Finally, Chase turned to her.
Lizzy leaned back against the door, staring up at him, those soft brown eyes as alluring as anything he’d seen in his life.
“Chase?” she whispered, moistening her lips. “Do you realize you haven’t kissed me since Saturday?”
Chase realized. Oh, how he realized. A dull roar began in his ears, and he wanted to shut out everything and everyone and kiss Lizzy all night long.
“What happened?” she asked. “What’s wrong?”
What happened? Her being attacked was what happened. She didn’t have the military background or the intuition that he had developed.
Chase stared at her. How could he explain that he was on a mission but not holding her close and kissing her was killing him slowly?
“It’s okay.” She looked down, her cheeks reddening. “If you’re not interested in me anymore.”
“Not interested? Oh, Lizzy.”
Her revealing her insecurity broke the dam inside him. Chase stormed up to her, planted his hands on the door frame, and leaned in close. Her brown eyes lit up. She slid her hands around his neck and pulled herself against his chest.
He didn’t waste time with words. He bent and fused their mouths together.
Sweet release poured through him as he stopped fighting against his longing for Lizzy and consumed her lips with his own.
She whimpered and clung to him, matching him kiss for kiss. He wrapped her up tight and lifted her off her feet. The kisses intensified, a passion he’d never experienced obliterating all rational thought as he easily carried her to the bed. He sank onto the mattress and flipped her onto her back, pressing his body against hers as he kissed her and kissed her. He would never stop kissing her.
Warning bells clanged in his head. He yanked back and stared down at her. Lizzy lay on the fluffy white comforter. Her dark hair was splayed around her, her lips full and red from their kissing, and her brown eyes were filled with passion and longing for him.
Lizzy was his. No woman had ever been so enticing.
“No,” he managed, pushing off the mattress. He stood on shaky legs.
Chase was never unsteady, never out of control. He was both at the moment. All he wanted was to lower himself onto the mattress and forget all self-restraint as he kissed Lizzy until she knew how interested he was.
“No,” he repeated, louder and more firmly. Passing a hand over his face, he backed up a step.
“No?” Lizzy whispered, staring up at him. Even with the passion in her eyes, she was still so innocent and trusting. She trusted him to take care of her, and he’d almost failed her.
“Lizzy, forgive me. I … can’t let down my guard. It’s not that I’m not interested; it’s that I’mtoointerested.”
She blinked up at him, and her eyes grew warmer with longing.
Chase had to retreat, or he’d be on that bed kissing her again. He backed cautiously away and then turned and rushed for the bathroom.
Slamming the door behind him, he leaned against it and shut his eyes. How had he come so close to losing control? It was his responsibility to keep Lizzy safe, in every way, and he was failing.
Chapter
Fourteen
Lizzy savoredevery moment of theSound of Musicday on Friday, except for the disturbing chasm between her and Chase. The rift had been growing between them all week. She’d tried to reassure herself he was focusing on protecting her, but last night flipped that reasoning on its head. They’d been alone, and he had still yanked away from her. He had said he was interested, but his running away didn’t back that up.
Despair filled her. She felt like she’d already lost him. Their kissing session last night was the most intense, passionate, and beautiful thing she’d ever experienced. Instead of continuing to kiss her, he’d said ‘no’, asked her to forgive him, and said he couldn’t. Then he’d rushed away without a real explanation, slamming the door behind him. It all felt decidedly un-Chase-like. Yet what did she know about Chase? She’d known him for less than two weeks. She wasn’t some expert on his feelings and desires.
He’d hardly said a word as they got ready for bed, and he slept on a pullout couch in the main room. The air had felt thick and awkward between them since he interrupted those beautiful and intense kisses. Why was he shutting himself off from her?She understood he needed to protect her, but did that mean he couldn’t let down his guard and love her?
All of Lizzy’s insecurities rose to the surface. Chase had seemed like her dream man; he’d accepted her and made her feel like his ideal woman. What had happened? Was he upset he had to protect her? Maybe he realized what a mess she was and was growing increasingly annoyed with all of her problems like her other boyfriends had. That must be why he’d slowly distanced himself from her all week. Lizzy couldn’t blame him. Chase was perfect, and she was far from the ideal.
She buried her pain, said a prayer for peace, and tried to enjoy this last day. The scenery was off the charts, and she was finally seeing the sights ofTheSound of Music. They had a private tour with a hilarious guide named Charlotte. Their verbose and informative guide, and being at real Austrian locations from one of her favorite movies, distracted her. Except when she caught Chase looking at her, or their arms brushed, or he treated her with respect and kindness despite his obvious reluctance to kiss and love her. Those moments stung like a million bees swarming her.
