When I find it, I lift it up like I found gold.
I glance down to close the drawer, only to come to a stop. A file has my name on it, and it’s inside his desk.
Picking it up, I open the file and stare in shock as I see every single personal detail of my life written down on paper. There’s pictures and other little things, and I’m so fucking terrified.
This is my life right in front of me. Flicking through a couple of pages, I don’t know what to do.
“Hey, we’re waiting for that file. Did you find it?” Chase asks, coming into his office.
“You knew,” I say.
“What?”
“You knew everything.”
He comes up to the desk, and I see his jaw clench. “I needed to get rid of that.”
“Why do you have it?” I don’t know what to do. My hands are shaking.
Chase doesn’t answer right away. He goes to the door and closes it, giving us privacy. I don’t care who knows in this instant. I feel … torn apart.
I told him about so many private things, about Kerry, and he knew already. I recall the first day he took me home, I told him the address, and he already had it.
“I wanted to know more about you.” He stands in front of the desk.
“And you didn’t think to just ask me?”
“No. I didn’t because you wouldn’t have told me everything.”
“I have. There’s nothing in here that I’ve not told you.”
“But it gave me a chance, Faye.”
“A chance?”
“Yes, a chance. You think I was able to deal the past six months? I didn’t know where to look. I tried everything, and then, when I was about to give up hope of finding you, you step into my damn elevator. Not only that, you don’t even notice me, and I looked at you, and I knew I wasn’t going to let you go. I’d spent six months hunting you.”
“I’m not a piece of meat.”
“I know. You’re so much more, and you don’t even see it.” He stares at me a couple of seconds. “Look back in the drawer.”
“What?”
“Look in the drawer.”
I don’t want to follow his instruction, but I do and look in to see a velvet box. It looks like one from a jewelry store.
“You see it? Pick it up, and open it.”
Gritting my teeth, I want to tell him no, to fuck off. I’m so confused right now.
I pick up the damn box and glare at him.
“Now open it.”
Opening the lid, I see the most beautiful diamond ring.
“If I saw you as a piece of meat, a woman I just wanted to fuck, would I buy you an engagement ring and then ask you to be my wife?”
Tears fill my eyes, and as far as proposals go, it is a combination of shitty and so perfect.
“You want to marry me?”
“Yes. I want it all, Faye. I want it all with you, and I don’t care how we started. I only care how it ends, and I know that I won’t settle for anything less than everything with you. It’s why I needed to know more. Why I did a search on you. I needed to take out any competition.”
He rounds the desk and turns the chair, crouching down near my feet. Staring at him, I’m in shock. This is not what I’ve been expecting.
“I have my sister.”
“I don’t mind her being with you. She’s part of who you are, and I love you.” He smiles, and it’s so sweet and sexy. “I’ve never said that to another human being in my life. I, Chase Dunce, am absolutely, completely in love with you, Faye Carter. To the point that I do crazy things like buy your virginity and keep the sheets we made love on.”
“You didn’t.”
“I did. I kept it, and it even makes me feel weird. It made me try to blackmail you, but I would never have done anything to hurt you, Faye. Nothing at all. You’re my world, and I’ll do everything to make you happy, anything. I just can’t leave you. I’ll do anything but that.” He runs his hands up my thighs, and I’m lost in his blue eyes. I don’t want to leave him or to fight with him.
I want him all to myself.
“Chase, I love you too.”
“You do?”
I nod. “Yes, so much and it scares me. I’ve never loved anyone or anything the way I love you. I didn’t know if I should say anything.”
I don’t get a chance to say anything more as his lips attack mine. Right there, in the office, for anyone looking in to see.
“Is that a yes?”
Staring at the ring, I nod.
“It’s a yes. It’s a complete and total yes.”
He takes the ring from the box and slides it onto my finger. Next his fingers tease the back of my head as he pulls me to my feet. His lips are on mine once again, and I don’t care who sees us.