Thirteen
1137 Words
Chapter Thirteen
“Okay”
I reach for the grape. Savoring its burst of sweetness as the juices spread across my tongue.
Chase fixes his deep penetrating gaze on me.
“You’ve a healthy appetite. I like that.”
Red colors my cheeks, and my chewing slowed under the weight of his attention.
“Thanks”
Piercing brown gaze holds me in place, lips lifting into a smirk.
“Do I have to wait all day to kiss you?” he breathes
“What?”
Unmasked desire flickers in his eyes, catching me off guard and unraveling the composure I thought I had.
“I’ve waited the entire week to kiss you, Lisa.”
He rises from his seat at the head table and stalks towards me in flowing robe.
Turns my seat outwards to face him, his presence fills the space between us, close enough that I can feel his breath.
My breathe hitches. “Chase… what are you doing?”
“What I’ve wanted to do all day, mmhm.”
Sucking my bottom lips to ease entrance, he kisses me softly. His lips feel smooth and cool. The taste of wine and fruit lingers between us. My thoughts scatter, dissolving into sensation.
My body archs of its own accord, his hands steadying me.
“Ugh! you little tease.”he smiles into the kiss, his amusement vibrating against my lips.
My insides turned to mush, legs feeling like jelly. I felt a shudder pass through me.
Without warning, he lifts me off the seat, throwing me over his shoulder with effortless strength. “We’re done here. Time for me to explore all of you.”
Excitement courses through me, bubbling up uncontrollably. I bite my lips to stop from squealing, but the thrill is undeniable.
Chase supports my weight over his shoulder with one hand, the other brushing against the fabric of my dress
I’m thrown against sheets, melting into them as his robes drop to the floor. My eyes widen, breath catching at the sight of him.
He moves towards me like a predator stalking its prey; deliberate, unstoppable.
I don’t get the chance to sit up before he fills my vision, tugging my ears softly with his teeth. My hands wrap around him instinctively, trailing kisses along his jaw, his Adam’s apple, down to his collarbone.
He kisses me again, this time it’s fervent with hunger, deep, urgent, utterly consuming. Nothing like the first. He plunders every last bit of sweetness from the grape, mingling with the taste of me.
His hands roam, releasing my dress from its hold.
My heart thrums wildly.
Satisfaction clouds his features as he bends forward, capturing my soul with his hot gaze.
My mind goes blank as sensations overwhelm me. The heat in the room thickens, merging with soft glow of the lights.
…..
Morning comes with sunlight filtering across my face, gentle and insistent. I blink at the unfamiliar ceiling, the grey blanket, the white sheets. An elegant room designed in cream, white, and grey.
“Oh no! What happened!” my scattered thoughts envelop me before the memory of last night resurfaces. Chase. His touch. His kiss. His presence. Every part of it lingers in me.
Footsteps approach, faint sounds drifting closer. His voice filters through the door, low and commanding “Yeah, finish that quickly. Then copy me in the other mail. I’ll talk to you soon.”
I turn just in time as the door opens.
“Look who’s up, morning sleepyhead,” his deep, teasing voice greets me.
Chase stands there in a pair of slacks, his torso damp in places, black hair slicked back from water. I swallow hard, caught off guard by how effortlessly striking he looks.
The sight of his clear face, impossibly handsome even in the soft blur of morning light, makes me pause. “Who looks perfect in the morning,” I mutter under my breath, half hoping he didn’t hear.
“What was that?” he asks, amusement flickering in his eyes as he sets a tray of food on the bedside table.
“Sit up and have breakfast,” he says gently
“I need to wash up first,” I reply, attempting to rise.
Soreness greets me immediately, slowing my movements and reminding me of the weight of last night.
“Do you need help? Can you stand?” his voice carries concern and warmth that unsettles me more than I’d like to admit.
“I can manage,” I whisper, avoiding his gaze.
I make my way toward the bathroom, each step a quiet negotiation with myself.
Was he always this handsome? The question lingers, uninvited, as I close the door behind me.
The warm water cascades over my body, washing away the remnants of yesterday, I lean into the sensation, letting the steam blur the edges of reality. If someone had told me things would unfold like this, I would have laughed in their face, dismissed it as nonsense. Yet here I am, standing in the aftermath of choices I never thought I’d make.
My intrusive thoughts try to whisper judgments, but I silence them. I am not in the mood to pick myself apart, not today.
Relief washes over me at my decision, I return to the waiting tray.
“Thanks for bringing breakfast,” I say, settling back onto the bed.
My phone lies beside the tray. I pick it up, and my stomach drops—eight missed calls. Max.
“Crap,” I think, dread curling in me. What do I say? He would read the truth in me too easily. I can’t face him now.
I type quickly: Hey, sorry I forgot to inform you. Work trip. I’ll be back tomorrow. I lock the phone before I can second‑guess myself, shutting away the guilt with a single click.
The taste of toast with scrambled eggs, avocado, and a steaming cup of tea helps drown my doubts. I eat slowly, savoring each bite, as though stretching time itself.
“You wandered off for a bit” Chase says watching me with that knowing look.
“Not really” I reply, though the lie feels thin.
“You know your face is an open book… most times” his calm voice probes
I nod, though my mind drifts to Max, to the unanswered questions waiting outside these walls.
Chase pours himself some tea. The sound of liquid filling the cup was steady and rhythmic.
“Where’s your head at?”
I sip my tea, letting the warmth steady me. “I’m contemplating what to do with myself now I’m neither home or at work. This place… it feels unreal, the manor, the rooms.”
“There’s more I want you to see,” his eyes glints with promise.
- Writer
