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. Danica. I m sorry, Chase.I m sending you mixed signals all over theplace. 91 Lynn Ames I know this isn t easy for you.I understand that you must beconflicted.When someone so vital to your life is ripped away, itleaves a hole that you think can never be repaired. The compassion in Chase s eyes touched Danica deep inside,in a place she hadn t even known existed.She tucked the feelingaway for later examination. All I m asking for is a chance for both of us to explore newpossibilities. Chase held out her hands in supplication. I venever experienced loss on the level that you have as an adult, soperhaps I m not qualified to say anything.But I know that youmake me feel things I ve never felt before.I can t explain it.I justknow that it s the most powerful pull I ve ever known. Shedropped her hands to her sides. Now I ve probably succeeded inscaring you even more. No.You haven t. Danica took several steps forward until shewas directly in front of Chase. I feel it, too.If I didn t, I wouldn tbe here.But you re braver than I am, Chase. Chase s head shot up, a look of incredulity on her face.Danica gave a shy shrug. I m afraid.What I feel for you isattraction, yes, but it goes far beyond that and that s hard for me toreconcile. She bit her lip in consternation. I loved Sandy.Shewas my life for a very long time. Despite her best efforts,Danica s voice cracked with emotion. I know, Chase said quietly, drawing Danica to her. It sokay. Let me finish. Danica put a hand on Chase s chest andcreated a modicum of distance between them.She couldn t thinkclearly when she was in Chase s arms. But I don t ever rememberfeeling for Sandy anything close to the intensity of what I feel foryou, and I don t even know you.How am I supposed to live withthat? Guilt is a wasted emotion, Chase said. It doesn t changeanything, it doesn t solve anything.It only weighs you down andholds you back.You loved Sandy.That s very clear.She knowsthat.I know that, too. The words were measured and without rancor, and Danicawilled herself not to pull away as Chase took her hands. I don t want to compete with what you and Sandy hadtogether.I can t. Chase shook her head. Every relationship is92 Heartsongdifferent.The dynamics are different, the personalities aredifferent, the circumstances are different. She held up their linkedhands where they could both see them. There s a connection Ifeel with you that I can t ignore, and I can t explain it away.I feltit the first time I saw you. I felt it too, Danica said around the lump in her throat. Andit terrified me. Join the crowd.But if we don t take the time and make theeffort to find out what this is, Chase indicated their hands, we llalways wonder.Life s too short and too precious.I don t want tolook back and wonder, Danica. Danica couldn t shrink away from Chase s penetrating gaze.What she saw in those eyes was tenderness, compassion,understanding, patience, and determination. I guess this really isone of life s unscripted moments, huh? I guess it is, Chase agreed.Danica swallowed hard. I can t tell you I m not still scared outof my wits.But I ve never been a coward before.I suppose itwouldn t do to become one now. She lifted her chin and lookedChase squarely in the eye. Good, Chase said, squeezing Danica s hands. I know itwon t be easy and I recognize that there will be some dauntingchallenges.All I ask is the chance for us to get to know each otherbetter, to see what develops. Fair enough.Now about that dunking& With a glint in hereye, Danica threw herself forward into Chase, carrying them bothover the side and into the water. You are in so much trouble. You have to catch me first& You re where? Tisha asked, her voice rising. I m in Florida on vacation. Chase stood at the window in herhotel room, looking out at the water, the cell phone held againsther ear. I got that from Lena, but I didn t believe her.She said youtook off like a bat out of hell, shouting instructions over yourshoulder on your way out the door last night. I had a plane to catch. 93 Lynn Ames Chase, this is me you re talking to.The last vacation you tookwas three years ago. Six months, Chase corrected. Three years, six months.It s all the same.The point is youaren t someone who just takes off on a whim.What gives? Nothing gives. Chase could picture Tisha pacing aroundher office, gesticulating wildly. Bullshit.Where s the fire? You can t convince me that yousuddenly had such an overwhelming urge to feel the sand betweenyour toes that you junked everything in the middle of the night fora couple of days on the beach by yourself. Chase knew that last line was a fishing expedition, but shewasn t ready to talk about Danica yet.She checked her watch.They were due to meet in the lobby in twenty minutes for a sunsetstroll on the beach, followed by dinner. It s called spontaneity,Tish.You ought to try it sometime. Chase Crosley& Gotta run.I ll call you when I get back to New York. You are infuriating. It s part of my charm, remember? Not so much right now. Tisha mumbled an expletive underher breath, as if something had just occurred to her. It s not yourhealth, is it? Are you feeling all right? Fine, thanks for asking. Chase didn t want to talk about herhealth; she didn t want to think about it.Nor did she want toentertain any more of Tisha s speculations.Better cut this short. Ireally do have to go.Bye, Tish. She hung up the phone andstretched out on the bed.For the first time in weeks, her headdidn t hurt.In fact, she felt better than she had in months.Thankyou, Danica.Just the thought of her made Chase s pulse quicken.The dayon the boat had been magical, and now she had the evening to lookforward to.A vision of Danica in her black bikini, her hair slickedback, rivulets of water dripping down her cleavage, her nippleserect from the chill of the ocean, floated across Chase s mind.Ashower.I need a quick shower.A cold, quick shower.Chasejumped up and stripped on her way to the bathroom.94 HeartsongDanica examined herself critically in the bathroom mirror.Herskin was tanned from the day spent in the sun, her naturally blondhair had lightened a shade, and her face glowed with good health.She hardly recognized herself.Since she had a few minutes before she had to be downstairs,Danica sat down on the couch in the living room.She could veinvited Chase to pick her up at her suite again, but the setting felttoo dangerous, too intimate, in her fragile emotional state [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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. Danica. I m sorry, Chase.I m sending you mixed signals all over theplace. 