Home // Completed Stories // Short But Sweet // Poetry // Stories In Progress
Chapter 10
Tori heard the low rumble of Chase’s voice as he spoke and she opened her eyes to the early morning light. She blinked against the sun that was streaming into the room and saw her husband, naked aside from a towel around his waist, talking on his cellular phone. It was business he was discussing and his back was to her as he looked at a suit in the closet and she took the opportunity to watch him unawares.
The night before had been pleasant enough. She’d enjoyed the sex much more than the first time she’d ever tried it. The shower they’d taken together afterward hadn’t been as awkward as she’d thought, for Chase had been kind and considerate, not ogling her, not touching too much. He gave her a large comfort zone to operate in and the entire time they’d showered, she’d returned the favor, her eyes not dropping once below his waist.
They hadn’t made love again after that, for Tori had immediately fallen asleep once her head had hit the pillow. If Chase had minded that she’d been exhausted, he hadn’t said anything to wake her and she wondered if her exhaustion had been caused by all the events that had transpired during the week or if she had just been trying to get out of more intimacy.
She frowned at that thought. She had liked it, really she had. It was just that…well, she was still a bit modest, still a bit shy. She realized last night just how unworldly she was. Her parents may have been rich, and they may have given her grand trips and experiences growing up, but there was still much Tori didn’t know about life and living. And for the past few years of her adult life, she had been so focused on causes of good and making her parents reel that she hadn’t yet matured in the ways of the bedroom. She wondered briefly if Chase would be disappointed in her. He had professed the night before that he desired her but would he continue to if she always blushed every time he saw her naked?
Chase turned just as he was saying, “Yeah, Jim, I’ll be in this morning. Just give me a half hour or so.” His eyes caught Tori and she openly appreciated the view of his bare chest.
“Mornin’,” he drawled as he flipped off his phone.
“Hey,” Tori said with a smile as she stretched. The sheet slipped down and she caught it, holding it to her chest. Chase gave a chuckle but said nothing.
“What do you have planned today?” she then inquired.
“I have to go into the office this morning. I should be done by
Tori realized those plans didn’t yet include her so she asked, “Can I go? I can file or something. I really don’t want to sit here all day.”
“Wouldn’t you rather go shopping or to a day spa? I don’t know when we’ll
be back in
Tori giggled. “Chase, I don’t shop. I have everything I need already.”
“How about the day spa?”
She shook her head. “Too much pampering for me.”
He frowned at her and she was suddenly afraid she’d disappointed him.
“What?” she asked hesitantly.
“Nothing. I just didn’t realize how incredibly low maintenance you were.” As Tori started to frown, he added quickly, “No, that’s good. That’s really good. I love that you are.”
Love. Tori rolled that around in her head. So, he loved that she was spunky (as he’d said the night before) and he loved that she was low maintenance. But…would a man like Chase ever love her?
She’d never set out for love when she’d entered into this arranged marriage of theirs, but after last night, she was starting to wonder just where it would all lead.
“Then, can I go with you? I promise, I won’t get in the way, I won’t stage a protest in your office lobby and I’ll even take you to lunch when you’re free,” Tori offered.
Chase sat down on the bed next to her, his dark eyes drank her in and she found she liked that hungry look in his eyes.
Leaning down, he touched his lips to her bare shoulder and asked, “How can a guy refuse a date with his wife when she puts it that way? And after lunch…any plans?”
There was a hint of something there, something…passionate and Tori blushed and shrugged.
Chase caught the blush and he wondered why, after last night, Tori was still so modest around him. Perhaps it was just going to take her more time than usual to settle into the physical side of things. Or maybe she hadn’t liked something about last night. After all, her response hadn’t been overwhelming. He’d felt her climax and afterward, she had hinted at wanting more. But once they’d stepped in that shower together, naked and completely vulnerable, she’d distanced herself some. He’d given her leeway because he had vowed last night not to push too fast and he only hoped that she would eventually loosen up because he found that she made him want much, much more than just last night. Even now he wanted her. He felt like a man who had been wasting away in the desert with no water and had only been given a drop to satisfy his thirst. After all, during this past year, while he’d been searching for just the right person to claim as a wife, he hadn’t involved himself in any intimate relationships. No woman had lasted long enough for that to happen. And though, admittedly, when he was a younger man, he hadn’t been quite so choosy. Knowing a woman a week or a month didn’t matter when lust was concerned. But once he’d gotten serious, he’d found that trust, responsibility and commitment did matter to him.
“Or,” he added as he dipped his head and nibbled on her bare shoulder, “I could be late for the office.”
