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twenty

Skylar

Sending that text to Chase made me incredibly nervous.

I had a plan, but as soon as I open my door to him, seeing him standing in front of me with his eyes intense, his body is the embodiment of strength, the t-shirt he’s wearing fits his body perfectly and clinging to all the right areas as I look him over — all thought goes out the door.

He gives me butterflies just by being around him.

He shouldn’t. I’ve known him for far too long.

Sure, he always had this way about him that enraptured people’s attention, namely women, but I never thought that I would be one of them.

I had thought that since we grew up together, there would be no chance that I would capture his attention.

“You said you wanted to talk?” he asks, his voice uncertain as his eyes search mine, with him carrying the weight of the world.

I step aside, and he walks past me to the living room and takes a seat on the couch. I move through the room and sit opposite him, with my heart throbbing.

He’s uneasy, and I can understand why. We’ve skirted the line between being friends and something more over the past few weeks, and have both been told to stay away from one another by the same person. Yet, that same person trusts Chase wholeheartedly to come to my aid when he can’t.

Isn’t that counterproductive? Of course, the two of us spending time together, when he’s coming to my aid, or with the other night, mine to his, we will be pulled together.

Or can I stop this silly crush and put him back in the friend’s box?

Is that what I want to do?

The sweaty palms, the butterflies, the way my heart beats faster in his proximity tell me differently.

“Chase. Let’s do it.” I say before my brain can interject.

He says nothing. But his speed from where he’s sitting to right in front of me, kneeling on the floor, is instantaneous. His hand moves to cup my jaw as he pulls my face to meet his, and our lips crush together.

“You and me, yeah?” he says against my lips.

“Yes,” I say, kissing him again.

Our tongues slide against one another, searching, asking for permission that neither of us needs. Our faces move from side to side while I slide off the couch and into his lap. My arms wrap around his neck just as his leg vibrates.

I lift slightly as he groans and pulls his phone out. He looks at the screen, then shows it to me.

My brother.

His hand moves around my waist, securing me against him as he presses the screen and taps the speaker button on the screen.

“Yeah-lo?” he answers.

“Thorne. Where are you at?” my brother asks, his voice echoing in the air.

“Huh?”

“Celebration dinner?” My eyebrows shoot up in question.

“Shit.”

“They’ll hold the table. How soon can you be here?”

Chase looks at his watch, then apologetically to me. “I can be there in twenty minutes. Can they hold the table that long?”

“Give me a sec, let me check.”

Chase presses mute.

“Sorry, I completely forgot that I had plans with him. You texted and-.”

“Chase, she says you got thirty. They pushed us back. Don’t get sidetracked. See you soon.”

He unmutes the phone. “I won’t.”

The line is disconnected, and the room is silent.

“So, what are you celebrating?” I ask.

Chase pushes a stray hair behind my ear. “Contract stuff. The kind of things that I pay your brother for and all.”

“Boring stuff?”

“Well, it’s not set in stone yet, but it extends my current contract.”

“This extension means you’re going to be staying with the Terrors?” I question with elation. I just moved back here. It would suck if we started something, and he was traded to another team.

“That’s the plan. We just got the offer today, or at least, E.

and I discussed it today. I haven’t signed anything yet, and they could easily take it away from me.

But my lawyers are looking over everything, and hopefully tomorrow, I’ll attach a wet signature to the paper and then everything will be final. ”

“So tonight is a premature celebration?” I grin.

“Exactly. I’m sorry. I hate to make-out and go, but I kind of have to.” He leans in and brushes his lips against mine again, smiling.

I take him in, inhaling his scent as I stay seated atop him. Tightening my hold around his neck as I deepen the kiss before releasing him.

“Dinner with me tomorrow night? Hopefully, a celebratory dinner?” I ask.

“It’s a date. Shit. It’s a real date, right? That’s what this is about. You and me. We’re going to do this, right?” he asks.

“That’s the hope.”

I nod, “Okay, then, I guess I will let you go tonight, and go spend time with my brother.”

“Hey, I would much rather stay here with you. And wish that I could cancel, but I made plans, and I shouldn’t break them. At least not until we figure everything out.”

I move off his lap and offer my hand to help him up.

I pause and weigh his words. “I agree. We need to come up with a plan on how to talk to him.”

He nods, “Yeah, sounds good. Having a plan is better than going in fully cocked.”

“Tomorrow night. Pick me up around seven?” I say, threading my fingers through his, walking to the door.

“Yes, ma’am.” He leans down and our lips touch, linger a moment, before pulling back. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He opens the door, and with one more glance back at me, he disappears.

I shut the door and leaned my back against the cold steel door. I smile.

I think I just made it official with Chase Thorne.

“You’re swooning. Why are you swooning?” my oldest friend, Janelle says, before pulling the straw between her lips and sipping on her bright pink and purple cocktail.

“I’m not swooning. I have no clue what you’re talking about. I’m just enjoying some time with you, and not being at work.”

“But there is something. You have this ridiculous look on your face. You are practically floating. Dare I say it, swooning. What is this lovey-dovey shit about? Spill it.”

“Nelle, it’s nothing.” I take a small sip of my drink. “At least nothing yet.”

“But there is something, or at least someone, that is making you all heart eyes,” she pokes.

I say nothing, but feel my face heating.

“You sneaky snook. Tell me.”

I subtly avoid her gaze, lean closer, and idly swirl my cocktail with my straw. My thoughts drift to Chase.

“Yoohoo. Skylar Hale. I need you to come back down to Earth. Hello?” Fingers snap in my line of sight, and I focus on my friend’s face.

“Huh?”

“Okay, so, what’s going on? You’re daydreaming, you’re looking like you’re in love or something, and it’s kind of concerning me.” She grins.

“So, do you remember growing up, my brother had this friend who was always around, practically lived with us?”

“The baseball player? Um, duh! Of course, I remember. He’s kind of a big deal. Is your brother still friends with him?”

“Well, yeah. And there’s something else.”