“Sorry. I don’t know where that came from.I’m just bitter and angry. I worked my ass off to be a strong,fearless woman. I woke up, saw you were gone and panicked. I’m justmad at myself.”
“Maddy, you are a strong, fearless woman. Youhave a crazy stalker. It’s ok to be a bit jumpy, whatever thereason. Everyone’s all worked up with this wholedon’t-go-anywhere-alone business. I hope you don’t mind me stayingover so much; I’m also a bit wary of sleeping in my own house withits deadbolt-only security system right now. Not that you let mesleep much last night anyway…” he winked at her with a wickedsmile.
“Hey, you’re the one that woke me at 2 a.m.”She stared him down across the top of her coffee mug.
He grinned at her, accepting fullresponsibility. He got up and opened the curtains to let thedaylight in. Standing at the window and sipping his coffee, heturned back to her, “Maddy, I know you didn’t want to date again.Maybe not ever, and I get it. I know you are scared of where thismay go. You asked me for one night, and yet I keep coming back…”Might as well put the cards on the table, “I don’t want this toend. I want to spend a hell of a lot more nights with you. Maybeall of them,” with a sheepish smile, he added, “Days too.”
Maddy’s throat went dry. Her heart wasthundering under her ribs. She asked for one night. Then she wantedanother. And another. She didn’t want it to end either. She’d goneand fallen in love with him.
But then, she’d always been in love withhim.
She was all in now. And that thought was moreterrifying than having a stalker after her. Against her will, hereyes welled. Without a word, she hopped up from the bed and aboutran to the bathroom to take a long, hot shower.
What was wrong with her? Why couldn’t shejust accept and move forward? She knew she was obsessive aboutbeing able to protect herself. Her life and her heart. Other womenhad undergone more years of worse abuse and managed to hold downrelationships. Why couldn’t she?
She let the hot water pour over her body,feeling ripped to pieces with indecision. She trusted Chasecompletely. He’d pushed her away and left before, but she’d pushedtoo, and run away nearly as far.
She was completely herself around him, whichwas actually pretty marvelous. Her body and her heart were safewith him. The past few weeks, he occupied most of her thoughts.When they were apart, her heart ached to get back to him.
She needed help. Maybe Payson could swing byfor breakfast; she was brutally honest and wouldn’t let hercontinue this wallow.
***
Stupid. He shouldn’t have pushed, not witheverything going on in their lives right now. He knew she wasscared. He didn’t blame her. Her longest relationship was stalkingher and expressing his intentions for her new boyfriend to be verydead. Not a good time, he got that.
He pulled on a McAllister Fisheries blackt-shirt and padded across the bedroom carpet. He needed to thinkabout something else before it drove him crazy. Thinking about thewhat-ifs. If she didn’t feel the same way about him. If shewouldn’t let him in.
Aiden would be in court today. Frank was in adistant time zone, and he wasn’t ready to talk to Frank until heknew where he stood with Maddy. Oddly, he wasn’t worried aboutFrank’s reaction like he’d been about Aiden’s. The guys were allout on the boats. He could head into work.
Chase hollered to Maddy, still in the shower.“Hey Maddy, I’m going to run some errands. I’ll pick up a fewgroceries while I’m out. I’ll check in with Ian, or whoever’s onduty.”
She hollered out in a broken voice, “Ok.”
Shit, he hoped he hadn’t blown it.
He slipped on his usual work boots, looselybut quickly tied so he didn’t trip, and dashed outside so he didn’thave to face her again, not just yet. Not until they both sortedout whatever had happened this morning. Ian had gone for the nightand a cop he hadn’t met yet was waiting outside. “Hey, I need torun a few errands, Maddy’s still inside.”
The cop, a forty-something guy, rather gauntwith a clean-cut beard, replied in a monotone voice, “Sure thing.I’ll call for someone to cover Maddy. I’m assigned to you.”
Chase nodded and hopped in his truck. He hungout in the driveway long enough for another unit to arrive and thentook off north across downtown. They had a pretty good system;Andrea ran a tight ship. Apparently, when she’d been hired abouteight years ago, she had applied for some impressive grants andmanaged to triple the number of officers and update their tiredequipment.
He tried to keep his speed reasonable; whenbeing tailed by a cop for his own safety, would they give him aticket? His adrenaline was out of control; the roar of the engineechoing his own torment.
Zipping past work, he drove a few more bendsuntil he reached Winter’s. Not realizing until now it had been hisdestination all along. Good idea, though, he ought to touch baseabout the buy-out offers. The parking lot at Winter’s was empty ashe pulled in, aside from an old but pristine purple Honda Protégé.Perfect, the old man was in. He dashed up to the door. Finding itlocked, he knocked.
Winter threw open the door, his thick grayhair wild, classical music playing softly in the background.“Chase, my good man. What can I help you with? Come on in.”
Pleasantly surprised at the welcomingreception, Chase followed him in. “I know you’re not open yet, butI wanted to talk a few things over with you.”
Winter nodded and headed behind the bar,apparently this was a normal occurrence. “Sure thing.” He poured acup of coffee for each of them and leaned across the bar, ready tolisten. “I’m glad you called about the ridiculous businessproposition from that dumbass and his antics. I’ve installed apretty basic security system, and the police have been good aboutincreasing patrols. So far they’ve left me alone.”
Chase nodded, appreciating the coffee. “I’mglad. I hope it stays that way. You going to their littlepresentation meeting Thursday?”
“Wouldn’t miss it. I’ve made a littlepresentation of my own. Hoping to personally run them out of town,”he nodded, gesturing to his gigantic laptop set up at a nearbytable.
“Impressive,” Chase nodded. “I’ve asked thecrews to come out and add to our show of force.”
“Excellent. You sure have everything set.”Winter went about his business, dusting bottles, organizing glassesbehind the bar. Fucking obvious. Bartenders. The longer he satsilent, the more Chase accepted that he hadn’t come by just forbusiness.
