Page 101 of Beneath the Stars (Sugarlake 1)

I smirk at her. It’s about all I can do right now, my body still feels like Jell-O. But, yeah. Definitely the best sex of my life.

42

Alina

Being with Chase was more than I thought it ever could be. I always knew it would be explosive between us, but that was another level. I’ve never had someone take control of my body, and just know what I need.

Dang, I wanna do it again.

He’s girthy. Bigger than Logan, for sure. He stretched me in ways I didn’t know would feel good to be stretched. I’m sore and content lying in his bed, my fingers trailing his chest, my head resting in the nook of his arm. He sweeps a kiss across my hair and I hide my smile in his side.

“Do you have plans this weekend?” he asks.

“Nope. Why?” It’s semi-true. Technically, I have brunch plans with Becca and Jax, but I can cancel on them for one week.

“I want you to come with me to Nashville. There’s somewhere I want to take you.”

I look up at him. “You gonna show me where you’ve been all this time?”

He grins. “There’s this thing I go to on Sundays. I’d like you to come with me.”

“Oh yeah? What kind of ‘thing?’”

“A meeting.” His words carry a serious vibe that washes away my relaxation. “It’s helped me a lot, and I thought maybe it could help you too.”

The cozy warmth in my chest starts to chill. I push against him, sliding away. “Help me? Why do you think I need help?”

He’s quick to pull me back, his strong arms cocooning me as he drops kisses on my cheeks. The anger that was threatening under the surface melts away.

“I don’t mean it like that,” he reassures.

“It’s a group for people who have been affected by addiction.”

I scoff. “I’m not an addict, Chase. That’s Daddy. I don’t need a group to tell me that.”

“I know, baby. It’s a place for support.”

I feel the scowl transform my face and Chase frowns as he stares at me. “I know it’s the last thing you want to do. I mean, it was the last fucking thing I wanted to do, too. So I get it. Believe me. But this isn’t a group that will judge you. You don’t need to say anything. No one even has to know about your dad.”

I run his words through my head. “I don’t have to say anything?”

“No.” He shakes his head. “I’d like you to come though. It’s an important part of me. And you’re also an important part. The most important part. I really want to share this with you.”

This is not what I had in mind when he asked if I was busy this weekend, but I can’t deny the curiosity that’s brimming, wondering what it was like for him in Nashville during our years apart.

“Okay. I’ll go.”

In the middle of the night, Chase slips inside me again. I don’t resist, even though I’m sore. And then again this morning, when he takes me up against the shower wall—I revel in the sting.

After breakfast, he drops me home so I can pack an overnight bag for Nashville. I text Becca and Jax, canceling brunch. I feel guilty because I haven’t told Becca about Chase yet, so I ask her to stop by. I’m nervous to tell her. Becca isn’t known for her soft-spoken words or her understanding. She was the one who was there from the beginning with Chase and me. From the first unrequited crush to the soul-crushing loss that swallowed me after he was gone. If anyone has a right to be upset about our relationship, it’s her.

I’m throwing clothes in my bag when she shows up. She walks in like she owns the place, sashaying through the doorway.

“I know you think you can just ditch me and Jax for brunch, but I’ve come to force you to go.”

I smirk as I fold my shirt and place it in my bag. “I can’t go, Becca. I’m goin’ out of town for the night.”

She plops down on my bed, frowning. “Oh. With who?”

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