Page 109 of Master of My Heart

A knock sounded on the front door. Sabrina looked at Liz. “It’s him,” she whispered nervously.

“Probably. Go answer it.”

Sabrina took a deep breath, stood, and walked out to the door. She paused with her hand on the knob for a moment, took another deep breath, and opened the door.

Chase stood there, looking amazing in a charcoal suit with black shirt and tie. In his hands, he held a bouquet of red roses.

He grinned when he saw her and held out the roses. “Good evening, Sabrina,” he said. “You look stunning.”

“Thank you,” she said, feeling her cheeks warm. “So do you.” She accepted the roses and buried her nose into them, inhaling. “They’re beautiful.” She looked around, somewhat absently. “I should put these somewhere...” She walked toward the kitchen, but Liz intercepted her.

“I’ll get these into water,” her roommate said cheerfully, grinning and holding out her hands toward Sabrina. “You guys go have fun.”

“You sure?” she asked.

Liz nodded, taking the roses from her, then waved her hand in a shooing motion. “Go.”

Sabrina turned back around and looked at Chase. “I guess I’m ready.”

“Coat?” Chase asked, arching his brows.

“Oh!” This is Boston, not Phoenix. It’s cold in October. She hurried to her room and grabbed her black coat out of the closet and the purse from her bed.

“Ready?” Chase asked, holding out his hand when she returned.

She nodded and took his hand before giving Liz a short wave and walking with Chase out of the apartment. They made their way down to the street. A short, thin man in a black suit opened the back door of a large black sedan as they approached. She slid into the car as gracefully as she could in her narrow-heeled shoes, Chase slipping in next to her. The car door closed, allowing the warmth of the interior to circle around her.

“I thought we would have dinner and then go see a show,” Chase said as the car pulled away from the curb. “Is that all right?”

She nodded. “It sounds wonderful,” she answered with a happy sigh.

“Good.” Chase looked relieved, then tilted his head and looked at her closely. “You look beautiful tonight. I like your hair down.” He reached out and curled a lock of her hair around his finger.

I will always wear my hair down around him...

Chase’s knuckles brushed her cheek. She inhaled sharply at his touch. He dragged his thumb across her lower lip, then dropped his hand away. She blinked, feeling the absence of his touch. She liked how it made her feel.

He pulled her close and put his arm around her. She leaned her head against his chest and savored being in his arms.

Safe.

*****

Chase pulled Sabrina toward him as the car headed to a restaurant across town. His heart pounded hard as he thought over what he’d planned for tonight. He hoped she liked it. He’d never been as nervous on a date as he was right now. He’d gone out with plenty of women in the last several years, some of whom had been set up by Richard, but there were plenty he’d asked out on his own. He liked women, liked spending time with them. Though none ever compared to the memory of the woman in his arms right now. And yes, he’d admit that he compared every woman he’d met since he was twenty-one to Sabrina. Though, in retrospect, it probably wasn’t fair, especially since most of what he knew about her came from only one night of talking to her.

But it wasn’t just what he knew about her. It was how being around her made him feel.

A lot of other women made him feel like he had to compete with them. They bragged about things they’d done, places they’d been. All, he assumed, to impress him. They were self-sufficient, independent, proud women. He admired them, but it wasn’t the kind of woman he wanted to spend a lot of time with. He wanted to be with someone who made him feel bold, confident, needed, protective. Not that he wanted a woman who was weak and couldn’t stand up for herself, but he didn’t want to compete for the leadership in the relationship. He didn’t want to be with a woman who felt like she needed to be in control of everything. And he certainly didn’t want to be with a woman who belittled men and thought them beneath her.

His mom was a strong, independent woman. Always had been. She had to be in order to be married to a Green Beret. She took charge of things and made sure the house ran smoothly. She could change a tire, fix a toilet, and keep four young boys in line without a problem, but when his dad came home on leave, she gladly stepped aside and let him take charge. She respected her husband like no one else. She never allowed anyone to speak badly of him or any men around her or her boys, and she raised them to be respectable, strong, honorable men, just like their dad. And Dad loved her until the day he died.

He saw that potential in Sabrina back when she was sixteen and still saw it, though her fears had covered up most of it. Chase hoped, with his help, she’d learn to be the strong woman he believed she could be. It was unbelievably sad to see her so beaten down and afraid. Jayson had said he’d just begun to see her true self emerging when the shithead Aiden came around and ruined it.

Chase would make sure nothing like that ever happened again.

“Have you ever had tapas?” Chase asked, looking out the window and seeing they were close to their destination.

“Tapas? What’s that?” Sabrina asked, looking up at him with her big green eyes that made his heart skip a beat.

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