to a movie. I could use a drink though." I stand up and walk into the house and he follows.
"I just think we should do something else," he persists, as I hand him a bottle of water before taking one for myself.
"What is wrong with staying-" I stop as the I hear the front door lock click. Both Chase and I turn just as it opens and watch as a middle age couple walk in. The man is wearing a polo shirt and slacks, and the woman is wearing an orange blouse and long dark skirt. They look just as surprised to see us as we are to see them.
"Who the hell are you?" I blurt out immediately. Despite my accusation I step back against Chase, not that the couple look physically threatening. Both of the strangers gawk at us for a moment and I realize I'm standing here in a fairly revealing bikini. I pull my arms up against my chest, suddenly feeling even more vulnerable.
"Young lady," the man says, his facing turning red. I'm not sure if it's anger or embarrassment, but by his tone it could be a bit of both. "I believe it's my right to ask you that question. This is my house."
"What? No it isn't. This is Chase's house."
I turn to look at Chase, expecting to see a mirror of the same indignation I feel, but as usual his face is a stony mask of unreadability. "Chase? Tell them."
His cool blue eyes shift from the couple to me, and then back to the couple but he doesn't say anything.
"Were you swimming in our pool?" the woman asks. I turn back to see they've walked further into the house now. The woman has stormed over to the door leading outside. She turns back to her husband. "Henry, they have towels out there. They were swimming in our pool."
"What the hell is going on, Chase?" I demand. He still hasn't said anything.
"The two of you better get out of here this instant, before I have you arrested for trespassing." The man is definitely more angry than embarrassed now, but I'm still completely confused.
"Chase, what the hell is going on?" I repeat. "Is any of this true? Is this really their house?"
Our eyes lock together and I finally see a crack in his armor as he takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. There's something in his gaze now that I've never seen before.
Chase slowly nods. "Yes, it's true."
I feel my heart sinking as I look at the man I've spent almost every minute with for the last week and I wonder if I really know him at all.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“I can explain.”
The words are uncomfortably familiar, even when spoken in a different voice. From a different mouth. My thoughts are spinning enough that I have to reach out and grab the kitchen counter for support. It’s Harrison all over again.
Lies.
“Lila-”
“I think your explanation needs to be to us, young man.” The older couple are still standing in the room as well, and the man in the polo shirt has a cell phone in his hand with his thumb poised as if ready to dial. “Or you can explain it to the police.”
“I need some air,” I say. I have to shake off Chase’s hand as he grabs for me on my way to the front door. I left Harrison, who’d I’d been dating for months, because of his lies. Chase and I have only been together a week.
Outside, the hot desert sun is stifling, but it still feels like I can breathe easier. Chase’s limousine is parked in front of the house. I wonder if his driver would take me back to the hotel if his boss isn’t with me. I feel like I need to run. Get away from the lies again. But there’s a pain in my chest, a heaviness born by fresh betrayal. I really felt like Chase was different.
“Lila.”
Chase is standing at the front door, staring at me. His blue eyes are catching the sun, causing them to sparkle, but there is a depth to them now as he looks at me. He’s asking me to wait with them just as clearly as if he said the words.
“What is going on here?” The older couple are behind him now, I
"I just think we should do something else," he persists, as I hand him a bottle of water before taking one for myself.
"What is wrong with staying-" I stop as the I hear the front door lock click. Both Chase and I turn just as it opens and watch as a middle age couple walk in. The man is wearing a polo shirt and slacks, and the woman is wearing an orange blouse and long dark skirt. They look just as surprised to see us as we are to see them.
"Who the hell are you?" I blurt out immediately. Despite my accusation I step back against Chase, not that the couple look physically threatening. Both of the strangers gawk at us for a moment and I realize I'm standing here in a fairly revealing bikini. I pull my arms up against my chest, suddenly feeling even more vulnerable.
"Young lady," the man says, his facing turning red. I'm not sure if it's anger or embarrassment, but by his tone it could be a bit of both. "I believe it's my right to ask you that question. This is my house."
"What? No it isn't. This is Chase's house."
I turn to look at Chase, expecting to see a mirror of the same indignation I feel, but as usual his face is a stony mask of unreadability. "Chase? Tell them."
His cool blue eyes shift from the couple to me, and then back to the couple but he doesn't say anything.
"Were you swimming in our pool?" the woman asks. I turn back to see they've walked further into the house now. The woman has stormed over to the door leading outside. She turns back to her husband. "Henry, they have towels out there. They were swimming in our pool."
"What the hell is going on, Chase?" I demand. He still hasn't said anything.
"The two of you better get out of here this instant, before I have you arrested for trespassing." The man is definitely more angry than embarrassed now, but I'm still completely confused.
"Chase, what the hell is going on?" I repeat. "Is any of this true? Is this really their house?"
Our eyes lock together and I finally see a crack in his armor as he takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. There's something in his gaze now that I've never seen before.
Chase slowly nods. "Yes, it's true."
I feel my heart sinking as I look at the man I've spent almost every minute with for the last week and I wonder if I really know him at all.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
“I can explain.”
The words are uncomfortably familiar, even when spoken in a different voice. From a different mouth. My thoughts are spinning enough that I have to reach out and grab the kitchen counter for support. It’s Harrison all over again.
Lies.
“Lila-”
“I think your explanation needs to be to us, young man.” The older couple are still standing in the room as well, and the man in the polo shirt has a cell phone in his hand with his thumb poised as if ready to dial. “Or you can explain it to the police.”
“I need some air,” I say. I have to shake off Chase’s hand as he grabs for me on my way to the front door. I left Harrison, who’d I’d been dating for months, because of his lies. Chase and I have only been together a week.
Outside, the hot desert sun is stifling, but it still feels like I can breathe easier. Chase’s limousine is parked in front of the house. I wonder if his driver would take me back to the hotel if his boss isn’t with me. I feel like I need to run. Get away from the lies again. But there’s a pain in my chest, a heaviness born by fresh betrayal. I really felt like Chase was different.
“Lila.”
Chase is standing at the front door, staring at me. His blue eyes are catching the sun, causing them to sparkle, but there is a depth to them now as he looks at me. He’s asking me to wait with them just as clearly as if he said the words.
“What is going on here?” The older couple are behind him now, I
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