The Chase Begins (Now Published so Sample Only)

Chapter 4

© 2013 Sandra Corton

Chapter 4

Before she knew it they were sitting down to dinner at her rickety two seater dining table. It reminded her of when they were in the restaurants in Hawaii except a ton shabbier. He hadn't really known much about her at the time. She guessed she had played up a little to be someone she really wasn't. Perhaps sitting here with him now would prove the huge differences that there were between them.

"Why don't you have a TV Bree?" Chase asked curiously as he took a bite of his salad. She squashed up her face and wondered whether to tell him the truth. Oh well he hadn't run away from her honesty yet had he?

"Growing up where I did TV was used as either a punishment or a way to keep us quite. They made me watch it when I would rather read. Sometimes if I even picked up a book I would get yelled at. Why would I have something that gave me such bad memories?" She explained and he frowned at her.

"That makes sense I guess. So exactly when did you find out who I was?" He asked curiously.

"Uh yesterday. Andy kind of blabbed it out. Well no she got the two wannabe bridesmaids to do it." Brianna said with a grimace while Chase chuckled at her description of the women.

"Do you forgive me for the dinner thing?" He asked seriously. She pushed the food around on her plate for a moment not quite sure what to say.

"I guess I do. It's just that night felt so well special and knowing it was a set up took that away. It made it seem cheap. It made me feel cheap." Brianna wrapped her arms around herself tight feeling exposed. Chase ran a hand through his hair looking awkward and stressed.

"That wasn't what I wanted you to feel. It was a special night. I had the best night with you and you won. I never have to use that dinner again because I found the one woman that actually enjoyed it. You." He explained earnestly.

She just shrugged not sure what to think of his answer. The doorbell rang interrupting the silence that had overtaken the table. Brianna sighed having not a clue who that could be at her door.

"Let me check unless you were expecting someone?" He said with a frown and she waved him off. In the next instant she heard a curse as he scurried back into the room

"Who is it?" She asked seeing his rather panicked face.

"There's a reporter at your door Bree." He stated as she sent him a bewildered look.

"Huh?"

"Reporter - you know with a video camera probably to ask you about me." He said rather bitterly.

"Did they see you?" She asked a bit dubiously.

"No I didn't open the door but I can see them through the peephole."

"How would they even know your here? Look it's okay I'll get rid of them and you go hide in the potting shed. Nobody would ever think to look for you there." She shooed him off as the doorbell pealed again.

She took a deep breath and tried to put on a brave face. Secretly she was panicked. How could she ever explain the presence of Chase Montgomery in her house? She opened the door to a familiar face that was just as surprised to see her. Lindsay Small with her long sandy hair and perfectly made up face stared at her for a long moment.

"Well Lindsay Small to what do I owe the honour?" Brianna asked as she tried to lean casually against the door frame.

"Brianna Morgan how come you’re here?" Lindsay's shocked voice turned snide at the last moment.

"I live here obviously." Brianna said with a roll of her eyes. "So what do you want? I'm in the middle of dinner."

"I heard Chase Montgomery was here. I want an interview with him." Lindsay said determinedly.

"Who exactly is Chase Montgomery? I've never heard of him. Is he new in town?" Brianna asked hoping Lindsay wouldn't see through her obvious lies.

"You still don't watch TV do you?" Lindsay asked with a laugh. "God you always were such a drag. Chase Montgomery is a famous movie star. He's an absolute hunk. I was told he was here but knowing your here makes that laughable." Brianna steeled herself against the other woman's hurtful words.

"Who told you he was here anyway?" Brianna asked quickly.

"Oh I've heard it from a few different people now. Among those are the women down at the child care centre. They said he popped in there yesterday. So I was following their lead. I've heard it from someone close to you too." Lindsay informed her rather smugly.

Brianna felt her anger flare to life. Her co-workers did this? Someone she knew did this? She gritted her teeth and prepared the lecture she was going to give them tomorrow.

"Well you guessed it he's not here so please leave." Brianna said sharply.

"Not yet I want to know who owns that truck. Looks a bit expensive for someone of your taste." Lindsay cocked an eyebrow at her.

"It's one of Leo's friends in case it's any of your business." Brianna snapped.

"What and he just left it parked here in this backwards neighbourhood? Does he want it to get stolen?" Lindsay asked in amazement.

"Like I just said it’s only me here so how about you go away and leave me alone." Brianna said stiffly making Lindsay laugh.

