Mitch had already left. Several of the men were still lingering about. He finished and left the office with enough time to spare to pick Leah up. With the rise in crime in the area, he didn’t want her walking the streets alone.
He pulled up outside of her office building as she was coming out of the doors. She was alone, and the women who’d exited with her stood off to the side. Some of them were sniggering at Leah. His defensiveness went through the roof. She hadn’t seen him yet.
Chase climbed out of the car and walked over to her.
“Hey, baby,” he said, pulling her close.
“Chase, what are you doing here?” She hugged him close and was smiling.
The other women were watching them. He turned so his back was to them. “Were they giving you a hard time?”
“They do every Friday,” she said.
“Then let’s give them something to talk about.” He didn’t know why he did it, but he was never going to regret it. Chase leaned down and claimed her lips. He plunged his tongue inside and tasted her for the first time. They’d never kissed at all. The few pecks on the cheek and friendly kisses did not count in his book.
When he pulled away, her eyes were glazed over with desire. Chase knew that Leah wanted him as much as he did her.
“Come on, baby. Let’s get you home.”
They walked to his car.
“Well, if that is what she gets to go home to every night, I see why she bails on us.” He heard one of the women mutter.
He helped her inside his car and then moved round to his side. Giving the lonely women a wave, he pulled away from the curb.
“Don’t forget we need to grab some movies.”
“I won’t.”
“What made you come for me tonight?” she asked.
His grip tightened on the steering wheel thinking about her safety. “The streets are no longer safe. I don’t like the thought of you being on your own.”
“I can take care of myself.”
“Not while I’m around.”
Leah didn’t argue with him.
“Why were those women giving you a hard time?” he asked.
She sighed. “Did you see someone you like?”
Not with you in my arms.
“Not a chance. I want to know why they’re giving my girl a hard time. I care about you, Leah.”
Actually, I fucking love you and worship the ground you walk on, but you’re so not ready to hear that just yet.
“They’re not mean. Every Friday they ask me to go for drinks, and I refuse. In fact, I refuse most of their social offers. I’m not interested in forming friendships.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t want to be a receptionist in the same building all my life, Chase. Surely you understand that.”
He nodded his head in agreement. He and Mitch had a dream of setting up their own business and being their own bosses. Their dream included Leah. At the moment they couldn’t afford to start up a business, let alone employ Leah. They had too much at stake. Their reputations. The apartment. And Leah counted on Mitch and Chase to bring in the extra money. They would never risk the apartment. Leah was their first priority.
“Besides, I like spending time with you guys. Work is work, and fun is fun. I don’t like to mix the two.”
Chase pulled into the parking lot of the video store.
“Will you wait here?” she asked.
He glanced toward the door and saw the place was crowded with men. “Not a chance. We can go together.”
Pulling his keys out of the ignition, he climbed out of the car.
“You’re being very difficult.”
“Are you finally ashamed of me, baby?” he asked, flickering his eyelashes at her. Chase offered his hand, which she took.
“You’re a crazy guy, you know that?”
“Always.”
Chapter Three
Leah was thrilled at Chase coming to collect her from work. She saw the look on the other girls’ faces, and it had been a dream come true to see. They understood why she turned them down every chance she got. Mitch and Chase were worth the teasing she got at work. At least they wouldn’t think she was some repressed virgin who was afraid of alcohol. She held his hand as they walked into the video store. Willy was serving at the counter and gave her a wave, which she reciprocated.
“How many should we take out?” she asked.
Chase counted on his fingers. “Six.”
“You think we can watch six?”
“Yeah, two tonight, then tomorrow, and Sunday,” he said, pulling her over to the horror section.
“No hot dates planned with unsuspecting females?”
“That hurts, Leah. You know the weekend is our weekend, like the good old days.”
When they were younger they’d alternate weekends at each other’s houses until their folks decided they were too old to be sleeping around at each other’s houses. In Leah’s mind it meant she had breasts, the guys had penises, and they were not going to allow anything to happen.