Gabby's POV

I immediately melted in Chase's arms as he held me close to him. His lips were like fire on mine; passionate and demanding. That connection he mentioned wrapped around us like electricity. It was like a match has finally lit and the fuel exploded.

His lips though, so tender and soft against mine. How was it possible that he kissed me with so much passion that it knocked the breath out of me?

Chase finally broke the kiss, but not before he sucked on my bottom lip and then finally letting go. I felt him sigh against me, resting his forehead on mine while holding my head. "Never call yourself that ever again." I heard something new in his voice and it broke me. "Please, Gabby, never ever say that about yourself again, promise me that." I fell into Chase, wrapping my arms around his center and buried my face in his shoulders.

Chase pulled me away from him, resuming his hands on each side of my face. "Promise me," he said with conviction.

"I promise," I swallowed, my hot tears streaming down my face as the rain grew heavier and heavier, but somehow, Chase knew I was crying because his thumbs started to wipe away my tears.

"I'm sorry for making you cry," he confessed, "I'm sorry for judging you back on that first day, and most importantly, I'm sorry you put your faith and trust in someone like me when all I did was rip your heart out and prove to you that I was just like those other guys. Even after I told you I wouldn't do that to you. I'm such an ass. A guy should never make a woman cry and yet here I am."

Chase pushed my bangs out of my face and stared down at me. He looked broken just like I felt and the words coming out of his mouth all sound good, but I need more than that.

"I need action, Chase. You can tell me you're sorry all you want, but I need more than that. One kiss isn't going to do it for me."
"What about another one?" I didn't have time to answer before he was kissing me again and my oh my was the taste of his lips something I could get used to. "Come back to my place," he whispered, I could barely hear him over the rain but I found myself nodding.

Wordlessly, Chase grabbed my hand and pulled me through the downpour to where his truck was parked.

**

"Here, put these on." I stood shivering in Chase's bathroom as he handed me a few towels and fresh clothes. Between the both of us, we couldn't stop laughing at how ridiculous we look.

"Um, I don't think these will fit." I felt embarrassed saying this but he just shrugged me off.

"Take a hot shower and get warmed up. I'll call in Uber Eats, is there anything you don't like?" I shook my head no and watched as water droplets from his hair fell onto his bare chest and disappeared into the sweats that now left little to no imagination.

It took all I had to not stare when he ditched his shirt the moment we got to his house, and must I say, is enormous. I've been to a few of them here on Lake Norman, but none of them was this extreme, and to think, he lives by himself.

"Um, there might be some girlie stuff here." Chase started to open up drawers and cabinets in his bathroom and then produced a basket. "My ex left these here and I just haven't had a chance to toss them yet, feel free to use them." Oh, so that explains why he lives alone in such a big house. Chase wouldn't make eye contact with me when he mentioned her and there was no denying the fact that his jaw tightened.

"Oh, okay, thanks."

"Um, yeah, I'll be out here if you need me." He shut the bathroom door as I eyeballed the basket. I wasn't sure how to feel about knowing he had someone in his past? But then again, I'm a nobody so it doesn't matter.

I stood in the hot shower, allowing the droplets to cascade down my body and as much as I tried to not think about our kiss, I failed. Did it mean anything? I'm not sure. Why did he kiss me in the first place? I know there's something there between us, but what does it all mean?

I dried off shaking my head from all of that and just focused on the now. We needed to talk through things first. Maybe I can get a better understanding of where his mindset is at and hopefully clear up what I heard him say to that girl.

Most importantly, I need to know why he kissed me.

I threw on his clothes, feeling a bit awkward at the fact I was wearing a pair of his boxer briefs, let alone a pair of sweats that hugged every inch of me and a hoodie that was extremely baggy. I inhaled deeply, smelling the exotic notes of his cologne. He was never getting this hoodie back.

I opened the door to the bathroom and tiptoed down the hall where Chase showed me where the dryer was. He already had his clothes in but I threw in mine and added more time.