His lips burned to touch her and he moved them slowly up her shoulder to her neck. When he kissed her there, he felt her shudder. She didn’t hate this, he was sure.
“No,” she said, “let’s go to the office first. I don’t feel quite awake enough to handle you.”
Chase nuzzled her ear. “That’s half the fun, darlin’. Waking up to something hot is one of my favorite things to do.”
“And no doubt you have plenty of experience in that department?” she asked and Chase couldn’t tell if her tone was one of mere curiosity or something filled with accusation.
He straitened and looked at her. Tori’s face gave nothing away.
“Yes,” he finally admitted, “a lot more experience than you. But, I’m trying to remedy that for you.”
When he reached for her again, she blushed once more and sprang out of bed.
“I’d better get ready or you’ll never make it to the office,” she declared and she was so quick in her movements that Chase barely saw any flesh as she dashed into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her.
He groaned and fell back on the bed. What was he going to do with her? She was a confusing mix of female. Vulnerable one moment, enticing the next, stubborn, intelligent and downright intriguing. She seemed to know much about the world while at the same time appearing so innocent. He supposed it was poetic justice that he’d chosen her for his bride because he’d always thought he had such a handle on women. He had always thought he was the one in charge and now with Tori, he was discovering he was in charge of nothing.
**
The office was typical of any other corporate office in a downtown high rise. Everyone was professional and efficient and Tori was content to sit up front with the receptionist, help answer phones and file or copy as people made requests. She didn’t mind helping out, because like she had told Chase earlier, she certainly wasn’t the type to shop or relax at a spa.
The receptionist was about her age and the woman seemed surprised that the boss’s wife was helping out. More than once, Tori had caught Wanda eyeing her with curiosity.
“I’m sorry,” Wanda said after an hour and dropped the file she was holding on the desk, “but, I just can’t believe you’re the boss’s wife. I mean…Mr. McNamara is so rich and I’ve seen a few of the women he’s dated before and believe me, they were nothing like you.”
“Is that a compliment?” Tori asked her warily.
“Most definitely. I always thought he’d end up with one of those gals that got her nails done and walked in here with a fur coat and two poodles on a leash then waited impatiently while I had to run downstairs and buy her a latté. Never would I have expected his wife to be so young and down to earth. I mean, you’re wearing jeans and a button-up shirt for heaven’s sake!”
Tori smiled and gave a small shrug. “I don’t believe in owning fur,” she joked. “And as for that other woman you described, that’s my sister. She got all the vain genes, I came out normal.”
Wanda laughed and asked, “How did you meet him anyhow?”
“Uh, through my father, Norton Ambrose.”
“Oh, yes, I’ve heard of him.” Wanda eyed her again. “And frankly, you don’t look like you come from so much money.”
“I know. And that really pisses my parents off,” she confessed. “And as for Chase, well, he’s pretty down to earth as well. Life on the ranch really isn’t glamorous. There’s animals and dirt and….a really nice house and all, but I spend most of my time helping out with the horses and whatnot.”
“So, was it love at first sight between you and him? I heard you got married after a short engagement.”
Tori paused. She didn’t want to be fodder for office gossip, so she gave a small shrug and said, “I wouldn’t exactly say that. But…we work well together.”
“A solid relationship. That’s good.”
So, she had given the right answer. Perhaps not the most romantic answer, but a good answer just the same.
It was then that another woman strolled by. She was tall and slim with long blonde hair clipped up on her head and she wore a suit that was tailored to fit her curves just so. She gave Wanda a sly smile, then her brown eyes landed on Tori.
“New temp, Wanda?” the woman asked.
“No, this is Tori, Mr. McNamara’s wife,” Wanda answered.
The woman’s mouth fell open and immediately she grabbed Tori’s hand and glanced at the rings she wore.
“Oh, my! Check out that rock. How exquisite.”
“You’ll have to excuse Cindy,” Wanda said to Tori, “she likes fancy things.”
Cindy laughed. “Yes, and fancy men. And Mr. McNamara is hot. How ever did you rope him in?”
“It just sort of happened,” Tori said simply.
Cindy smiled with conspiracy, lowered her voice and asked, “Tell me, what’s he like in bed? I mean, my God, he’s as handsome as the devil, he must just make you quiver.”
Tori felt the heat invade her face and wished she wasn’t so shy about gossiping with the gals. But her girlfriends and she had always talked about things like global warming and child labor in third world countries. If they had wanted to feel shallow, they’d talked about music or an upcoming concert. They certainly had never talked about sex and the men they slept with or didn’t sleep with.
