small tank top and boy shorts I threw on, his eyes dance over my body, shooting tingles through me. “You’re not looking too bad yourself,” he whispers and I feel the heat filling my cheeks. “What do you need to talk to me about?”

Taking the final step that separates us, Chase leans down and gives me a slow kiss on the lips, pulling my body as close as he can with his uninjured hand on my lower back.

“Ana’s moving in with Drake. She wanted to know if I was keeping the apartment,” I manage as his strong hand slips beneath the back of my panties, clutching my ass.

“What do you want to do, Baby?” Chase murmurs against
my lips before pressing his against them. He controls the kiss, directing us to the living room and stopping when the arm of the couch hits the bottom of my waist.

“I don’t know,” I say softly, lost
in a sensual haze.

“You know what you want, Sophie,” he starts as his possessive gaze meets mine.
“Take it.”

Plunging his tongue into my mouth harder this time, his hand mov
es up to my hair and roughly winds the strands into his hand. He flattens his tongue against my skin, running it from my shoulder up the side of my neck and I can’t stop the deep moan that escapes my mouth. He grips onto the fabric of my panties and begins to tug, sending waves of excitement straight to my core.

“Don’t rip these, I like them,” I manage and his dark chuckle vibrates against my earlobe.

“You better get them off quick then, Baby because I’m not stopping.”

Shimmying out of them as fast as I can, I let them f
all to the ground just in time for him to spin me around and bend me over the tall arm of the couch. My hips are now in line with his and he wastes no time in freeing himself, plunging into my already wet opening.  

“
Ah!” I scream into the cushion as he begins driving into me from behind.

“Fuck, Sophie! Your pussy feels so good, Baby!” he calls out as he squeezes onto my hip and starts pounding into me harder.

“Oh my God!” I pant against the rough fabric. He moves his hand from my hip and begins lightly running his fingertips over my spine. In the next minute, his hand is coming down sharply against my ass. He gently runs his fingers over the sting, soothing it for a moment before another sharp smack sends waves of pleasure through me. My insides are clenching against him in minutes, squeezing his cock as he continues his ministrations.

“
Aaah Sophie…” he groans. “I love it when you let me take you rough, Princess.”

“You feel so good inside me, Chase,” I whimper as I struggle to maintain my hold on my sanity. I squeeze him from the inside and he lets out a loud growl of approval, sending my body into frenzy. 

“Are you ready, Baby?”

“Yes!”

“Give me your come, Sophie. Go Baby,” he commands and with another sharp smack across my ass cheek, I’m sailing. He doesn’t slow. In fact, he only pushes harder as he feels the effects he’s had on my body. As I come down, he hums low behind me.

“
Hmm… You’re fucking dripping, Sweetheart,” he hisses in pleasure as he reaches around my waist and begins spreading my lips open, pushing himself deeper inside. “Tell me what you want, Princess.”

“You… more…
Please Chase!” I beg, knowing another orgasm is already rapidly approaching at his touch.

“You want to go again?” he teases as he bends over me, running his tongue over my spine and begins massaging my swollen clit and sending me into orbit.

“Yes!” I shout.

“You have such a greedy little cunt
this morning, Baby,” he growls and bites down onto my skin. As usual, his words are my undoing and I’m spiraling again.

“
Harder, Chase!” I cry out loudly, clenching my walls around his length as he stretches me, filling me over and over again.

“
Take what you want, Sophie,” he grounds out as he throbs inside me. He’s nearly there, too and the realization that I’m returning the pleasure he’s giving me is the last thing I need before I’m screaming out again in ecstasy.

Returning to a stand
behind me, he returns his grip to my side and swivels his hips quickly, grinding into me a few more times before hitting his climax.

“Who
se is it, Sophie? Who do you belong to?” Chase hisses.

“
Yours, Chase. I’m yours!”

“Yes!” he answers as he fills me, thrusting a few final times before
his hips still behind me. Both of us are panting wildly and unwilling to move.

For a moment, the only sound is our ragged breaths steadying. Chase remains in place, resting inside me as he runs his strong hand over my skin affectionately
. I can’t help the sigh of contentment that leaves my chest.

“What are you going to tell Ana?” he asks finally and I shrug.

“What do you think I should tell her?”

“You know what I want, Sophie. You just have to decide if what you want is the same or not,” he says softly.
“Nothing will change between us no matter what you tell her, so just choose whatever feels right to you, Sweetheart.”

“I love you,” I whisper quietly through heavy breaths after a moment and he tenderly squeezes my hip.

“I love you, too, Baby,” he says, continuing his soft massage over my ass as I let out a whimper and allow my eyes to close and my thoughts to wander.

This, his voice, his body and his touch surrounding me,
filling me; is that what I want? I know it is, but am I ready to move in with him after what we’ve just been through?

My phone rings and I reach over to grab it from the table
as he gently slides out of me, leaving me with an empty feeling to the depths of my soul. Without hesitation, I hit the answer button and put the phone to my ear.

“Ana?” I answer softly
, standing slowly.

“Hell
o?” Ana says into the line. Although I feel his blue eyes on me, I don’t meet their gaze.