91 Lynn Ames I know this isn t easy for you.I understand that you must beconflicted.When someone so vital to your life is ripped away, itleaves a hole that you think can never be repaired. The compassion in Chase s eyes touched Danica deep inside,in a place she hadn t even known existed.She tucked the feelingaway for later examination. All I m asking for is a chance for both of us to explore newpossibilities. Chase held out her hands in supplication. I venever experienced loss on the level that you have as an adult, soperhaps I m not qualified to say anything.But I know that youmake me feel things I ve never felt before.I can t explain it.I justknow that it s the most powerful pull I ve ever known. Shedropped her hands to her sides. Now I ve probably succeeded inscaring you even more. No.You haven t. Danica took several steps forward until shewas directly in front of Chase. I feel it, too.If I didn t, I wouldn tbe here.But you re braver than I am, Chase. Chase s head shot up, a look of incredulity on her face.Danica gave a shy shrug. I m afraid.What I feel for you isattraction, yes, but it goes far beyond that and that s hard for me toreconcile. She bit her lip in consternation. I loved Sandy.Shewas my life for a very long time. Despite her best efforts,Danica s voice cracked with emotion. I know, Chase said quietly, drawing Danica to her. It sokay. Let me finish. Danica put a hand on Chase s chest andcreated a modicum of distance between them.She couldn t thinkclearly when she was in Chase s arms. But I don t ever rememberfeeling for Sandy anything close to the intensity of what I feel foryou, and I don t even know you.How am I supposed to live withthat? Guilt is a wasted emotion, Chase said. It doesn t changeanything, it doesn t solve anything.It only weighs you down andholds you back.You loved Sandy.That s very clear.She knowsthat.I know that, too. The words were measured and without rancor, and Danicawilled herself not to pull away as Chase took her hands. I don t want to compete with what you and Sandy hadtogether.I can t. Chase shook her head. Every relationship is92 Heartsongdifferent.The dynamics are different, the personalities aredifferent, the circumstances are different. She held up their linkedhands where they could both see them. There s a connection Ifeel with you that I can t ignore, and I can t explain it away.I feltit the first time I saw you. I felt it too, Danica said around the lump in her throat. Andit terrified me. Join the crowd.But if we don t take the time and make theeffort to find out what this is, Chase indicated their hands, we llalways wonder.Life s too short and too precious.I don t want tolook back and wonder, Danica. Danica couldn t shrink away from Chase s penetrating gaze.What she saw in those eyes was tenderness, compassion,understanding, patience, and determination. I guess this really isone of life s unscripted moments, huh? I guess it is, Chase agreed.Danica swallowed hard. I can t tell you I m not still scared outof my wits.But I ve never been a coward before.I suppose itwouldn t do to become one now. She lifted her chin and lookedChase squarely in the eye. Good, Chase said, squeezing Danica s hands. I know itwon t be easy and I recognize that there will be some dauntingchallenges.All I ask is the chance for us to get to know each otherbetter, to see what develops. Fair enough.Now about that dunking& With a glint in hereye, Danica threw herself forward into Chase, carrying them bothover the side and into the water. You are in so much trouble. You have to catch me first& You re where? Tisha asked, her voice rising. I m in Florida on vacation. Chase stood at the window in herhotel room, looking out at the water, the cell phone held againsther ear. I got that from Lena, but I didn t believe her.She said youtook off like a bat out of hell, shouting instructions over yourshoulder on your way out the door last night. I had a plane to catch. 93 Lynn Ames Chase, this is me you re talking to.The last vacation you tookwas three years ago. Six months, Chase corrected. Three years, six months.It s all the same.The point is youaren t someone who just takes off on a whim.What gives? Nothing gives. Chase could picture Tisha pacing aroundher office, gesticulating wildly. Bullshit.Where s the fire? You can t convince me that yousuddenly had such an overwhelming urge to feel the sand betweenyour toes that you junked everything in the middle of the night fora couple of days on the beach by yourself. Chase knew that last line was a fishing expedition, but shewasn t ready to talk about Danica yet.She checked her watch.They were due to meet in the lobby in twenty minutes for a sunsetstroll on the beach, followed by dinner. It s called spontaneity,Tish.You ought to try it sometime. Chase Crosley& Gotta run.I ll call you when I get back to New York. You are infuriating. It s part of my charm, remember? Not so much right now. Tisha mumbled an expletive underher breath, as if something had just occurred to her. It s not yourhealth, is it? Are you feeling all right? Fine, thanks for asking. Chase didn t want to talk about herhealth; she didn t want to think about it.Nor did she want toentertain any more of Tisha s speculations.Better cut this short. Ireally do have to go.Bye, Tish. She hung up the phone andstretched out on the bed.For the first time in weeks, her headdidn t hurt.In fact, she felt better than she had in months.Thankyou, Danica.Just the thought of her made Chase s pulse quicken.The dayon the boat had been magical, and now she had the evening to lookforward to.A vision of Danica in her black bikini, her hair slickedback, rivulets of water dripping down her cleavage, her nippleserect from the chill of the ocean, floated across Chase s mind.Ashower.I need a quick shower.A cold, quick shower.Chasejumped up and stripped on her way to the bathroom.94 HeartsongDanica examined herself critically in the bathroom mirror.Herskin was tanned from the day spent in the sun, her naturally blondhair had lightened a shade, and her face glowed with good health.She hardly recognized herself.Since she had a few minutes before she had to be downstairs,Danica sat down on the couch in the living room.She could veinvited Chase to pick her up at her suite again, but the setting felttoo dangerous, too intimate, in her fragile emotional state [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]