Chapter 5
He’s not laughing or scowling. In fact, he’s perfectly calm as he smiles over at me with those sweet hazel eyes.
“I think,” he continues, “that maybe we’re finally on the same page. Or maybe just in the same chapter. And that’s a good place to start.”
“You mentioned being friends this afternoon?—”
“Well, yeah, because you already turned me down once a while ago, and I’m not in the habit of harassing women who aren’t interested.”
“It’s not that I wasn’t interested before; it’s that I wasn’t ready. But I’m ready now.” I take a long, deep breath and let it out slowly, willing the butterflies to calm the hell down. “And that makes me nervous.”
“Why?” He squeezes my hand once. “I’d never do anything to intentionally hurt you, Summer.”
“I know.” I shake my head and turn in the seat to face him. “I know that about you, and I don’t even know you all that well. I feel safe with you, and I enjoy spending time with you, too.”
His eyes narrow. “I don’t see the problem.”
I can’t help but let out a short laugh. “It’s just me and my odd insecurities. I haven’t dated anyone in, well, a long time. For…reasons.”
“Reasons that you don’t have to go into.” He tucks my hair behind my ear, which makes me tingle in all the right places. “How about tomorrow night? We’ll keep it casual. How does The Wolf Den for dinner sound?”
“Did someone tell you that it’s one of my favorite places?”
“No, but that’s handy because it’s one of mine, too.” He smiles again. “Tomorrow night?”
“I’d like that.”
“Me, too.” He climbs out of the truck and makes his way around to let me out of the passenger side, and then he walks me to my door. I kind of love how chivalrous he is.
“Thank you for showing me your home,” I say after I unlock the door and turn to him. “It’s really beautiful out there on the ranch. The spot you have picked for your house is unbelievable.”
“It was fun,” he agrees. He leans in, and just when I think he’s going to kiss me, he simply presses his warm lips to my forehead, sending even more tingles—tingles on steroids—all the way down my body to the tips of my toes. “Have a good night, Blondie.”
“Thanks.” I walk inside and close the door and immediately pull up my phone and the video app so I can watch Chase. He pauses, still facing the door, and then he shoves his hand through his hair and turns to walk down to his truck. I can see him glance this way once more before he starts it up and drives away.
Lily’s sitting in her bed, giving me the side-eye.
“Wow.” I swallow, then toss my handbag onto the table by the door and kick off my shoes. “Like, wow. If having his lips just on my forehead can make me feel like that, I can only imagine what will happen if he ever kisses me for real. Now, don’t pout, Lil. I know that you were fed and loved on, and Ida texted to let me know that she left here thirty minutes ago. You weren’t alone for long.”
My eyes are heavy as I walk through the house to the bedroom and continue to my bathroom, where I start the shower.
Yeah, starting something with Chase is a little scary, and not because I think he would hurt me. I know he wouldn’t, like I told him in the truck. I’m just not used to dating someone who likes me for me, and not what my father’s political connections can get them. Sure, I was attracted to Dennis, but it wasn’t lost on me that he wanted to have a career in politics someday.
I’ve heard through the grapevine that he’s already being groomed for exactly that.
I don’t trust people easily. I grew up in a fake world, where I was expected to smile whether I felt like it or not, and where I learned early that most people can’t be trusted.
I stick mostly to myself, aside from the girls at work and Polly. And, of course, Aunt Paula. Evan has wanted to be in my circle, in my life, for several years, and he’s a friend.
But that’s all he’ll be.
And now, I find that I want to open myself up to Chase in ways that I don’t think I ever have before. I’ve always held a piece of myself back from everyone, kept that wall up so I didn’t get too hurt.
I found my best friend and my boyfriend in bed together, and I didn’t even shed a tear, for fuck’s sake.
But I think things would be different if I let myself get attached to the hot cowboy cop. And that’s exactly what he is: a cowboy cop. He’s sexier than sin in his uniform, but then seeing him in tight jeans and a black T-shirt with a cowboy hat knocked me off my axis. Chase Wild is sexy with a capital S.
He’s also kind and smart, and he lets me ramble about things. I’ve always been a chatterbox, much to my mother’s horror. And I know that I can let my excitement get away from me, like when I saw that place by the lake. I saw the house so clearly in my mind, I just couldn’t help but talk about it, couldn’t help but be excited about it. And Chase didn’t seem to mind at all.
I like that about him. Dennis used to tell me that the motor on my mouth was running away from me and to rein it in.
I can’t imagine Chase saying that to me or anyone else.
With a towel wrapped around me, I step out of the shower and walk into the bedroom and stop, frowning at the window.
