Brooke and Chase by Amicia Bianchi (good book recommendations .txt) 📕

Knowing I didn't have a penchant for getting in trouble she gave me a basic run through of her "be careful" speech. She reminded me that I could always call her and told me she'd text me later, for her own peace of mind, to make sure I hadn't fallen into trouble. I conveyed that since I wasn't planning to staying out for long she shouldn't wait too long to text or call me. She laughed and got into her car, after she was gone Chase pulled into the driveway and I locked the house before I went to get in his car.

Taking our time, Chase took a detour to his house where we hung around for a little while. Being a jokester, he offered to put a movie on and order pizza, claiming "who said we couldn't be late".

While it did sound like a better way to pass the time ultimately, I had to take a rain check. Although the party itself didn't enthuse us, the anticipation of being alone together again during the car ride home after the night was over would be enough to tide us over. Originally that was the reason why I thought he'd seemed triumphant when I'd told him "definitely next time" but Chase obviously interpreted it as having worn me down and that I was loosing up, as I finally seemed to be taking the bait he's been laying out. So during the car ride over Chase started things off by reaching across his center console for my hand.

"Chase?" I raised my eyebrow at him.

"Hmm?" he hummed, not looking at me.

"What are you up to?" I questioned evenly.

"Nothing much, I'm just offering moral support," he offered me his thousand watt smile that he only used on me when I knew he was up to trickery, "unless you want more, in which case, I'd be more than willing to accommodate you..."

"It's still the last day," I reminded him.

"Come on, this is literally the last few hours," he argued.

"So we're counting down now?" I laughed. "What are you going to do, kiss me at midnight like it's new years or something?"

"Beware little human, I might just," his voice throaty and thick with a bit rumble from his chest that I could hear, if I didn't know better I'd think he'd growled it. His eyes flashed predatorily at me, much like when it happened before, as he grinned at me I noticed that his cuspid teeth seemed rather sharp.

Man, he could really be a wolf sometimes...

When we got there people were already there and Amanda had music we just blended in but hadn't ventured further than the living room. Since I'd invited Sophie and my friends I wanted to keep an eye on the door so I'd know when they got here.

Not long after Chase and I arrived they walked in. Before they got there Chase introduced me to some people he knew since most people that were there I didn't know. By the time I saw Jennifer and Sophie I had been busy talking so they came over to join in our conversation. I got comfortable with the people I was talking to that I wasn't weird when Chuck Turner pulled Chase off to the side to ask him something. Even as he went in and out of my line of sight I wasn't worried, constantly checking where he was.

Eventually, Jen and I went deeper into the house since she claimed she was parched and wanted to dance. So she got a hearty sampling of the finger foods were put while I only took two small triangle sandwiches. Jen was brave enough to try the punch and even though I realized I'd left my water on the counter at home I was a bit skeptical so I didn't get any. She reasoned that there was a window before it started and luckily she had made it before a guy came and spiked it, even offering her some of what he was pouring into the bowl. She politely declined his offer, although she does drink, and her parents know about it, Jennifer drinks in moderation and only when she wants to. I knew she wouldn't be revisiting the punch bowl, despite it being the only thing available to drink, she prefers to know what she's drinking and while this guy was the first but he wouldn't be the last one to come by to add something.

As we were heading closer to the source of the music where everyone was dancing we bumped into Eric and I asked him if there was anything to drink besides the punch. I was hoping for something in a bottle or a can and when he was going to show us where those were a friend of ours approached us. Since we had become distracted by Nikki he offered to bring me it to me so I waited there even when the girls tried to pull me off to dance with them. Eventually/Finally Eric came back with a bottle of cold water and opened it for me before giving it to me then handed me the cap. He still lingered so I thanked him and took a big swig of water so I had an excuse not say anything else to him. Although it didn't taste that great beggars couldn't be choosers because I definitely didn't want to drink the now alcoholic punch. As I was trying to figure out a way to extricate myself Jen came to grab me and drag me away.

