Page 30 of The Convict Gets His Girl

"I don't know what you're talking about, but I have to go, Chase."

Chase's heart pulsed in his ears as he watched Jewel gather her medical bag, her movements efficient and unaffected by the tension that had rooted itself deep within him. He took a steadying breath, his gaze fixed on the worn linoleum floor, the pattern blurring as unwelcome memories surged to the surface.

"Jewel." His voice was barely above a whisper, but it halted her in her tracks. "When I started tutoring Andre McBride after you went back to college… things went sideways."

She turned to face him, her eyes searching his as she leaned against the counter and crossed her arms. Chase felt a shiver run through him, and he continued, the words tumbling out like stones down a hillside.

"The first few sessions, he paid cash. But each session went longer than the last, and eventually he started calling me names and pushing me to smoke pot and drink with him afterward. Then he stopped paying cash—wanted to pay with drugs and beer instead." His hands clenched at his sides as the confession hung between them, heavy and raw.

"Did you accept them as payment?" Jewel asked, her brows rising in surprise.

Chase shoved his hands in his pockets and frowned as he glanced down. "I didn't want to. At first, I just took them and dumped them on the side of the road. He wasn't going to graduate if he didn't pass pre-cal though, and I felt sorry for him. I had convinced the school to double my classes so I could graduate, but it was—too much. Too stressful."

She winced. "Then what happened?"

"That night, the accident… I was under the influence because of him." He struggled to keep his emotions at bay, the pain of the revelation etching lines across his face.

Everyone in town knew of his horrible mistakes. They'd been plastered on the town's newspaper for weeks, months even. Admitting it out loud might have gotten easier after years of therapy, but to admit it to her…

He forced himself to meet her gaze and accept responsibility for his actions. "I should have said no, but he has a way with words. I don't trust him, Jewel, not one bit. I wouldn't put it past him to try to pay you in some sick way for your help with whatever animal is there."

Jewel's response was immediate and tender. She stepped forward, cradling his face in her hands with a gentleness that made his defenses crumble.

"Oh, Chase," she murmured, her thumbs brushing away the shadows beneath his eyes. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that."

He leaned into her embrace, his chest aching and tight as his hands found her waist. "I should've been stronger," he admitted, his voice muffled against her shoulder. "Should've said no, demanded cash."

He was a weak man for craving this woman's touch, her comfort and understanding even after all this time.

Drawing back, Jewel's chuckle was soft, tinged with understanding. She looked up at him, her gaze warm and knowing. "If there's anything I know from raising a strong-willed teenager, it's that you can't tell them anything. It's not your fault entirely, and it's not his. The shoulda, woulda, coulda game will drive you crazy."

Chase searched her face, seeking solace in her words. "You're right, of course. It's just hard to give him in particular the benefit of the doubt."

"But isn't it possible that he's grown up just like you have? More mature and responsible?" Her voice held a note of hope, but Chase could only muster a half-hearted shrug, the skepticism still lodged firmly in his heart. As he looked into Jewel's eyes, he considered that possibility, if only for her sake.

"Maybe, but I've heard enough rumors around town to believe he's only gotten worse with time," he warned. "Saw him at the Electric Cowboy once and promptly turned around and left after I saw him handing a baggie to someone."

Her scent drew him closer, teasing him. Chase pressed his lips to Jewel's cheek, inhaling the soft fragrance of her hair that always reminded him of wildflowers and sunshine. The scent filled his senses, a soothing balm to his frayed nerves.

"I had hoped he'd changed," Chase murmured against her skin, the uncertainty in his voice betraying the hope he wanted to feel. "But I can't risk you being around him. Let me go with you."

His mouth trailed along her jawline, each kiss leaving a trail of fire that seemed to melt her resolve. When he nibbled gently on her earlobe, a moan vibrated from deep within her chest, and she became pliant in his arms, her breaths coming in quick pants as her hands gripped his biceps.

"Please, Jewel," he whispered, his voice laced with need. "Let me protect you." His lips hovered over hers as he talked, their lips barely brushing with each word.

"Fine," she breathed out, just as Chase's lips found hers, locking them into a searing, deep kiss that enveloped them both in a world where nothing else existed—not McBride, not past mistakes, just the two of them and the undeniable connection that sparked between their bodies.

Chase felt every muscle in his body tighten, his toes curling in his boots as if trying to ground himself from the intensity of the moment. He'd dreamed of her lips. He'd kissed two other girls in high school before her, but it had felt nothing like her kiss. There was no one to compare to Jewel.

Reality intruded all too soon when Jordan cleared her throat pointedly from across the room.

"Excuse me, just need to get my bag, and I'll get outta your way."

Jewel jerked back at the sound, breaking the spellbinding kiss. Chase caught the smirk on Jordan's face as she glanced at Jewel, who was now blushing fiercely. Stepping away, Jewel stammered, "It's fine, we're done here. Have a great night, Jordan!"

Chase forced himself not to reach down and adjust himself, acutely aware of the tension that still thrummed through his body.

Jordan chuckled at the too bright words. "You too. Have a wonderful night, girl." She grabbed her bag with a wiggle of her eyebrows and went back out the door to the front lobby.

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