Authors: Aubrey St. Clair
With Chase on my left, his wife on my right and his step son across from me, I feel like I’m eating in a daze, barely aware of how delicious the food is. Mirana and Chase are talking to Diego, and I get the feeling they're letting me catch up at my own pace as I come to terms with everything I've just learned and how I'm feeling about it all.
If anything, I'm overwhelmed and exhausted. The gamut of emotions I've run through over the last hour has left me drained. It was horrifying to learn of Chase's marriage, and that led to anger. First at Denise, but quickly shifting to Chase. Then fear, embarrassment and shame after talking to his wife and believing that I was contributing to the destruction of their marriage. Finally surprise and shock at learning the truth.
So many secrets were being covered up with lies, half-truths or omissions. Faking a marriage to get a Green Card means they were even breaking the law. It's not even a law I agree with, and who knows how much longer it will even be an issue now that the USA is opening up relations with Cuba? Besides, sometimes the end justifies the means. If it was the only way Chase could keep Mirana and Diego safe from Juan, who am I to judge? And I can't really blame him for not telling me about it even if it did break my heart. But Chase was right, it wasn't only his secret to break and, if discovered, the repercussions to Mirana would be considerably worse than to Chase. The United States government does not take breaking its laws lightly.
Maybe Evelyn was right. Not all lies are equal. I was burned by Harrison and his betrayal, but he's a much different person with much different motives. The old poker player I'd met in Macau was right as well. Even when Chase isn't completely honest, he has a good reason for what he's doing. I just need to learn to trust him.
I look over at him and he sees me turn, giving me a smile and reaching under the table to grasp my thigh. I put my hand on his and squeeze him gently as a sign that everything is okay. His smile deepens as he gets the message.
"This is delicious," I say, turning to Mirana. She beams a smile back at me. "And you have a beautiful house."
"Chase's house," she nods.
"Yours as long as you want to stay," he corrects her. "I've told you that many times."
"He's very generous," Mirana seems to be embarrassed. "He lets us live here and never takes rent."
Chase shrugs. "The house belonged to my father. It became mine when he died and it's all paid off. Why would I take money for it?"
Mirana shakes her head and sighs but I just smile at her. "If there's one thing about Chase I've learned in the brief time I've been with him is that he's generous with his money and there's really no point in arguing it. He's very stubborn."
Mirana laughs. "You
do
know him well after all."
"Uh, I'm right here," he protests with his own little grin.
The little bit of humor breaks the tension I've still been feeling and all of a sudden our conversation begins to flow much easier. We talk through the rest of the meal before Diego leaves to go play in his room.
"He's a nice kid," I note as he politely excuses himself and runs off. "It must be hard to raise him on your own."
Mirana nods. "It's easier now that he's in school. I have my days to myself again. Mostly, anyway."
"So what do you do with your time?"
"Oh, it always seems to get filled," she shrugs.
"Mirana volunteers at a woman's shelter," Chase says. "She helps a lot of people."
His wife shrugs again, looking embarrassed. "I just try to help women who were in the same situation as me. I know how hard it is to leave. I couldn't have done it without Chase, and if I can give back by helping other women then it's my pleasure."
"That's wonderful!"
"Chase got me in there; it's another thing I owe him."
"Now wait, that one isn't completely altruistic, you know that." He looks over at me. "It's really on the job training as far as I'm concerned."
"How so?"
"Poker players are always looking for a cause," he says, leaning back in his chair and taking a sip of wine before continuing. "Once I realized how hard it was for Mirana to get away from Juan, it got me to thinking about other women in similar situations. I couldn't help all of them the way I helped her, but there are ways I can make a difference. So I got some of my colleagues together and we started a foundation. We're opening up a women's shelter next year, and Mirana is going to run it once she gets her Green Card."
"Wow. That's amazing Chase."
He shrugs. "Mirana will be doing all the work. I just gathered together the money to get it started."
"You did more than that," she adds.
"A little bit. There’s work involved in the foundation itself aside from the actual shelter. But once everything is setup and the shelter is operating, it's all yours to run. That's why you have to soak up as much knowledge as possible while you're volunteering."
Although I don't doubt the cause or Chase's desire to help women by opening the shelter, I suspect a lot of the reason he's doing it is to ensure that Mirana will have secure employment. ”Anyway, let's help you clean up before Lila and I get out of your hair so that you can put Diego to bed."