"Oh yeah I can't imagine Chase Montgomery being here. This would definitely be slumming it for a guy like him. Good to see you've gone far in your life Brianna." She said snidely and Brianna tried not to flinch.

"Leave now!"

"You know I could never understand why Andy chose you over us and I still don't even to this day. Oh well we've got our weekly catch up with her tomorrow. Just wait till I tell Macy about this."

With a chuckle Lindsay walked off leaving only the scent of her overpowering perfume behind her. Brianna shuddered, how she detested that rude woman! She had no idea why Andy was still friends with her after all these years. She sighed she would have to ring Andy and tell her not to mention Chase to Lindsay.

She felt overwhelmed with emotions. Betrayal that her co-workers told Lindsay all about Chase. Anger that Lindsay had once again managed to make her feel bad about her life. Mostly she felt frustration about so many things that were out of control in her life at the moment.

She went out into the dark back garden thankful for the sliver of moon shining down to help guide her. She wasn't sure if he had come out here but she hadn't noticed him in the house. How was she going to explain to Chase that it was the people she worked with that had told the local media?

"Chase." She called into the dark.

"Yes is the coast clear?" He asked with a laugh.

"Yeah it is." She said as she entered the potting shed. The smell of moist soil, greenery and life surrounded her helping her to calm down the slightest bit. "This is all my fault and I'm really sorry." She blurted out feeling tears well up in her eyes.

"What's your fault Bree?" He asked as his hands reached out to clasp her shoulders.

"Her turning up, she's such a...."Brianna trailed off on a huff.

"I think the word you need is bitch." He said as he moved his hands down along her arms. "Yes I know don't swear but I think she deserved it. I gather you knew her?"

"She is um one of Andy's friends." Brianna said as she looked at the ground and tried to ignore the sensations scorching across her skin where his fingers touched.

"I heard what she said Bree." Chase said simply.

"I don't understand." She said in confusion.

"This wasn't your fault. It was mine. I've been so happy about finding you that I've forgotten to cover my tracks. I'll organise a confidentiality agreement and get your co-workers to sign it. That way they can't say anything else to any media source." He explained seriously.

"But why would they so that in the first place?" She asked feeling let down and upset at their obvious blatant disregard for her and Chase.

"I'm not a real person to normal average people. They see me on the big screen and assume I'm this great person. In a way I'm a figment of the imagination that when I become just a real normal man they have trouble coping with that." He tipped her chin up so she had to look at him.

"I guess I can see that." She said with a shrug. "Still doesn't explain why you would want to be with me though." She finished on a mutter.

"You're kidding right?" He asked his voice deadly serious while laced with something between hurt and anger.

"No she was right. It is kind of slumming it that you are here." She said with a sad shake of her head.

"Stop that bullshit right now." Anger overruled his voice as he towered over her. "You want to know the reason I'm here? You. It's as simple as that. You are this great person who I want to know more of. Even though you know who I am now it hasn't changed the way you treat me and that is worth more than gold." He told her and for moment her heart melted before all her insecurities threw themselves at her.

"You can't build a relationship on that." She argued.

"How about the attraction you feel when we are this close Bree?"

She was engulfed in hot, mesmerising brown eyes and couldn't answer. He moved closer to her and she took a step back making him grin. This continued until Brianna felt her potting table pressing against the back of her thighs. She was trapped and from the wicked gleam in his eyes, he knew it too.

"Try and deny you’re attracted to me Brianna." He whispered in her ear.

With a little moan she knew she couldn't. Instead she threw her arms around his neck and plastered her body against his. The hard planes of his body moulded perfectly to her soft curves.

With a rough growl he crushed his lips against hers and wrapped her tightly into his arms. She was surrounded by the scorching heat of his kisses as their tongues danced together in an age old rhythm. He lifted her up until she sat on the old table that creaked beneath her weight. She couldn't care as she wrapped her legs around him as his fingers slid under her t-shirt.

"I've missed seeing those perfect breasts of yours. I dream about them." He mumbled as he pulled her shirt off in a quick movement. "Oh God so perfect Bree."

He leaned back away from her and watched as her skin flushed at his avid attention. His hands skimmed over her starting fires everywhere they touched. She reached up and tugged at the buttons on his shirt. She needed to feel his skin against hers. She craved it. By the third button she wanted to curse at her clumsy fingers that refused to cooperate.

In his impatience Chase ripped the shirt over his head and Brianna heard the ping of buttons snapping from their hold. She let out an appreciative sigh as she ran her hands along the sculpted planes of his chest. This was more than worth it.

