“It’s me, baby girl.” Her body relaxes a degree, but I keep rubbing my fingers up and down her back. I’ve never given much thought to my hands, but I can’t help but wonder if she hates the roughness. I might spend a lot of time in my office, but I’m always checking in on job sites and often getting my hands dirty. I stop rubbing her for a second. Her skin is so delicate I don’t want to blemish it.

“It feels good,” she mumbles. “Your hands. The roughness.” I know she’s awake, but I think it’s only partially because she never would have said that otherwise. She wouldn’t give me the satisfaction at this point, and I can’t say I blame her.

I close my eyes, taking in her words as I go back to caressing her. Even when we were younger, I could swear she knew what I was thinking. I’ve never believed in fate or coincidence, though my father swore by it, but I often swear Emily and I were destined to be together. How else could she know what’s running through my mind without me uttering a word?

“Chase,” she sighs my name. “Why am I here?” It’s the same question she asked last night. I guess I can only avoid it for so long, but I’m not sure how to broach this. For as smooth as I can be with people, when it comes to Emily, I’m a damn mess. I always say the wrong shit and fuck everything up. Usually, instead of making it better, I make it a thousand times worse.

“I wasn’t leaving you drunk at a party full of horny high school boys.” Her whole body goes still, and I know once again I’ve chosen the wrong words. She tries to get up, but I’m faster than her. I roll, pinning her beneath me.

The shirt I gave her to wear has ridden up, exposing her tiny bikini bottoms. My sweatpants are the only thing stopping my cock from thrusting home into her sweetness.

“I don’t need a babysitter.” She tries to growl at me, but she sounds more like an angry kitten than anything. My girl is always so sweet. Seeing the fire in her eyes has my cock jerking against her pussy. And it doesn’t go unnoticed by me how her bright blue eyes widened as if she’s surprised by my attraction to her.

“You think I was babysitting? No, I was making sure no little punk got near my girl.” Her mouth opens and then closes as she tries to process what I’ve laid out. It’s been a long time coming.