Page 25 of Confusing Hearts

“Thetas?” I groaned, covering my face with my arm and laying back on the blanket. It was inevitable my reputation would catch up to me, but I was honestly embarrassed that Jenna had heard about it.

“Let’s see,” she started. “The rules of Chase. Number one: no dating. Period.” She looked around. “I’m afraid this looks suspiciously like a date. Number two: one night stands are one night stands. No repeat sex within the same month.” She cut her eyes at me and reveled in the fact that I was embarrassed. “Number three: no cuddling, no crying, and absolutely no sleepovers.”

I pulled her down next to me and tucked her into my side so that her head rested on my shoulder.

“Chase Westin, I do declare, this feels a lot like cuddling. Are you breaking rule number three?” she asked in her best Southern belle interpretation.

I kissed the top of her head in response, ready to silence her with a real kiss, but she pulled back and continued. “Number four: Chase will not initiate texts or phone calls, and something about a minimum four-hour delay in all text responses, and then some crazy time limits on returned calls, too. Yeah, you’ve broken that rule a lot already. Finally, rule number five: no attachments. Chase Westin will not be tamed, so don’t bother trying, and if you do, you’re culled from the list forever. What is up with that one?”

I laughed, then rolled to my side to look at her seriously. “Those rules were all in place for you.”

“What? That’s insane. How is it, that how often you screw someone . . .”—her face scrunched up and she had to take a deep breath. I could sense she didn’t like thinking about me with other women and it made me crazy happy to see her jealousy—“how is that for me?” she finally blurted out.

I kissed her, keeping it light despite the desperate need I felt to mark my mate.

“All those rules ensured no attachments. I didn’t date or have recurring . . . relationships”—I decided that was a better word to use—"with anyone, because I knew one day I’d find you—my one true mate. There was no reason to ever get emotionally attached to anyone when I was just biding my time waiting for you to come into my life.”

Jenna

Chapter 10

Chase spoke so openly and honestly with me. I wasn’t used to anyone talking to me like that. I was a princess—even my closest friends didn’t dare speak so candidly. Yet, I found myself doing the same with him. I had learned at an early age to keep things to myself. Even my twin sister couldn’t be trusted with my inner thoughts, but things just had a way of popping out of my mouth before my brain confirmed them, when it came to Chase Westin.

“I don’t even know what to say to that,” I told him, shaking my head. “On the one hand, that’s actually very sweet and romantic even, but on the other, you’ve slept with a lot of women. I mean alot,if even half the rumors are true.”

I liked that he had the decency to blush. Okay, so he wouldn’t admit it was a blush, but color definitely brightened his cheeks and his body stiffened next to me.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly.

Surprised by his apology, I felt bad for making him feel guilty. I had been more curious if the rumors were true than concerned that they might be.

“You don’t need to apologize,” I assured him, regretting ever having brought it up at all.

His warm hand was back on my cheek, forcing me to look at him.

“If I had known I’d feel like this, I’d never have even looked at another woman. I’m sorry.”

My heart fluttered wildly. I didn’t wait for him this time. I closed the gap between us and pressed my lips against his. I didn’t feel I had the right to ask him not to see other people, but I knew it would rip me to pieces if he did.

As if sensing the sadness that came with that thought, he pulled back and stared into my eyes.

“You don’t have to worry about all that. There can never be another for me now that I’ve found you.”

His words made my heart soar, but I had to keep enough restraint to face reality.

“I can’t see how this will ever work, Chase.”

“One day at a time, beautiful. That’s all I’m asking for. One more day.”

I giggled. “And you’ll ask for one more day again tomorrow?”

He flashed me his dimples in a classic Chase grin. “That is what one day at a time means.”

We lay there talking longer than I had meant to stay.

“Shoot,” I said, looking at the time on my phone and realizing I’d been gone for over four hours. “They’ll send out a search party soon if they haven’t already. It’s nearly five, Chase.”

He sat up and shrugged, noticing the champagne still wedged in the snow.

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