“Lil?” Lily, who hopped up onto the bed while I was in the shower, lifts her head. “Is there someone at the window?”
My heartbeat quickens. I could swear I saw a shadow behind my blinds. But there’s nothing moving—now.
I reach for my phone and check my security app. There’s no one on any of the live videos. No animals or movement of any kind. Of course, this window is in a blind spot, but if someone was walking here, they’d have to pass by the front or rear camera.
“Nope,” I mutter, staring at it, watching carefully. “Nothing going on.”
I shake my head and set the phone down.
“I’m just tired. Getting up at five in the morning to be at work by six is early for this girl,” I say to Lily, who’s laid her head down again, but continues to watch me as I dry off and pull on some shorts and a tank top. “I’m too much of a night owl. But that’s okay. In a few months, I’ll have a quarter of the work, and I’ll be complaining about that.”
I climb into the bed beside my dog and kiss her head.
“How was your day? It was nice of Marion from the coffee shop to bring you some treats.” Lily licks my face. “No, I don’t have any for you. It’s time for bed.”
We snuggle down, and I open up my iPad so I can read for a while, and, before long, Lily is snoring happily beside me.
I hear the slightest thump outside my window, and I sit very still, listening. It happens again, and without another pause, I reach for my phone and call Chase.
“Hey there, Blondie,” he says, and his voice immediately calms my hammering heart. “You okay?”
“I think someone is outside of my house,” I reply, not bothering to whisper, as I don’t move my eyes from that window. “There’s nothing on my cameras, but I can hear someone outside my bedroom window. I should have called 9-1-1. I’m sorry, Chase?—”
“Be there in five.”
He hangs up, and Lily doesn’t even stir as I get out of bed and wait, listening. Chase and Brady were right: Lily is not a home protector.
There’s another small noise, and I shake my head. There’s something out there. Maybe it’s a critter. That would make sense. It’s summertime, so it could be a raccoon or a cat. Anything, really.
My phone pings with a text.
Chase: I’m going to walk around your house before I knock on the door.
I reply with, Okay, thank you.
I watch him on the app. I can see him on the video as he walks around the side of the house, and then he disappears from my view. I switch to the backyard, and a few seconds later, he appears. Every muscle in his body is on high alert, and he’s not skulking around. He’s walking with authority, and it’s not just reassuring. It’s sexy.
But there’s nothing and no one else in view.
I see him walking back toward the front door, so I hurry through the house and meet him there, opening the door before he can ring the bell.
“I’m sorry,” I begin, shaking my head as he steps inside, and I close the door behind him. “I absolutely should not have called you.”
“Yes, you absolutely should have,” he replies easily as his eyes skim down my body. He clears his throat. “I walked around and didn’t see anyone. There aren’t any footprints under the window, but it’s been dry lately, so they might not have shown up. Nothing on the cameras?”
“No, nothing. It’s probably my overactive imagination. Or an animal.”
“Could be an animal,” he agrees with a nod.
“It was just so weird because I could have sworn there was a shadow or something through the closed blinds. But I suppose that could have been headlights from a car.”
He nods, thinking it over. “Do you want me to stay for a while?”
“No.” I frown and then shake my head with certainty. “No, I’m really okay. I’m so sorry that I made you come all the way back over here. I just wasn’t thinking clearly, and you were the first person who came to mind to call.”
“I like that.” Chase pulls me into his arms and hugs me close. I’m so surprised that I don’t return the hug for a nanosecond, but then I wrap my arms around his waist and lean into him. He rocks us back and forth and presses his lips to the top of my head. “I’m glad you called me, Blondie.”
His voice is soft, and I feel like, for the first time in a long damn time, I can exhale.
“Thanks.” I don’t want to move yet, so I don’t. It feels good to soak him in. “This is really nice.”
“Sometimes, a person just needs a hug.” I feel him grin against my head.
I don’t remember the last time someone other than Aunt Paula hugged me. I never really thought of it.
“I hope I didn’t get you out of bed.” His heart beats steadily next to my ear, and his chest is firm under his soft T-shirt.
“Nope.” He stops rocking. “Where’s Lily?”
“Asleep on the bed. Snoring.”
“Definitely not a guard dog.”
I chuckle and pull back, smiling up at him. “No, she’s not. I’m sorry for the false alarm, but I’m definitely not sorry for the hug.”
“I don’t like that you were scared.” He reaches up and tucks my hair behind my ear in that way he does that sends little zings down my arm. “Out of curiosity, is that what you sleep in?”
“Huh?” I drop my gaze to take in my tank and shorts. “Oh, yeah. Not terribly sexy, I know.”
