What He Bargains (What He Wants, Book Nineteen) (94 page)

“Where are you going?” he laughed.

“Chase,” she whined, smiling at him. “Let go of me.”

“You need to chill.”

“No,” she said, still trying to extricate herself from his grasp. “Don’t we need to leave and get to the hotel?”

“We only slept for like an hour. It’s fine. I can get to the hotel whenever.”

“Well, I think we should get up and get ready.” She pulled away from his grasp and he let her go, which made Faith momentarily glum. “I’m hopping in the shower,” she called over her shoulder.

“Suit yourself,” he called back, seemingly amused.

Why was she trying to get away from him? In reality, she wanted him to hold her forever, and yet here she was playing hard to get for some reason.

No, not just some reason, she thought, as she went to the bathroom and turned on the shower, setting it as hot as it would go.

She was becoming more intimate with Chase, and that was frightening on multiple levels. The way she’d felt while she watched him sleep was a range of emotions that she’d never experienced before, and it was profoundly scary.

I’m in love with him.

Not just falling in love, I don’t think. That would indicate a possibility that I won’t ever fully be in love, but the truth is, it’s already happened. The way I feel when I look at him, when his eyes meet mine, when he holds me, takes me in his arms, puts himself inside my most private place…

I want all of him, every last bit of him.

But does he feel the same way about me?

Would he be willing to sacrifice for me, put me first—change his life to be part of mine?

She stepped into the shower, and as she did so, heard the bathroom door squeaking open. “Hey,” he called out, his voice echoing as it bounced off the walls and floor.

“Hey,” she replied, seeing his naked body rippling through the glass door of the shower. The glass was already fogging from the steam, but she could see him approaching.

“I’m dirty too,” he said. “And I’m a big fan of saving water.” He swung the door open and stepped inside the shower with her.

Faith smiled. “I’m sure that’s the reason you’re coming in here with me.”

“One of many reasons.”

He pushed his body up against hers so they were sharing the stream from the showerhead as the water hit them.

She watched as Chase closed his eyes and leaned his head back, allowing the hot water to soak his hair and run down his gorgeous shoulders, beading down his arms, pecs, back, and then streaming down his legs.

She felt herself getting excited again, her nipples stiffening as she watched his body glisten with lubrication from the heat and steam and water. His skin was ruddy with life and the elite strength and fitness he possessed.

He was so big in every way, and she couldn’t help but glance down at his enormous cock, which even when it wasn’t erect, presented itself proudly. She could already imagine taking him into her mouth again, and the way he would taste.

Chase grabbed a bar of soap and lathered up his hands and began scrubbing his chest and shoulders vigorously. After a moment, he turned and gave her an amused glance. “Getting a good look?”

“Let me help you with that,” she said, grabbing the bar of soap from his hand and lathering her own hands.

“Good idea,” he said. “Time saver. I like the way you think, baby.”

He presented her his back and she started at the top, massaging the soapsuds into his flawless skin, feeling the stretch of his muscles beneath her palms. She rubbed down to his toned, tight ass, waiting for a reprimand from Chase.

But no. He was letting her hands travel where they wanted to go, and so Faith grew more confident and bold.

“I love the way you feel,” she said, as Chase happily lathered his face and then turned into the stream of water from the shower, letting it rinse him off.

“Keep going,” he said. “This is way easier than washing myself.” He laughed.

Faith moved closer, wrapping her arms around him, moving her hands over his ribs and then rubbing her soapy hands over his chest.

“Hey,” Chase warned her.

“What?”

“I already did my chest. You’re wasting time, baby.”

“Oh, right. What about here?” she asked, moving even closer, so her breasts were pressed tightly against Chase’s powerful lower back. She allowed her hands to feel the ridges of his tight belly, the interlocking abdominal muscles that were probably even now featured on thousands of posters and pin ups in young women’s bedrooms across Massachusetts.

But I’m the only one who actually gets to feel him in real life
, she thought, and her insides clenched protectively, with excitement.

“Yeah, lower,” Chase said, grabbing a bottle of shampoo and squeezing a dollop into his palm. He started shampooing his hair as Faith was left to her own devices once more.

She did as he’d instructed, moving her hands slowly down and down his smooth stomach, waiting for Chase to redirect her attentions, as her fingers gleefully neared the slope of his lower belly, to the arch of his groin.

Soon, she was grasping his cock, and noticed that it was already thickening and beginning to straighten as she handled it. “Is this the dirtiest part?” she asked, massaging the soap into his manhood.

Chase ducked his head under the spray before answering her. “Definitely,” he replied. “Scrub it good. Be thorough.”

“Oh, okay,” she nodded, like a good nurse receiving her orders from the head surgeon. She began stroking his cock with one hand, while she played with Chase’s balls, massaging them.

“Yeah,” he sighed.

His cock was now standing at attention as Faith stroked it from behind, and Chase’s body went rigid and he moaned low in his throat.

“Faster?” she asked.

“Faster’s good,” he told her. “We’re running out of time.”

“And water,” she added.

“True.”

He let her jerk his cock, stroking faster and faster, and she could feel the throbbing excitement of him.

She thought that he was going to come soon, but instead Chase pulled away from her and stared at her with what she thought was anger.

“Did I do something wrong?” she asked.

Chase looked down at her, water still dripping from his hair, down his brow, his cheeks. He let the water spray all over his chest and stomach and cock, washing the soap off him.

“Turn around, right now,” he told her.

And then, before she even had a chance to turn, he took her by the shoulders and spun her against the wall of the shower stall and entered her from behind.

“Oh, God,” she moaned, her cheek pressed into the tile.

His hard cock entered her moist channel and drilled into her expectant pussy, and she instantly came. Her legs twitched and she cried out, as Chase slapped himself hard against her backside, ramming her with his thickness.

