Tennessee Heat Read online

  But he’d never come right out and told her he was interested. He’s sure she had to know there was something brewing between them though, the girl he’d had those conversations with was by no means stupid. But what if he’d left it too late?

  “No.” He shook his head as he made his way through the crowd. He wouldn’t believe that, would never accept it. Before the night was over he was going to let her know in no uncertain terms that she was his. He’d waited almost two years, throwing himself into work to keep his mind off of her.

  He’d tried dating someone else casually about a year ago but the shit had left him cold. That’s when he knew that he had it bad for her. Even though he’d never so much as kissed her, he felt like a cheating husband every time he thought of going to bed with anyone else.

  His mind went once again to Lisa and the fact that he knew she was trying to get into his bed. He had no interest in taking her there though, and made up his mind that if she should pull another one of her come-ons that he was going to set her straight once and for all.

  He headed first to the kitchen in search of his parents since he knew from experience with his own partying days that that was their hangout. Close enough to keep an eye, but not too close to cramp their children’s style.

  "Geez get a room will ya." He teased as he caught them in a clinch, which was pretty much de rigueur in the Worthington home.

  His dad gave him the ‘look’ like he was really interrupting something before stealing one last kiss from his wife and letting her go. It did Chase’s heart proud to see that, to see the two of them so in love after all these years. He sometimes wondered if he’d ever have that.

  If there will ever be a woman who looks at him the way his mom still looked at his dad, with love and admiration, even after almost thirty years of being together.

  Annabelle’s amazing face flashed into his mind and he felt that sweet tingle that usually followed any thought of her and him together like that.

  “Chase!” His mom left his dad’s arms and flew into his for a hug.

  “How's my best girl?” He hugged her with a smile, delighted with her antics.

  “Still? Geez, at this rate I'm never going to have any grandchildren, how come you haven't found a girl yet?”

  He ignored her, as he knew she was just getting started with her usual spiel. Mom never let a visit go by without putting him through his paces. She went on to give him pointers on how best to meet her future daughter in law.

  This paragon of virtue who was to bear him sons and daughters just for the enjoyment of his poor beleaguered mother who despaired of ever hearing the pitter-patter of her grandkids’ feet.

  She had it all figured out. He was just the tool and his proposed new bride the vessel, by which to fulfill her means. And she had no shame and saw nothing wrong with any of this.

  The words may vary slightly with each visit, but the delivery was always the same. He had no doubt that she was only slightly joking. Southern mothers and their grandbabies are a staple of the country, or so she would have him believe.

  “You done terror?” He kissed her nose when she rolled her eyes at him and pronounced him a lost cause.

  “Hi dad.” He hugged his dad and clapped his shoulder as the other man smiled indulgently at his wife. Little did his mother know that this is exactly what he was holding out for.

  He wanted that same warmth that he'd been privileged to see all his life. There was only one woman he’d found who made him feel, and she was playing hard to get. Something he planned to put an end to tonight.

  “Hey son you seen your brother?”

  “Yep, what's with him anyway?” Dad had an unholy gleam in his eye, which meant he was getting ready to mess with one of his kids. He’s the master prankster and they all spend hours at a time trying to get him back, but so far they have yet to top him.

  “The Gordon girl’s home from her first year of college and she's loaded for bear. Poor Em has been dodging her all evening.” He rubbed his hands together in glee and Chase could only imagine what he had up his sleeve for poor Emory.

  “I knew it.” That explains it, Justine Gordon has been after Em since she was seventeen and he was twenty. Poor Em was all thumbs around the beautiful blonde; it was a sight to see.

  “Where’s Kimmy? I didn't see her in that mob in there I better let her know I’m here before she lets me have it later.”

  “She was headed out back last time I saw, probably down by the gazebo.”

  “Fine, I'll go get her. You two try to behave and remember we have a house full of impressionable young’uns in the place.” He shook his head as he left them to it.

  He headed out the backdoor in search of his sister, excited about the neat gift he’d gotten her. She was all grown up now as she’d warned him weeks ago when she'd called to put in her order for her gift.

  He hoped she liked what he’d picked out for her, but his mom had assured him she would absolutely love the overpriced handbag for which she was apparently going to die if she didn’t own, so he wasn’t too worried.

  As the only girl and the baby to boot, she tended to be a mite spoilt, but as her big brother, he wouldn’t have it any other way. He couldn’t help thinking that there was one other girl he wanted to spoil. It seemed tonight he couldn’t escape his longing for the beautiful Annabelle. What was he going to do if she wasn’t here?

  In this day of Internet highways he was sure he’d have no problem finding her once he had the right information. But somehow he’d wanted her to come to him, or at least meet him halfway.

  He couldn’t believe that she didn’t understand the ramifications of his sister who was their only go between so to speak, leaving town for the next four months at least. Now that she was old enough for his bed, he didn’t think he could go that long without seeing her. He’d go mad.

