Page 128 of Committed to You

There is a noise from outside, and I glance out the window and see Noah’s black car with the dark-tinted windows pulling up.

“Is that you, Chase?” Meredith looks out the window both nervous and excited.

“Yes. Stay inside so you don’t get cold. I’m coming in.” Chase steps out of the car the moment it stops, and my pulse increases.

Waving the gun around, she runs five feet to the door and opens it. When Chase gets there, she flings herself on him, pulling him down to her for a kiss with the barrel right up against his cheek.

“Whoa, gun down,” Chase tells her.

She giggles. “Sorry, baby.” She wraps her arms around his waist and puckers her lips to his. He glances at me quickly then back at her and kisses her quickly. He pulls back, and she says, “I don’t think that is any way to kiss me when you haven’t seen me in so long.”

He winces. “I’m sorry, baby. I don’t want you to get cold, that’s all. Let me in and shut the door, and I’ll kiss you.”

She giggles. “Okay.” He enters the cabin, and she shuts the door.

He holds his hand out. “Give me the gun.”

“Nope. Kiss me.”

He takes a deep breath, smiles at her, strokes her hair, and kisses her like she’s his entire world.

A tear slips out of my eye. He stops kissing her, and she breathlessly says, “That’s more like it.”

“Give me the gun, now.”

She waves it between him and me “Not yet, baby. You’ll get your turn. Be patient.”

“Be patient?”

“Yes. Be patient the way you made me be patient all these months. Remember when you texted me to be patient?”

He sighs. “Yes. Okay. I’ll be patient. But can you put it on the counter right now? You’re making me a bit nervous, pointing it at me.”

“You’re funny today.”

He stares at her. “Let me see what you’ve done with her.”

She points the gun at me.

He catches my eye, and another tear runs down my face.

“Aw, she’s crying again.” Meredith comes up to me. “It’s not nice when others take what you want, is it?”

Chase mouths, “I’m sorry,” at me.

I shake my head at Meredith. “No, it isn’t. I’m sorry I did that to you.”

“What did you do to her face? You told me you would wait for me,” Chase asks Meredith.

“I didn’t touch her except for the times you knew about. I promise.”

“Stand back and let me look.”

Meredith steps away, and Chase peers at my face and into my eyes. Pain fills his expression, and he blinks back tears.

Don’t start crying and get us both killed now.

“Why are you looking at her like that?” Meredith accuses.

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