“Right. Sure.” Chase shakes his head and chuckles. “Okay, I’d better head out, unless you want me to stay.”
“There’s no need. Thanks again for coming all this way.”
“I’m only four blocks away, you know. It’s a small town.” He winks, and then he’s out the door and headed down to his truck.
Well, now I know that I’m not irresistible. He had me in his arms, mostly naked, and didn’t make a move to even kiss me.
With a shrug, I lock the door and head back to bed. Lily’s exactly where I thought she would be, in the middle of the bed, sprawled on her back, snoring happily. I usually put her down in her own dog bed on the floor at night, but she can stay up here with me tonight.
I want to snuggle.
I didn’t tellanyone that I was going on this date with Chase tonight because they’d hype it up and make me even more nervous than I already am.
I don’t need any help in that arena.
Since we’re going to have dinner and drinks at the bar, I decided to keep it casual, with a simple blue sundress and sandals. And when I open the door to Chase, who insisted on picking me up, I see I made the right choice because he’s in those delicious jeans that hug his ass in just the right way, and a green Henley.
“Wow,” he says. “You look amazing.”
“Aw, thanks. So do you.” I step out with him and walk beside him down the sidewalk to his truck. “What did you do today? Did you work?”
“I have a few days off, so I got started on Erin’s bar for the wedding. Helped Remington with some work on the ranch and played with the kids for a while. How was work for you today? No, wait.” He opens the door for me, then circles around to the other side. “Let me guess. It was busy.”
“Extra busy today,” I reply with a nod. “Half of the order I placed for a wedding on Saturday didn’t come in. So, I had to call around frantically to find the flowers we need, have them overnighted, and pray they all arrive in one piece.”
“Damn, that sucks.”
“Big time. It’s wedding season. And this bride wanted a whole bunch of freesia.”
“I don’t even know what that looks like,” Chase admits, making me laugh.
“They’re a pretty purple flower. Delicate. And they smell good. But they’re not as easy to get in as quickly as, say, roses. But we’ll make it work. I have some ideas up my sleeve if the flowers don’t arrive in time.”
He parks in front of The Wolf Den, and Chase escorts me inside where a Sidney Sterling song—my favorite country artist—is playing through the speakers, and plenty of the tables are already taken.
I like the atmosphere in here. It’s laid-back, but it’s not a dive. The food’s good, and it’s clean, with fun, old-timey photos on the walls from days in Bitterroot Valley long ago.
“I’m seating you at your grandpa’s table,” the hostess informs Chase. “He’ll be watching you, so be good.”
“Great,” Chase says with a laugh, and we slide into opposite sides of a booth. On the wall is a picture of a man with a rifle and a big, dead bear.
“Is that your grandfather?” I ask him, gesturing to the photo.
“Yep. That’s him. It was taken on the ranch a long time ago.”
“Hey there, what can I get you to drink?” our server, Pete, asks as he places two coasters on the table and winks at me. “Huck margarita for you, Summer?”
“I’m really predictable,” I say with a laugh and then shrug. “Yes, please, because they’re delicious.”
“I’ll just take a beer,” Chase replies. “Blue Moon, if you have it.”
“Sure thing. Do you need a minute with the menus?”
Chase looks at me, raising an eyebrow.
“I always know what I want because it never changes, but I can wait if you’re still deciding.”
“I know what I want, too,” Chase says. “You go ahead, sugar.”
I order the tacos with extra chips, and Chase gets himself a burger with fries, and finally, we’re alone.
“Did you hear any more noises last night after I left?”
“Are you kidding?” I smirk and shake my head. “No. I sleep like the dead once I finally fall asleep. The house could be falling down around me and I’d sleep through it.”
“Lily gets it from you.”
“Yeah.” I laugh again. I laugh a lot when I’m with this man, and it’s nice to feel so comfortable. “Yeah, she does. I still feel silly for overreacting last night, Chase.”
“Don’t. I’d rather double-check that it’s nothing than ignore it and it be something.”
Pete sets our drinks on the table, and then he’s off again, and I lift my glass, but before I can sip, Chase holds his up to mine in a toast.
“To first dates,” he says.
“I can toast to that.” I clink my glass to his and then take a drink. “They make really good drinks here.”
“I’ve never been a liquor guy,” he says, shaking his head. “It gives me a headache.”
“You’re missing out on this one. I’m not usually a fan of tequila, but this is a masterpiece. Hey, have you tried that new restaurant down the street? Ciao?”
“Not yet,” he says. “I hear it’s good, though. We should go there next time.”
