Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chase
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"Where are we going?" Hannah asked.
"I've got reservations at a restaurant. I think you’ll like it."
She smiled big. Fuck yes, that filled me with so much pride. Before Hannah, I only felt like that when I sealed a deal or made headway in a business case.
Even by my standards, today had been a shitshow. The SEC contacted us—the Sterling brothers, specifically—this morning, saying they needed to deepen their investigation, that the suspicious transactions they’d been tracking for months were still ongoing. I usually didn’t pay attention to their investigations because they turned out to be a waste of time. But something about this one was rubbing me the wrong way.
Still, I was determined to push the issue to the back of my mind and focus on Hannah. I’d promised her a date before the SEC’s news, and I didn’t want to cancel it.
I knew she was looking forward to it.
And so was I.
In the past, whenever I had an issue at the office, I buried myself in work. Now, I simply wanted my woman.
I took her to a restaurant that was literally on the beach.
"Wow," she exclaimed, glancing around. It was an outdoor restaurant. They placed the tables on the beach itself and recommended taking off your shoes to avoid getting sand in them. We both took them off, leaving them at the entrance.
A waiter led us to a table in the first row, right by the water. They’d set candles along the perimeter and on each table.
"This is so romantic," she said.
"I figured you'd like it," I murmured in her ear as I held her chair for her to sit down. Then I bent at the waist, kissing the side of her neck. The scent of her skin was addictive.
It was all I needed after a long, difficult day. Hell, I needed her . I'd barely kept myself in check during the day. I was tempted more than once to find an excuse—anything would do—to call her to my office.
After I sat down, I watched her intently while she looked around, taking in every detail.
"What are we having?" she asked, then glanced at the menu in front of her. "Oh, it’s a surprise. That's going to be interesting."
"Anything you don't want?" I asked.
She grinned, wiggling her eyebrows. "Nope, I'm up for everything."
I felt a stirring in my boxers.
Get yourself together, Chase.
The waiter came over and explained how the evening would go. They wouldn't reveal any food or wine. I guess it really was all going to be a surprise.
"So this is a wine tasting too," Hannah said, practically bouncing in her seat. "I'm loving this more and more. This evening will be epic."
"That was my plan," I said. After the waiter left, I added, "And I've got a surprise for you at home."
"I can't believe you're telling me that.”
“I didn't mean sex. Or, well, not just sex. I meant dessert."
"Now I can't wait to finish dinner so I can get my goodies."
"All in due time, Hannah. All in due time." I held her gaze until she squirmed. I loved that I could get her on edge just by looking at her.
The waiter returned a few minutes later. For the first course, we got watermelon slices wrapped in prosciutto with white wine.
I raised my glass, and we clinked them.
“What should we toast to?" she asked. "Hmm... to more evenings like this."
"I agree.” If this made her happy, I'd arrange these things once a week. Hell, I'd do it even once a day. Seeing her happy was addictive.
The food was very good, as was the wine. The rest of the courses were a mix of American, Italian, and French fusion cuisine. It was quite interesting, but I was too focused on Hannah to pay attention to what I was eating.
"Babe?" I asked after she finished her third glass of wine and looked around for the waiter. "Are you sure you want another one?"
She hiccupped and put her hand over her mouth. "I wanted to say yes, but I think that was a clear indication that this should be enough." She lowered her voice, leaning forward over the table. "I'm not drunk, am I?"
I laughed, caressing her leg with my bare foot under the table. "No, you're just adorable."
"Hmm," she said. "That's not what you thought at the airport when I was drinking champagne."
"No, I was torn between fighting with you and kissing you against the wall."
She gasped. "What? I did not pick up on that vibe."
"No, you were too busy giving me shit."
She leaned back in her chair. "I can’t argue with that." She sighed. "The wedding was so beautiful, wasn't it? My sister always wanted to have a wedding on the beach."
"How about you?" I asked.
"I always wanted one in the mountains, or somewhere surrounded by a forest. Blair and I both liked to listen to my mom talk about her wedding. When we were kids, she'd always get that dreamy stare when she mentioned it. We could almost feel Dad's presence. My favorite story was about how he saved for four years to buy her an engagement ring. It's a bit modest, not like my sister's, but I love it so much."
