He hadn’t expected her to respond, hadn’t expected her lips to part and welcome the kiss. When he felt Natalie’s honest response, the kiss gentled a moment and then exploded. They reached for one another, tongues mating, hands stroking.
Chase broke the kiss and pulled away, his breathing heavy and ragged. “Go,” he ground out. “Your date is waiting.”
Natalie stared at him, obviously waiting for him to say something, maybe even ask her not to go. When he didn’t, she turned and silently head for the door. And then she was gone.
***
Natalie arrived home from work the next day, cranky and exhausted. She’d barely slept last night and had been in a foul mood all day and she knew why. His name was Chase Danning . She walked into the bedroom, tossed her jacket on the bed and kicked off her shoes. The red light on the answering machine flashed an annoying blink. Derek again , she thought, pressing the play button. Chase’s strong voice filled the line.
“Hi. It’s Chase. I’d like to apologize for acting like a jerk last night.” Pause. “It’s just that I think there might be something really special between us.” There was a slight hesitation followed by a rush of words, “But every time I try to get near, you run away. Or Derek stops over. I don’t know. I hope I’m not making a fool of myself but I think you feel something too. I’d like to take you out tonight if you’re free. There’s a great seafood restaurant downtown. Call me if you’re interested. You’ve got my number.” Click.
Natalie hugged herself and danced around the room, barely able to control her excitement. Then she found Chase’s phone number and practicing her most sophisticated voice, dialed it.
***
The waiter approached with two elegantly garnished steamed lobsters. “Your dinner is served.” The next several minutes were taken with arranging the food, refilling wine glasses and addressing other inane pleasantries. Chase wished the guy would hurry up and be done with it. Expensive restaurants were nice but forget trying to get any privacy. Next time, they’d order take-out and eat at home. Next time . First, he had to get through tonight.
“Chase,” Natalie began hesitantly.
“Hmm?” He dug out a lobster claw with studied concentration.
“About Derek…”
His head shot up. “Let’s not talk about him tonight,” he said in a tight voice.
“He’s just a friend,” she persisted.
“Okay.” He popped the succulent meat into his mouth.
“We work at the ad agency together.” His eyes narrowed but she pressed on, “Derek’s real love is acting and he’s auditioning for the lead role in a play. I guess all of his other friends are tired of listening to him, so he tries out his lines on me.”
“I’ll bet he does.”
“There’s no need to be nasty. He’s just a friend.”
Chase shrugged. “Okay, I believe you. Now, can we enjoy our meal and forget about this guy?”
She nodded, quietly watching him attack his meal and wondered if he weren’t wishing the claw speared on his tiny fork was Derek.
The rest of the evening was quiet and relaxing. The subject of Derek wasn’t mentioned again and Chase seemed to be his old, easygoing, charming self. Too charming. Too handsome , Natalie reminded herself as the evening drew to a close. They walked to her front steps, holding hands and talking softly.
“I should be finished with everything by tomorrow.”
“Really?” Natalie tried to hide her disappointment.
He smiled down at her. “I thought you’d be happy. A few weeks ago you were ready to shoot your landlord. Remember?” He cupped her chin with strong fingers.
“That was before,” she whispered.
“Yeah.” He smiled as his mouth lowered to meet hers. “That was before.”
***
Chase made one last inspection of the house. The bedroom was freshly painted a dusty rose, the leaky faucets were gone, there was new drywall, carpet sections and no more ants. Natalie would be pleased. He
Chase broke the kiss and pulled away, his breathing heavy and ragged. “Go,” he ground out. “Your date is waiting.”
Natalie stared at him, obviously waiting for him to say something, maybe even ask her not to go. When he didn’t, she turned and silently head for the door. And then she was gone.
***
Natalie arrived home from work the next day, cranky and exhausted. She’d barely slept last night and had been in a foul mood all day and she knew why. His name was Chase Danning . She walked into the bedroom, tossed her jacket on the bed and kicked off her shoes. The red light on the answering machine flashed an annoying blink. Derek again , she thought, pressing the play button. Chase’s strong voice filled the line.
“Hi. It’s Chase. I’d like to apologize for acting like a jerk last night.” Pause. “It’s just that I think there might be something really special between us.” There was a slight hesitation followed by a rush of words, “But every time I try to get near, you run away. Or Derek stops over. I don’t know. I hope I’m not making a fool of myself but I think you feel something too. I’d like to take you out tonight if you’re free. There’s a great seafood restaurant downtown. Call me if you’re interested. You’ve got my number.” Click.
Natalie hugged herself and danced around the room, barely able to control her excitement. Then she found Chase’s phone number and practicing her most sophisticated voice, dialed it.
***
The waiter approached with two elegantly garnished steamed lobsters. “Your dinner is served.” The next several minutes were taken with arranging the food, refilling wine glasses and addressing other inane pleasantries. Chase wished the guy would hurry up and be done with it. Expensive restaurants were nice but forget trying to get any privacy. Next time, they’d order take-out and eat at home. Next time . First, he had to get through tonight.
“Chase,” Natalie began hesitantly.
“Hmm?” He dug out a lobster claw with studied concentration.
“About Derek…”
His head shot up. “Let’s not talk about him tonight,” he said in a tight voice.
“He’s just a friend,” she persisted.
“Okay.” He popped the succulent meat into his mouth.
“We work at the ad agency together.” His eyes narrowed but she pressed on, “Derek’s real love is acting and he’s auditioning for the lead role in a play. I guess all of his other friends are tired of listening to him, so he tries out his lines on me.”
“I’ll bet he does.”
“There’s no need to be nasty. He’s just a friend.”
Chase shrugged. “Okay, I believe you. Now, can we enjoy our meal and forget about this guy?”
She nodded, quietly watching him attack his meal and wondered if he weren’t wishing the claw speared on his tiny fork was Derek.
The rest of the evening was quiet and relaxing. The subject of Derek wasn’t mentioned again and Chase seemed to be his old, easygoing, charming self. Too charming. Too handsome , Natalie reminded herself as the evening drew to a close. They walked to her front steps, holding hands and talking softly.
“I should be finished with everything by tomorrow.”
“Really?” Natalie tried to hide her disappointment.
He smiled down at her. “I thought you’d be happy. A few weeks ago you were ready to shoot your landlord. Remember?” He cupped her chin with strong fingers.
“That was before,” she whispered.
“Yeah.” He smiled as his mouth lowered to meet hers. “That was before.”
***
Chase made one last inspection of the house. The bedroom was freshly painted a dusty rose, the leaky faucets were gone, there was new drywall, carpet sections and no more ants. Natalie would be pleased. He
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