Author: Bella Andre

But none of those nights had anything on seeing Chloe come in the bathtub.

And there wasn’t a single model’s body that had an ounce of the sensuality that infused every cell on Chloe’s lovely naked body.

Looking down, he realized the towel was actually shaking in his hands.

Chase worked to calm down. He shouldn’t have stayed in the bathroom. He knew that.

But he hadn’t been able to help himself. And he didn’t think she had really wanted him to leave, either.

Still, some small voice of rational thought told him he should give her the towel before she dried all on her own. He held the towel out to her and she tugged on it before lifting her eyes to his.

“Hotstuff?” He watched surprise register in her face at what she’d called him.

Hotstuff.

“You’re talking to me, right?” he asked, glad to see her give him another one of those beautiful smiles that practically knocked him over.

“It’s a good nickname, don’t you think?” Before he could answer, she reminded him, “You need to let go of the towel.”

He knew that. But, hell, he wasn’t sure he could remember how to say his own name right now. So how was he supposed to get his brain to work enough to unwrap his fingers from the cotton?

“Sorry.” And he really was sorry, especially when she quickly wrapped the large towel around herself.

“That bathtub is really great.”

He was pretty sure he looked like an idiot standing there unable to respond. He’d accidentally watched her give herself what looked to be a really great orgasm and all she had to say was that the bathtub was great?

“I’m not sure the bathtub had anything to do with it,” he finally said.

He loved the sound of her laughter, loved the fact that it sounded less and less rusty every time he heard it.

She shrugged as she walked past him, tucking the towel into place between her incredible breasts. “A guy should never underestimate the power of a well-placed jet,” was her response as she walked up to the mirror and began finger-combing her hair.

When he just continued to stand there and watch her from behind, she raised an eyebrow in the mirror. “I’m sure you’re tired.”

Hell no. He wasn’t tired. He was horny. As horny as he’d ever been.

“I don’t need much sleep.”

She nodded, turned to face him. “Well, I do.” With that, she walked out of the bathroom and to the door that led out to the hallway. “Good night.”

He dutifully headed to the door, long after he should already have been on his way. “Good night.”

Despite the fact that his hard-on was still raging in his jeans, as he walked past her, the kiss he wanted to give her wasn’t one that would have her begging him for another orgasm.

No, what he really wanted to do was press a kiss to her forehead. He wanted to give her a gentle kiss that would let her know she was safe with him.

That she would always be safe with him.

But he hadn’t earned that kiss and instinctively knew better than to take anything from her that she hadn’t offered.

He was halfway down the hall when he heard her say, “Hotstuff?”

Grinning again at the nickname she’d given him—that had to be good, right?—he turned around. “Yes?”

Despite the nickname, she looked serious again. Really, really serious. “Thank you. For everything you did tonight.”

His chest squeezed at her heartfelt words. And at the Thank you for everything you didn’t do that she wasn’t saying, silent words that rang out just as clearly as the words she’d said aloud.

“You don’t have to leave here and go to your brother’s house. I think I’ll be okay with you at the end of the hall rather than on the other side of the winery.”

Hoping that meant she actually felt safer with him in the house, rather than gone completely, he said, “Sleep well.”

“I think I actually will.”

And then her door closed and he stood staring at the place she’d been standing for a long while.

Chase Sullivan hadn’t realized that tonight his life was going to change forever.

But it just had.

And, amazingly—shockingly—he wasn’t the least bit interested in fighting that change. Instead, he was gearing up for a different fight altogether…for Chloe’s heart.

Chapter Five

Chloe woke up warm and well rested. Oh, she’d missed beds like this—pillow-top mattresses with soft, silky sheets and thick duvets that were light and yet perfectly warm all at the same time. Still, becoming her own person again these past six months since filing for divorce, even if it meant she’d been sleeping on cheap, scratchy sheets and a rock-hard single bed, had been better than soft beds and fancy shoes.

That urgency to start running again tried to steal through her, but for the moment she was just too darn comfortable to do more than stretch and snuggle down deeper beneath the covers. She closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep, but despite how nice it was to lie in the middle of a big bed like a lump of lazy, rather than rush off to the diner she’d been working in these past months to serve a bunch of ass-pinchers greasy eggs, she just couldn’t nod off. Not when thoughts of Chase kept sliding in, one after the other, insidiously sweet.

And hot.

She’d crawled naked between the sheets the previous night, so exhausted that she immediately fell asleep. But in the light of the morning that was now streaming in through the sheer curtains at the window, she remembered—in vivid, Technicolor detail—just what she’d done in the bathroom.

Just what he’d seen.

She instinctively covered her cheeks as they grew hot.

She wouldn’t beat up on herself for masturbating in the delicious tub. She wouldn’t even call herself out for the way his name landed on her lips as she came. And there really was no point in being angry with him for walking in on her “private time,” not when the only reason he'd come looking for her was because he’d clearly been worried about her. He hadn’t been hoping to catch her with her hand between her legs.

