On our way home, we remained silent. Granted, my first impression of him hadn’t been a good one, but by the end of the evening, my opinion had shifted. Only, I didn’t want him to know. Not with all those tense moments between us and no clue as to what attracted me to him to such an extent. There had to be something else other than his appearance because, even though I had always been attracted to dark hair and pale eyes, my reaction to those had usually been more demure and less driven by my libido. He had stirred something deep inside me. I could only guess it was a need to be fulfilled.
However, there was something else, too. A longing to look at him when he wouldn’t notice. A wish to get to know him—the real him—without being too apparent.
Chase pulled over on the other side of the road and killed the engine. I brushed a hand through my hair as I tried to fight the annoying part of me that wanted to stay just a little bit longer.
“Thanks,” I mumbled, and was reaching for the door when his fingers curled around my arm gently, but with enough force to stop me.
“Laurie?” His voice indicated our conversation wasn’t over. “Under different circumstances, I would ask you out on a date.”
My heart did a somersault.
“The circumstances are as they are. It’s just a job, and then we’re done.” My tone was supposed to be sharp, determined. Instead, all I managed was a croak filled with regret.
His eyes narrowed, sparkling with smoldering heat and the kind of determination I seemingly lacked.
“Then let me make you feel what could be between us, and you’ll change your mind,” Chase whispered, and let go of my arm.
Without so much as a glance back, I stumbled out of the car, back to my home, away from him and the one thing I shouldn’t be feeling: attraction.
Chapter 6
What the hell was that all about?
I kept musing over Chase’s words through the rest of the evening. And now I was still musing as I waited for Jude to finally emerge from her bedroom-based office once she finished typing up a new post for her blog.
“Okay, what’s wrong? What did the jerk do beside take you home way too early?” Jude asked, plopping down on the sofa and almost landing in my lap. I moved aside to make room for her and regarded her, confused.
“Jerk?” I asked. “What are you talking about?” A glance at my watch showed it was just after 8 p.m. “It’s hardly early.”
She rolled her blue eyes. “Well, obviously, you’re very much confused and, judging from the glint in your eyes, very much horny, so I figured he probably got you all hot, and dropped you like a hot saucepan.”
My jaw dropped. “Classy,” I muttered. “I love your metaphors, although I’ll have to admit that comparing me with a saucepan is a first. But no, I asked him to bring me home. That’s it.”
“Why would you do that?” Now it was her turn for her jaw to drop in shock, as if I had done something horrible. Finally, her lips curved into a lazy smile as comprehension kicked in.
“Did he or did he not make a pass at you? You haven’t answered my question.” Her eyes ripped a hole in my pretense.
I cringed. “Kind of.”
“Good. He’s playing you, and from the way you look, you’re probably fed up with it and want him to make a move while your panties are still hot. I completely get you.” She smiled mysteriously. “We’ve got to devise a battle plan if we’re to beat him at his own game.”
“Panties—what?” I shook my head. “Never mind.”
Even though we had been best friends for ages, half the time I had no idea what Jude was talking about. Now was one of those times.
“So, let’s get to strategizing,” Jude said, ignoring me.
“He’s my employee, not my poker adversary.”
“He’d better not be, because with me on your side, he’ll lose big time,” Jude said. “Now tell me everything.”
Still clueless as to what she was talking about, I related a quick recap of my meeting with Chase, leaving out all the double-entendres and the brooding looks and, most importantly¸ the touching, and his parting words.
“He didn’t invite you in?” Jude asked incredulously, her brows drawn at me like I was lying to her.
“No,” I said. “And I’m glad he didn’t, because it would have been embarrassing, and, let’s face it, I’m already embarrassing the crap out of myself by employing him to play my lover.”
“Seems like he thinks you’re relationship material.”
Whoa, where did that one come from?
“What?” I laughed nervously. “Why would you come to such a conclusion?”