...Brenton looked past me and regarded Chase, while Pete showed him the basics of working the cash register. I sipped my soda and tried to get my mind around what my father was up to.

“He’s cute.”

Brenton’s words made me snap my head back to look at him. He smiled as he continued to eye up Chase. When he looked back to me, the last few shreds of my good mood had vanished. I picked up my soda and shook my head. Chase was more than cute. So much more. I drank from the ice-cold soda, hoping it would cool me down. It didn’t help at all. I forced myself to walk away from both Brenton and Chase.

“I gotta get back to work, Brenton. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Yeah, me, too. Hungry bowlers to feed and all.”

From behind the office door, I could still hear the muffled crash and bang of the bowling balls against the pins. There really was a pile of invoices, but I couldn’t even think about them. Under the circumstances, hiding from whatever was going on out front seemed to be the best option. It was working great until there was a knock at the door. I didn’t want to talk to my dad or Pete, but I knew they wouldn’t leave me alone for long. With a sigh, I made myself look busy.

“Come in.”

The door swung open and Chase walked in. I sat up straighter and my eyes shifted from him to the wall and back again. He didn’t say a word, just walked around the desk and pulled me out of my chair.

“What are you doing, Chase?”

“Something I’ve been wanting to do since you ditched me that night. I never thought I’d have the chance. Small world, huh?”

I was in his arms, his mouth on mine, before I could even think of an answer. My first instinct was to push him away, but as Chase shifted me back against the wall, his tongue deep in my mouth, I gave up and gave in. It felt so good, just like it had that night at the party. He took a nibble of my bottom lip and gave it a slight tug. It was just on the right side of painful, that tenuous place where just another bit of pressure would have made me cry out. It wasn’t the first time he’d done something like that to me, and just like that first time, I absolutely adored it. As Chase’s hands moved all the way down my back, the intercom buzzed, which I knew meant trouble with one of the lanes.

Chase pulled back and looked deep into my eyes. “What was that?”

“Lane trouble. I have to go take care of it.”

“Trying to escape again?”

“I really have to go.”

Chase didn’t let me move right away, and I made no move to let him go. I felt weak, the presence of his body holding me up. It had been so long since I’d had a proper kiss, had someone hold me. Brenton had wanted to give me release, but I hadn’t felt anything like this…well, since the first time I met Chase. He gave me another long, slow kiss, his pelvis pressing into mine as he squeezed me tight.

“That’s okay. We can finish catching up later,” he said.

My breath caught in my throat as Chase ran his lips across my neck. He smelled so good, a mixture of cologne and fresh laundry. It was such a welcome change from the usual bowling alley scent of lane cleaner and stale smoke that I was stuck with every day.

“I really have to go now, Chase.”

His blue eyes were still locked on mine as he ran his thumb over my bottom lip, as if to soothe the place where he had just used his teeth. After what felt like a long time, he backed away, his hands leaving warm prints on my skin.

“See you later.”