“Cindy!” Wanda chastised. “You don’t ask the boss’s wife stuff like that. My goodness, woman, do you have no manners?”
“Sorry,” Cindy said with no apology in her voice. “I was just curious and you seem like the type who wouldn’t mind. Besides, Mr. McNamara is here so rarely. He’s…I don’t know…mysterious in a way. Tall, dark, brooding…mmmm, I could go for that.” Then she looked at Tori. “Ooops, sorry. Again, I’m just…”
“Just putting your foot in your mouth as usual,” Wanda spoke up. “Tori, just ignore her. She talks about all men like that whether they’re married, old, young or the ugliest thing you’ve seen. She simply likes men.”
“That’s all right,” Tori said. “I’m not fragile and frail. I can handle a little girl talk. But I’m afraid I won’t give away any of Chase’s secrets. It just wouldn’t be right.”
“Too bad,” Cindy said then slapped her hand on the desk and announced, “Oh, I forgot to tell you about last night, Wanda! My date with Brad downstairs. You know, the one who works for that legal firm. He’s a paralegal and man, I tell you, it was totally wild and animal.”
Tori furrowed her brow, wondering just what Cindy was referring to and as the woman went on and described in detail a night of raw passion, she understood completely.
Wild and animal? Did passion and lust really run the spectrum like that? Did people really lose themselves so completely?
Apparently so, for Cindy gave a complete account of her entire escapade and when Wanda blushed as much as Tori and asked, “So, are you seeing him again?” Cindy answered, “Are you kidding me? As long as he keeps that up, I’ll marry the man.”
The phone rang then, and Tori was glad for the disruption. She didn’t even bother to look at the display and when she was met with Chase’s voice, she was surprised.
“Wanda, I’m done with my meeting, just send any of my calls through from now on,” Chase said and Tori corrected, “Uh, its Tori.”
“Oh,” he said easily, “enjoying the morning so far?”
“So far. I’ve only scared half of your business away with my horrid phone skills.”
He laughed good-naturedly and said, “Well, at least you’re keeping yourself busy. I shouldn’t be much longer.”
“No rush. Just gossiping with the girls and telling them all about you,” Tori teased and when the line fell silent, Tori said, “Just kidding, Chase.”
“That’s what I hoped.”
“Think I would actually do that?” she asked.
“Tori, when it comes to you, anything goes.”
She hung up then, after telling him how true that was in a humorous voice, but the more she listened to Cindy, the more she was positive that anything went when it came to this gal. But Cindy did make Tori think some. Was there more Tori needed to learn about passion? She was sure there was and if she opened herself up some more, if she relaxed that comfort zone, she was sure Chase would teach her anything she wanted to learn. But simply making love last night had been a huge step for her and she was still feeling out this new relationship.
Time was what she needed, she told herself. Time.
Suddenly, Cindy halted her rambling explanation about the night before and gave a long sigh. “Sometimes, I wish I were married,” she confessed. “No worrying about will he call or won’t he call. No wondering if you’re pouring it on too thick or too thin. And just think…he’s all yours.”
The woman pointedly looked at Tori. “Tori, do you realize how lucky you are? You’re not only married to a very rich and considerate man, but that six-foot, two-inch hunk of man is all yours. All yours. Anything you want to do to him, you can. Anything you want him to do to you, all you have to do is ask. You’re secure. You’re committed. God, you’re totally tied down…but in such a good way it makes me jealous.”
“I guess I never thought of marriage like that before,” Tori replied. She had been looking at her marriage to Chase only as a prison sentence to be carried out. She had fought it and argued about it. Well, perhaps wild Cindy was right. Perhaps she should start to think about just what she had access to and that was Chase. This was a two-way street after all and there was no reason why she couldn’t reap the rewards herself.
**
The call came through just when he was about to leave for the day. His meetings were over, his presence no longer physically required. He could spend the rest of the day and evening with Tori and drive back to the ranch in the morning. He was looking forward to what the rest of the day would bring but when that call came in, he started to wonder if it would put him in a horrible mood.
Norton Ambrose was on the line and Chase gritted his teeth when Wanda announced his call but he took it just the same. He was determined, however, to promptly hang up if the man began any more false accusations about his treatment of Tori.
“McNamara,” Norton said as soon as Chase said hello, “it’s Norton Ambrose.”
“I know,” Chase drawled.
“Look, I wanted to call you today to set a few things straight.”
Chase remained silent, waiting for the man to continue.