The three of us clear away the plates from dinner and help Mirana wash them. It's very hard not to like the woman, and I'm very happy that Chase helped her get away from that bad situation. The man continues to impress me at every step.
"Thank you so much for dinner." We're standing outside the house and Mark has pulled the car up into the driveway to wait for us.
"I was happy to meet you," Mirana says, honesty showing through her smile. "Chase deserves someone like you. He's spent too much time alone or with... the wrong people." We both know who she's talking about. "Come back soon. Both of you."
Chase gives her a hug and then leads me to the car where he slides in next to me. His arm slips around my shoulder and I lean against him, much more content now that I'm not angry with him.
"Where to?" he asks.
"Wherever you're going," I say as I snuggle against his warm body. "That's where I want to be, too."
The ride back to Chase's hotel is quiet. We're sitting in the back of the limo and I'm happy to just hold his arm tightly against my body. Relief and fatigue after a day of travel have led both of us to exhaustion and now that I no longer have anger pumping me full of adrenaline, I'm ready to collapse. I can tell by the way Chase is riding with his eyes closed that he feels the same. By the time we get back to the room, we pull off our clothes, stumble into bed, and fall asleep immediately.
But hours later I wake. It's the middle of the night, and I'm disoriented after dreams of Chase and I being ripped apart, quite literally, by a Denise like demon. I reach out and find his chest, rising and falling in sleep but then stirring at my touch.
"What's wrong?" his voice is heavy and groggy but I'm happy to hear it.
"Nothing," I whisper back. "I just needed to feel you near me."
"I am. I always will be." His voice is getting stronger, more alert. His hand comes up to mine and closes on it, giving it a little squeeze. I appreciate it, but I need more right now.
Rolling to face him, our lips find each other in the dark as he pulls me into a warm embrace. Our kisses are shallow and quick at first, and soon Chase breaks away to kiss along my cheeks and neck before returning to my mouth. He takes one of my lips within his own, sucking it into his mouth and then finally his tongue presses forward and our kiss deepens. I sigh against him as his hand skims along my back and up into my hair, pulling me closer against him as he pushes in deeper. His cock is laying against my thigh, and without looking I can feel it harden. It stiffens even more as my fingertips lightly brush against it, but neither of us make any move to get there yet. Our kisses are all consuming at the moment, and their urgency is leaving us both gasping for quick breaks as we seek out each other's neck or shoulders before continuing.
Chase's strong hands are rubbing the back of my head, massaging my scalp and neck and pulling a shudder of relaxed pleasure from my body. I pull my lips away again and wrap one of my hands around his head, pulling his lips back to my neck. He responds by covering it in light kisses and then biting gently, not stopping until I'm covered in goose bumps and moaning in excited pleasure.
My hand wraps around his cock which is completely erect now, but his other hand closes against me just as I start to try and guide him between my legs. He stops me and then moves his hand between them instead, searching out my hot core and honing in immediately against my clit. A sound escapes my lips as my legs open wider. Chase wastes no time in slipping against my moistness and pushing in with his fingers, and I grind against him as he does. It's not ultimately what I want, but it's a great way to warm up.
His fingers continue to rub and my ass is grinding against his bed in response. His touch is quick but not rough, and his mouth has left my neck again to return to kissing me deeply. I'm breathing heavily into his mouth, and my hand is wrapped tightly against his cock. It's throbbing in my hand, and hotter than I remember it ever being. I want to rub it and give him some extra stimulation, but his fingers are too distracting. It feels wonderful, but I need the closeness of his body on mine. I want to feel him fully inside of me, and not just with his fingers. I tug him again, breaking away from his mouth again so that I can whisper against his ear.
"I want you inside of me, Chase."
He nods, knowing immediately what I'm talking about. He reaches across me and grabs a condom from his side table, ripping it open and slipping it on in record time before rolling over on top of me. The heaviness of his body against mine, even as he rests most of his weight on his elbows, is immediately comforting. My hands drop down to his firm ass and I squeeze his cheeks while pulling him forward at the same time.
His cock enters me easily, the moisture from my insides providing a slick and ready passage.
