Gabby's POV

I stood in the shower letting warmth radiate through me when suddenly the power went out. I could hear the howling of the wind from the storm outside and I'm starting to realize just how bad it is.

Chase was right, walking through flooded streets could have gotten me killed.

All I kept thinking about is how he made me feel so little and unwanted that I saw red and needed out of there. I just wasn't expecting a tropical storm to come barreling through and changed the weather so dramatically over the course of a few hours.

But having the power out freaks me the fuck out, especially being in a place I'm not familiar with, and even more with a boy that my heart may or may not want.

I grabbed a towel from the stack and quickly dried off and wrapped it tightly around myself. I swallowed my pride and opened the door into the dark hallway. I needed dry clothes and I doubt the ones from earlier are even close to being dry.

"Chase?" I called out. I started towards the laundry room after hearing the dryer door slam. "Chase?" I turned the corner and immediately stopped short because holy fuck, Chase was completely naked! "Oh! Um, oh my gosh. I'm so sorry! I didn't think you would be naked, I was just hoping to get some fresh clothes? Oh my God, I'll just..." I quickly covered my eyes and tried my best to not think about the fact that I did indeed, just take in his full naked body and now it's going to be etched into my memory forevermore.

I couldn't stop the blush that came on my face because holy shit was this man the perfect specimen.

Even though there was no light in the house, the darkness left nothing to the imagination.

"Don't be, thought I would have enough time to ditch my clothes and hop in my own shower before you got out of yours, and besides, I'm sure it's nothing you haven't seen before." I heard Chase laugh and it took all I had to not peek out from between my fingers as he walked by me. "C'mon, I'll grab you some clothes."

I didn't dare move because if I did, I wouldn't trust myself.

I knew deep down I've wanted him, but the feelings I felt now? It was a desire I wasn't familiar with. I always knock down any feelings I get towards men because they're never reciprocated. Who wants to fall for a guy who wouldn't even look twice at you?

"Cat got your tongue?" Chase laughed, "if you want dry clothes, you have to follow me." I muttered a fuck and began to slowly walk towards his voice, not daring to glance at him.

"Fine, but you better put something on first."
"Can't do that," he said matter of fact.

"And why not?" I swear if he didn't put clothes on I was going to lose my shit.

"Cuz I'm going to jump into my shower."
"Oh." What I wanted to say was a string of curses because thinking of him wet AND naked had me all hot and flustered and oh look, a couch on the other side of the room!

I made a beeline towards it and sat down as gracefully as I could while he disappeared into who knows where to get me some clothes. I glanced out the window, which didn't help at all. It was totally dark out and all it did was become the perfect backdrop the scenario I was in right now.

I was completely naked and ultimately turned on while sitting in Chase 'thunder thighs' Elliott's bedroom as he strut around completely naked.

I could only dream of the confidence he has.

"Here's some clothes," Chase walked over to his bed and laid out a pile of clothes that looked so soft and warm. "Promise me you won't run away this time?" I glanced over my shoulder to look at Chase, my eyes deceived me and went right to his waist - which was thankfully covered by a towel now.

"I'm not going anywhere," I whispered, suddenly wishing I was in my own home. Chase noticed the change in my voice and took a step towards me before stopping. I watched as he ran a hand through his wet hair and cursed.
"Are you going to be okay while I take a shower?" I nodded yes, suddenly craving his arms around me because I don't feel safe.

I looked back out the window; the sky was so dark and the wind howled, the trees bending from it's power. Flashes of lightning showed how erratic the water across Lake Norman was being. Waves were crashing against the shoreline and anyone caught up in that would surely be pulled out into the lake.

"Thank you," I whispered in the darkness, "I shouldn't have gone out into the storm like that, I wasn't thinking clearly."
"I let you walk away from me once, I wasn't about to let you do that again." I turned to look at Chase, the darkness casting shadows on his face that made it hard for me to read.
"I don't understand why you did. I'm not someone you run after."

"See, that's where you're wrong. You're definitely someone to run after, Gabby. I've actually done it a few times now if you haven't noticed."

"But why?" I stared at Chase, wishing I could see his face cause the eyes to the soul tells all. I want to know what he's really thinking.

"I can't tell you while you're sitting there with only a towel wrapped around your body." I looked down and blushed.

"Why?" I asked before I could stop myself.

"Because I'm a man who has desires, Gabby, and you sitting there in nothing but a towel is absolutely killing me, especially since I'm naked, too." I swallowed back an 'oh'. "Fuck," Chase groaned, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have admitted that, but it's the truth. And please don't make a comment that I'm just like any other guy who automatically gets turned on when I see a naked women, because that's not the case."
"I wasn't thinking that."
"Good, because I want you to know that when I look at you, I see someone who is unearthly beautiful." My heart was pounding loudly as Chase took a step towards me. "I mean it, Gabby, you're so beautiful, and I know you don't see what I see." I looked down at my body, trying to understand how he could think I was beautiful but failing.

"I'm not, Chase, just look at me," I said, waving at the obvious. "I'm fat; my belly jiggles, my thighs touch, my chin has a chin, and my hips are so wide. I'm not beautiful, Chase, I can never be."
"You are."
"No, I'm not, and please stop saying it."

