had to admit, the house had grown on him. Of course, it was nothing compared to the spacious place he called home but somehow he didn’t miss the swimming pool, Jacuzzi, big screen televisions, or all of the other modern amenities he’d grown accustomed to. Not even the garage door opener. It was all because of Natalie. Home was where she was and that was where he wanted to be.
The phone rang, snapping him out of his reverie. He almost answered it, thinking it might be Natalie calling him. At the last minute, Chase decided to let the machine kick in.
“I’m dying without you,” the male voice groaned. “I want to be with you forever. That other guy doesn’t care about you. He’ll use you and then throw you away. I’ll cherish you forever,” the husky voice promised. “After what happened the other night between us, how can you deny our love? After you lay in my arms, how can you deny the passion? Be honest with yourself—”
Chase slammed the front door on the rest of the words, walked down the driveway and out of Natalie Allington’s life.
***
The next two days were long and quiet and very lonely. Natalie moped around the house, looking out the window whenever she heard a car, wondering if it would be Chase, and somehow knowing it would not.
By Saturday, three days had gone by and still she hadn’t heard from him. She’d turned down a theater invitation from Derek and movie tickets from two of her girlfriends. She wanted to be alone—or with Chase.
Where was he? The house was finished but he’d told her it would be. That wasn’t it, was it? He hadn’t ‘finished the job’ and then just ‘finished with her.’ Had he? Not after the other night with all those unspoken promises. All the words that still needed to be said. He couldn’t leave her now, not after she’d just convinced herself that he was so much more than good looks and smooth words. Oh, why didn’t he call?
Two days later, Natalie decided either there was some huge catastrophe, like he’d been in a car accident and had amnesia, or he really was a slick, talking, love ‘ em and leave ‘ em kind of guy. If that were the case, then she was a major fool and would never forgive herself, but he’d have to look her in the eye and tell her it was over. Then she would haul off and land her best right cross on that too-handsome face.
Dan-Son was a huge ultra-modern building with glass everywhere. As she rode the elevator to the 18th floor where Chase worked, Natalie began to have misgivings about the wisdom of what she was doing. Before she could change her mind, the door chimed opened and she stepped into the luxurious Dan-Son suite.
Natalie approached the older woman seated at the receptionist desk and said, “Excuse me, I’d like to see Mr. Danning .”
The woman eyed her carefully a moment, then smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry but Mr. Danning is in meetings all day.”
“Oh.” She tried to hide her disappointment, but failed. She’d come to find out the truth and one way or another, she’d have it. “It’s rather important. I don’t mind waiting.” She glanced at her watch. “If you think Mr. Danning’s boss won’t mind, I’ll just have a seat until he’s through.”
“Mr. Danning’s boss?” The older woman looked confused. “Mr. Danning is the boss.”
Just then, the huge double doors to the boardroom flew open and Chase Danning emerged, head down, studying the papers in his hand. “Gladys, I need you to run another set of numbers for me. These projections aren’t working.” He glanced up and saw her. “Natalie.”
She stared at the man in the expensive suit and fancy Italian loafers with the cold eyes. “You own this company?”
He gestured nonchalantly toward the huge gold sign. “My partner and I do. I’m the Danning in Dan and he’s the Sampson in Son.”
“Oh, well,” she hesitated a moment, waiting for him to say something. Anything. He continued to stare at her with that cold
The phone rang, snapping him out of his reverie. He almost answered it, thinking it might be Natalie calling him. At the last minute, Chase decided to let the machine kick in.
“I’m dying without you,” the male voice groaned. “I want to be with you forever. That other guy doesn’t care about you. He’ll use you and then throw you away. I’ll cherish you forever,” the husky voice promised. “After what happened the other night between us, how can you deny our love? After you lay in my arms, how can you deny the passion? Be honest with yourself—”
Chase slammed the front door on the rest of the words, walked down the driveway and out of Natalie Allington’s life.
***
The next two days were long and quiet and very lonely. Natalie moped around the house, looking out the window whenever she heard a car, wondering if it would be Chase, and somehow knowing it would not.
By Saturday, three days had gone by and still she hadn’t heard from him. She’d turned down a theater invitation from Derek and movie tickets from two of her girlfriends. She wanted to be alone—or with Chase.
Where was he? The house was finished but he’d told her it would be. That wasn’t it, was it? He hadn’t ‘finished the job’ and then just ‘finished with her.’ Had he? Not after the other night with all those unspoken promises. All the words that still needed to be said. He couldn’t leave her now, not after she’d just convinced herself that he was so much more than good looks and smooth words. Oh, why didn’t he call?
Two days later, Natalie decided either there was some huge catastrophe, like he’d been in a car accident and had amnesia, or he really was a slick, talking, love ‘ em and leave ‘ em kind of guy. If that were the case, then she was a major fool and would never forgive herself, but he’d have to look her in the eye and tell her it was over. Then she would haul off and land her best right cross on that too-handsome face.
Dan-Son was a huge ultra-modern building with glass everywhere. As she rode the elevator to the 18th floor where Chase worked, Natalie began to have misgivings about the wisdom of what she was doing. Before she could change her mind, the door chimed opened and she stepped into the luxurious Dan-Son suite.
Natalie approached the older woman seated at the receptionist desk and said, “Excuse me, I’d like to see Mr. Danning .”
The woman eyed her carefully a moment, then smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry but Mr. Danning is in meetings all day.”
“Oh.” She tried to hide her disappointment, but failed. She’d come to find out the truth and one way or another, she’d have it. “It’s rather important. I don’t mind waiting.” She glanced at her watch. “If you think Mr. Danning’s boss won’t mind, I’ll just have a seat until he’s through.”
“Mr. Danning’s boss?” The older woman looked confused. “Mr. Danning is the boss.”
Just then, the huge double doors to the boardroom flew open and Chase Danning emerged, head down, studying the papers in his hand. “Gladys, I need you to run another set of numbers for me. These projections aren’t working.” He glanced up and saw her. “Natalie.”
She stared at the man in the expensive suit and fancy Italian loafers with the cold eyes. “You own this company?”
He gestured nonchalantly toward the huge gold sign. “My partner and I do. I’m the Danning in Dan and he’s the Sampson in Son.”
“Oh, well,” she hesitated a moment, waiting for him to say something. Anything. He continued to stare at her with that cold
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