7. Addison
Addison
# Always be humble—the universe is watching and she has a wicked sense of humor
“ A re you sure you can walk in those shoes?” Chase asks, incredulous as we make our way along the path back to our cabin.
“I can walk in heels better than you can walk in your bare feet, Hunter,” I tell him.
He hums, staring at me, with either concern or awe before he admits, “Yeah, you can.”
I don’t know what that tone of voice is about, but it makes me feel a little wobbly inside, so I ignore it and I try to ignore him, but the annoying asshat keeps talking.
“You’ve loved ridiculously high heels for as long as I can remember. Why?”
Well, now I have to acknowledge him. “Why? Seriously?” I stop walking and lift my right foot. “Just look at this bad boy. It’s freaking beautiful.”
He smirks. “I can’t argue with that, but I mean, don’t they hurt your feet or something?”
I shake my head. “No. They fit like slippers,” I lie with ease. The truth is, these ones are pinching my toes like a mofo right now, but I’m accustomed to the discomfort. “I don’t wear them for comfort; I wear them because of how they make me feel.”
“Oh? And how is that?” He seems genuinely intrigued.
“Confident. Badass,” I tell him honestly, revealing far too much. But perhaps I’m a little more buzzed than I thought I was. “It doesn’t matter how crappy about myself I might be feeling, or how nervous about an event, or whatever, I slip these on and I feel like a different person.”
He’s staring at me, bemused.
My cheeks flush with heat and I feel stupidly embarrassed now for admitting that. How can someone as perfect and good at everything he does ever understand something like that? “It’s crazy, I know,” I babble.
“No, not crazy at all. I get it. I have a lucky suit that makes me feel like that.”
“No, you do not!”
“Yeah. It’s Dolce and Gabbana. Custom made. Whenever I have a big meeting or there’s a client I really want to close a deal with, I always wear it.”
I blink at him in shock. “I would never have pegged you as a lucky-suit kind of guy.”
“And why not? Don’t most people have a lucky something?”
“Yeah, but you’re not most people, are you? You’re Chase Hunter. Perfect at everything. Gets whatever he wants with a click of his fingers.” I really didn’t mean that to sound quite so snarky as it did, and the look of hurt that flashes over his face makes me regret it instantly.
His jaw works. “Not everything, Addie.”
The sadness in his eyes tugs at my heartstrings, because unlike him, I have one—and now I feel guilty. “I didn’t mean...I was trying to say you’re good at everything, but I…” Ugh, why is this so difficult? “I know how hard you work.”
He doesn’t answer and now I’m feeling progressively more like an insensitive asshole while desperately trying to think of something to say that will lighten the mood again.
And I’m so distracted by that that I don’t see the rock until I’m tripping over it.
Luckily, I manage to put my hands out to stop me from falling flat on my face and attending my brother’s wedding with a busted nose or a black eye, but I twist my ankle and my hands hurt.
“Addie!” Chase yells, sounding worried.
“Ow!” I whimper.
“Fuck, are you okay?” He asks and before I can stop him, he’s scooping me up into his arms and holding me tight to his chest. Even in the dim lighting that illuminates the path, I can see the concern in his eyes.
And now I feel like a prize idiot. Boasting about how I can walk in my heels and then falling over—that’s what I get for bragging. Thanks universe!
“I’m fine,” I insist. Despite the pain in my ankle, my pride is hurt more than anything else. “Put me down.”
“The cabin’s not far. You might have a sprain or something.”
“I don’t. I can walk on my own, Chase.” I almost sob out the words because he’s being so nice, even after I was a tiny bit mean to him.
And then I fell over, and I think I’m definitely probably maybe a little drunk.
And I don’t like it here in his arms…It feels too safe.
Too familiar. Too much like I don’t want to leave.
“Addie, baby, please just let me carry you a few feet so we can check on your foot.”
Did he just call me baby? And was that intentional or a slip? Does he know that word makes my heart swell and break at the same time?
“Put your arms around my neck.” His tone makes it clear that he will brook no further argument, and I don’t offer any. I do as he asks and then he carries me back to the cabin, the scent of his cologne and the warmth of his body scrambling my senses. We don’t speak again until we get inside.
“Do you want to try standing?” he asks.
My ankle is no longer throbbing and I’m sure it was just an awkward twist, so I nod.
Gently, he sets me on my feet, keeping his hands on my hips in case I fall. My ankle throbs a gentle protest, but it’s fine. “I’m good.”
“Yeah, you are,” he says, his usually bright blue eyes incredibly dark now.
My arms are still around his neck, his hands still with a firm grip on my hips as we stare into each other’s eyes.
“You know I also like to wear heels because it makes me feel tall,” I admit.
I’m only five foot four and a lot of people are taller than me.
“Except around you. Around you I always feel small.”
“You’re not small, Addie. I hate that I make you feel that way.”
I frown, confused, and realize he’s totally misunderstood my meaning. I was speaking very literally. “I only meant because you’re so tall, Chase. Even in my heels you tower over me.”
He grinds his jaw.
We’re still holding onto each other.
“I think I kind of like that, though,” I whisper, my body inching closer to his.
“Addie,” he groans my name.
“What, Chase?”
“You’re drunk,” he says the words through clenched teeth, like he’s annoyed at me for being drunk, when it’s mostly his fault.
I must definitely be drunk, because I appear to have forgotten how much I hate him. “You were the one who brought me all that bourbon. I think you got me drunk on purpose.”
One corner of his sinful mouth lifts in a grin. “And why exactly would I want to do that, Firefly?”
“So that I’m too hammered to stab you in your sleep, remember?”
He laughs, and the sound makes me smile too. I’ve always loved his laugh. Always loved…
No, Addie! No. I pull myself together and drag my gaze away from those hypnotic eyes of his.
And then I let my arms slip from around his neck.
A few seconds later, he lets go of me too, and the spell is broken.
“We should find you something to sleep with if you’re not going to be making use of the sex swing? ”
He raises an amused eyebrow. “Something to sleep with?”
“Like a blanket or something. For the couch. Not like a sex doll or anything. I didn’t mean sleep with like sex; I meant actual sleeping.” I mentally face-palm myself. Why would you even say that, Addie? I’m digging myself further into this hole and he keeps watching me with growing amusement.
He pinches the spot between his brows, still laughing softly. “I think we need to get you to bed.”
We what now? I am not responsible for the reaction my vagina has to him uttering those words.
I’m blaming the bourbon for the fact that she’s screaming, yes please, Daddy , right now.
I slip off my heels, before I fall again and take the time to re-engage my brain.
“I think we’ve already established you’re sleeping on the couch, and I will be getting myself to bed, Chase Hunter. ”
He holds up his hands in surrender, still smiling though. “I know, Firefly. I didn’t mean…” He stops speaking. “I’m not even going there.”
“No, you are not,” I insist. Even though I’m not entirely sure if he picked me up again right now and carried me to bed, I would stop him. Not sure I’d stop him if he climbed in with me. Nor if he peeled off my dress, and then my panties…
“You okay?” Chase’s concerned voice pulls me from that fantasy and I realize I’m chewing on my lip and staring into space like a moron.
I nod. “Let’s find you a blanket and then we can get some sleep. We have the meet and greet tomorrow.”
“Yeah,” he says, and something about the tone of his voice makes me want to wrap my arms around his neck again and just let him hold me. But again, that will be the bourbon thinking and not my brain, which knows that any display of affection would be a huge mistake.