I grin over at him. “So, there’s going to be a next time?”
“Oh, for sure. There’s going to be a next time. As soon as possible.” He winks at me, and butterflies erupt into a cha-cha in my belly.
“Hey, Summer.” I glance up at Brooks, surprised to see him approach the table.
“Well, hi. How’s it going?”
“Great, thanks. Sorry to interrupt. I was going to call you in the morning, but since you’re here, I’ll just let you know now that your car will be ready by the end of the day tomorrow. I’m sorry I didn’t have the right tire in stock for you, but it arrived this afternoon.”
“It’s no problem.” I shake my head at him. “I appreciate it. At least the weather’s been nice, and I don’t mind the walk to work. I’ll be by before you close tomorrow.”
“See you then.” He nods at Chase. “Hey, Chase.”
“Brooks. Have a good evening.”
The man walks away, and I happily sip my drink.
“Did you have car trouble?” Chase asks.
“My tire was slashed,” I reply and take another sip. Is it just me, or are the drinks extra delicious tonight? “Here, actually, last weekend when I was here with Polly for our girls’ night out.”
“Wait, what?” Chase is scowling at me now. “It was slashed?”
“Yeah, but I didn’t know it at the time. I left here, and when I tried to drive away, it was all wonky, so I got out to check, and sure enough, flat tire. I thought I might have just driven over a nail or something, but nope. Someone cut it. Thank goodness Evan was here that night, and he drove me home.”
His face tightens, and I tilt my head to the side. “What’s wrong?”
“You didn’t tell me this before now.”
“No, I didn’t. I guess it didn’t occur to me.”
“Someone slashed your tire.” He’s definitely irritated with me. “And you didn’t tell me.”
“I can’t prove who did it, so there was no reason to call the police,” I point out. “It was probably a random hit by some stupid kids. Brooks didn’t have my model of tire in stock and had to order it. I don’t mind walking, but I admit, I’m glad it’ll be ready for me tomorrow. I prefer driving when it’s hot like it’s been, especially for Lily’s sake.”
“There was a point in calling the police, Summer. We could have requested the security cam footage from the parking lot, so if it was kids, or some weirdo, we would have found them.”
“I didn’t think of that.” I frown down into my drink. “I’ve been so preoccupied with work, I just wanted to get the tire fixed. And I didn’t know it was vandalized on purpose until Brooks called me the next day.”
“You should have called me,” he says again, his voice hard. “I’d have driven you to work and back.”
I frown over at him. “Why are you so upset about this?”
“Because you’ve been walking to work after someone slashed your tire, alone, and I could have driven you.”
“Okay. But it’s fine. I’m fine.”
Our food arrives, but I don’t dig in like I normally would. I hold Chase’s gaze with my own.
“You know, this is our first date. And sure, we’ve seen each other quite a bit over the past couple of weeks, but…this is our first date, Chase.”
“I get it.” He sighs, wiping his hand over his forehead. “Yeah, I get it. Sorry, I just don’t like the idea of you out there before the sun comes up, walking to work with Lily.”
“It’s okay. Obviously, I called you last night when I was scared. The other stuff? The tire and the walking? It didn’t scare me.” I shrug and pick up my taco.
“Another drink?” Pete asks.
“One more,” I agree.
“I’m good. I could use some water,” Chase says and turns back to me. “Okay, let’s start over at the beginning and get back to first date conversation. What brings you to Bitterroot Valley, Miss Quinn?”
I chew, considering what to tell him. The tequila, God love it, is already starting to go to my head, and it’s a pleasant little buzz that gives me a boost of courage.
“Well, my aunt Paula, you know her”—he nods—“has lived here forever. Now that I think about it, I don’t know why she moved here. That’s something I’ll have to ask her. Anyway, like I told you before, I used to spend the summers here with her when I was a kid, and I loved it. I didn’t enjoy living in Helena.”
“Why not?”
“My parents aren’t bad people, but they’re not great parents, either. Dad was always campaigning, and Mom was obsessed with being the wife of a senator. They travel, they host parties and go to dinners, and I’m just…there. Or, I was. Anyway, I went to college, and I was expected to go into law. So, I got a political science degree.”
“Wow,” he says, winging up an eyebrow. “Where did you go?”
“University of Montana in Missoula. My parents introduced me to a guy they knew, Dennis, at a gala. He was also going to school in Missoula, and he was…nice.” I shrug a shoulder and pick up my new drink when it’s delivered. “He was handsome and made me laugh. Of course, he wanted my father’s political connections, and I knew that, but I didn’t let it bother me much.”