We both let out a groan as his hips touch mine and he bottoms out. I'm stretched by his girth. It almost feels as if he's bigger today than ever before. Maybe I'm just more sensitive, but I think he feels it too, and his body slides slowly back and forth as if he's savoring each inch of stimulation as he draws his shaft along my wet flesh.
Chase pulls my leg up by the knee, raising my behind off the bed just enough so that he can push even deeper into me with each thrust. I let out a satisfied moan as he does, and then another as I feel his hand slide down along my ass and squeeze it. His chest is sliding along my nipples and I wonder if he can feel how hard they are. To me, it feels like they're little diamonds, trying to cut through the hardness of his chest. Each movement of his body stimulates me in a different way, and yet another moan of pleasure is only cut off as his mouth descends back onto mine to resume our earlier kiss.
The whole experience is an assault on my senses and I'm happy to let myself be overwhelmed by him. I can taste the masculine flavor of Chase's tongue as it works against mine. I can smell the sweat of his body as he pulls and pushes against me. I can hear the grunts coming from low within his throat, and I love watching him move up and down against my body. But most of all, the feeling of him inside of me is what I'm focused on the most. The merging of our bodies, the complete invasion of his cock within me, the sensations have taken me away to a world of pleasure that I have no desire to escape.
The feelings today are different than they ever have been, with Chase or anyone else. What we're doing isn't just trying to get off. We aren't just two strangers or casual daters trying to fuck and make each other come. This time isn't about having sex. This time is about making love. And each time Chase looks down at me, I can see in his eyes he feels the same way.
His blues are shining, and he tilts his head a bit as he gives me his little half smile right before kissing me again. His speed has increased, and the pleasure within my core is at its height. There is a tension within me that I can't hold back any more. I let out a scream and my body tightens around Chase. I wrap my bent knee up and around his body, pulling him deeper against me.
Chase goes with it, only pulling back a couple more times against my grip before unleashing a roar of his own. His hips slap against me and push deep as he shudders with his own release. I can feel the tension in his back with my arms that are also draped around him, hugging him close, but after a few more twitches I feel it relax. He finally sinks down onto me, and I pull him even tighter. I don't want him to roll off just yet. I want to feel his weight just a little bit longer. I want to feel his cock inside of me for just a few more moments.
"Wow," he breathes into my ear. His breath is hot and fast.
"Wow," I agree.
By the time we wake the next morning it's almost noon. Chase heads to the shower and I pick up my phone to check my messages. There are a few texts from Harrison. He's asking how I'm doing, if I want to get together for coffee. He heard about Evelyn and wants to know if I'm okay.
Of course, he has no idea I'm in Vegas, and still doesn't know about Chase. There's really no reason for me to keep things from him anymore. It's been long enough, and I owe him some truth. As shitty as I think it was for him to wager our relationship, Harry's main problem is gambling. People say it’s an illness. Maybe I can forgive him now that I've moved on. Maybe he couldn't help himself, and I've been too hard on him. Not that it means I want to be in a relationship with someone like that, but after the ups and downs I've had with Chase and the understanding I have now, that each lie, half-truth or omission can't be judged the same and there are always two sides to everything, it might be time to give Harry a break.
Besides, with Evelyn gone now, once I go back home I don't have a lot of people to talk to. Other than Harry and my parents, all of my other friends fall more on the acquaintance spectrum. I guess if I spent more time with some they would become friends, but as of now, going right back would be pretty lonely. Maybe I shouldn't shut Harry out completely. I still don't know what I'm going to do with myself now that my roommate’s gone and I have no job.
I notice I also have a voicemail from Evelyn. I listen but it's just a quick hello from her to say that she is settling in and leaving me her new number. I immediately call her back, anxious to connect with my best friend again.
"Hey you," I say as she answers the phone.
"Lila! Are you still half way around the world?" She sounds happy and full of energy, but that's always been Evelyn.
"Nope. I'm in the same country as you, actually. Back in Vegas with Chase."
"How are things? Still going strong? You patch everything up?"
For a moment I wonder how she knew about what happened yesterday but then I realize she's referring to what happened back in Toronto after the house incident. Either way, the answer is the same but still reminds me how quick I am to judge. I really should reconnect with Harry. I've ignored him for long enough.
"Yes. Things are good. Great, even."
