Page 35 of Chase
She’d never, not for a moment, thought of her scar and the puckered skin as attractive. Mostly she’d hated the reminder of that horrifying night, the pain, the recovery …
But with the way Chase was touching her, she felt more than attractive. She felt as if she, and even her healed wound, were mesmerizing. His touch thrilled her to the core.
He trailed his fingertips from the scar, across her collarbone, over her shoulder, and then along her upper back. His other hand framed her jawline. Lizzy was warm, perfectly warm, andit had nothing to do with the over a hundred degree water they were resting in.
Chase’s gaze met hers, and she read acceptance and yearning there. Still, she had to verbalize it.
“Does seeing the scar … make you think less of me?”
“Lizzy.” He said her name on a heated breath. “Quite the opposite. I hate that someone injured you, but you are much stronger than your scars. The bravery you exhibit and the pain you’ve risen above makes you even more impressive and desirable to me. I didn’t think it could be possible to be more drawn to you, but I am every moment. You are beautiful inside and out.”
Lizzy’s breath rushed out of her body. His words were the most beautiful she’d ever heard and, more importantly, there was no guile or deception in them. Chase meant his words, and she trusted him.
“So are you,” she returned. She let her fingertips trail over his broad and muscular chest, lingering next to a long white scar near his right shoulder. “I want to hear all about your scars.”
He smiled slightly. “I’d love to share with you, but first …”
Then he bowed his head, and he kissed her.
The moment of connection was as inspiring as him touching her scar or sharing that she was impressive and desirable, not in spite of but because of the pain she’d been through.
Lizzy had never felt a kiss that was powerful and tender at the same time. He kissed her so thoroughly she floated above the hot water and into a heaven created by Chase’s strong arms, enticing lips, and kind and thoughtful soul.
He slid her easily onto his lap and against his chest. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on, unable to think or do anything besides get lost in Chase’s lips.
She’d never felt a kiss as powerful and pure as this one.
Chase saw her, every bit of her, and still thought she was beautiful. He was patient, caring, and ideal to her in every way.
Chase.
Would she ever get enough of him or his kisses?
Was he for real, or would the wheels come off this happy vacation bus and she’d be left screeching along the highway by herself?
Lizzy pushed those unfounded worries away and focused on Chase’s lips fusing with hers and his strong body surrounding her.
Heaven. That was where she resided at the moment, and she was in no hurry to leave.
Chapter
Ten
Lizzy hada hard time settling down that night. Every time she closed her eyes, she was transported back to Chase’s arms and kissing him in the hot tub. Bliss. Sheer bliss. Lizzy was a dreamer, a happy light, but life had knocked her down and ruined her trust. Chase had restored that trust in mankind and her visions of a joyful future.
The longer she lay there, the more she wondered if she was being overly optimistic like she used to be before Darren’s belittlement and Grady’s attack. It wasn’t as if Chase had talked about their future, and they didn’t live near each other. What kind of impressive former special ops hero who had traveled the world would want to live in Eudora, Kansas? What if he asked her to relocate and leave her mom, Janie, and her children? Yet Jade Valley, Arizona wasn’t his hometown, and he had no family to root him anywhere.
She was racing ahead. They’d shared a series of off-the-charts kisses, but Chase hadn’t pledged his love or asked her to marry him or even to date him seriously. It had also been a week of fantasy life. The abuse and degradation hadn’t started until weeks or even months later with her other boyfriends. Itwas easy to be happy and nice in the fairy tale land that was the Austrian Alps. Chase seemed incredible, but she needed to ‘calm down’, as Janie would say when she started flipping out or got overly excited.
Finally, after what felt like hours, she started to drift off.
Footsteps approached her door, and instantly she was alert again. Her heartbeat picked up. Was it Chase? Could he be coming for more kisses?
Who else could it be? Their guards only followed them on adventures. They didn’t come inside their house.
Unless something was wrong.
Her pulse raced for a different reason now. What if Grady Worthen had found her and the guards were coming to protect her? Would that man really follow her across the ocean when he hadn’t done more than send threatening notes for weeks? Could there be different dangers here in this idyllic paradise?
