Page 3 of Mind

Shrugging my shoulders, I take the wine glass Maria holds out for me. The blend of cherries, plums, and blackberries explodes over my taste buds. “Honestly, when you know, you just know. He’s it for me. There’s really no reason to wait.”

Maria and Kat both nod. Bree bites her lips then tugs on her hair, twining a golden piece around her finger. She’s holding something back. Fidgeting is one of her tells. Apparently, she’s trying not to give her opinion.

I narrow my eyes at her. “Bree, something to add?”

“Uh, nuh-uh.” She shakes her head and takes a bite of pizza. Stuffing her face isn’t going to get her off the hook that easily. It’s obvious she has something to say, and I want to know what it is.

“Out with it. And don’t lie to me. You know I have radar on liars.”

She rolls her eyes and takes a deep breath. “Fine. If you know he’s it, then why the yearlong engagement?”

Her question digs uninvited through my subconscious. Instinctively, I know the answer, but I don’t want to open that wound. It’s not that I don’t believe he isn’t the one for me. My heart beats for Chase. His presence permeates the air around me at all times. When he’s not with me, I feel him. Habitually, my thumb rubs the solid weight of his love encircling my finger, spinning it around and around.

“Sometimes you just want the time to allow yourselves to be sure. As Kat said, he asked me very quickly. I don’t want him to regret that decision later.” All three of the most important women in my life look at me as if I’ve grown horns, their eyes as wide as saucers. “We’ve been under a lot of stress,” I add defensively. “Between almost losing my job, the return of The Bitch, and now my stalker...” I shake my head and let the words fall off knowing there is a lot of truth to them, but it’s not the whole truth. If I’m honest with myself, I need to give Chase the time to make sure it’smehe wants forever. Damaged, scarred, Gillian Callahan.

“Gigi, you can’t be serious? You’re waiting to marry Chase because you want to givehimthe chance to bail?” Kat asks in shock.

“¡Estúpido!” Maria chimes in and takes a large swallow of wine.

“I can’t believe you!” Bree agrees sounding astonished.

“Me, either,” says a deep, chocolaty voice from behind me. My blood goes cold even though the heat of my embarrassment is surely showing crimson across my face. I’ve heard that voice many times. In my dreams, whispered against my hairline, calling my name as he roars in pleasure.

My love.

My only.

My Chase.

I close my eyes as strong hands tug at my waist bringing me back firmly against his solid, warm chest. The woodsy citrus scent wars with the veggie pizza wafting in the air. Tension is coiled thick in Chase’s forearms as he tightens his grip. “Forgive me, ladies. I need to have a word with my fiancée.” His voice conveys politeness and good manners, but when I turn around, his gaze is molten lava. The white heat of lightning burns behind those baby blues, and I fear the mounting storm.

“We didn’t hear you come in.” I say lamely trying to change the topic of what I know is going to be an emotionally devastating conversation.

“Obviously.” He takes brisk steps towards the door. He grabs my coat and gestures with his finger to turn around.

“Wait. You want to leave? But the girls…”

His grip on my forearm is tight, unyielding. “The girls will understand,” he says through clenched teeth; that tick in his jaw thumping powerfully.

“Where are we going?” I yank my arm back in irritation.

“Home. The penthouse,” he confirms.

He tugs me out into the hallway and I pull to a stop. “You can’t come in and pull me out of my apartment just because you said so. I was packing and enjoying myself.”

Chase whips back his suit coat and sets a fist to each hip. “Fine. You want to go back in there and have the conversation about why the woman I love doesn’t trust me?”

I cup his handsome face and pull him closer to eye level. “Chase, no.” His eyes pierce mine with pure honesty and something else. Maybe fear? I take a deep breath and lean my forehead against his, wanting him to understand, pleading with him to understand. “You’re the only man I trust with my heart. Will ever trust.”

He pulls back and cups my chin. His thumb traces my bottom lip seductively. Prickles of heat rush through me all the way to the bottom of my feet. “And you are the only woman I will ever love. I want you in my life, as my wife. The sooner the better. Now that I know why you are stalling, I will not wait. One month. That’s about all I can take. “

“A month? Chase, you can’t be serious.” I search his gaze trying desperately to gain more time.

“Dead serious. Gillian, I’m not a patient man. I thoughtyouneeded more time to be sure. Now that I know it’s you who thought I needed the time, I am no longer amenable to a delay. We will wed in a month. This is no longer open for negotiation.”

He turns and pulls on my hand. I stop and yank back hard. “You can’t do that!” It takes everything in me not to stomp my foot and throw a tantrum.

“I can, and I have.” His voice is flat and unyielding.

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