"Chase?" I called out, walking to where his living room was but stopped when I saw him. He was standing looking out his massive floor to ceiling windows. Lake Norman filled the entire view with dark clouds hanging low and water droplets falling down the window. Chase had his back to me, still shirtless, but now wearing track pants.

"Yeah, she's here, and no I'm not going to do anything stupid to make her run." Chase was on the phone with who I assumed was Ryan. "I promise, Blaney, there's just something about her that draws me to her, I can't shake it. She's been all I've been thinking about since she walked out of the gym earlier this week." My heart stilled when he said those words. "Of course I feel guilty, what I did was a fucking dick move, but this isn't guilt I'm feeling. I don't know what it is. I just..." Chase shook his head, "I just need to make things right." Finally, Chase turned around and looked me square in the eye. "I have to go, she's out of the shower. I will, see ya at work." I wish I could hear what Ryan is saying to him, but I know he's just looking out for me based on Chase's response.

My heart was still in my throat and suddenly I'm very shy. The man standing in front of me was looking at me through new eyes. Walking out of the gym that day must have bothered him more than I realized. Even though what I overheard was hurtful, I should have listened to what he had to say. I should know better than to hold something against someone.

"Ryan just called to make sure you're safe. He said the road to your condo is flooded and that you should stay here for the night, but if you'd rather go elsewhere, I'll drive you there. I don't want to make you stay here if you don't want to." A crack of thunder shook the house at that moment, the lights flickering on and off. The last thing I wanted to do was go out in the raging storm outside.

"I think staying here would be the safest option."

"Are you sure?" He was giving me an out, but I could tell by the grip he had on his cell phone that he was scared that I would leave.

"I'm sure." Chase sighed in relief and ran his hands through his hair.

"Okay, I'll show you where you can sleep at then." He started to walk towards me but I held up my hands.

"Chase, we should talk, you know, about what just happened." Chase smiled and laughed and suddenly I'm seeing a side of him I've never seen before.

He was actually blushing if I wasn't mistaking, which seemed impossible because of how tan he was. He plopped down onto his couch, covering his face with his hands before groaning. He finally looked up at me and laughed.

I stood nervously at the edge of his living room not sure where to sit. Finally eyeballing a chair across the room, I started to head there when suddenly I'm intercepted. "Sit with me?" Chase said into my hair, wrapping his strong arms around my center.

I wanted to melt into his arms, let him cocoon me to the point where I would be forever happy living where I most want to be, but I can't let one kiss in the rain wash away everything that's happened before.

Connection or not.

"Gabriella," Chase sighed, his arms tightening around me. "I'm sorry for all the shit I've put you through," he whispered. "When you walked into the gym that first day, I was not in the right place mentally. I allowed what was happening in my life cloud my mind with judgement. I'm ashamed on how I acted."

I turned around in Chase's arms and when I looked up into his eyes I was shocked to see him in tears.
"Don't cry, pretty boy," I reached up to catch a falling teardrop.

"I can't help it. I've turned into the guy I promised I would never turn into. I started working at the gym as a trainer with the intentions of helping people but all I did was get too high and mighty and began to think people were a lost cause before I even gave them the chance." Chase continued to cry and it was tearing me up inside, "and then I fuck up big time."

"What I don't get, is why did you say what you did the other day? Why say it if you don't mean it." Chase shook his head and dropped his arms. Turning towards the floor to wall window I watched through tears as he pulled at his hair.

"Cuz I'm a fucking dick who only wanted one thing in that moment."

"Oh," was all I could say. "Gotcha."

"Gabby, I'm."
"No," I said cutting him off, "don't say you're sorry if that's what you truly meant."
"But I,"

"Did you mean it? Tell me the truth."

"Yes. I meant every word I said."

"This whole thing was a mistake." I turned and ran towards the front door, running out of it and into the pouring rain.

I was soaked within seconds and I didn't even care. I'm just so tired of giving guys the benefit of a doubt and then they turn around and go back just how they were to begin with.

I'm done with them and I'm done with Chase.