Chapter 3
CHAPTER
THREE
Chase woke with a start, momentarily disoriented where he was.
His fists were balled up and ready to defend himself against an enemy.
He looked around the room taking in the space.
It was not a war zone, but a bedroom. A feminine bedroom.
He glanced down at the bed to see he was alone which was a good thing; he didn’t want to startle CJ or worse—hurt her.
Chase relaxed in the bed, last night coming back to him, and he instantly grew hard.
He turned his head into the pillow and could smell the faint scent of her perfume.
His cock stirred; he remembered her scent and taste all too well now.
It was still on his tongue. He took another breath, then another scent teased his nose, this one much stronger.
He lifted his nose and inhaled deeply. It was the smell of bacon.
It had been a long time since he’d woken to the smell of food.
Normally, it was gunfire and powder. This was a welcome change.
His stomach grumbled. Food first, then maybe he would indulge his other appetite before seeing his friends and family.
Already he was feeling better than he had in weeks.
Last night he had slept without any nightmares.
He woke up alarmed, but at least he had made it through the night. It was a start.
Chase threw back the blanket and hopped out of bed.
He found his clothes scattered at the foot of the bed.
His lips pulled into a smile remembering how they had gotten there.
He never would have guessed CJ was a virgin.
She had been so confident in the bar, but he guessed there were a few times she had seemed hesitant.
Next time he would take her much slower and make love to her the way she deserved for her first time, not him pounding away at her.
He carried his shoes and was walking past her dresser for the door when he saw a picture on it.
He stopped and looked at it—and kept staring at it.
He knew those people in the picture very well.
One was his best friend and the other…his shoes clomped on the ground as he stared at the little girl next to him. Cindy Joe.
His eyes shifted to the door, where on the other side he could hear pans being moved around and a woman singing slightly off-key. Oh fuck, he had just slept with his best friend’s sister.
He raked his fingers through his hair and started pacing.
What was he going to do? Well, he couldn’t stay hidden in her room that was for sure, but how could he face her?
Did she know it was him? She had to. It wasn’t like he had changed over the years.
Sure, he had filled out, but he still looked pretty much the same.
His mind flashed back to last night. Her excitement seeing him.
Her disappointment when he’d asked who she was.
She had known it was him yet never said a word.
So that left the question of what was he going to do.
Knowing the best plan of attack was to move forward, Chase picked up his boots and walked out of the room.
He turned right and headed straight for the kitchen.
He stopped just inside the kitchen and watched CJ dance in front of the stove.
She wore another pair of cut off shorts and a burgundy shirt that hung off of one shoulder.
Her hair was up in a messy bun with tendrils of hair that hung down, kissing her neck.
Her feet were bare, and she was tapping her toe as she was dancing.
She looked so beautiful. He wanted to close the distance and wrap his hands around her waist and sway with her. Take over where her hair was touching her neck. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Bobby’s sister. Hands off.
CJ spun around and gasped in surprise when she saw him.
“Morning.” She grinned, quickly recovering.
“I hope you’re hungry. I have bacon, eggs, and potatoes,” she said without waiting for his reply but simply walked into the next room where she had the dining room set up.
There were four chairs, but only two had place mats and food already set on them.
Chase followed her on wooden legs. “Thanks, I’m starved.
” He slid into an empty seat. CJ brought over the pan she had been cooking with full of cubed potatoes and served them on his plate.
“I’m not surprised given our activities last night.
” She giggled. “And I didn’t know what you liked to drink so there’s juice, milk, and coffee. I have tea as well.”
“This is fine, thanks, Cindy Lou.” He used her nickname, a test to make sure it really was her, but now that he knew, he could see the girl he had grown up with. The same hazel eyes as Bobby. The same nose.
CJ grimaced hearing that name. “I’ve always hated that name, you know that, Chase.
” She placed a helping of potatoes on her plate and took the pan back into the kitchen before returning and taking her seat adjacent to him.
She didn’t look as happy as before, but almost wary of what his reaction would be.
He wasn’t going to hurt her, if that was her worry, but he was upset she had hidden such an important fact from him. “Cindy,” he corrected.
“I go by CJ. I have for several years now.”
Food was momentarily forgotten. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he accused.
“I did.”
She had left out one very important detail. “Not that you were Bobby’s sister.”
CJ rolled her eyes as if he were being childish. Him, being duped like that, and she had the audacity to make it seem like he was being irrational. “I’m my own person, Chase. I’m more than just Bobby’s sister. Besides, it’s not my fault you didn’t recognize me.”
“It’s been ten years,” he argued. When he’d left she had just been going through puberty, and a lot of her was changing.