He closed his eyes as she explored until he couldn't stand it any longer. He took her lips in another searing kiss that had her panting for more. At first she thought it was her imagination. Was she really hearing bells? She crushed herself against him and they both moaned with the intense feeling of their bodies touching. Bells chimed again making her realise it was her doorbell.

"Chase." Her voice came out all throaty which only seemed to encourage him.

"Hey I think I'm going to be blind if I have to see anymore." A very familiar, humour filled voice surrounded them and Brianna jerked away from Chase. Andy stood in the doorway to the little building making Brianna want to grind her teeth in frustration.

"Get out Andy!" Brianna yelled out finally capturing Chase’s attention.

"Come on you big tease, leave them be." She heard Leonard say and she knew her mortification was complete.

"Oh no." Brianna whispered to herself as all the great feelings evaporated.

"Bree?" She heard Chases voice and turned to him. His eyes were pools of lust that almost snatched her breath from her.

"Um yes?" She managed to murmur as he offered her the T-shirt she had been wearing. "Oh thank you." She quickly tugged the shirt over her head and Chase pulled it down allowing his fingers to linger on the soft skin of her waist.

"Now where's mine?" He asked his voice sounding amused.

"Um I don't know." She mumbled feeling acutely embarrassed.

"Got it!" He said triumphantly. Brianna felt a bit sad as his shirt covered his very delectable chest. It seemed the few buttons snapped off weren't even going to show her anything either. She was a bit disappointed by that discovery.

"We are so not finished here." He whispered to her as she went to walk past him. He pulled her back against him and pressed his aching groin into her back.

"I know." She said simply as she went to leave once more.

"I won't be content until I hear you screaming my name again." She shivered at the intent in his words but continued to walk back to the house with his words filling her mind.

"What are you doing here Andy?" Brianna asked as she strode through the back door of her house trying hard to control her emotions.

"We have a bit of a situation concerning your big boy here." Andy said to Chase as he entered the room.

"What's going on?" Chase asked gruffly.

"Seems as though you've been outed." Leonard said while Chase simply nodded.

"Yeah I know what else is new?" Chase said with a shake of his head.

"Chase mate I don't think you understand the gravity of what I'm telling you. There are reporters turning up at Bree's door as we speak. We need to get both of you out of here without causing some insane riot." Leonard said seriously.

"Hey wait a minute, this is my house and I'm not going anywhere." Brianna protested.

"Bree I love you like a sister which is why I'm getting you the hell out of here." Leonard said simply. "I know what being around Chase is like so you can just suck it up and do exactly as I say." He ordered when she went to protest again.

"Fine what's the big plan then? I've already told Lindsay he wasn't here. She believed me and left so that's all I need to tell these others." Brianna said with a shrug.

"Lindsay found out who those number plates belong too. She rung me up to confirm Chase was here and I didn't think about it before I said yes." Andy said looking abashed. "I mean she's now part of the wedding party so she had to find out sometime soon right?" Bree felt her heart stutter at Andy's words.

"She's part of the wedding how?" Brianna managed to ask.

"Well I got rid of the bimbo twins and replaced them with my friends. I should get to have people I know right?" Andy finished nervously.

"Stop saying the word 'right' Andy it's driving me nuts. So who's the other bridesmaid then?" Brianna asked with dread gripping at her.

"It's Macy." Andy replied and Brianna had to force herself to breathe.

Macy and Lindsay had bullied her at high school and she had tried to avoid them ever since. They had always made sure that Andy wasn't aware of it. Andy had known something was going on but could never pinpoint what. She stayed friends with them, still went out to lunches or dinner with them and never knew the truth. Brianna now wished they had stayed with the bimbo girls, at least those she could ignore.

"Okay." Brianna finally muttered as she tried to think the situation through. "Andy you need to go out and tell Lindsay to call off her dogs." She told her friend and Andy winced.

"Fine I guess I messed up. I'll try to fix it." She said with a grimace.

Brianna busied herself tidying up after Andy sidled out the door. She felt nervous and edgy now knowing how the wedding stuff had changed. How could she deal with Lindsay and Macy again?  It was obvious Andy thought it was a brilliant idea, Brianna though was not so sure.

"Are you alright Bree?" Chase asked from behind her.

"Yep perfectly fine." Brianna forced a happy voice but even then it sounded rather false.