“About last night…I truly think we overreacted. And when I say we, I mean my wife and I. I don’t believe for a minute you’re mistreating Tori. In fact, I never should have believed so, I was just being protective. Last night, when she made that crazy speech of hers, I realized I hadn’t been listening to her. She’s not afraid of you and she certainly is smart enough and stubborn enough to put you in your place if you ever did treat her badly. She wouldn’t stand for it.”
“No, she wouldn’t,” Chase agreed, remembering all the times when the woman had argued him right back into the corner he’d tried to put her in. She was too stubborn to allow anyone to take advantage of her without a fight.
“And I suppose I also realized that she’s grown to like you, maybe even care for you. So you had a quarrel and she ran home for a few days? What married couple doesn’t do that once in a while?”
“Your point, Ambrose?” Chase asked with impatience not wanting to listen to the man give marital advice.
“My point is, I’m not going to send my lawyers after you to annul our contract and I’m not going try and talk Tori into leaving you. I’m leaving things alone.”
“Thank you, Ambrose, I appreciate that,” Chase said sincerely. “And for the record, I care for your daughter as well. She’s grown on me these past few weeks. I think she and I can make this relationship work.”
“I hope you do. Lord knows I’ve never seen her handle things as diplomatically as she did last night. I think you’ve made her grow up some. Trust me, the old Tori would have climbed on a table and started throwing crystal while she screamed at the top of her lungs instead of making a very calm and reasonable speech.”
“So she confessed,” Chase admitted with a smile, remembering her gutsy performance at the charity dinner.
“There is one thing, however, McNamara, and that’s my wife. She’s still not convinced of your sincerity and to be perfectly honest, I think she’s missing having Tori around. I’m not sure what she plans to do…if she’ll try to persuade Tori to come back home or not. But, I wanted to warn you so you weren’t blindsided.”
“Thank you,” Chase said and then glanced at his watch. It was already
“Anyhow, you two keep in touch and I’ll talk with you later if I get wind of anything Mary has planned,” Norton finished and Chase told him farewell and hung up the phone…finally!
The call left him with mixed feelings. On the one hand, he was glad Norton would be off his back. He hadn’t wanted this marriage to turn into a legal battle that placed Tori in the middle between him and her parents. He’d never want her to have to choose between him and them. It wasn’t fair to her. Then again, Mary Ambrose, a woman with means of her own, could prove to be a problem and so he would most definitely keep his eyes open for any illicit move she made to win Tori home again.
With those thoughts weighing on his mind, he left his office and found Tori sitting behind the receptionist desk with a file in her hands and looking completely at ease. He smiled as he watched her unawares and realized that Sophie had been so correct when she’d said he was half in love with her. After last night, he was positive he was almost all the way in love with her.
She glanced up as he approached. He was tugging at his tie and loosening his collar and she grinned at him with a spark in her eyes he hadn’t seen before.
“I was wondering how long you’d last in that suit,” she teased.
He could have turned that remark into something completely sexual, but he knew she was still struggling with her comfort level when it came to him and sex so he bit his tongue.
“And I was wondering when my wife was going to take me out to lunch like she promised,” he said.
“I was just waiting on you,” she said, standing and placing the file folder in a stack. She rounded the front desk then halted. “Hey, do you have $40.00? I don’t have any cash on me.”
Chase frowned as he reached inside his jacket for his wallet. “I thought you were taking me to lunch?”
“I am. And as soon as you hand over the money, I can take you.”
Quirky, she was most definitely quirky.
“Now that’s how to get money from a man,” Wanda quipped from behind. Chase gave her a mock scowl and she promptly smiled and turned away for her desk.
Tori pocketed the money, turned to Wanda and said her good-byes.
Wanda waved as the elevator halted on their floor and called, “Come help out anytime you like, Tori. You were great help!”
Tori said she would then climbed into the empty elevator with Chase. Once the doors closed, she untied his tie completely, helped him slip off his dark gray jacket and then rolled up his shirt sleeves.
“I take it we’re not going anywhere fancy?” he questioned humorously.
“For $40.00? Are you crazy?” Tori taunted and when the elevator stopped at the garage level, she took his hand and led him to the car. When he unlocked it, however, she didn’t let him get in. She threw his coat and tie inside, closed the door and announced, “We’ll walk.”
“Walk?”
“It’s just a few blocks,” she insisted. “Why waste the gasoline?” Then she leaned against him and held onto his arm with her free hand. “Besides, it gives me an excuse to hold your hand in public.”
“Sweetheart, you need no excuse to do that,” he drawled.
