“For your dad’s party. I know.” Right, I’m sure he’ll be there. I can’t help but wonder if he’ll be bringing a date. I want to ask, but I don’t have the balls or the heart to. “My bed is big; we'll share it,” he informs me before entering his closet. He comes out a second later wearing only a pair of sweatpants and hands me a shirt.

“Thanks.” I pull my dress off, my swimsuit still on underneath. I turn to give him my back as I slide the shirt on before I reach under and pull the strings to the top of the bikini to loosen it and slide it off. I’ll leave my bottoms on. When I turn back around, Chase is watching me.

“Get in the bed,” he orders.

“What is with your mood? I don’t even know why you showed up tonight, and now all this.”

“Get in the fucking bed, Emily.” Something tells me not to push again. Also, something else inside of me is getting off on this firm bossy side of Chase that’s got a bit of an asshole edge to it. It’s so unlike him. I love that I’ve made him be that way. That I pulled charming Chase out of character. Why I enjoy that so much, I have no idea.

I slip into the bed. A moment later, the lights go out, and I feel Chase get in on the other side. I’m sure there is no way I’m ever going to be able to fall asleep. Sleep never comes easy for me. My mind never stops, but for some reason within seconds, I’m out.

5

Chase

I suck in a deep breath. The smell of strawberries and something else I can’t place fills my nose. It’s all over her, making her seem fresher and more innocent than I already know she is. I try to think of the last time I was this close to her. It’s been years. Some days it drives me insane, and others I am thankful because I don’t fully trust myself.

That bikini she had on last night left nothing to the imagination. After seeing her in it, I’m not so sure how innocent she really is anymore. Don’t get me wrong; I know without question that she’s never been with a man. But I do think she knows the lure she has over men whether she wants to have it or not.

Emily and her mother have a lot of similarities when it comes to looks. That’s where it ends, though. It’s partly why I think her mother Heidi didn’t care for her. She thought Emily stole the attention away from her. I think even at a young age Heidi knew her daughter was going to be far prettier than her, and that was saying a lot.