Falling for the Chase

Episode 57: Floodgates

Episode 57: Floodgates

When she heard the beep of the key card, Valentina was already in the middle of REM. She had dozed off in the suite with an ice pack after crying for about an hour. Really, she didn't know why the hell she was here. Maybe she'd hoped Chase hadn't gone to work so she could come here and receive a pity party. He didn't have to know exactly what had happened — he just needed to be there. To exist. For her to just catch a scent of him. His apartment was losing that sense of him. Being here in his space gave that back to her.

Valentina heard his footsteps as he entered, then him releasing an exhale as he most likely shrugged his outerwear off. She began to panic because she didn't expect him to be back this early. Her plan was to get here, wallow in the traces of him then head back home to prepare for their night. But as soon as he came into sight, she knew why she hadn't gone back to the apartment in the first place. She wasn't in the right frame of mind to do so.

The woman was a nervous, miserable and broken mess.

Chase saw that the moment his eyes made eye contact with her, feet taking him less than five seconds to be before her in a stoop.

"What's wrong?" He asked, hands cupping her face.

His soft green eyes were imploring. She had to suck in a breath not to get lost in them and spill the beans on everything she was coping with.

Instead she vaguely said, "I had a really bad day."

He frowned at that, thumbs massaging her face. "What does a bad day entail? Are the plans for your projects not going well? Did someone bully you? Was it...was it Kylo?"

She shook her head. "It's none of those things..."

His eyes stayed on her, reading her to see if she was telling the truth.

He became even more confused when he saw that she was.

"And Kylo has stopped annoying me for the past few weeks. I guess he got bored because I wasn't giving him the attention he wanted. He said he wants us to be friends though because he wants to 'learn from me' or whatever that means."

Valentina felt something tickle her chest as she saw relief fill his features.

It was only for a split second before he brought their faces together and gave the corner of her mouth a tentative kiss.

"Then what is it? Let me know so that I can help you. I hate to say it, baby, but you look like a mess."

She felt a laugh bubble up inside of her. It was amazing to see how he could have her feeling humored after everything she has been through today.

Her arms wrapped themselves around his shoulders and Chase gave the act a wary look.

"What?" She asked.

"It's nothing..." His eyes trailed from her hold to her gaze. His muscles tensed beneath her embrace. "It's just that I thought chasing you would entail not being able to hold you like this again until I've earned it."

Her brows drew together in thought as she froze.

"Not that I'm complaining!" He added quickly, drawing closer.

"It's just that I don't want you to feel forced to return any form of affection to me. I don't deserve that."

"No one can force me to do anything I don't want to." Not anymore.

It was as if he heard the little mental whisper and he looked at her dead serious. "Something happened."

She didn't say anything.