He was positive something had happened to Tori in the hours of the morning to change her attitude. She was affectionate and warm, talking away about her morning with Wanda in the office and asking him about his meetings while they walked down the city streets, holding hands and then ate at a small Chinese restaurant that had absolutely no atmosphere or charm, but wonderful food.
That light mood of Tori’s continued as she made him walk another few blocks to a movie theater. Borrowing more money and causing him to laugh, she bought them tickets to a movie he was sure he didn’t want to see but would for her sake, and allowed her to pull him inside.
“I’m not sure I like this kind of date,” Chase drawled sarcastically as Tori purchased a soda and then tugged him along behind her like a woman on a mission. “I’m paying and you’re doing all the choosing.”
“Don’t be silly,” Tori insisted as she nearly yanked him down into a seat, “I’m paying.”
Chase chuckled and then realized they had yet to work out some of the financial arrangements of their marriage. After all, there would certainly be times when Tori would want to spend money and as of now he and her parents controlled all of her money.
With that in mind, he began seriously, “Tori, today I realized something…you need your own access to some money.”
Her eyes brightened and she asked with surprise, “You mean, I get all my money already?”
Chase hated that he was going to have to burst her bubble, for it had been such a fun time all afternoon.
“No, I just meant you need access to an account or credit card. I’ll make arrangements.”
Tori sighed but she didn’t appear completely dejected.
“I’m not going to run away once I get access to my money, Chase,” Tori revealed. “I thought I might stick around for a while.”
Not sure how to take her words or what she meant by “a while” Chase explained, “My earlier offer still stands, honey. Once you have a set goal and a plan of action, we’ll use your money to fulfill it. In the meantime, however, you don’t have to want for anything. Anything. Understand?”
Tori nodded, set down her soda in the cup holder on the opposite side of her seat, then leaned her head against his shoulder. She sighed, intertwined her fingers with his and announced quietly as the lights went out, “I don’t want for anything…aside from some affection from my husband during the movie.”
“Heck, sweetheart, I can dish out a little affection,” Chase teased and then leaned down and quickly kissed her lips. When he tried to pull away, however, Tori caught him around the neck and pulled his mouth back to hers.
She kissed him deeply, boldly, then moved her lips to his ear and whispered, “I think I’m going to require more than a little affection. How about a lot of affection?”
When she kissed him again, she was demanding and Chase found it turned him on more than he’d expected. Her act was quite different than it had been the night before. In his arms last night, she’d been tentative and receiving, today she was aggressive and demanding of her passion. What a change and again he wondered what had brought on the attitude shift.
When her hand undid a button on his shirt and slipped inside to touch his chest, he stifled a groan of frustration for they were in a movie, a public place, and there was little he could do to satisfy his growing wants.
“Tori,” he tried to chastise quietly as he pulled her hand from his chest.
“No, Chase,” Tori told him. “I’m going to do what I want here. After all, I realized something while I was working at your office this morning, and that is…you’re mine. I have access to a man wanted by just about every female in his high rise and I plan on touching you like you touched me last night. Is that so wrong?”
Chase chuckled quietly, realizing now why she was acting so bold and outgoing and answered with his lips to her ear, “No, there’s nothing wrong with that. I just don’t want to be tormented for the entire movie.”
Tori trailed her hand down his chest and over his arm. When her fingers found his hand, she pulled it to her mouth and suckled gently on one of his fingers. The simple act about drove Chase to drag her out of that movie theater then and there so he could take her to the privacy of their hotel suite and make love to her again. Only this time, he wanted to make love to her with much more ardor than the night before. Last night he had been overly gentle and slow, forcing his own desires to the back of his mind while he’d been sure Tori had been comfortable. And he knew, because of that, he hadn’t quite shown her just how pleasurable, how intensely wild, sex could be. She’d been intrigued by it, perhaps even pleasured enough, but she hadn’t yet been wowed.
He nipped at her neck then said, “God, you’re going to kill me. Let’s go.”
“No,” Tori said nonchalantly and then set his hand down and smiled with faked sweetness up at him. “We’re going to stay and you’re going to sit there and think about just what it is I have planned for you when we get back to our hotel.”
A low growl issued in his throat and he slumped in his chair and gritted his teeth. Leave it to this tantalizing little pixy he’d married to drive him insane! No other woman had. No, the others had always succumbed so easily to his charms and desires, never creating such tension in him. But that was probably why they weren’t his wife and Tori was. He had chosen her for a reason, because she had passion and a mind of her own. And tonight, he prayed she showed him just how much of both she possessed.
