45. Chase #3
I rush into the bathroom and immediately head for the sink.
Thank goodness, there’s no one else in here.
I just need a goddamn second. Running my hands under the cold water, I splash my face before threading my fingers through my hair.
My cold, damp shirt sticks to my chest, but I seriously cannot be less bothered.
It’s the least of my worries.
I hate seeing Theo touching him. The thought of someone else even being remotely close to him…fuck, I’m spiraling. I feel like the young high school kid I once was. But this feels so much worse. Now I know how it actually feels to have him. Thinking of someone taking that away…
Thinking of him going away…I can’t…I can’t handle this. I—
Suddenly the bathroom door swings open and the one person I want to see the most walks through.
“Hey, what happened—” he begins before I crush my mouth against his. I can’t let another second go by without it. I need to feel him wrapped all over me. I need to drown in him.
Thankfully, his lips part, accepting my kiss with just as much enthusiasm. He tangles his fingers through the back of my hair and dances with my tongue the way I needed so desperately.
I tug him closer by his belt until he’s pressed up firmly against me. Our heavy breathing is the only thing keeping us company in this small room.
“Mmm, baby. What’s—” he tries to pull away but I don’t let him. I can’t.
To my disappointment, he gently disconnects my hands from his waist and holds them against his chest instead to create some distance.
“Please. Just, talk to me. What’s going on?” he asks, before laying a soft kiss on my lips.
I slow down, taking a breath, leaning my forehead on his. “I’m feeling…overwhelmed,” I pant.
“Okay. Let’s talk about it.”
I blow out a big breath, fully prepared to sound as crazy as I feel.
“Everyone can touch you except for me. They can order you drinks and…and anyone can call you theirs. Except for me.” My brows crinkle, feeling that wave of nausea coming over me again.
He squeezes my hands. “Chase—”
“Let’s talk to HR. Let’s call it. We can call this, can’t we?”
Jeremiah exhales, looking away from me. “I talked to Jocelyn about it after we first kissed. Since I’m in a position of power, it makes things complicated. It could really mess with the way people view you, your promotion–” he sighs simply, lowering his head.
I shake my head. “The promotion came before you even got here.”
“That doesn’t matter—”
“Well, it doesn’t matter to me! I don’t care how they see me.”
He frowns. “Chase, you know that’s not true.”
My brain frantically tries to think of a solution, because I know on some level that he’s right. I don’t want people to think my promotion was based on something that isn’t true. I worked hard for the position I have.
Jeremiah’s eyes look down at our interlocked hands. “One of us…will have to leave…”
My eyes widen. “No. No fucking way. Neither of us can leave.” I feel touched that he went that early on but I also feel like my gut has been punched. I thought I’d grow old with WingMate. I don’t want to leave, but I don’t want Jeremiah to either. This isn’t right.
Jeremiah hesitates, glancing toward the door before meeting my eyes again. “I think… I can work something out.”
I take a step closer. “Really? How?” My heart finally feels like it’s about to calm down.
Jeremiah looks away again, clearly conflicted with something.
“What is it? Jere, talk to me,” I say, gently pulling his chin back towards me.
“You’ve got to trust me, okay? There are some things happening that I wish I could talk to you about but—”
“Well, does Theo know?” I blurt. I’m not sure why but I need to know at least that. But, I do.
Jeremiah’s eyes widen, his mouth slack as he searches for the words.
My eyes narrow. “Okay, let me adjust that. Is there something going on between you two?”
Jeremiah’s eyes shift between mine. I can’t deny that a pang of betrayal hits me straight in the chest.
“No, of course not. But—”
A swing of the doors open up, Jeremiah immediately drops my hands and we both back up away from each other. My heart drops when I see that it’s Theo.
Of fucking course it is.
“Thought you two got lost.” Theo chuckles, looking between Jeremiah and I.
Jeremiah looks down at his feet, as though he doesn’t want Theo to know what we were just talking about. As though what Theo thinks matters so much.
Matters more than hurting me.
“I, uh…I feel sick all of a sudden so I think I’m just going to head home.” I shrug, making a move to leave.
“Wait. I’ll drive you home.” Jeremiah catches my wrist, but I pull away.
Theo plants his hand on Jeremiah's chest, stopping him from walking further. “But you drove David and I here and we need a ride back.”
“I’ll order you an Uber.” Jeremiah shrugs, beginning to walk after me before Theo stops him once again.
“No, I really think you should hang back,” Theo insists. “We need to talk.”
I look between the two of them, locked in some sort of stand-off. Feeling on the outside makes my blood boil.
“Don’t worry about it. Night, Jeremiah,” I say before swinging the door open and walking out.
Mia is right around the corner, waiting patiently for me like she already knew. She did know.
Without a moment of hesitation, she quickly looks to everyone at the table, says goodbye and joins me out of the bar.