"You miss Blair and your mom, don't you?" I asked.
"I’d love for them to live closer, obviously, but I'm happy that they're happy, you know?"
I took her hand over the table. "You know you can visit them any time you want, right? We can even fly out together."
She shuddered. I even felt it in the way her fingers twitched. "You would come with me?"
"Of course. You can’t tell that I'm addicted to making you happy, Hannah?"
“Chase, the things you say....”
Words like that never came easy for me. In fact, I'd never been one prone to such statements. But with Hannah, it all felt so easy that it was almost an instinct. All I had to do was follow, wait, and let loose instead of trying to control my thoughts and words.
I had to fight everything in me not to throw her over my shoulder and head home right away.
***
Once we were done eating, I went to pull Hannah's chair back. I took her hand, and she gripped it tightly as she stood up. She pressed the side of her body into me and spoke against my chin.
"I'll tell you a secret. I'm kind of tipsy."
I laughed in her ear. "I've got you, Hannah. I'll take you to the car and then home."
Walking on sand took more effort than usual, because she was a bit unsteady. When we arrived at the entrance, there was a line at the shoe pickup. Hannah yawned before resting her head in the crook of my neck. I felt her tongue and then her lips along my throat.
"Hannah?"
"Mm," she murmured against my skin. "That's your sexy 'I can’t keep myself in control' voice.”
She pushed herself away from me, smiling sheepishly. "I’m going to wait over there, on that bench."
"Want me to walk you there?"
"No, I can do it. I just don't want to stand any longer."
"I'll bring your shoes there."
I stood in line for a few more minutes before my turn came. I gestured to the shoes that belonged to Hannah and me.
"Do you have everything you need?" the hostess asked.
"Yes." I pointed at Hannah. "I'm going to help her put the shoes on."
She tilted her head, looking at Hannah. "Oh. Is she feeling unwell?"
"No, just had too much wine."
The hostess cocked a brow and then leaned forward. "Well, if you want to enjoy yourself tonight and not have to take care of that, you can always give me a call after you drop her off at home or whatever."
Who the fuck would make a pass at someone when they're on a date?
"That is unacceptable," I told her.
She jerked her head back like I'd slapped her. "I mean, you didn’t seem very happy about her—”
"I don't owe you any explanations," I said. "I'm going to have a word with whoever owns this place."
"Oh shit, I didn't—" She jerked her head back again.
I turned around, not really caring about how she felt, and headed to Hannah. I kneeled before her, putting on her shoes.
"This is such a Cinderella moment," she said when I slipped the shoes on her feet, touching her ankles for longer than was necessary. "What are you thinking about?"
"That you'd look great with your ankles tied up."
She gasped and put a hand to her mouth. I rose to my feet after putting on my own shoes and then took her hands, helping her up from the bench.
"What took you so long? The hostess couldn't find our shoes?"
I brushed my fingers on her cheek and decided to be open with her. "Actually, she made a pass at me."
Hannah blinked. "What?" She looked over my shoulder. "But she saw me, right?"
"Yes."
She glanced at me. "What did you tell her?"
I frowned. "What do you mean? I told her to fuck off. Why do you even ask?"
Hannah chewed on her lower lip. "I don't know. She's pretty, and I'm a bit drunk, so my filter is way off."
"Hannah." I cupped her face. "I wouldn’t even contemplate giving attention to another woman. You're everything to me."
Then I kissed her so hard that she nearly stumbled backward into the bench. I poured everything I had into the kiss. I needed her to know how much she meant to me. I wanted her to feel it. And I wanted everyone to know she was mine. I was staking my claim, just in case anyone had any fucking ideas about hitting on my woman.
The more I kissed her, the more I wanted to deepen it. But she pushed me away, smiling against my lips.
"Chase, we're not alone," she murmured.
"I’ll rectify that right now."
Her mouth was completely red. "I can't wait for the promised dessert."