**
Tori prayed she was doing things right as they left the movie and strolled back toward the parking garage in the dimming spring evening. All during the movie she had teased Chase, kissed him, touched him and then coolly distanced herself long enough to let him forget her actions. Then, quite mischievously, she would heat things up again until he was pleading with her to leave then and there for their hotel.
She’d never teased a man, never had any sensual control over one before. Of course, when she thought about any of the dating she had done over the years, it had been so sparse and consisted mostly of first dates that there had been no opportunity for her to explore more. Thank goodness she’d had the chance to listen to Wanda and Cindy today, otherwise, she never would have taken the initiative to lead such an assault on Chase.
She leaned against him as they walked and his arm looped around her waist. He kissed the top of her head and asked, “Did you have any other plans for this date, sweetheart?”
Tori faked a yawn and said, “I was thinking of simply turning in early and getting some much needed sleep.”
When she glanced up at Chase, he was frowning.
She laughed with glee. “I’m only joking. I only planned on taking you back to our hotel and having my way with you.”
“Really? You think you can do that, do you?”
Tori halted and grabbed his shirt collar. She pulled Chase toward her and as her lips neared his she whispered, “Oh, I think I can. Most definitely.”
Just as she was about to plant the kiss of all kisses on his full, sensual mouth, a voice she recognized very well announced from across the street, “Tori Ambrose! Is that you?”
Tori stepped away from Chase and watched as her friend Zoe Garcia carefully crossed the busy downtown street, her 1970’s style crochet purse slung over her shoulder and her raggedly bellbottom jeans almost tripping her up. Long brown hair was worn in a simple, straight style and she immediately hugged Tori and practically lifted her off her feet in her enthusiasm.
“My goodness, girl, I haven’t seen you in two months and I was just going to
call your house tonight and see if you were up for a PETA meeting and coffee,”
Zoe said without even noticing Chase’s presence.
“Oh,
Zoe was a difficult person to talk to at times.
Brazen and outspoken, she always blurted out whatever was foremost in her mind.
They had met in high school, gone to college in
“Uh, it sounds great but…” Tori started to say only to have Zoe squeal with delight, hug her again and say, “Oh, I know you would! Brody and Claire just had to cancel on me. Said they had to work for a while and earn some money to live on. Oh, don’t you just hate that destructive capitalistic, military-industrial complex we’re all such slaves to? I thank God everyday that my grandmother left me that money, otherwise, I’m afraid I would be in Claire and Brody’s predicament too, barely scraping by just to pay taxes to support our ongoing efforts to spread McDonalds all over the world.”
It was then that Chase cleared his throat either out of an attempt to remind Tori of his presence or to hurry her along because he was growing impatient. Whatever the case, it did make Zoe look up at him and Tori watched as her friend smiled slowly, glanced Chase up and down appreciatively and nodded her approval.
“Nice,” Zoe said. “Is he with you, Tori?”
“Uh, yeah, he is,” Tori answered self-consciously.
When Zoe wrinkled her brow and turned to Tori
with confusion, Tori wondered just how she was going
to explain her marriage to Chase to her overly zealous friend. “He’s…well,
you see, while you were gone in
With an amusing smile at her predicament, Chase boldly held out his hand toward Zoe and announced, “I’m Chase McNamara, Tori’s destructive capitalistic, business-owning husband. And for the record, no, I don’t believe in slavery and pushing McDonalds, just working hard.”
Leave it to Chase to not only clear things up, but to state very bluntly what he stood for and challenge anyone to disagree! Tori covered her face with her hands and groaned just as Zoe began laughing.
“Okay, this is a joke. Right, Tori? You’re setting me up for something,” Zoe insisted.
Tori sighed, uncovered her face and said, “No, I’m not. I got married just a few weeks ago while you were away. I would have invited you only…well, it all happened really quickly. In fact, I haven’t even told Claire and Brody.”
“Quickly? Tori, you aren’t…you didn’t get married because…I mean, now-a-days, no one cares if you have a baby without a husband. And I know your parents are old fashioned and all but…”
“No, that’s not it either,” Tori insisted. “The engagement and wedding, like I said, it just happened really quickly. You know how I am, impulsive.”
Zoe eyed Chase again and smirked. “Impulsive is right. But you could have done worse. With looks like his, I suppose we can forgive the suit and conservative business attitude he no doubt possesses.”
“Thank you,” Chase said and there was only the slightest hint of sarcasm in his voice for he seemed to find humor more than anything in Zoe’s words.
