Page 75 of Lyrical

“I’m so glad we’re done with that part.”

“I don’t know… I thought it was pretty hilarious when I was sitting across from you at the table, and your face started turning white and flaking off before my eyes.”

I elbowed him. “You did not.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I was kinda freaked out, thinking the woman I was falling in love with was really part zombie. That would’ve given a whole new meaning to the word ‘forever.’”

I dropped my head. “God, I was mortified when I saw myself in the bathroom mirror. Up until then, I was having such a great time. Wearing my magic lavender dress and eating wonderful food and debating music with you. And you in that suit… wow. When you came to my door, it took a lot not to cancel and keep you there all to myself.”

“You have me all to yourself whether we’re in public or not.”

“I know that now, but then…. All those women flirting with you. Even coming out of the bathroom that night after fixing my face, our waitress was hanging over you, slipping you her number. It seemed to happen everywhere, and it made me crazy.”

I’d never experienced such jealousy as I had with Chase. Before then, I didn’t think that side of me existed, and it took me so long to even acknowledge it to myself. But thankfully by that time, Chase had proven his love many times over, and it suddenly didn’t matter how many young, perky twentysomethings bounced in and out of our path. He wasn’t chasing after them, and that was all I needed to know.

“It works both ways, beautiful. It took a lot of restraint on my part not to kick your ex-husband’s ass when we came back to your house after that dinner and he was drunk on the couch.”

“You and me both.”

He snaked his arm around my waist and tugged me against him. “In fact, I pretty much feel that way about any man who looks at you with improper intentions.”

“Improper intentions?”

He brushed his lips over the bottom of my neck, so lightly it tickled. “I was being polite, Jillian. Any man who doesn’t respect that you’re mine, who even thinks about fucking you or treating you as if he has the right to lay his eyes on you, is not going to sit well with me. That’s also putting it politely.”

Yeah, Chase had an even stronger jealous side, and he wasn’t afraid to show it.

I traced along his jaw, scratching my fingertips. “It means so much to me that you and Daniel are getting along.”

“So far, so good, baby.” He took my hand and kissed each finger. “I think he accepts me in your life well enough, and that’s as good as I can ask for right now. He knows how I feel about you and that I’m not going anywhere. Everything else will come in time.”

“I agree.”

They’d only managed to get together the once with Stephen; the rest were brief times either at the house or sometimes during family meals when Daniel could make it. I wasn’t looking for them to become good friends or for Chase to be thought of as a father figure—both scenarios felt a little on the strange side to me—but I did want there to be mutual respect and admiration between them.

As he said, so far, so good.

“What next?” I asked. “For tonight, I mean.”

“Now I rip off your clothes and spread you over this rock, so I can lick your pussy until you’re screaming those vocals I can’t get enough of.” My mouth dropped, and he caressed my bottom lip. “Sounds tempting, doesn’t it, Jillian?” I nodded and he chuckled. “Unfortunately, it’ll have to wait. We’ve been lucky so far in this spot, but I’m not taking any chances with you.”

“Tease,” I said, knowing that he was absolutely right, but he didn’t need to work me up first. It didn’t take much. “Can we stay here until we can see the stars?”

“I’m planning on it.”

It wouldn’t be much longer; the sun was rapidly dropping, along with the temperature. He brought me into his lap and wrapped me in his arms, warming me right up. He rested his chin on my shoulder.

“We definitely need to do this more often,” I said.

“Agreed. But there’ll never be another night like this one.”

“What does that—”

My cell dinged in my purse. I decided to ignore it. A few minutes later it dinged again. Then again. And again. I was about to toss my purse into the trees.

“Aren’t you going to check that?”

“No. If it’s important, they’ll call not text.” We had nowhere we needed to be or anyone we needed to see that night except each other.

---