Resume Of Romance

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

The color drains from Rylie’s face as she lifts her head to see the person getting on the elevator.   Her phone slides out of her hand landing on the elevator floor near her foot.  Chace’s brow creases in a heavy scowl pressing his lips together in a thin line.  Her eyes get momentarily stuck staring at his lips having memories of where they were a little more than twenty-four hours ago.  

Stepping on the elevator with her he bends over to pick up her phone.  Taking his time standing up he gazes appreciatively at her in her grey suede heels and raspberry dress accentuating every curve.  Her dark mahogany hair caresses her shoulders bordering her shocked face.  Her natural pink lips don’t look swollen or bruised.  Chace is thinking the guy damn sure kissed her everywhere else.  

He’s standing in front of her gazing at her with his deep blue eyes like waves crashing down on her.  The width of his broad shoulders in his charcoal striped suit is blocking her view of the elevator doors closing her alone in the six by eight confined space with him.   

He hits the pause button on the elevator panel then flips a switch turning on the intercom telling security to keep the door closed and the intercom off, he’s having a meeting. 

Rylie scowls at him, what meeting…. in the elevator just because she’s late?    Okay….an hour late, he did threaten to punish her.  Chace takes a step closer to her she backs up against the elevator wall, he’s moving forward, she drops her purse on her shoulder neither picks it up.  His hands rest over hers holding onto the elevator’s safety bar pinning her into the corner. 

“You’re late.”  He comments bluntly his nose almost touching hers.  

“I’m not really late, there’s an explanation.”  She utters feeling guilty and uncomfortable.  She tries not to squirm but bumps her head anyway on the back of the elevator wall.  “Ouch…”  She yelps but is unable to move her pinned hand to feel behind her head to rub the spot. 

“Does it hurt?”  He ask as if speaking to a small child. 

Blood rushes to her cheeks with humiliation at the look in his eyes.  She nods her head.    

Chace slips one hand behind her head massaging the bumped spot.    “Better…”  His voice softens but she can still see the turmoil in his eyes.   He seems to be mad at her.  Gathering a handful of her hair in his hand he pulls her head closer to his lips but they don’t touch. 

“Tell me why you’re late Rylie.”  Her rich pecan eyes are looking into his deep turbulent ones this isn’t about her being late it’s about something else.  

“Chace….I was in the parking garage getting my things out of my car I dropped my flat shoes underneath it.   I couldn’t reach them, I had to get one of the guards to help me.”  She softly says.  It’s partially true she did drop the shoes when Jayson approached her but the guard was walking by after Jayson left he was able to reach under her car getting the shoes for her in about a minute. 

“You expect me to believe that took an hour.”  He narrows his eyes at her, anger and frustration evident in his look.   

“I don’t know how long it took you can ask the guard his last name was….. Hanson.”  Rylie is shaken by his perceptive gaze. 

He releases her hair stands up straight but the scowl doesn’t leave.  “That’s what you want to tell me?”  He responds sounding disappointed. 

“Yeah….that’s what happened the shoes are in my bag.”  She calmly says. 

“I don’t give a damn about the shoes Rylie, I give a damn that you’re lying to me.”  Is his curt response his voice echoing inside the elevator?  He hits the pause button again on the elevator panel, the doors open he walks out leaving her alone in the elevator.  “Go to work Rylie.”  He says brusquely his back to her. The elevator doors close between them.  Rylie leans over holding on to the elevator railing.  “What was that?”  She says out loud to herself.