Chapter 21
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Noah
I slowly awaken. It’s no wonder I fell asleep after such mind-blowing sex. I shift slightly and realise I’m trapped, my head firm against Chase’s chest and his arm around me. No, not trapped, that’s the wrong word, but held securely, safely. Yes, it definitely feels safe.
“Hey, sweetheart,” he says softly. I lift my head and a string of drool follows me—urgh, not a good look. I quickly wipe my mouth and glance up at him. His expression is one of indulgence, so maybe he doesn’t mind me drooling all over him.
“What time is it?” I ask groggily, wondering how long I’ve been out for. Chase picks up his expensive watch that’s on the bedside table.
“Just after three,” he says.
“Damn,” I mutter, half under my breath.
“I hope that’s not how you feel about being in my bed,” he says.
“No, no. Not at all.” I look up at him and can see he’s teasing. “It’s just . . . Urgh, how can this be both the worst and the best day of my life?”
“I hope I’m in the second half of that statement.” He raises an eyebrow at me.
“Chase, darling. You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me. But the rest of it’s a mess right now.”
“Well, I’ll certainly do everything I can to help you sort it out if you keep calling me darling.” He chuckles, and I pepper kisses up his chest until I reach his mouth.
“Darling,” I whisper against his lips and then kiss him. I nip at his top and bottom lips and tease with my tongue until he laughs. It’s so easy to get distracted by him, but then reality hits once again and I pull back. I ease myself out of his grasp so I can’t be tempted, and I hear him sigh.
“I can see you’ve gone into work mode, so what is it you need?
” I love that he asks that, here, in the shower, in bed.
Instead of assuming, he lets me have control of what happens, and that is so hot.
I hadn’t really expected that of someone like him, used to having everyone jump at his command.
But I can tell caring is a big part of why he’s successful, and if anything, it makes him even more attractive.
“I need to get dressed, and find my bag. I need to email all my clients and let them know. No doubt ANC have already been onto them. I obviously can’t use my ANC email, but I can use my personal one until I have something else.
I’d like to see your proposal too, as I need to work on what happens next, and quickly.
” I start to list everything in the order it occurs in my head.
“Shit! Rafe. I need to make sure he’s alright and find out what he wants to do, and if he still wants to split from ANC.
I hope he does, but it wasn’t planned to happen so soon.
It’ll be harder for him as he’s still in the middle of his book tour.
Okay, okay. I’ll talk to him first and then his publisher.
This is their tour after all, and I’ll still be representing him, it will just be a change of contact. ”
Chase’s hand lands on my arm, and I stop rattling on and look at it while my chest heaves.
“Sweetheart, take a breath.” I do as he says.
“Okay, we’ll work on each of those things. But how about while you do the first things on your list and get yourself set up, I’ll go source us coffee and some food?”
“Coffee does sound good, and I could eat. But don’t you have things to do? Important meetings and stuff?” He brushes my curls away from my face and cups my chin.
“Right now you’re my number one priority.
Everything else can wait.” He ghosts a kiss across my lips and then pushes himself backwards off his bed.
I admire his fit body as he walks naked across the room, but it gets blurry as he moves further away.
My glasses, where the hell are my glasses?
I don’t know where I discarded them earlier in my rush to get undressed.
By the time I’ve located them on a table near my pile of discarded clothes, Chase has reappeared wearing a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt.
That’s a shame, but maybe I’ll get to see him naked again later.
Though a Chase in sweatpants is still a very fine sight.
“Be right back,” he says and slips out the door.
I quickly pull on my clothes. I didn’t have a chance to see any of this room or his house before, or rather I was too focussed on Chase to notice anything else.
It’s a large room, though obviously not as large as the castle.
Not that I saw Chase’s bedroom there, but the room I stayed in was bigger, so I doubt Chase’s would be smaller.
It’s elegant, quite modern but still expensive.
I look out of the window and can see a gravelled driveaway ending in some iron gates and a large brick wall extending in both directions, which I assume circles the property.
I’m not sure where we are, except I know we’re still in London somewhere as the drive from the office wasn’t that long.
But wherever we are, to have a house this large in London must have cost a fortune.
I bite back a laugh at the thought. This is Chase, who has an actual castle, and a yacht and a jet and .
. . I don’t know if he has any more houses.
It wouldn’t surprise me if he has one on every continent.
I’ll have to ask him. If he does, I’d love to see them all.
I drag myself away from the view and daydreaming about Chase and set my laptop up on the table. Just as it’s booting up, the door opens and Chase is followed in by a lady carrying a tray. She puts it down on the table and gives me a kind smile.
“Noah, this is Macy, my housekeeper here.”
“Pleased to meet you,” she says, holding out her hand. I shake it firmly.
“Erm, pleased to meet you too,” I reply and feel my cheeks heat up a little. Was she in the house while we . . . ? Did she hear every time I shouted Chase’s name while bouncing up and down on his cock? It never occurred to me he’d have staff. I know he does at the castle, but that place is huge.
