Page 10 of Mine Forever
Why the hell does she want me to be her speaker anyway? I’m a bad bet and we both know it.
I walk past her toward my truck, pushing away the stab in my chest when hurt flashes through her eyes just before anger settles back in.
And fuck, if she doesn’t smell the same as she always had, a heady mix of vanilla and amber. Rich with just a touch of sweetness.
I don’t even want to think about if she tastes the same.
“Chase.” Eden follows me to the back of the truck, where I lift the tool bag over the side and drop it in with a loud clatter.
“What?” I ask, turning back to her. I roll my shoulders in an effort to keep the pain in my right one from taking me out.
“The least you could do is hear me out. Let me tell you the whole story.” The sun shines onto her hair, lighting up the blonde-colored strands. “I don’t like mixing business and personal?—”
“Then don’t.”
She sighs heavily and looks away for a moment, before bringing her gaze back to mine. “I’d owe you big. Please. Just listen to what I have to say?”
“What more could you have to say? You asked; I said no.”
She rubs her forehead, and that vertical line between her eyes tells me she’s mentally counting to ten.
“Let me just give you all the details before you totally shut me down. I promise I won’t take much of your time.”
I search her eyes for anything that signals she’s putting me on. But all I find is determination with a side helping of desperation.
Shit.
I never could say no to this woman, not since the day I met her. That’s part of my problem when it comes to her.
I twirl my keys on my index finger, looking away. There’s no way in hell I’m ever going back to the city that’s ground zero to the demise of my career and personal life.
But listening to why she’s here seems to be the only way to get her back over the bridge and out of my life.
“If I listen, will that get you on a plane back to New York any faster?”
Quiet for a moment, she finally says with a nod, “Yes.”
“Okay, fine.” I jerk open the driver’s side door andslide in. “Meet me at my house at three. I’ll hear you out, but my answer won’t change.”
I slam the door to put some steel between us.
She moves closer to the open window. The breeze catches at that moment, and her unique scent tickles my senses.
“Thank you, Chase.” When I start the engine and drop it into gear, her eyes widen. “Wait, where’s your house?”
I smirk. “You have a way of finding out things, Eden. I’m sure you’ll figure it out. I gotta go.”
With my chin, I nod in the direction of her SUV. “You might want to go ahead and move that monstrosity of a vehicle off the curb. I don’t want to have to help you out if you get stuck in the sand.”
She rolls her eyes and makes a noise that resembles a growl but walks away without another word.
In the side mirror, I watch her stalk back to her vehicle.
My gaze stays on her ass and legs that look a million miles long in those sexy-as-fuck heels. I lean my head back and close my eyes.
I’m in so much fucking trouble.
Again.