  The starry sky was a nice backdrop for the four-acre pond that ran along the back of the property. The night air was perfect, not cool, not warm, just a nice blend. A nice change from just a week ago, but so goes the Tennessee weather, fractious at best.

  From here he could see the swans that his mother had bought a few years ago as they glided across the water with their heads tucked beneath their wings, fast asleep in the moonlight.

  He walked faster when he saw the lone figure standing in the gazebo gazing off across the water. He wondered where her shadow was.

  Colin Gordon has been Kimmy's since they were five. She'd staked her claim on the playground the first week of school all those years ago and that as they say was that.

  He stepped up onto the gazebo about to wrap his hands around her eyes in surprise but the figure turned just as he was about to make his move. The air got trapped in his lungs and his heart picked up speed.

  “Fuck me!” The words fell from his lips as he moved in closer, his eyes never leaving her. “Belle?” He whispered her name like a prayer.

  7

  She’d just this minute been thinking of him, wondering if she’d ever see him again. And just like magic, as if she’d conjured him up, there he was. She heard his tortured whisper and knew where it came from.

  He’d never seen her quite like this before, and though she could now admit to herself that it was for him that she’d done this, his response made her feel shy.

  She looked up at his greater height as he stopped in front of her, close enough that she could see the way his nostrils flared. When he reached for her she didn’t pull away, though she couldn’t even if she’d wanted to, her legs had gone to mush.

  One hand went to her waist while with the other he brushed a trail down her cheek with the back of his fingers. It was the most natural thing to fall into his chest when he pulled her in closer.

  And when his lips touched hers, lightly at first, as if giving her that last chance to pull away, it was she who moved the last few inches. Letting him know without words as she opened her lips wider beneath his, that she wanted his touch.

  She melted into him, her i
nexperience plain to him as she followed his lead. Her tongue tentatively touched his before he drew it into his mouth and his arms tightened around her. Her body which had been stiff turned to jelly as she lifted her arms around him.

  Her head swam with all the new emotions the kiss awakened inside her and she found it hard to breathe, but in the nicest way. In the back of her mind was the thought that she couldn’t believe this was really happening. But she knew it was not a dream, no dream had ever felt like this.

  When he finally lifted his head they were both out of breath. He stared down at her, still with his arms around her, enjoying the feeling of having her here like this at last.

  “You look amazing; but I’m burning that dress.” He smiled his amazing smile and she got lost in it until his playful words registered.

  “No you’re not.” She half laughed not sure if he was kidding or not.

  “We’ll see.” The way he kissed the tip of her nose was almost as intimate as the kiss they’d shared, and for the first time since their early acquaintance she felt inadequately awkward around him.

  She didn’t know what to do with herself. Her hands still rested on his shoulders and her head was still leant back so that she could look up at him. But it was the way he looked at her that made her feel gauche more than anything else.

  She’d never seen such hunger in his eyes before. At least not when she was supposed to. She’d caught a look or two before when they were both pretending not to notice each other. But this was the first time she’d experienced the full brunt of its force.

  “What’re you doing out here by yourself beautiful?” He brushed a lock of hair that the wind blew across her forehead, out of her face. His eyes followed the way her throat worked as she swallowed nervously at his touch.

  “I just needed some time alone.” He knew from picking up conversations between his sister and mother that some of the girls didn’t like Annabelle. He also knew who the ringleader was.

  “Did something happen?” She looked away from him so he couldn’t read her expression. “Tell me.” He persisted when it appeared that she wasn’t going to answer, and added a slight squeeze to get her cooperation.

  She told him in bits and spurts about her run-in with Lisa and blushingly recounted her little stunt with the dance. He looked back towards the house, angry that she’d been so shabbily treated in his family home.

  “She’ll be gone soon.” He meant of course that Lisa will be going off to college in a matter of weeks. Annabelle looked down at the ground between them when she remembered her own sorry circumstances.

  “Yeah, she will be.” He heard the wistfulness in her voice and it bothered him.

  “I heard that you’re taking a year off. I don’t understand, don’t get me wrong, I’m selfishly pleased that you’re not leaving me, but I would’ve thought with your grades you would’ve got a full ride.”

  “Yeah me too, but apparently I didn’t have enough extra curricular activities to get me in.” It was something she hadn’t given much thought to, hadn’t imagined that it would keep her out of college since her grades were almost perfect.

  Her reasons for skipping extra curriculum activities were obvious. She had to work to put food on the table and keep a roof over her head, plus most of the activities involved the other kids from school and they could barely stand her being in the same classroom let alone anything beyond that.

  She didn’t say anything to him about that though. What’s done is done and she’d learned long ago that there was no point trying to change things she had no control over.

  She changed the subject to something inane and they leaned against the rails of the gazebo talking softly as they watched the moonlight play across the water as the swans sailed by.

  It took her a good five minutes to get comfortable with his arms wrapped around her from behind with his chin resting on her hair. But once she did, nothing had ever felt so safe, so…right.

  They got so caught up in their conversation that neither noticed that time had flown by. Not until they heard Kimberly calling out to them. “Oh crap, it’s late.” A quick look at her Timex told her she had to get going if she intended to make the last trolley of the night.

