Page 51 of Chasing Lyric
Even still, he moves to usher me in, his hand firmly on my back.
“Let it go, Hallmark.” I raise my brow, letting him know I’ve won this round.
He chuckles, lifting his hand. “One-all. But Iamgoing to win, Lyri,” he says, then continues walking, shaking his head as he goes.
I laugh to myself as Chase shifts into the driver’s side while I take in the feel of the leather seats. Now, this is comfort.The dashboard is like something better suited to a sci-fi movie than an automobile.
I sink into the seat, feeling completely out of my depth.
He reaches over to grab my hand. “I got you, Starlight.”
Just a little bit of support from him goes a long way, so I sit taller, relaxing, feeling more at ease. He starts the engine, but I can barely even hear it. The radio turns on instantly, and I love that it’s on the ’80s rock channel.
We drive for a little while. My eyes take in the city streets of LA as my foot taps along to the power ballads playing tonight. I find myself lost in the music, in the endless melodies as I stare out the window, quietly singing along.
“You have such a sweet voice. Why don’t you do something with it?”
My body tenses as I remember where I am, who I’m with. I was so relaxed I forgot I was singing, and Chase can hear me. I turn to him, my face stern. “I already told you. Idon’tsing.”
He doesn’t push as he drives, pulling the car into a place called LEVEL. I don’t really know what it is, but I’ve heard of it before somewhere in passing.
The valet talks to Chase while I walk around to his side of the car. I’m still in the dark right now about what we’re doing.Maybe this is another restaurant?
“Thank you.” Chase offers the valet a tip.
Then he reaches out for my hand, so I give it to him, feeling that all-too-familiar spark.
I don’t want the tension over my non-singing to become an issue again. So, I cuddle into his side as he walks me toward the elevator. “Can you tell me yet what we are doing?”
He waggles his brows suggestively. “Strip club.”
I gasp, jerking my head back. “Seriously?”
“You should see your face…” He laughs. “No, c’mon. Trust me, Lyri.”
We step inside the elevator, and he presses the button for the fourth floor. My mind wanders over all the possible scenarios waiting for me when those doors open. The elevator dings, and when the doors spread wide, it’s a rooftop with a giant movie screen. I inwardly bounce around like a schoolgirl but keep my cool on the outside as I take in Chase’s gorgeous face.
“An outdoor cinema?”
He bobs his head. “The movie is set to begin after the sun sets. I thought it might be something you’d like?”
“This istotallysomething I’d like.”
He interlocks our fingers, and we walk over to the counter to grab some popcorn and blankets. Once we’re all geared up, we make our way to the back row into a loveseat for two.
It’s cozy, and I am able to inch closer to Chase.
It’s more than perfect.
The only problem is that we have to wear earbuds for the movie, so I won’t be able to talk to him properly. But until it starts, I’ll keep them out. “What movie are we seeing?” I ask.
He winces. “The only thing they’re playing tonight isBeetlejuice. The first one, so…”
I laugh. “I loved that movie as a kid.”
Chase visibly relaxes while I cuddle into his side a little more. The stars begin to twinkle, and the city lights shine brightly under the velvet sky.
The movie’s about to start, so I place my earbuds into my ears. The volume of the movie isn’t as loud as I thought it was going to be, so I can still kind of hear what’s going on around the outdoor cinema. There are people coughing, chairs scraping, but the atmosphere is electric. I sit cuddled up to Chase, watching Winona Ryder looking so incredibly young, and I feel like I’m buzzing on the inside.