“And who’s fault is that you don’t come home?
” She winced at her words, but they were already out, and she couldn’t take them back.
“I’m sorry, that wasn’t fair of me to accuse you of.
You were doing an important job. Let’s just eat breakfast and enjoy ourselves.
” She reached across the space between them and placed her hand over his.
Chase yanked his hand back as if it had touched fire. “Don’t,” he warned. There would be no more touching between them.
CJ looked crestfallen, but he wouldn’t yield in this. “Why not? It’s nothing we haven’t done before.”
And never would again. No matter how amazing it had been, it had been wrong. He had crossed a line that never should have been crossed. “It can’t happen again, Cindy Lou.”
“I hate that name,” she hissed.
“CJ,” he amended; though if he kept thinking of her as Cindy Lou, it was easier to help him remember their place. CJ made her a woman in his eyes, a woman who was forever untouchable.
CJ leaned forward, a pleading look in her face. “Don’t do that, don’t shut me out. You felt something last night, Chase. I know you did. I felt it too. I—”
“No, I didn’t,” he quickly cut her off. “We had a moment; nothing more.” One that was best forgotten.
“You felt that same connection I did,” she insisted. “We clicked as soon as we started talking.”
She was right, there was flirting, and then there was what they’d shared. “A fleeting moment.” It was as close to the truth as he dared. He didn’t want to give her hope that something could come of last night. It was a memory best left forgotten.
CJ slammed her hands on the table. The plates and silverware rattled, and some of the juice spilled over the rim, but neither seemed focused on it. “Why are you acting like this?”
Tears glistened in her eyes, and he felt like an ass for causing them, but he had to stay firm in his decision. “Because your Bobby’s sister.”
CJ’s eyes narrowed into slits. “I know who my family is. You don’t need to keep reminding me.”
No, but needed to remind himself. If Bobby every found out, he would kill him, and he had every right to.
“You should have told me,” he said sadly.
She had ruined a beautiful experience with her deception.
Had he known, he never would have touched her.
He would have found someone else to spend the night with.
Someone he hadn’t known most of his life and who further complicated his already complicated life.
“It shouldn’t matter who my family is,” she said calmly, but he could see the hurt and anger in her eyes.
“Speaking of family, I think it’s best we don’t tell him what happened.” He didn’t want there to be any awkwardness between him and Bobby.
Before CJ could respond, the back door in the kitchen opened, and Bobby walked in.
His focus went straight to Chase. Bobby looked the exact same as he had when Chase had left for basic.
His face had filled out more, and he’d lost some of that boyish charm, but he was still the same. “Hey, brother, I heard you were here.”
Bobby walked toward him, Chase met him in the middle, and they hugged. “How?” He hadn’t told anyone he was here.
They pulled back and looked at each other. “Everyone saw you two leave together.” Bobby’s eyes shifted to CJ and back to him.
CJ stood from her seat and walked around the two of them. “I have to get to work,” she said, then slipped out without a goodbye or backward glance.
“What’s her deal?” Bobby asked, looking confused by CJ’s attitude.
“Beats me.” Chase shrugged, lying through his teeth, but what could he say? He’d slept with Bobby’s sister and just broken her heart? That would get him a broken jaw.
“Wow, and she made you breakfast?” Bobby commented in shock as he looked at the table. “She doesn’t even make me food,” he muttered in an almost accusatory way.
“I guess it was her way of welcoming me back.” Or taking her virginity.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming home?” Bobby inquired, already forgetting about his sister. That was Bobby for you. He loved his sister, but as long as he didn’t have to play protective big brother, he left her to her own devices. “I would have picked you up.”
“I didn’t want to make a big deal about it.
” He didn’t want a bunch of people knowing he was home.
He was already dealing with a lot mentally and didn’t want a bunch of people prying into his life.
The curse of a small town. Not only did everyone know everyone, but they all had to know your business.
He didn’t want it getting out that he was having night terrors and cause worry for his parents.
“Well, I’m glad you’re here.” Bobby clapped him on the back, almost sending him flying into the table. When did Bobby get so strong?
“Me too.” Though it wasn’t off to a great start.
Bobby sat down in CJ’s seat, and Chase fell back into his. Both reached for their coffee at the same time. Chase needed the caffeine. “Your folks know you’re here?”
“Not yet.”
“After breakfast, I’ll take you over,” Bobby offered. Bobby had spent almost as much time there as he had at home growing up, so it was just as much his home as Chase’s. It wasn’t surprising that he’d stayed in touch with Chase’s parents.
“Thanks.”