Tailwind (Love By Design 4)

“I’ll, uh, get you more cake.” Jacques scurried away, and I pulled Winnie onto my lap, letting everything outside of us melt into the background. I heard the jingle of the store bell and watched Evan from my periphery leave, stepping inside his patrol car. Thankfully, he wouldn’t be asking me about my sister today.

14

Winnie

“Come on, Winsome Gray, I’m taking you home.” Chase cupped his hands around my flushed face and dumped me off his lap onto the mini sofa that looked older than me with its well-worn velvet fabric and shiny threadbare spots along the armrests. Chipped vintage gold gilding on the edges left smooth and obviously well-loved wood underneath.

“Chase?” I resisted his gentle tug, a little shocked standing still inside the weirdly decorated organic café.

“Unless you want to go back to your place?”

“Really? Right now?” My hand covered my chest, feeling my heartbeat racing wildly out of control and out of habit to calm myself I let my hand slip, covering my heart, massaging the aching place. Chase’s eye looked down, watching my hand rub back and forth, but I could tell he was eyeing up my breasts, damn him. If he wasn’t an ass man, I’d guess he was all about the boobs.

“You, uh, want to give it any more thought?” He nodded to my hand, which I moved lightning fast. I did think for a moment about the dogs and hair filled guest room I was occupying. If we went back to Chase’s we wouldn’t have to deal with barking, jumping, licking beasts of prey. Yeah, his idea was definitely better.

I stopped short for a second musing, what if he’s got like thirty cats? I shook off the terrible thought. “No, let’s go before I convince myself this is a bad idea.”

Chase continued lumbering steps forward, and I tried to keep up with him skipping behind. “Wait, the coffee!” I shouted, going back and grabbing our cups. The kiss was amazing, better than amazing, and I lost myself in the moment of his lips against mine breathing in caffeinated air between the two of us. I hadn’t had decent coffee since I left Manhattan. I wasn’t about to leave this java behind.

“Bad idea my ass.” Before I could protest Chase picked me up, dumping me over his shoulder and walking in the direction of his car parked on the street in front of the vet office. “Hold that coffee.” He balanced me over him as I held the coffee out, praying I didn’t dump the dark brew down his back.

“You are such a…such a…” Caveman came to mind with his one-handed hold and a hand creeping over to cup my butt, squeezing a cheek and making me squirm. “Stop that!” I squeaked, but he didn’t, and I didn’t wiggle away any more than I settled down over his shoulder.

“Hey, Chase!” His friend Hunter saw us walking by, stopping to chat like a girl over his shoulder was a normal occurrence.

“You can say it, you can scream it later too,” he said loud enough for only my ears to hear him.

“Arrrgh!”

“Here, let me help you with that.” Hunter helped himself to one of the coffees I was holding, taking a taste of it. He smiled, savoring it, and I whimpered, knowing I was one caffeinated drink down.

“I got the permit. I’ll see you Saturday.” Chase waved him off casually.

“Cool. I’ll, uh…just

take this one for Damien since I’m on my way back to a job.” Hunter snatched my last remaining coffee and before I could move it from reach he’d swiped it from me and held it up to give me a jaunty little salute.

“Thanks for the coffee, always good seeing you, and meeting you, Winnie.”

“Grrr!”

“I’ll get you caffeinated, babe.” Chase laughed, bouncing me over his shoulder, but I was still trying to see around his hulking body, wondering where Hunter went with our coffees in tow.

“Can’t we at least get real coffee, and not fake innuendo coffee?” I whimpered all hot and bothered.

“No, Winnie. Get in the car.” He blocked me in, and I knew it was a lost cause, but the whine in my voice came out anyway.

“I really liked that coffee. It was the closest thing to Starbucks at home.”

“I’ve got whole roasted Gold Beach beans at home. I’ll grind them up for you after.”

“Promise?” I looked up at him, letting my eyes water for effect. His face crinkled and he shook his head.

“I’m a vet, those puppy eyes don’t work on me, Win.” Chase opened the car door, getting me inside and buckled in. I was pouting, but with the promise of possible sex and coffee, I couldn’t not get in the car with him.

We pulled up to a nice sized house in a neighborhood somewhere in between my aunt’s house and his mother’s. It was a mix between new construction and existing homes that looked loved and manicured with flowers and green lawns. The shed he was discussing with Hunter sat off to the side of the driveway in a gray dilapidated mess. It was the only thing that looked off on his property and maybe the neighborhood.

“Huh.”