Running across the street, Chase made a beeline for the Land and Sea. He'd never been inside the small boutique before, even though it was one of the oldest shops in Blackwater. Actually, it was really called Emilia's Sea Stuff now, but everyone still called it the Land and Sea. Like everything else in town, things were really slow to catch on.
Much to the dismay of young people in town, Wal-Marts, twenty-four screen movie theaters, and trendy Apple stores were never going to part of their small town landscape. Most of the adults preferred it that way - they were staunchly against the bigger, flashier retail stores and did everything in their power to ban them whenever they came sniffing around. Chase didn't really care too much, since he had a car and could drive to the bigger cities to enjoy all that his own hometown was missing. Plus he was a bright kid, he recognized the fact that it was these very same non-progressive people that kept his dad's shop in business. Things in Blackwater were just the way they'd always been, and nothing would ever change that. People would also be calling it the Land and Sea no matter what it sold now or in the future, plain and simple. He pulled open the door and stepped inside the woman's clothing store.
Chase looked around trying to get his bearings. He'd never had any reason to shop here before. His mother was gone long before he started earning his own money to be able to buy things, and he'd never had any serious girlfriends before.
At least none as serious as Eliza.
She was the real thing, even if she hadn't chosen him over Dante a little bit ago. Chase knew he was the real reason she didn't want to leave the store and head to the lake with him. Even knowing that couldn't stop him from thinking about her great eyes, and that wonderful smile of hers. It just lit a fire in his blood whenever she just looked at him.
Eliza was so beautiful, and funny, and she made him feel things he couldn't even describe. He felt giddy and anxious and nervous all at the same time - but over all of it he just felt this strong urge to kiss her, to show her how much he wanted to be with her, how much he just wanted her. It was crazy really. He couldn't remember ever feeling so strongly about anyone else before, but Eliza was like a fever in his blood or an itch that just begged to be scratched. He just couldn't help himself.
And he didn't really want to either. For the first time in his life, he welcomed these newfound feelings. He felt...complete somehow.
Chase walked around the crowded store. It was cramped space full of women's summer wear. Boat pants, shorts, beach totes competed with other "sea" inspired items. It made it seem as if Blackwater was an ocean community like Cape Cod or Nantucket, instead of a landlocked town in the middle of Central Missouri.
The Black River was just outside of town and had given the town its name, but Blackwater wasn't anywhere close to a real sea. Chase guessed there must have been enough of a seasonal crowd coming through to enjoying the lake to support such a store. Even he'd spent most of his summers hanging out on the water with his dad on their old boat. His parents bought it the year they'd gotten married. They'd taken it out every weekend during the summer since he could remember. Even those last few years when his mom had been sick, they'd always gone out to the lake. It wasn't until Chase entered high school that his dad had stopped going so much.
His freshman year was the year his dad's store really took off, and they'd spent less and less time on the boat. Eventually his father had sold it to someone who'd actually use it. Chase had been sad to see the old boat go, especially because he'd had so many memories of him and his mom out on it, but he also understood why his dad had done it. He'd moved on. Still, even though he had to spend his days at the store, Chase tried to get out to the lake at least once a week. It really was a great time - all the kids from school were there partying, building small bonfires, or just hooking up. It was the only place besides the football field you could be sure to see everyone at some point in the evening.
Chase weaved his way through the racks of tank tops and beach towels until he found what he was looking for: the swimsuits.
Ever since last night, Chase had been unable to get the image of Eliza decked out in a small black bikini out of his head. She didn't look like the kind of girl that would have one just tucked away in her underwear drawer somewhere, but that didn't mean he couldn't buy her one as a gift. It would be a small token to show how sorry he really was for the way he'd left things. She could even wear it later tonight when he took her to the lake.
Going through the racks, he started to get a little discouraged. Besides the little girl swim suits and the ones that looked like something someone's grandmother might wear, he didn't see anything that even looked remotely close to what he had in mind.
Making a sound of disgust, he moved onto the next rack. It looked a little more promising - at least these swimsuits looked like something a girl his age might buy. He'd just found a navy blue bikini towards the back of this rack, and pulled it out when someone spoke to him.
"Hey there hot stuff. Picking out a new bathing suit?"
Chase looked up and found Kara beaming at him. Her boat shaped name tag was pinned just above her left breast, and he couldn't help but notice how great it looked there.
"Hi, Kara. I didn't know you worked here," he said surprised. Actually, now that he thought about it, he remembered Brady mentioning something about it the other day.
Kara flashed him one of her biggest smiles. "Yeah, I started right before we got out for the summer, remember? I was the only girl that got hired out of the dozens that applied for the job," she said proudly.
Chase knew the shop hardly ever hired high school kids to work there, not even just to clean up a little. Everyone knew the owner, a retired high school English teacher from St. Louis, was afraid it would attract too many kids and their five finger discount. But Kara's mother worked at the Hallmark next door, so she must've seemed like a relatively safe choice.
He nodded a little. "Right, I forgot about that. Brady said something about that a while back, sorry."