“
Hey,” I whisper back. My voice is shaking with nervousness, but I couldn’t be more sure that the choice I’m about to make is the right one.

No matter what
anyone says, my next words are going to change
everything
.

“So did you talk to him?” Ana asks me and I dumbly nod as though she can see me.
Standing up, I meet Chase’s gaze briefly for a moment as I sit on the couch facing the wall in front of me.

“Yeah, we talked,” I tell her as
Chase moves away to pull his boxer briefs back on.

“So
, what should I tell them at the rental office?”

I ca
n’t see him anymore, but I feel him behind me as he places his large hand on my shoulder supportively.

He’s a good man and I’ve already nearly lost him once. Losing him completely isn’t something I’m ready to face, not now.

Not ever.

But le
aving my life with Ana behind? That was the same as finally leaving my life with Jack behind. Am I ready for that? I don’t know.

So how do I make this choice?

I do what feels right.

I jump off the high board.

“I’m moving in with Chase,” I say quietly and I hear his breathing hitch as he gently digs his fingers into my skin. “You can let the rental office know I’ll have my things out by the end of the week.”

***

“Yes, I’m sure,”
Sophie says into her phone calmly. “I promise, Ana,” she says, her soft voice wavering for the first time since she started her phone call. “Okay. Love you, too … Bye.”

Slowly pulling the phone away from her ear, she stare
s down at it for a few seconds before releasing a breath and setting it down beside her.

I couldn’t be happier about what she’
s just said, but I know the decision hadn’t been easy for her. Starting a life that doesn’t include living with Ana is a huge step for her and I’d always known taking it would be hard.

“Are you okay, Baby?” I ask quietly and she lifts her hand to hold mine on her shoulder before turning her head to kiss m
y wrist sweetly.

“Yes,” she says softly. “Are you still okay with everything? You’re awfully quiet back there.”

Walking around to the front of the couch, I sit on the end and pull her onto my lap, cradling her on my good arm. Her breath is shaky and I can tell she’s nervous.

“Sophie,” I whisper. “Look at me, Sweetheart.”

Slowly, her gaze meets mine and I can see the moisture springing up there. Leaning over to kiss her temple, I rub gentle circles over the small of her back to soothe her.

“Why did you tell Ana you
were moving in with me?”

“Because I thought it was what we both wanted, Chase,” she says, starting to panic. “Did you change your mind? Do I need to call her back? I don’t understand, I thought…”

“Shh…calm down. I didn’t change my mind, Sophie. I just want to know what made you tell her that.”

“I love you, Chase,” she says immediately, looking at me like I’m nuts. “W
hy else would I want to move in…?”

Cutting her off again, I pull her closer to me and kiss her deeply. Her hands move up to my n
eck and rest there as her tongue sweeps into my mouth, massaging mine gently. A small groan leaves me chest as she bites gently onto my lip and grips the hair on the back of my neck and when she pulls away, it’s too soon.

It’s always too soon.

“I love you too, Baby,” I whisper and rest my forehead against hers. “I just needed to make sure the choice was yours and what you really want.”

“It is,” she says in her soft voice. “It’s scary to leave that part of my life behind me, but not as scary
as not being with you.”

“Sophie,” I whisper. “Y
ou’ll never be without me again. I don’t want you to do this for the wrong reasons.”

“Chase,”
she turns to straddle me and rests her hands on my chest, facing me fully now. Her eyes search my face as she slowly traces her thumb over my lower lip and strokes my jaw with the back of her hand. Her other hand rests on the side of my neck and she places a feather light kiss on my mouth. “I love you. Your eyes, your lips, your voice, your heart, your spirit… I love all of it, every single little piece of you. I’m so in love with you that it shatters me to the very depths of my soul. Spending even one unnecessary second away from you is something I don’t ever want to know again. The thought of that destroys me. That’s why I made the choice I made.”

Her words leaving me speechless, I can only press my lips to hers gently, desperately trying to put all of the emotion I can’t speak into the kiss.
Her tears have freed themselves from her eyes, but the sadness that was there before is gone. Running the pad of my thumb across her skin, I swipe them away gently and she turns to kiss my wrist. Wrapping her arms around my waist, she leans forward, resting gently against my chest and lays her head into the crook of my neck.

We stay wrapped
up in each other for a few moments before I finally break the silence between us.

“Do you want breakfast?”

“No,” she whispers.

“
Do you need your coffee?”

“
No.”

“What do you need, Baby?”

“This,” she whispers, squeezing me tighter and placing another soft kiss on my neck. “I just need this.”

“I love you, Sophie,
” I whisper, my voice thick with emotion.

“I love you too, Sexy Pants,” she whispers as she kisses my neck and snaps the elastic of my boxer briefs gently, causing me to chuckle.

After a few more quiet breaths, Sophie begins to sing ‘Give Me Love’ by Ed Sheeran softly into my chest.

Holding my heart
tightly in my arms, I place soft kisses in her hair as my eyes scan the room her soft voice is now filling.

I’ve lived in the same
house all my life, since the day I was born. But for the first time ever, I’m finally home.