"Come here," Chase held out his hand to me and I reluctantly took it. As much as I didn't want this conversation to happen, I knew there was no escaping it. I tried my best to hold back my tears but they fell anyways. I'm just glad that he couldn't see because of the impending darkness.

Chase kept a hold of my hand as he walked us over to his bed. He sat down on the edge so we were more eye to eye. Opening his legs wide, he pulled me in so we were only inches apart.

"Will you let me show you how beautiful you are to me?" Chase whispered, grabbing my other hand and somehow pulled me in even closer.

"That's impossible."

"It's not, Gabby."

"Chase..." I said, wanting to correct him for saying my nickname but I can't anymore, I love the way hit rolls off his tongue and I want him to be the only person who calls me that.

He must have heard the quiver in my voice because he dropped one of my hands and reached up to wipe away my tears. "I wish I could take away all of the negative thoughts you have about yourself. Maybe one day, I can, but for right now, I need you to know that what I say is one hundred percent true."

"You. Are. Beautiful." Chase said with as much conviction as he could muster. I knew he was telling the truth and that alone made me cry more.

"I don't see it," I confessed, "not when everyone else around me see's and tells me otherwise."

"They don't see what I do." Chase stood up, moving his hands up to my shoulders and up to my face. "They don't see the girl with yellow specks in her hazel eyes, and how there's passion and fire behind them when you're determined to get shit done."

"They don't see the girl with the beautiful smile that makes my heart skip a bit," Chase traced over my lips and then down onto my chest. "Or the girl who has a heart of gold and would do anything for those she loves - and don't fight me on that one. I finally got Blaney to tell me your relationship with him and he told me how much you do for your close friends and family." Chase laughed to himself, "and to think I thought you and Ryan had something going on. You wouldn't believe how jealous I was." I gasped at this knowledge.

"You? Jealous of Ryan, because of me?"

"It was eating me alive." Chase continued to laugh and I just couldn't believe it. This beautiful creature in front of me was jealous of Ryan, because of me!

"Gosh, I just wanted you to myself and it I hated that he was just there. He's one of my best friends and I love him to death, but he had something I wanted, or didn't have, in this case. I was jealous that he could come home to you, to see your beautiful curves outside of the gym and spend lazy nights together or even more..." Chase dropped the sentence as he traced the top of my towel.

"I want more with you, Gabby, in all possible ways." I gasped as he leaned forward, placing a feather light kiss where his hand just was above my towel.

A fire erupted between my legs, and I needed Chase in more than one way right now, but I don't think I could actually go through with it. So instead, I asked him the one question that's laying heavy on my mind.

"What changed? I need to know what changed with you because you cringed the first time you saw me."

"I cringed because I thought you were a loss hope." Chase's voice was low and broken. "I wasn't in a good state of mind. I was depressed and sulking because of my ex - who left me months ago. She was in my head that day and I was just pissed in general because Ryan wasn't there to train you. It was more of a 'me' than 'you' that day."
"But what changed?"

"You. Simple as that."
"Chase..." I sighed, taking a step back from him, but he just pulled me right back into his arms.

"I know you joined the gym to change your life, but you ended up changing mine, whether or not you believe me. I know it's going to take more than me just saying these words, but I want to show you that you actually do mean something to me." Chase placed his hand on my cheek and titled my head up. "You said you needed action, Gabby, and this is me doing just that. I could have dropped you at the gym, but I didn't. I could have not ran after you all those times, but I did. I could have not kissed you..." Chase let out a breath and traced my lips with his fingertips. I held onto every word he was saying, inching closer and closer to him to where his lips were centimeters from mine. "If this isn't enough for you, I can promise there would be so much more."

Chase tilted my head back more, his lips hovering over mine. I held my breath in anticipation of a kiss, but then lightning flashed all around us causing me to jump in his arms. "You don't like thunderstorms, do you?" I shook my head no, burrowing my face in his neck and holding onto him tightly. "And to think you were running away from me, in the middle of this! You're so unbelievable stubborn, pretty girl." Chase laughed and just held me closer. "I'll keep you safe," he whispered and kissed the top of my head. "But first, I need you to put some clothes on, please." I moved against him and then stilled.

Oh.

My.

Chase coughed and then laughed, turning his hips away from me. "Sorry," he said bashfully, walking away towards his bathroom, "sometimes my body just can't help itself." I bit my lip as Chase disappeared into the bathroom and then did a little twirl as I fell onto his bed.

There was no denying the fact that he was turned on, the evidence stood out as clear as day... and now I'm feeling warm and giddy, and... more aroused than I've ever been.

I know now isn't the time to give into these desires, but Chase Elliott has lit a fire in me to where I'm feeling for the first time in forever.

I'm so used to hiding my feelings and hiding behind a front because it wasn't socially acceptable for a plus sized women to want a man who, by social standards, is fit as fuck. And now that man is desiring me, in more ways than one, which is straight up taboo by social norms. But it makes me feel wanted and I have no idea what the fuck is going to happen from here on out. If what he's saying about everything is true, then I'm going to take that leap of faith and give it a chance.

I'm done running, and if he's willing to catch me, then I'm going to let him. 

~*~

A/N: *sigh* I love this chapter so much - Chase's mindset has changed dramatically from the first few times we've seen him.  Here's to hoping these two can grow even closer to each other 

Thanks to everyone who reads this and leave me comments. I appreciate you!