“Well, I guess PETA is out for tonight, huh?” Zoe asked and Tori nodded. “But hey, you’re still in town, right? Let’s get together and have dinner or something.”
“Uh, we don’t live in the city,” Tori told her. “Chase has a…ranch about two hours from here.”
When she said the word ranch she watched Zoe frown some more.
“But anytime you’re free, please come down and stay for a few days,” Chase suddenly suggested. “Bring your other friends. Tori would love the company. Wouldn’t you, darlin’?”
Tori gave Chase a faint smile. He was being very generous—as was his nature, she was discovering—and she appreciated the fact that he was willing to invite her wacky friends out to his home despite the fact that he had nothing in common with them.
“Hey, yeah, that would be a blast!” Zoe agreed. She dug into her purse and pulled out a pen and pad of paper. “What’s your phone number? I’ll give you all a call in a few days and we can see what works for us.”
Tori rattled off the number and then Zoe bowed out graciously saying, “Well, better not keep the newlyweds from their business. Tori, I’ll see you soon, honey.” She hugged Tori again, then turned to Chase and held out her hand. “And Chase, it was nice meeting you.”
“Same here,” Chase said and once Zoe briskly left them behind, Tori looked up at Chase and declared, “You didn’t have to invite my friends out. I’m sure you’ll hate them all.”
“Tori, if it makes you happy, I don’t mind. Besides, Zoe was perfectly polite. Your friends and I may stand on the opposite sides of food, politics and the use of fossil fuels, but they seem like good people. I always am open to meeting good people.”
“They are good people,” Tori insisted. “They’d give you the shirt off their back to make sure you didn’t freeze to death or hand over their last meal so that you wouldn’t go hungry. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“No,” Chase agreed, looping his arm back around Tori and pulling her along, “there is nothing wrong with that at all.”
**
There was nothing wrong with the way Tori was arousing him either, Chase thought as she nestled against him in the elevator to their hotel suite twenty minutes later. All that foreplay she’d been doing in the movie was instantly brought back into his memory and his body heated quicker than he had expected.
In fact, he was so hot by her little touches and seductive looks that right after the door to the elevator opened and they stepped onto their floor, he took her face in his hands and kissed her so passionately they ended up practically falling against the wall for support.
But then Tori pulled away and shook her head at him.
“No, Chase,” she said firmly. “Like I told you earlier, I’m going to do what I want to do. I’m in charge tonight.”
Chase relented, handed over the room key and questioned, “Are you sure you’re up to this? I could always take charge if you’re feeling squeamish.”
Tori threw him a mock frown and replied, “I’m up to it. The question is…are you?”
Chase laughed and leaned closer saying, “Honey, I’ve been up to it since you kissed me in that movie theater.”
Tori forced the embarrassment from her face, knowing that as long as she was married to Chase, she might as well get used to his brazen words, and unlocked their hotel suite. The plush white furnishings were inviting after a long day and Tori took Chase’s suit jacket and tie from his hands and tossed them neatly over the arm of the nearby sofa. Then she pushed him down onto the sofa and smiled deviously as she straddled his legs and toyed with the buttons on his shirt.
“If I do anything wrong, you’ll tell me, won’t you?” she asked, loosing just a bit of that confidence she had been showing all afternoon.
Chase cupped her face and replied, “Darlin’, what could you possibly do wrong? So far, you’ve done nothing but excite me. I’m just curious what got into you, that’s all.”
Tori gave a small shrug and answered, “Like I said earlier, it was pointed out to me that you are very desirable and that you are my husband. I guess I just wanted to be possessive.”
“You never wanted to be before,” Chase said, knowing he was walking a tight-rope with that topic. It could either set Tori off and ruin the evening or make her be truly honest about her feelings for him.
“Before, I was still reeling from my predicament. Now, well, after yesterday, I’ve realized I am attracted and I plan to try and make the best of it all.”
Chase didn’t want her simply making the “best of her predicament” but he wasn’t going to say that now. She was coming along slowly, she was coming willingly to his side and though he wanted her to fall madly in love with him, for now, he’d take the attraction.
“I’m glad you’re attracted, Tori,” he said quietly, his hand ruffling her short hair. “I’ve been attracted to you since I laid eyes on you. But I’ve told you that before, haven’t I?”
Tori smiled. “A woman can never hear enough of that from a handsome man.”
“Yes, but have I told you that I think you’re the sexiest, most vivacious woman I’ve ever met?” He leaned forward and punctuated his words with a light nip at her lips.
Tori’s smile brightened even more. “You think that? Really?”
