Page 49 of Capturing Ava
“Faith,” I smirk.
“Sure, blind faith.” He chuckles. “If he gave you the option to stay or go, would you stay?”
It was a question I had often asked myself over the last few months. Would I stay or would I go? I never had an answer to that question. I didn’t know what I would do, because Chase would never let me go.
“Isn’t that a pointless question? You know he would never—.”
“But if he did, would you stay?” He asks more softly.
That was the question I had asked myself over the last few days, would I stay or would I go? I didn’t know. If he had asked me this when I first arrived, I knew without a doubt I would take my chances in the wilderness, but now? I wasn’t sure.
Time with Chase was not what I had expected it to be. I had expected to be his prisoner, back to the place I had avoided, shrouded in sadness and trapped in the unsafe net that he had bound me to, but that isn’t what he had given me. He had given me safety, and little by little, softened my heart.
“I guess we will never know.” I smile.
“Oh, yeah?”
“Chase would never let me go.”
Then a smile slips across his lips. “Ava, maybe he would, but maybe you don’t want him to.” He whispers.
His words slid across my body. Maybe he was right. Maybe just for once—I wanted someone to need me so much that they couldn’t let me go. That everything we had been through meant something to him.
Yes, maybe he would let me go.
I hoped he wouldn’t, though, and just like that, I had my answer.
If he gave me the option to stay or go…
I would stay.
22
DANCEWITHMETONIGHT
CHASE
I watch from the door as her fingers glide over the silk-white ribbon that ties the White box together. Her eyes widen and then I see the corners of her mouth upturn into a bright smile reaches up to her dazzling blue eyes. “What’s this for?” She asks, noticing my presence.
I walk towards her, wrapping my arms around her waist and placing a slight kiss on her neck. “This, oh, this is just something I picked up.” She turns in my arms, looking at me. “It’s a gift, Ava. Open it.”
“You bought me a gift.” Her eyes widen. “Why?”
“That’s the great thing about gifts. They are not supposed to be questioned. Now open it.” She looks down at her feet before drifting her eyes across my body. She nods.
Slipping out of my arms, she turns and unties the bow. Lifting the box, I hear a gasp fall from her lips. “Chase, I can’t accept this.”
“Why not.”
“It’s just—I don’t deserve this. You should take it back.” She turns away from me and walks towards the window.
My hands slide across her hips, pulling her body close to mine and turning her until I can feel her hot breath tickle my chest. My fingers grip her chin until she raises her eyes to meet mine. “You deserve the world, but we will start with the dress. Never say you deserve nothing, Ava. You deserve everything.” The tears form in her eyes and I can’t bear to see her cry again. “What’s wrong, baby?”
“I—I don’t understand why you are being so nice to me.” She chokes out.
“Don’t start that again.” I smile. “Put on the dress, pretty girl.” I hear her sniffle and I lay a kiss upon her pretty little head. “I will see you downstairs.” I turn to walk away from her, my hand freezes as I reach the door. “I appreciate what you did today. Nobody has ever cooked me anything, Ava.” She doesn’t make a sound and I don’t turn to look at her. “You deserve the world,” I utter as I walk away from her.
“Chase,” I hear her shout, which stops me in my tracks. “Why do you care so much?” She asks me.