But what had come after—the fact that she hadn’t flat-out insisted he leave the bathroom, the way they’d teased each other, the fact that she’d actually called him Hotstuff to his face—she could hardly believe any of it had happened.

And yet, despite the way her stomach clenched as she tried to force those memories away, the small spot of warmth that had settled in behind her breastbone before she fell asleep remained.

All because Chase hadn’t come at her. He hadn’t frightened her. Or tried to dominate her in any way.

Some women, she knew, liked that sort of thing. They found it exciting to have their power taken away. Once upon a time, she’d been tantalized by fantasies of being held down. Of being bound. Of being helpless in her passion, of the idea of being able to let go completely with a man who loved her.

She couldn’t imagine ever feeling that way now. No, she’d never let anyone take her power away ever again. And Chloe couldn’t see one possible reason that she might be tempted to let anyone control any part of her life like that. Not a single one.

She closed her eyes, knowing she was being a coward lying here in this soft bed. She should be on the phone, calling the police, filing a report. She should have done it last night, but she’d been so spooked by the way her ex had come after her that she hadn’t been thinking about anything but getting away. Far, far away from him.

But knowing what she should do and feeling strong enough to do it were quite clearly two completely different things.

Finally giving up on getting any more sleep, with her mind reeling in a dozen different directions, she pushed off the covers and slid out of bed.

“You were good last night,” she told it like a fond lover before she headed for the bathroom.

She stood beneath the deliciously warm shower spray, feeling safe and warm, at least for a little while. She wasn’t going to hide here forever, of course. But for the rest of the day, if she could manage it without getting in anyone’s way, she’d hang out in the vineyards. Maybe even taste a little wine. Pretend her life was normal for a while.

Normal. That sounded really nice.

Forcing back the voice inside her head that told her avoiding the inevitable would only make it harder to take care of the ugliness later, she worked to convince herself that she deserved a tiny bit of normal. Didn’t she?

After drying off and putting on her jeans and T-shirt, she ventured out into the suite.

Okay, so maybe she’d taken longer than normal drying her long straight hair. It wasn’t that she cared about looking good for Chase. It wasn’t that she was nervous about seeing him again.

Oh, who was she kidding? No one, that’s who.

The bruise on her face wasn’t going to terrify small children or anything, but it wasn’t particularly attractive, either. Add that to her well-worn jeans and T-shirt and she wasn’t anywhere near looking her best.

She took a deep breath and threw her shoulders back before rounding the corner of the hallway to where it opened up to the kitchen.

It was empty.

Disappointment reared up in her before she could shove it down. Or pretend it hadn’t been there at all.

There was a bowl of freshly cut fruit on the kitchen island, along with an array of pastries that had her empty stomach growling. She had already picked up a chocolate croissant—her favorite!—and bitten into it by the time she noticed the note tucked beside the pretty red and yellow fruit bowl.

Chloe,

Good morning. I hope you slept well. Sorry I couldn’t stay to keep you company for breakfast. Please come join us out in the vineyards when you’re done eating.

See you soon,

HOTSTUFF

P.S. Almost forgot. There’s fresh squeezed o.j. in the fridge. Gotta make sure you get your vitamin C.

Surprised laughter rang out in the empty kitchen.

Chloe couldn’t believe he’d signed his note with the nickname she’d given him. In her experience, men didn’t have funny bones. Especially not when the joke was at their expense.

Looking in the fridge, she found the juice and poured herself a tall glass. Settling on one of the bar stools, she picked up the note and read it again, a smile still playing on her face.

Us meant Chase and his brother, right? She fought back a prickle of unease that she might have to meet more people than that. Frankly, she didn’t even want to meet his brother. But since she’d availed herself of his hospitality last night—right now, too—she wouldn’t feel right if she didn’t at least thank him for letting her crash in his guest house for a night. As soon as she was settled again, she’d get to work on a new quilt as a proper thank-you gift.

The croissant was down to little crumbles on the granite counter top and she was picking each one up with a wet fingertip before she admitted to herself that she was stalling again, hiding out in the guest house so she wouldn’t have to face Chase.

It was a beautiful day outside. She should go and enjoy it while she was here.

Chloe stepped out onto the wide covered porch. Shading her eyes with one hand, without thinking, she carefully scanned the area in front of her to secure her surroundings.

Even though she felt safer than she had in a while, she suddenly felt like trouble could come from anywhere, just when she least expected it. Just like it had last night.

Every time she thought about what had happened, she felt so stupidly naïve. How had she missed the signs that her ex had been on the edge? Thinking about it made her stomach feel like a tight fist was wrapped around it, clenching tighter and tighter.

Normal. She’d been planning to pretend everything was normal.

She took one deep breath and then another as she fought to repress her swirling emotions, her fears. Finally, when she felt steadier, she looked around her with a surprised gasp.