Page 119 of Prey Tell
Something warm lances through me at his words, and he pulls away, grabbing my hand and leading me to the circular table. It’s simple—black tablecloth, pillar candles, and a bouquet of black roses. I feel thoroughly underdressed, but as Chase pulls my chair out, his hand comes to the inch of bare skin on my back between my jeans and my sweatshirt. I pull my hair out of my bun, letting it hang half-dry down my back. Chase pours me a glass of champagne—the fancy kind, I notice—and then we clink glasses.
“What are we celebrating?” I ask, taking a large sip of the delicious liquid.
“Our first date,” he says, almost incredulously.
I frown. “No, this can’t be our first date. I didn’t dress up.”
He laughs and then raises his brows, looking around. “You haven’t given me a chance to tell you the next part of our date.”
I look around suspiciously. “The next part?”
He nods. “In the back, there’s an office. You may remember it from your engagement party. You’ll find a dress—ifyou want to wear it. You already look perfectly ravishing in those jeans, Parker.” His darkened eyes pierce into mine.Oh, flirty Chase is dangerous. And smooth.“Do you remember where it is?”
I open and close my mouth. “Yeah.” I stand. “Be back in a minute.”
I walk to the office he pulled me into a month ago, and there’s a dress hanging from a hook on the wall. It’s cream-colored and silk, elegant, and looks brand new. The thin straps hold up a low cowl neck, and the simple silhouette of the dress means it slips easily over my head. I forgo a bra and underwear, as the dress doesn’t really allow for either. And there are pockets.
My favorite.
Shaking my hair out quickly, I use the tiny mirror on the wall to study my makeup-less face. I wish I’d thought of doingsomething,but it’s fine. I see a pair of simple nude heels sitting in a box on the floor, so I step into them and look down at myself.
How Chase managed to get a dress that fit me perfectly is beyond me. Just as I turn to walk to the door, my eyes skim over a gold tube of Chanel lipstick. Smirking, I open it and use the mirror to apply the dark pink color. It compliments the dress, my hair, and my eyes perfectly. When I stand back, I’m impressed. It’s simple and understated, yet I feel beautiful.
I exit the room and walk over to Chase, and his eyes slowly drag up my body, starting at my spiky heels and drifting up to my face and hair. He stands when I reach the table, and I try not to laugh. Always opening doors, always pulling my chairs out, always standing whenever a woman leaves or appears at a table… I’d bet money that he had some formal etiquette lessons growing up.
“Stunning,” he murmurs. “Though, I want to point out that I always think you’re stunning, no matter what you wear.”
“Thank you,” I tell him as he walks around and pulls my chair out. And then the tiny, little voice from earlier pops into my head.We’re all the same to him, you know.“I think I ran into one of your ex’s at the castle earlier,” I admit, looking up at his face as he sits down across from me.
He blows out a soft breath of air. “Ah, so I see you’ve been blessed with Clarissa’s presence. Or was it Carissa?” My mouth drops open, and he grins. “I’m kidding. Clarissa came to me a few months ago after something traumatic happened to her. She sort of… imprinted on me. It happens sometimes. The experience is intense for some. Anyway, she must’ve figured out a way inside of the castle. We had some words, and I told her, like I have before, that it’s over between us. She’s angry with me, but she’ll leave me alone now.”
I run my fingers along the tablecloth as I take in his words. “How do you know? That she’ll leave you alone now, I mean?”
He gives me a lopsided smile. “I told her that I was in a relationship. And that it was serious.”
My cheeks burn as I look down, but I can’t help but deny the way his words flood me with warmth.
“Why did you ask me to meet you at The Black Rose?” I ask, placing my elbows on the table and resting my chin on my clasped hands.
Chase’s eyes twinkle as he leans back, sipping his wine. “Because it was the first time I realized how fucking much you drove me crazy.”
I snort. “You mean the engagement party?”
“No, actually.”
His answer catches me off guard. “But…” I trail off, frowning.
“Do you remember your graduation dinner, Parker?”
I inhale sharply.My graduation dinner.It was eight years ago, two months before I asked Chase to take my virginity. Jackson, Chase, and a few other people had thrown a surprise party for me here. I hardly remember the night—I wassotired because I’d been awake for two days trying to finish my finals and extra credit papers. But Chase had been there.
It was almost two years exactly after losing my parents.
“You probably don’t remember what happened, do you?” he asks, a cocky smile on his full lips.
I shake my head. “No. I was exhausted—that whole week of graduation is a blur.”
He nods, chuckling. “So you don’t remember yelling at me about ordering for the table?”