A disturbance at the front door had all of them turning towards it. A rather harassed looking Andy and a super excited Lindsay stood in the doorway. Lindsay's analytical eyes drifted from Leonard who was on the couch then over to Brianna and Chase. He threw an arm across Brianna's shoulders and have her a quick squeeze. She sent him a small smile and tried to move away but he refused to let her.

"You lied to me." Lindsay said sharply pointing to Brianna.

"So I'd do it again." Brianna snapped back.

"And looky who's here, Mr Chase Montgomery himself." Lindsay practically purred as she sidled up to him.

"Back off Lindsay we don't need to know how desperate you are." Andy said with a chortle that made Lindsay glare at her.

"So do I get to interview you?" Lindsay stared at Chase her smile deliberately seductive.

"I don't think so." Chase said simply making Lindsay's face fall.

"Why ever not? You're here and I'm here." She cooed at him making Brianna again try to move out of Chases grasp. This was getting awkward. The last thing Brianna needed to see was those two starting to make out.

"It's simple really, I don't like the disrespect you showed Brianna earlier." Chase glared at the other woman who lost her confidence in the situation and began fiddling with the hem of her shirt.

"Oh well I can be nice to Brianna." Lindsay muttered while sending a death glare Brianna's way.

Great this was just what she needed; Lindsay forced to be nice to her. This wedding deal just kept getting worse and worse. Chase let out a chuckle and pulled Brianna in front of him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and just stared with disbelief at the other woman.

"I don't think you get it. You had your chance to be nice to her and you blew it. Now I suggest you leave." Chases voice went cold as he pointed to the door. "Just a word of advice if you try to slander me or Bree in anyway be prepared to meet my lawyers."

Lindsay went to protest her mouth opening and closing rapidly. She took note of how secure a hold Chase had of Brianna. She just couldn't believe it. What exactly was going on in this room? She had found it hard to believe it was Brianna when she opened the door earlier and now here she was enclosed in the arms of Chase Montgomery.

"Fine I'm going and you're not even in this town." Lindsay pointed to Chase who nodded his agreement. She left through the front door with her shoulders slumped seeming defeated. They could hear the rummage of people and equipment as Lindsay ordered everybody to leave.

"Sorry about that." Andy said rather ruefully.

"It's alright Andy but I think you and Leo need to leave too." Chase said simply. Andy looked towards her friend for conformation.

"I told you not to bother me until tomorrow. Look how long that lasted." Brianna said on a sigh.

"C'mon honey they just want to go back to pashing in the back shed." Leonard said with a sly laugh.

"Don't you know it!" Chase told them all as he planted a soft kiss on Brianna's cheek

She was miles away though with her thoughts consuming her. The whole day was culminating to crazy proportions in her mind. Everything seemed unsolvable, unfixable and completely unmanageable. She knew this thing she had with Chase was never going to last. Everything that had occurred since he had been here basically proved it. There was no way the two of them were meant to be.

She hadn't even noticed Andy and Leonard leaving when she let out a sigh and collapsed onto the couch. What could she possibly do about this crazy situation? She shook her head as all the negative thoughts piled up. She had to admit they had chemistry; she could barely keep her hands off him when he was nearby. She doubted that just chemistry could sustain any type of permanent relationship.

"Bree?" She heard his voice and glanced up to see him waving a mug at her. "I found some herbal tea and thought you might like one." He handed her the mug before sitting down next to her on the couch.

"This isn't going to work." She blurted of her thoughts and his face darkened.

"Are you talking about us?" He asked his voice steady as he turned to her.

"Yes that's exactly what I'm talking about." She said with a wave of her hand.

"Don't make this harder than what it is Bree." His voice lowered a hint of anger in its depths.

"It's already hard Chase. I'm not ready for whatever this..."She waved a hand between the two of them, "Is." She told him simply.

"It's okay to be scared you know. We can work at this together and then we've got nothing to fear." He said softly, convincingly.

"I've got everything to fear Chase. This is not going to work." She told him determinedly and was surprised when he smiled.

"Are you really going to make me chase you? I will prove to you that we are more than right for each other. Are you prepared for that?" His grin turned wicked, "I was called Chase for a good reason you know." He winked at her and she let out another sigh at his sheer stubbornness.

"I don't think in a million years you could convince me that we are a good idea. We might have chemistry but that's about it." Brianna insisted.

At that Chase stood up and turned to her with the most beautiful but rather sly smile. He leaned over where she sat on the couch until their faces were mere inches apart. He kissed her then, a heart pounding, fever filled dynamo of a kiss. She could barely think straight as he pulled away.

"So the chase begins." He said simply before walking out of her door.