“Let me know if there’s anything else you need,” she says before leaving the room.
“Was she here the whole time?” I whisper as the door shuts behind her. “You know . . . earlier?” I swallow and Chase laughs as he understands my concern.
“Yes, but don’t worry, this house is old. The walls are thick and the doors are solid. I doubt she would have heard anything.”
“You doubt?” I squeak, but he laughs again.
“Relax, all my staff are hand picked and discreet. She would have made herself scarce if she heard anything and gone to a different part of the house.”
“Okay.” I take a deep breath, not sure that is really okay, but I guess it’ll be something I’ll have to get used to. Well, I hope I get the chance to get used to it. Chase seems keen, and I’m committed too, especially now I’ve blown my job at ANC partly so I can be with him.
“What’s going on in that head of yours?”
“Erm, nothing,” I say and turn back to my computer, but he catches my hand, he cradles it in one of his large warm ones, and runs his fingers in a caress across the palm, causing a shiver down my spine.
“Sweetheart, you don’t have to hide anything from me. Even if you tell me you don’t want this. It will crush me, I’m not going to lie. But I’d rather know.”
“I do want it. I want you, Chase. It’s just .
. .” I push my glasses up my nose. I know they’ve not slipped, but I do it anyway when I’m slightly nervous.
“Your life is very different to mine, with the castle, this house, the staff. It’s a lot to take in and get used to.
Even your food.” I gesture to the plates of sandwiches Macy has put down.
They look delicious, with leafy greens and other salad, some chicken, and a relish, cut into quarters.
“If I was at home, I’d probably just have beans on toast.”
“I don’t understand the British obsession with it, but I like that too.” He shrugs.
“That’s not what I meant.” I press my lips together and his face softens.
“I know, and I’m not trying to make light of what you’re feeling, but I want you in my life, Noah. I told you I was serious, and it’s true, so whatever you need we can do it. We can take this as slow or as quick as you want. Though I’d rather keep the staff, because I really hate cleaning.”
I can’t help but laugh at his last statement, but I can feel he’s sincere.
“Thank you,” I whisper, and he leans forward to press a sweet brief kiss to my lips.
I start work, getting in touch with my clients while Chase works beside me and we eat the sandwiches. Every time I look over at him he meets my eyes and gives me a smile that makes my heart nearly burst. I leave Rafe until last and he responds to my email almost straight away, so I call him.
I fill him in on the situation, and although he’s busy he sends his withdrawal email to ANC straight away.
I haven’t got anything set up to replace it, but I know I can trust him.
He tells me that it’s still not going so well in the States and I look at his schedule.
He still has ten days left. I hate that he’s out there alone.
“Tomorrow you’re in Houston. I’m going to meet you there,” I tell him, and I can almost hear his relief over the phone.
I just hate that he’s been on his own. I’m not too impressed with the publishers either, which I’m going to tell them when I update them with my contact details.
I promise to send him my arrangements once I’ve got them sorted and I end the call.
“I’m never letting that happen again,” I say, and Chase gives me his full attention.
“And you won’t have to. Do you need my jet?”
“No. I’m perfectly fine catching a normal flight,” I say carefully. I know he’s offering it willingly, but I don’t want to use it just because it’s there. I don’t want to be with him because of his money. He is enough.
“Okay,” he says and doesn’t press me. Appreciation that he truly understands spreads a warmth through me.
I could easily fall hard for him, which I suspect I’m halfway to doing already.
I book my flight to leave early in the morning, that way I’ll be there before Rafe’s next signing tomorrow, and I email him the news.
“Are you ready for my proposal?” he asks me about thirty minutes later.
“I’m about done here, so yes, I am.” I close my laptop and turn to him as he passes over a file.
He doesn’t try to “sell” it to me. Instead he lets me read everything through.
It’s generous, but it’s also ambitious, far more than I would have planned on my own.
It also allows for growth, not just more clients for me, but to employ other agents. I lean back and blow out a breath.
“Do you think this would work?” I ask.
“There are always things we can’t predict in business, but I’ve been in this game a long time and I’ve done a lot of research over the last week.
Also, you’re talented, skilled, and you genuinely care about your clients.
Once that becomes known and you build a name for yourself, you’ll have people queuing up to join. ”
“You believe in me that much?” I ask, starting to feel more excited about it even though it’s still scary.
“It’s not purely belief, sweetheart. Everything I said was true. You’re very good at your job.”
“Thank you.” I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face, which Chase matches. I understand most of the details, but not all. Although I trust Chase implicitly, I need to ask.
“Is it alright if I ask my Dad to look it over as well?”
“I’d be worried if you didn’t,” Chase says approvingly. He sends me an electronic copy, which I email to my dad and also call him to ask if he’ll look at it immediately. I want to be able to sign it before I get on the plane.