We quickly got lost in the crowd and thankfully he hadn't followed. We danced until I started to get hot but when we were heading toward the less populated area Jen got separated from us. While we were waiting for her to catch up Wanda texted me and I responded to let her know that I was still safe. Once she'd caught up we went back to the our original spot in the living room.

Sophie had disappeared somewhere in the house without telling anyone but Jennifer didn't seem fazed and simply had a knowing smile. That probably meant she was involved in the reason why Sophie had gone missing. Jennifer wouldn't tell me and later when she finally reappeared with Jen I didn't get a chance to ask her where she had been. Shortly after that Jennifer looked at her watch and announced that she had to go.

"I have to go you guys, I'm on babysitting duty," Jennifer told us as she got ready to leave.

"Babysitting duty?" Sophie asked.

"Yeah," she sighed.

"Tonight? Then how were you able to come aren't your brother's kids already at your house?" I asked.

"My sister-in-law, Nina, is going out of town to her parents' anniversary so I'm going to pick up the kids before her and Griffin leave for the airport," she explained.

Jennifer's brother, Griffin, and Nina, weren't actually married but they'd been together so long that they practically/basically were which was why Jen and her family referred to and treated her as such. The only reason that they weren't married at this point is because, as Jen told us, Griffin has "commitment issues". Their parents have continuously pressured him into marrying Nina, especially their mother who every time she sees him she makes it a point to bring it up, according to Jen. Griffin and Nina have 5 children and lived together, close enough to Griffin's parents that Griffin and Jennifer's parents become very close to Nina over the years. Jen's parents were always willing to help anyway they could and periodically took the children to give Nina and Griffin a break, which usually ended up with Jennifer watching the children. Most of the time Jen didn't mind babysitting them but there were times when she said she felt like it cramped her style if she was trying to do something else.

I momentarily had to step outside, as Wanda called me. While I was outside Sophie and Jen were leaving that's when I found out they'd rode together. I saw Nikki with them as well, who explained that she needed a ride and was tagging along.

"Alright well, we'll see you on Monday," as we said our goodbyes, Wanda heard them. When she asked and I told her my friends were leaving so I wouldn't be staying much longer she told me to call if anything happened and that she'd see me tomorrow.

I got off the phone soon after they were gone. I'd been telling Wanda that I was only waiting on the person who was giving me a ride to finish, when she heard me talking to Sophie, and I told her my friends were leaving. I then reiterated that I wouldn't be staying much longer, since I knew that the reason she was calling was because she was worried about my curfew. The only real "rule" my parents required of me was that I not violate my curfew and although they were never there to catch me or know if I had the only time I'd broken it had been for Chase's birthday but many of the house staff had been there to attest to the fact that nothing bad had happened. Considering what time it was now I would end up breaking it again but unlike last time the only person who knew I was out was Wanda. Although she trusted me, since I'd always been responsible up to now, she and all of the other staff had been specially asked to watch over me by my parents since they couldn't be here.

I went back inside to the living room and sat on the couch where Chase was. He came closer, putting an arm on the couch behind me, and whispered in my ear to tell me that he was waiting on Chuck to come back so as soon as he was done we'd leave.

"I know you've been giving me looks but it ought to only take him about 15 to 20 minutes. You can wait that long, right?" I slapped his thigh but couldn't help giggling at the look he gave me. I tried to bite my lip in order to stop myself but I couldn't no matter how hard I tried. I felt like I was on cloud nine, we both know how the night will end when we leave together.

Time seemed to fly by so fast it was all a blur and it felt like I was watching a movie, although I didn't hear what they were saying I joined in the laughter when I saw the rest of them laughing. Despite the day not actually being over I felt free and didn't mind Chase's "subtle" advances and possessive gestures, I even encouraged them. At some point Eric came by and when he noticed that I'd finished my water he offered to show me where the other water bottles and canned drinks were so that I could get it myself whenever I needed something to drink again. I got up too fast that I felt a little light headed but I ignored it and went with him, know it'd pass quickly. When we were halfway to