“Really,” he insisted.
Immediately Tori flung her arms around his neck and began kissing him with a passion he had not been prepared for. Her tongue delved into his mouth and tangled with his, making him groan with the sweet need she created in him. And just when he thought he would start begging her to make love to him, she pulled back, undid the buttons on his shirt and started her assault on his bare chest.
Her hands and mouth tantalized his now overly-sensitive flesh and though he wanted to do the same to her, he knew she wanted to take complete charge of this experience so he leaned his head back against the sofa and allowed Tori to explore at will. Of course, he wasn’t a man who gave over control easily—not in business, not in decision-making and certainly not in love-making. But like he’d been discovering these past few weeks, for Tori, he had to make concessions. He’d learned the hard way that being a controlling tyrant only pushed her away from him. If he allowed her some give and take, that’s when she came to him.
And as he allowed her free reign over his body, he certainly wasn’t disappointed he’d handed over the reins when she slid down to the floor in front of him and undid the button and zipper on his slacks. He greatly anticipated her next move and she fulfilled his every expectation when she stroked him through the cotton of his underwear, looked up at him to gage his reaction and then very boldly reached for his arousal through the fly on his jockey shorts.
Her touches were quite hesitant at first and that only inflamed his need more. And when her mouth made contact with the hardened length of him she was utterly gentle and again her inexperience showed through but it certainly didn’t turn him off. No, on the contrary, it built his desires faster until he was at her complete mercy. He was her slave and anything she wanted, if she asked right then and there, he’d gladly hand it over.
But first, he had to stop her or their evening would end very quickly.
“Tori,” he choked out and she didn’t halt.
“Tori!” he said with more force and placed his hands on her face. “Stop, please.”
Slowly, Tori looked up and sat back on her heels. She seemed confused and her eyes flitted across his face as if trying to find an answer to why he halted her.
“Uh…did I do something wrong?” she questioned hesitantly.
“Hell no,” he refuted and quickly readjusted his clothing, feeling way too vulnerable being the only one exposed. “Where’d you learn to do that?”
“I hear things and it’s not exactly rocket science,” she quipped.
Chase laughed and stood, pulling her to her feet. “No, I suppose not, but you certainly almost had me ready for blast off.”
Tori giggled and tugged him toward the bedroom. “You can certainly be corny when you want to be.”
“Sorry,” he said dryly. “Just trying to be honest without completely pointing out the obvious.”
“Well, it’s obvious we’re not done,” Tori insisted as she pushed him to a sitting position on the bed. “Sit there, don’t do anything, and I’ll be right back.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he drawled and after Tori left the bedroom for the bathroom, she took a deep breath, stilled her shaking hands and told herself it wasn’t really happening. She wasn’t really starting to fall in love with Chase just because he responded to her touch so easily. Just because she had felt him shiver from her ministrations. Just because she had seen the utter need on his face and the desire that was still smoldering in his eyes. Or just because they had shared such a wonderfully fun and simple afternoon together. No, that didn’t mean anything other than the fact that they were getting used to one another.
Quickly, Tori shed her shoes and jeans, found the necessary birth control in one of the bathroom cabinets and then returned to the bedroom. Chase was still clothed as he lay back on the bed, feet on the floor and his eyes closed. Quietly, Tori snuck up on him and again straddled his hips. His eyes opened and immediately he sat up and kissed her ardently.
The kisses continued and the clothes began to disappear until they were naked. The lights were on and Tori, not nearly as shy as the night before, used the light to boldly touch and look over Chase’s body. How wonderful he looked! How wonderful he felt! Just those observations heightened her desire and she began to forget her inhibitions and relax, trusting that this process would work out to both their benefits.
And she wasn’t disappointed. As she guided him slowly into her and his hands grasped her hips to urge her along, she felt nothing but pleasure, nothing but excitement. She enjoyed controlling the movements as she rode seductively atop him and she could gauge his reaction in each move she made by the fire that glinted in his eyes and the utter need that filled his face.
She prolonged their enjoyment for as long as possible and when she could stand no more and it was obvious neither could Chase, she felt his hands dig harshly into her hips and pull her against him with a power that overwhelmed her. That power sent her over the edge and she cried out his name, stunned that only that word had passed through her lips. At that moment she was consumed only with him. He was her world. He was all she felt or saw. Exhausted and realizing just how incredible, how wonderful her body felt from that experience, Tori collapsed atop him, felt his arms hold her securely and almost started crying for the emotion that she felt.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Reluctant Bride – Chapter 11