Zoey 101: An Unexpected Encounter

Chapter 12

It was extremely hard to breathe. And not because her ankle hurt like hell. In fact, Zoey barely noticed the pain. She was far more focused on the gorgeous man standing in her bathroom. She’d had plenty of fantasies about Chase over the years, a few of them involving this very same bathtub, yet those fantasies didn’t compare to the real thing.

As she sank lower into the water, she thought about the decision she’d made before walking out into the rain. The decision to give up on him. It had seemed like such a good idea…

Then again, she hadn’t been naked at the time.

Now, with her clothes strewn on the bathroom floor and Chase's big, sexy body lingering in the doorway, giving up was the last thing she felt like doing.

"Please," she added softly, when Chase still hadn’t responded to her request that he stay. She shifted in the water, causing a wave of bubbles to wet her neck. "I’d really like the company."

He took a step toward the door. "I can’t."

"Why?"

"If I stay in here a second longer, I’m going to kiss you again."

Her breath hitched. "Then kiss me."

Her quiet statement made him freeze. Zoey stared at his back, the stiff set of his shoulders. She wished she could see his eyes, even though she was pretty sure what she’d find there. Regret. Reluctance.

"Chase" She spoke firmly. "Can you turn around so we can talk about this once and for all?"

Slowly, he did as she asked, his green eyes flickering with…yep, regret and reluctance. Shocker. Releasing a breath, he crossed the tiled floor and leaned against the wall next to the tub. His gaze fixed on her face, not once lowering to her bubble-covered body.

"There isn’t anything to talk about," he finally said.

"Really? Because I’d like to know why you kissed me earlier."

She saw him gulp. "It was a—"

"Mistake," she supplied. "Yeah, I know that already. Why did you do it then?"

He was quiet for so long she feared he wouldn’t answer. But then he spoke. "Because I wanted to," he said roughly.

Zoey couldn’t help but laugh. "Wow. Such an uncomplicated answer from a very complicated man."

A wry flicker filled his eyes. "I’m not that complicated."

The laugh turned into a snort. "Yeah, right. You’re a walking complication, Chase Matthews." She reached up to brush a wet tendril off her forehead. "When you left… What you said after the sentencing hearing. It was more than my reputation wasn’t it? You had other reasons for not wanting me."

"Not wanting a relationship," he corrected. His eyes softened. "It was never about not wanting you. Honey. Never."

Her heart skipped at the endearment. He’d never called her Honey before. She liked it…no, damn it, she loved it.

"And you still feel that way now?" Zoey swallowed. "You still don’t want a relationship?"

Pain creased his features, and he ran one hand through his soft black hair. "I’m no good at relationships," he admitted softly. "I…shut down whenever things get serious. I always have, probably because of my dad."

"Your dad?" she echoed quietly.

He nodded. "The man pretty much screwed me up from ever having a normal relationship. He…" Chase swallowed. "He used to hit my mother, did I ever tell you that?"

Her chest squeezed with sympathy. "No, you never did."

"Well, he did. Eventually killed her, too."

She swallowed, wishing she could wrap her arms around him and ease his pain.

"And I…" He made an exasperated sound. "I… Hell, I don’t have anything to give a woman, Zoey."

"That’s not true," she murmured. "You gave me so much, all those years ago."

"I gave you comfort." Chase sighed. "We couldn’t have had anything more. You always deserved better than me, Zoey. You deserved a man who could open himself up to you, give you his entire heart. That’s…that’s not me."

Zoey opened her mouth to protest—why was it that men always thought they knew what you needed?—but it was too late. Chase had already walked out of the room.