  She said a quick goodbye to Kimberly, promising to see her some time in the next few weeks before she left but as she tried to make her escape he stopped her.

  “I really have to go Chase or I’ll miss the trolley.” He didn’t let go of her hand, but kissed his sister’s cheek and told her where he’d left her gift before pulling Annabelle along behind him.

  “Where do you live? I’ll take you home.” She hesitated. No way in hell did she want him seeing where she lived. How would she live down the shame?

  She couldn’t come up with a plausible excuse quick enough and so found herself heading to his car. Not that she had a choice since he had yet to release the hold he had on her hand.

  “You might as well tell me because I’m not letting you go until you give in. I know your plan little girl. You think that with my sister gone you can avoid me for the next few months because I wouldn’t know where to find you. I got news for you, that’s not gonna happen.” She saw that he was serious and that there was no way out.

  “I wasn’t…” His raised brow said that she could give it up because he was onto her. She caved and allowed him to seat her on the passenger side of his fancy car and belt her in before going around to the driver’s side.

  She hoped and prayed that the worst of the neighborhood denizens would be elsewhere this time of night, but knew it was wishful thinking. Night seems to be when they come out in full force. She couldn’t bear the thought of him seeing her as trailer trash the way she’d heard Lisa call her more than once.

  He passed her his phone as he turned the car on. “Here, put your number in there.” She lowered her head not willing to let him see just how pleased she was by this turn of events. She did as he asked and started to pass the phone back before it locked and his screen closed.

  She stared speechlessly at a picture of her face. He took his eyes off the road for a quick second, alerted by her sudden stillness that something was wrong. “Do you remember that day?” He looked back at the road as he asked casually like he hadn’t just blown her mind.

  All she could muster was a nod of her head as the implications of what she was looking at washed over her. “Why…”

  She remembered the day well. She’d been over playing dress up with Kimberly about a month ago. They’d been messing around with each other’s hair and makeup for some YouTube video tutorial and afterwards they’d gone down to the lake for a picnic.

  She looked carefree and…pretty. The camera had caught her at the perfect angle and it looked as though her eyes were staring right at the photographer rather provocatively. She’d been hamming it up for her friend, having no idea that it might somehow end up in his hands.

  “Why? Because until your eighteenth birthday that was all I could have of you.” That was blunt…sorta. She wondered what he was not saying, though she had a pretty good idea. She finally passed the phone back and he dropped it in his pocket.

  “You’re not going to tease me, call me a stalker?” Her face burned at the recollection. It was one of her favorite things to do, when they were just friends. When she knew she was safe because he wasn’t the kind of man to make a move on a seventeen year old.

  Now with the evidence of his interest staring her in the face she wasn’t feeling so bold. She just shook her head as she pretended interest in the passing scenery. As often as she’d imagined just such a scenario and what she would do if it should ever happen, she wasn’t sure now.

  She’d always been intimidated by him and her feelings for him. She knew very well how easy it would be to get lost in him. But her fear of being hurt kept her still now when she wanted to shout for joy.

  “Do I scare you Annabelle?” He reached across the console and took her hand in his. No doubt he’d feel the slight tremble she’d been trying so ha
rd to hide.

  “I see that I do. You mind telling me why?” How was she supposed to answer that? How could she open herself up to him like that? It was too frightening. She pressed her free hand against her trembling stomach and fought back the rising nausea that swirled around the butterflies.

  And yet she was afraid not to answer. She didn’t want to turn him off by acting like a ninny, but her tongue felt suddenly heavy and she didn’t know where to begin. But silence was not an option she told herself.

  “I’m not afraid of you, it’s just…” She felt queasy at the thought of telling him the truth, but it was the only way she knew, so she took a deep breath and jumped right in. Hoping that she didn’t make him angry.

  “Look, we come from two different worlds. There can only be one thing you’re after with me and I’m not that kind of girl.” He didn’t say anything for the longest and she started to tense up, thinking she had indeed said the wrong thing.

  “Sounds like reverse prejudice to me. So you’ve judged me from what you’ve known of me so far and believe me capable of using you and tossing you aside once I’ve got what I wanted.” When he put it that way it sounded pretty bad. She didn’t see him that way, but she wasn’t stupid.

  After two years of interacting with the wealthy kids at school, she had a pretty good idea how this worked. Like stuck with like. Her mother had told her often enough that they weren’t really her friends, that they were just hanging out with her to be kind, which would wear off soon enough.

  That, added to her own prejudice mixed with fear was enough to make her tread carefully. “I don’t know what I think. I know you’re not a bad person, but I don’t think I can just sleep with you and then move on while you…” She was about to say while he marries someone like Lisa. The thought made her sick to her stomach.

  “I should be insulted you know, but I’m not. I know where you’re coming from and you couldn’t be more wrong. I guess I’ll just have to show you.” She looked over at him sharply not sure she should trust that smile on his face.