"Oh, that's okay," she said brightening. "So, what're you doing here? Can I help you find something?"
"I'm picking something out for a friend actually."
Kara looked at the navy bikini in his hand and raised one perfectly waxed eyebrow. "Really? If you can get Brady's flat butt in that little bitty bottom, then I'll be impressed."
They both laughed at that image. "Uh, no actually. Don't get me wrong, Brady's my boy and everything, but even I don't want to see that."
Kara giggled, turning a pretty shade of pink. "Good! I was actually starting to worry for a minute. You two have such a bromance going, you were about to give me a complex," she teased.
He chuckled a little, noticing how great she looked in her simple white button down work shirt. It was open at the neck and the first two buttons were undone, but she wore some kind of lacey undershirt beneath it. Simple khaki dress shorts showed off her tanned legs, and strappy sandals highlighted her freshly manicured toes.
"So, who are you shopping for...oh!" she said, suddenly figuring it out. It really wasn't a big mystery. It was all everyone at the lake was talking about; the new girl from New York staying at old Ms. Devillier's place. Everyone knew the ornery old witch had more great nieces than liver spots, but it'd been several years since one had come through town.
According to Brady's own mom, Ms. Devillier's last niece had been pretty hot and heavy with Chase's dad. It was kind of funny that history was repeating itself, even though Chase was nothing like his dad. He wasn't the kind of guy that went through a bunch of girls, definitely a far cry from the love 'em and leave 'em class of guys around school.
Besides being one of the most decent guys in their school, he was also one of the cutest. What wasn't to like about those great eyes and that perfect smile? Too bad he was also among one of the hardest to catch. He didn't really date all that much, and mostly girls had to be the ones to make the first move. Since she was actually studying some psychology, Kara figured it stemmed from him losing his mom at such a young age.
Plenty of girls were more than willing to try and be the one to land him though. Most of the girls in their grade had been crushing on Chase since middle school. Until she'd started dating Brady towards the end of the school year, she'd been among the slightly lovesick masses.
But she had Brady now and that was fine. Still, she couldn't help but feel a slight twinge of jealousy as she realized he was there shopping for a girl he barely even knew. "Chase Crawford, tell me you're not here shopping for Eliza Taylor already? You just met her the other day!"
Chase stiffened at the mention of her name. He wasn't sure he appreciated Kara's tone. "Actually, I am. We're headed to the lake later and I thought I'd get her something to wear. Something special."
"How special we talking?" she asked, moving over to stand by the rack.
He looked down at the tiny swimsuit in his hand. "Real special." Chase turned to her, his green eyes dark. "Do you have this in black?"
Kara felt her pulse quicken a little. She'd never seen Chase so worked up before. It was kind of hot.
"Maybe," she admitted a little huskily. There was something different about Chase today. He was definitely giving off some super sexy vibes and they suited him just fine. "Do you know what size she wears?"
Chase's brow furrowed for a minute. His eyes swept over Kara from top to bottom, resting a little longer on her chest and hips. "No, I don't. She's around your size right?"
"Well, I think I'm a little thinner around the waist and a little bigger up top." She stuck one hip out, and leaned forward just a little. Enough so he had a better view down her shirt as she pointed out her slightly better assets. "But I'll be more than happy to model something for you if you want to be sure it's just right."
Chase stared at his best friend's girlfriend and knew exactly what she was offering. Usually such a thing would never have crossed his mind, but Eliza had him all twisted up inside. His skin felt unbelievably tight and the rest of him felt ready to snap at any moment. The part of him that felt guilty for even thinking about doing something like that to Brady was overshadowed by this needier, almost desperate side of him.
Maybe a little distraction with Kara might help ease some of the tension he felt building just under his skin. Seeing Eliza had just made the sensation that much worse. Kara's attention couldn't have come at a better time. She was definitely hot enough, and even though she wasn't Eliza, she was willing to help him out with his small problem.
And that counted for something.
He nodded once, a small grin spreading across his face. "Yeah, I think that would be great. Do you have a dressing room around here?"
She licked her lips a little and pointed one French manicured finger behind him. "We have a small one in the back. It's private and I could show you a few different pieces if you want."
His eyes never left hers. "That would be perfect."
She turned, the skin around her neck and cheeks flushing a little at the way he was staring at her. Her hands moved through the racks quickly and with practiced ease. She found two more bikinis, and Chase was glad to see one of them was actually black.
When she was done with the rack she turned to him and held out her hand for the one he was still holding. As he passed her the hanger, their fingers met and Chase felt a jolt pass from his fingers down to Kara, making her hiss from the contact. Her eyes widened a little bit, and Chase could practically feel her growing excitement. It was a little bit of a rush.
"Follow me," she whispered, a little out of breath.
Chase didn't have to be told twice. He followed his best friend's girlfriend to the back dressing room, watching her as she put a little more sway into her walk. He was glad no one else was inside the store shopping right now. He had a feeling things were going to get a little loud in the back room and he hated to cost Kara her new job.