CHAPTER SIXTEEN
When my doorbell rings bright and early Monday morning after I drop the kids off, the last thing I expect to see is Chase.
“Emmet had lunch with you and Nathan had dinner. I think it’s only fair if you allow me to take you to breakfast.” He leans casually against the frame of my door, his arms folded over his chest and a cocky smile on his face.
It takes me a minute to process his words and when I do, I’m only left with confusion as I stare at him. “Huh?”
His grin only widens. “I want to take you to breakfast.”
“Because Emmet had lunch with me and Nathan had dinner?” I could have sworn I heard that in his opening statement.
He pushes a hand through his brown hair. “Yes, and because I like you.”
“Even if I’ve gone on a date with one of your best friends and kissed the other?” Amongst other things.
There’s no change in his expression, besides the mischief in his eyes. “Yep.” His dark hair is slightly wet and I can tell he’s fresh from a shower, the strong scent of coconut body wash permeating through the air.
My lips part slightly as I stare at him, trying to gauge how serious he is. There’s the usual smile on his face but otherwise there isn’t deep amusement, like he’s going to say, Ha Ivy, did you really think I’m serious? What kind of person wants to take out a girl who’s already had both of their friends’ mouth on them?
“You’re serious.” I finally say as I frown at him.
He tilts his head to the side as he shoves his hands in his pocket. “Well, yes, I tend to be serious when asking a beautiful woman out on a date,” he says, a small smile turning up the corner of his lips.
My face heats. “But why?”
He shakes his head and his brows pull together. “I just told you because I like you.”
I press a hand to my forehead as I stare at him. I literally just reminded him that I kissed one of his friends and went on a date with the other and he’s seriously unbothered. “I kissed Nathan too.”
“Kind of figured,” he says with a shrug. “What type of man wouldn’t kiss a woman as lovely as you after a date?” A dimple appears in his cheek and I can’t help but to stare at how charming he looks as he watches me. His lips pull into a sexy smile as his eyes move down my body slowly, assessing me.
Fuck.
“And Emmet…” I clear my throat. “It went further than a kiss.”
Again, there’s no shock on his face. “I’m aware.”
My heart skips a beat in my chest and I find myself wanting to ask him just how much he knows about my interactions with his friends. But as I look at his face, relaxed and sensual, I can’t find any reason to keep prolonging the inevitable.
Yeah, I may have gone on a date with Nathan and kissed him, but as Jamille says, it doesn’t make me committed to him. We haven’t even planned another date, which is admittedly, disappointing. And Emmet and I agreed to forget about what happened between us, even if his long fingers and plump lips star in my dreams most nights.
Chase raises a brow, waiting for a response.
If this was a couple of months ago, you wouldn’t even be thinking about this, you’d already be in Chase’s car.
I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “Fine.”
“Wow, don’t sound so enthusiastic,” he says sarcastically but his eyes are still alight with amusement.
I shake my head. “I just find this whole situation strange,” I admit. I look down at my gray sweatpants and tank top. “Uh, let me change and then I’ll be ready to go.”
“What?” He glances at my outfit. “You look fine, no need to change.”
“I look homeless.”
His lips turn up at the corner. “I like to think of it as casual and the place we’re going is definitely casual.” With that, he turns on his heels. “Just lock up and I’ll be waiting in the car for you.” I watch as he walks across the yard and gets in the charcoal coal parked in their driveway.
My mouth drops open slightly when I realize it’s already running.