"I'm so happy to hear that Lila. Chase seems like an awesome guy."
"He really is, Eve. What about you? How's the new job?"
"Busy! Already I'm swamped but it's actually pretty great. I'm enjoying it so far. But Edward keeps me on my toes. I'm at the office more than home so I haven't even had a chance to unpack anything yet."
"Edward?"
Eve giggles nervously. "Sorry, that's my boss, Mr. Stonewall. He has me call him Edward."
"Uh huh. What's going on over there? Are you two...?"
"No! I mean... not really. I don't know. He's very handsome and refined. Not what I'm used to at all. Very strict and business like at the office. Some people think he's a complete ass. But he's not like that with me. I don't know. Shit, I gotta run actually. He just texted me."
Chase emerges from the bathroom just as we're saying goodbye and promising to keep in touch. I wonder whether or not I should stop over in Chicago on my way back to Toronto, whenever that ends up being.
"Eve seems happy. I think she has a crush on her new boss."
Chase smiles. "Lucky man then. She's a nice girl."
"Yeah," I sigh, already starting to miss her.
"Listen, Lila..." Chase approaches from the bathroom. He's wrapped in a towel but he sits down on the edge of the bed next to me. "We haven't had a chance to really talk yet, but I wanted to apologize for not telling you about Mirana. I wanted to. Especially after... after the thing with the house and Denise. We had that talk and I know that you were hurt by the fact that I wasn't honest, but-"
"It's okay," I interrupt him.
He's peering into my soul again, his blue eyes burning into mine as he looks for something. He's probably trying to tell if it really is okay.
"Are you sure?"
"I should have trusted you, Chase. I should know by now that if you're keeping something from me there's a really good reason. I shouldn't have assumed you were automatically trying to fool me. You're not..." I trail off, but he picks up my thought.
"Harrison?"
I shrug. "Maybe I've been too hard on him, too. He has a gambling problem and although I don't want to date someone like that, I don't think that makes him a bad guy. He got carried away at the table with you, sure, but he was probably just excited about playing against the famous Chase Anderson. Probably figured it would be a big story to tell if he won, and as usual didn't even consider what would happen if he lost."
"He's an asshole, Lila. Don't fool yourself into thinking otherwise."
"Why?" For some reason every time Chase puts down Harrison it bugs me and makes me rush to his defense. "I agree, he did a shitty thing and he lied a lot, but just about his gambling. Beyond that he wasn't that bad."
Chase is just shaking his head. "Just forget him, Lila. Trust me."
"Why? Because you know gamblers? The only difference between you and him is that you're a better poker player. If you were shitty at it, you wouldn't be called the famous Chase Anderson, you'd be called Chase Anderson, the addict."
"No, it's not that. He's just... he's not a nice guy, Lila."
"You barely know him. You played with him for what, a few hours? I’ve known him for close to a year. And might I remind you that the whole wager for me was your fucking idea in the first place. You basically led him into it. I'm sure he never would have thought of that on his own. Of course he should have said no fucking way and punched your lights out, but still, who does that? Who asks a guy to give up his girlfriend in a poker game?" The truth is, I've wanted an answer to that question since the day we met. It has always bothered me that Chase suggested it, and the more that I've gotten to know him, the more out of character it seems.
Chase's lips are a thin line and turning white he's pursing them so hard. It's as if he's holding something back. "I explained that to you the first night," he finally says.
"Right, you took a chance and he didn't value me, yada yada. What aren't you telling me? What made you think he didn't value me in the first place? Why do you have such a low opinion of Harrison after just playing cards with him for a few hours? I know you're a fantastic judge of character, Chase, but even for you that borders a little too much on the side of mystical mumbo jumbo. Are you a mind reader, Chase? Is that it?"
"No."
"Then what?"
"Why does it matter? You guys are broken up. Let's just drop it, okay?"
"No, I don't want to drop it. Practically every time I bring Harry's name up you have something negative to say and all you know about him is he took the bait when you offered to play for me that first night after he'd lost a lot of money to you. I think lawyers call that entrapment. And you know what, Chase? You're the last person to be so judgmental about exes. Not when you have Denise trying to break us up every fucking five minutes."
Chase lets out a long sigh. "I didn't just play with him for a couple of hours the night we met..."