I take another drink and eat a chip, eyeing Chase through blurry eyes, thanks to the alcohol. He’s listening to every word I’m saying. I have his full attention, and I admit, I like that a lot.
“This is really a lot of information. Is this a first date conversation?”
“I don’t see why not,” he says and pops a fry into his mouth. “I asked. Go ahead.”
“Okay, well, I dated Dennis through college. I never moved in with him, though. He wanted to, but I liked having my own place. I shared an apartment with my best friend, Lyla. And trust me, this is working its way back around to what brought me to live here full time.”
“I’m riveted.” He chuckles and sips his water. “Seriously. Keep talking.”
“It’s a juicy story.” I waggle my eyebrows and sip my margarita. “So, we graduated from college, and I was kind of lost. Now that I look back on it, that’s exactly what I was. Lost. I didn’t want to go to law school. I was working in retail during the day and as a bartender at night. It was long hours, sometimes eighteen-hour days.”
I stop to think about that.
“Actually, I’m not going to complain about my long hours at the flower shop anymore because it’s way better than that.”
“It sounds challenging.”
“It was horrible. I’m not afraid of work if I enjoy the job, but those two jobs were not fun. Anyway, after one particularly grueling shift at the bar, I decided that I didn’t want to go straight home. Lyla told me she was going to host a party at our apartment, and I’d just finished serving drunk college kids all evening, you know?”
“Sure. You don’t want to deal with that when you just want to crash.”
“Exactly. So, I went to Dennis’s apartment. Figured I’d crash at his place. I was so tired.” I frown, remembering that night. “I knew when I walked in that something was…different. I just had a feeling in my gut. And then I found clothes in the hallway, and when I got to the bedroom?—”
“Oh, no.” He shakes his head ruefully.
“They weren’t having sex,” I reply, remembering it through my foggy memory. “They were sleeping. Out cold. Dennis and Lyla.”
“The best friend?”
“The same one. I stood there for a few minutes, just looking at them, and I was numb. I left the key to his apartment on the kitchen counter and went home. I packed my things, loaded up my car, left that key on the kitchen counter, and decided that I didn’t want that life. I didn’t want them. Bitterroot Valley was always home for me, so I came here with Aunt Paula, and she took me in without a moment of hesitation. I’ve been here ever since.”
“Did you ever speak to the two assholes again?”
“Nope.” I drain the last of my drink. “I ghosted them.”
He lifts a sexy eyebrow. “Really?”
“Really. They tried to call or text to see what was up. Especially Dennis, because he wanted those political connections, but I never replied.” I frown. “I shouldn’t have had that second drink. It’s a truth serum, and that’s not good.”
“It’s pretty good from where I’m sitting.” He smiles, and I lean my chin on my hand, gazing over at him.
“You’re pretty.” My voice sounds all dreamy and soft.
“Yep, that second drink is kicking in.”
“I would probably tell you that if I was sober, too, so I’m not embarrassed. And I’m not that tipsy.”
I take a deep breath, and we chat for a few more minutes. Chase pays the bill, and then we’re back in his truck and headed for my house.
“It occurs to me,” I say as we reach my front door, “that we talked all about me tonight. You didn’t tell me about your sordid past and the girl you found in bed with your best friend.”
He smirks and tucks my hair behind my ear. “Thankfully, that didn’t happen, but I have other tales to tell on the next date when I take you to Ciao.”
“That’s a deal, then.”
I really, really want him to kiss me. But he doesn’t. He leans in and presses his lips to my forehead again, and when he pulls away, I frown up at him.
“Am I repulsive to you?”
“Excuse me?”
“The kissing thing. Don’t get me wrong, the forehead kisses are nice, and something out of a movie, but you haven’t actually”—I gesture between the two of us—“kissed me.”
“Are you repulsive?” he asks, shaking his head. “Fuck no. It was all I could do to walk away from you last night.”
“Oh, good, because I thought maybe the bedtime outfit was a turnoff.”
He blinks in surprise and then blows out a breath. “No. No, it wasn’t. I haven’t kissed you,” he says, stepping just a smidge closer to me, “because once I start, I won’t stop until I kiss every inch of your amazing body, and you’re not ready for that yet. So, we’ll take our time. I’m okay with that.”
“Wow. Are your panties wet, or is that just me?”
The laugh that bubbles out of him is one of surprise and delight, and he kisses my forehead again.
“My pants might be a little tight,” he confesses. “Now, I’m going to be a gentleman and walk away, as long as you can get inside okay.”
“Pfft.” I wave him off. “Of course, I can. It’s right there. Next time, we can do the kissing thing.”
“That’s a promise.”