Page 14 of Hard Candy Christmas

“It doesn’t matter anyway.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, hating how that sounded. Did he want to hate me for dating Bo? Did he want to date me? Did he want me to give Bo a chance?

Because the show he put on last night and now this, was leaving me thinking he didn’t want Bo and I together. But the flip side of the coin was also giving me whiplash because he sure as hell didn’t seem to want to date me.

“I don’t know what the fuck crawled up your ass, Chase, but if you don’t remove it, I will make sure to add my foot up there and let it stay! You are an insufferable man, and I don’t know how the hell to make you see that what happened ten years ago was something I was sorry for!”

“It doesn’t matter,” he hissed out, right as the first rain drop splattered on my head. I looked up, seeing the dark clouds and then looked back at him.

A few more drops came, and he smirked, tipping his hat to me as he sauntered back to the house. I watched as the rain came a little more, the shirt becoming a second skin.

Fuck me two ways from Sunday because that man could easily win a wet tee shirt contest. And those jeans? Yeah, fuck me now please.

There was no way that Chase didn’t know what he did to me. Which also meant that he knew I would never date Bo. That I would give everything right back to Chase if he asked.

Except, he didn’t seem to be asking anytime soon, and it would do me quite well to remember that he was only ever going to hate me.

Chapter Eight

Chase

Iknew I shouldn’t be messing with her like that. That I was giving her a hot and cold vibe and there didn’t need to be that.

I did not have feelings for that woman. But that didn’t mean we couldn’t be friends. If that was the road I was going to take, I couldn’t go on being an ass to her.

That was the speech I gave myself as I climbed out of bed this morning, the image of her in the rain clear as day in my mind.

And let me tell you, that image only made me recall another time we were in the rain. Let me say that love making while it’s wet outside, brought a whole new feeling, and I loved it. Very erotic, a must try. But maybe only with someone you really loved.

Anyway, back to the point at hand, can’t be thinking of sexual encounters with this woman or us staying friends won’t work.

I grabbed my jacket and hat, and bounced down the stairs, willing to make a truce with her, until I saw the snow. Those dark clouds that started out as rain blew into a snowstorm.

Well, not ideal, but it’s something I can play with.

With that, I walked off the back porch and made my way to her house, knocking on the front door.

“Chase?” Betty questioned as she opened the front door. Given that it was Sunday, she had the day off and I’m sure it was shocking to see me on her front stoop.

“Hey,” I told her, kissing her cheek, “is B in?”

“Yes. Come on in. She should be down any second.”

“Who’s at the door, Grandma…” she trailed off as she saw me. “Chase, what are you doing here?”

“I wanted to talk. And maybe go for a walk,” I told her, hat in hand and beyond nervous. Which was funny, given how many times I’ve seen this woman naked.

“I’d love to. Be back, Grandma.” She gave the older woman a kiss, grabbed her jacket, and then walked out with me. “Oh, there’s snow.”

“Yeah. Come on,” I told her, taking her hand and then running out into the snow-covered grass, easily kicking it up and laughing.

“Here you two go!” Betty called, setting a thermos on the front porch. Belinda grabbed it, then ran back over, her arm linking around mine.

“So, cocoa, snow, seems like a great time to talk,” she told me, and I grinned.

“It is.” I reached down, easily grabbing some snow and turning it into a snowball. “What happened, Belinda?”

“With what?” I didn’t miss the quick intake of her breath.

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