Page 76 of Body

“I did.”

“Why the hell are you out without protection?”

“Look, Chase, you are not my great protector—“

“Wasn’t I last night?” he interrupts. “I protected you from potentially being sexually assaulted.”

“Last night was…” I have trouble finding the right words. “…difficult.” I choose a light one, one without malice. “Today is a new day, and I’m more comfortable on my own. I will meet you back at your Penthouse in plenty of time to get ready for our dinner this evening.”

His voice lowers. “I’d be more comfortable with Jack--”

I’m tired of his controlling ways. He cannot leave me lying in bed, cold and alone and expect me to just do what he says. “Chase Davis…you, mister, do not own me,” I cut him off.

“Yet,” he growls.

I shake my head trying to wrap my mind around what he just said. Nope. Still doesn’t compute. “What?”

“I do not own you…yet,” he adds with a strained tone. I can tell he’s barely holding on to his anger.

“Whatever, Chase. I’ll see you later this evening.” And with that, I hang up just like he does with me, never saying goodbye, just cutting him off with a dial tone. Serves him right.

I’m actually feeling quite proud of myself. He’s the one who avoided me last night. I don’t even know if we slept in the same bed or not. That thought more than anything saddens me. The last thing I need right now is to feel uncertain of my place in his life, in his bed. I decide a day of shopping will perk me up. Shopping in New York City is exactly what every Californian girl dreams about. I tell the driver to head to the outlet stores. The closer I get to my retail therapy, the more I start to relax. I’m going to get a smoking hot dress for this evening and wow the socks of the temperamental Mr. Davis. Remind him of what he has so that he never ever feels the need to isolate himself away from me again.

***

I feel his presence before I see him. He’s sitting in the armchair across from the bed in the darkened room as I enter with today’s bargain finds. His elbows rest against his knees, his face teetering on the tips of his fingers. The drapes covering the window behind him are open enough to shine a slice of light across his furrowed brow.

“I was worried,” he says brusquely.

I set my loot on the bed and turn toward him, hands on hips. “I told you I’d be back in time for dinner. I keep my promises, Chase.”

“Just the thought of you out in the city, not knowing where you were, that you were safe…” He cocks his head to the side, and I adjust my shoulders, not really wanting to have this battle with him before I meet his family.

“I was fine. I went shopping. Got a dress for tonight,” I say trying to change the topic. I rifle through my bags looking for the outfit I plan on wearing.

“I know. I had your credit card traced.” He is nonchalant in his admission, not even a hint of apology can be heard.

My head whips to his side of the room settling on him. I let go of the bags. “You what?”

“You heard me. I also paid for those items.” He gestures to my bags. My mouth opens to respond but he continues. “I paid off your credit cards, and I put a large sum of money into your checking account.” His words are calm and evenly spaced. However, that’s not how my twisted brain interprets them. He says “paid” and my mind morphs it into “owing.” He says “large sum of money” and my mind warps it into “you are my possession.”

I can’t breathe. My ability to speak is gone. Pretty much the only thing I’m capable of is standing still with what must be a stupefied look across my face. Again, I open my mouth and close it several times, trying to form a response but nothing comes out. Panic swirls like liquid acid in my stomach, sending spikes of fear to hammer at my heart. I clutch my stomach and chest protectively.

“No woman of mine will go without. No woman of mine will live paycheck to paycheck.” He stands abruptly and walks over to me. “No woman of mine will need to shop at thrift stores when she can have everything she ever dreamed right at her fingertips!” There’s a grimace to his features, almost disgust twisting his beautiful lips.

“They were outlet stores, not thrift stores and what the fuck?” I say as he slides his hands around my waist. Scowling, I push away from him. He doesn’t relent, holding me tighter. His magic fingers move enticingly along the fabric of my hips and up my ribs. I close my eyes in frustration and excitement, the panic transitioning into lust. I want to be pissed at him. Iampissed, but when his hands are on me, I turn into a pile of goo. Chase hasn’t touched me since last night in the limo and although the sex was satisfying, something happened to him. Since that moment we’ve been off kilter. Proof can be found in his reaction moments ago.

He completely ignores my question; his hands burning a path along my sides up and over my swelling breasts, cupping them firmly. I gasp. “And no woman of mine will go unprotected as long as I am around.” His fingers slip into the straps of my dress and pull them down my shoulders. The summery dress falls in a pool of cotton around my feet.

“I’m not your woman, Chase.” The words cross my lips in a breathy whisper, lacking conviction.

“No?” he asks flatly while thumbing the erect peaks that are reaching for his attention. He knows he’s affecting me. The grin that comes across his face is confident, smug.Handsome bastard.My nipples bead into impossibly tight knots as he pets them, pushing tightly against the white strapless bra. Moisture pools between my legs, soaking the barely there matching G-string.

He inhales deeply and stares into my eyes, straight through to my soul. His right hand slides along the swells of my breasts, just his fingertips caress the skin so softly in a wide infinity symbol. Chills race up my back. The movement of his fingers reminds me of a scent wafting in a breeze, gone too quickly to place the origin. I let out a ragged breath as his fingertips trail down between my breasts and along the line of my stomach. Goosebumps cover my skin but I’m not cold. Far from it. A fire burns so hot in my belly, only one thing can put it out and he’s standing right in front of me, toying with me. He knows it too. He is intimately aware of the power he holds over me.

“You aremywoman, and I’ll prove it,” His fingers dip into my panties and without preamble he pushes two fingers deep inside. I cry out and grasp onto his shoulders. A firm arm already around my waist holds me up; never for a moment would he let me fall. “You see how wet you are for me?” I close my eyes. Regardless of what words come out of my mouth my body is Judas, a traitor working for him, and he knows it too well.

“Chase,” I breathe trying to say something, anything before I lose the battle completely. His fingers dig deeper and he presses me back. His knee comes up onto the bed and I’m floating down to its surface on a haze of lust. He’s a puppeteer, controlling my body’s responses and I’m his willing marionette.

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