He fucked her like that, pounding into her as she came yet again, crying out, her moans echoing and bouncing and the steam continued fogging the shower.

“I’m going to fucking come too,” he groaned, pulling out and spraying her back and ass with his sperm.

She turned around and leaned down, taking him into her mouth as he continued ejaculating, while her tongue and lips sucked the last bit out of his pole.

She loved the taste of his cum, the taste of him intermingled with her own taste, which was dirty and sexy and wrong.

Dirty and sexy and wrong. Just like Chase.

When she was done, Chase just shook his head and smiled, and neither of them had to even say a word. It was just like that between them—the attraction was overwhelming and bordering on the absurd.

And then they really did have to finish showering, soaping their bodies and rinsing off once again. But this time, there was no hanky-panky.

After Faith freshened up, she went out and asked Chase what was to be done about her lack of clothing.

He was dressed in a suit, which he told her was necessary when going to the hotel and being around teammates and coaches and team staff in a more public context.

“Let’s stop off at your apartment on the way to the hotel,” he told her. “You can run inside and grab some stuff for the next few days.”

“Few days?” she asked. “I thought it was just for tonight.”

He shrugged and continued tying his tie. “Yeah. I mean, you never know. Why not bring some extra clothes and stuff, just in case?”

“Oh,” she said, trying to hide her building excitement. “Sure. Why not?”

She tried to sound glib about it, but inside she was thrilled. Things were moving so fast between them, but Faith couldn’t deny the fact that she loved his willingness to bring her with him anywhere and everywhere.

And now he appeared to be considering spending even more time together. Past tonight and even the next.

When would it end?

She didn’t even want to think about an ending.

This, she hoped, was just the beginning. And it was hard not to immediately spin fantasies about their coming life together and all of the wonderful romance, all of the possibilities.

She wore her old clothes on the ride back to her apartment. On the drive, there was a comfortable silence between them, and Chase seemed relaxed and in control, despite the fact that he’d just had his place broken into and a substantial sum of money taken from him.

Faith watched him, trying not to stare, but at the same time she felt in awe of this man in so many ways. He was so strong and dark and mysterious, and yet he was simultaneously capable of being soft, generous, gentle and insightful.

Every time Faith thought she’d begun to understand a little more about Chase, he reminded her that she really knew almost nothing.

His life was a mystery, his thoughts were hidden, his behavior was enigmatic. She wanted to believe that his tenderness and passion for her was as real as it appeared, but then she questioned how that was possible.

Chase had already admitted that the entire reason he’d chosen to spend time with her was because he needed someone who didn’t threaten the way he lived his life. She was a convenience, bought and paid for and expected to serve his needs.

Even if she’d rejected the notion that she worked for Club Alpha, it didn’t change the fact that Chase had initially tried to procure her through them.

And Chase’s past was sordid and dangerous, and he wanted to keep it under wraps from everyone. Even her.

Finally, they arrived at her apartment and she went inside to gather more clothes and toiletries, as well as change into a new outfit.

Chase elected to wait in the car, and so she had some time to think while she packed.

Part of her wanted so badly to believe that what they were sharing together right now was real. Wanted to believe that Chase Winters truly valued and cared for her the way he’d claimed to at the bar, and the way he seemed to be continuing to prove to her since then.

But how could she trust someone with such a checkered past—someone who’d kept important information from her recently?

The more Faith thought about it, the less reason she had to trust Chase.

You only think you can trust him because you want to so badly
, she told herself, as she zipped her small suitcase shut and then grabbed the handle and got ready to leave her apartment.

It was true. She wanted to believe in him. Her heart told her that Chase was worth it, but her intellect told her that only a fool would trust herself to a man with Chase’s history and his recent behavior.

He’s a liar, a criminal, and he’s self-protective above all else.

Be careful.

The words came unbidden, throwing cold water on all of her fantasies.

She brought the suitcase down to the car and threw it in the trunk, which Chase had popped open for her.

After slamming the trunk shut, Faith went and got into the passenger seat once more.

Chase glanced at her with his dark eyes, seeming to instantly register the change in her demeanor. “Everything okay?” he asked, as he put the car in gear and started driving once again.

“Yeah,” she lied, smiling, but unable to look at him.

He glanced over again. “I’m glad you’re coming with me,” he told her, before looking back at the road.

“Me too.” She kept the smile on her face.

He hasn’t done anything wrong
, she argued in her mind.
Why are you judging him so harshly?

Faith wanted to tell him her concerns, ask him to reassure her that her fears were unfounded. But she wasn’t sure that Chase could do it, or that he even wanted to reassure her about anything.

And besides, he had a big game to think about. The last thing Faith wanted to do was distract him from focusing on the game tomorrow.

Whatever was happening between them would have to wait, as would the conversation with Chase about her fears.

Reasonable or not, she was going to push those negative thoughts and worries out of her mind and just do her best to enjoy spending time with this man.

She smiled for real as he reached out and took her hand, squeezing gently.

As if he knew, as if he knew and understood everything.

They drove to the hotel by the stadium, and Faith watched the traffic and scenery pass by outside the car and it was dreamlike and surreal, while Chase played a low, thumping hip hop with mellow lyrics that was somehow soothing in its simplicity.

It was like they were in a movie together, and the music filtering out of the car speakers was the soundtrack, and when Faith turned her head to look at Chase, he would glance over and smile at her.

Once again, she felt the shock of complete connection and understanding that passed between them.

They didn’t talk much, but the silence was comfortable, maybe even preferable to chitchat or small talk.

They both had things to think about. Chase had his game to consider, and Faith knew that with a short season like this, every single game had enormous ramifications.

On top of that, the robbery and threat of exposure by Chase’s old friend had to be on his mind, even if he tried to put it out of his thoughts.