Free Finding Chase (Chasing Nikki) by Lacey Weatherford

floor. I went to my room, dropping it onto my bed and unzipped it. I began putting away the clean clothes my mom washed for me while I was home.
    She stepped inside my door, taking a few steps toward me, and I tried, unsuccessfully, not to feel excited she was there. “If nothing is wrong, then why do you keep leaving when I’m around? Seriously, I’m starting to feel like you’re mad at me or something.”
    “I’m not mad at you, Britt, okay? Let’s leave it at that.” I yanked a shirt over the hanger in my hand and took it to my closet before repeating the action.
    “You’re acting like you are.” She was biting her lip in a worried gesture when I glanced at her.
    “Well, I don’t mean to.” I reached into the bag for another shirt, pausing when I felt her hand on my arm.
    “Please tell me what’s wrong.”
    She was too close. I could smell the perfume she wore, and the soft scent called to me. I clenched my hands, balling them into fists as I closed my eyes, fighting the temptation.
    “Chase?”
    I lost the battle with that one word. I turned around, grabbed her face and kissed her, pressing my mouth hard and fast to hers before breaking away, stumbling a step backward.
    She looked at me in shock, her trembling hand moving to brush against her lips.
    “Go ahead. Yell at me. Tell me what a jerk I am for stealing a kiss. I deserve it. I need to hear it.” I glared, straightening my spine—ready for her attack.
    She moved toward me, looking me straight in the eyes. “I can’t.” She slid her arms around my neck and popped up on her tiptoes to kiss me again.
    I groaned as I relented, wrapping my arms around her. This couldn’t happen now. I was too needy, and I craved the feeling she was giving me. I crushed her body to mine, as our mouths tangled together, heat and passion running furiously to the surface between us. I felt her fingers digging into my skin, my shirt bunching beneath them. I broke from our embrace and pulled it over my head dropping it to the floor before stepping into the circle of her arms again, loving the feel of her hands sliding up against my bare skin. I pushed her back, brushing my bag off the bed before the two of us toppled together onto the soft mattress.
    The sensible side of my brain was screaming obscenities, trying to stop me, but I didn’t want to. I hadn’t been with a girl in well over a year. I was tired of waiting, of feeling alone. I’d waited for Nikki, and look where it had gotten me. I was going to lose myself for a while in the arms of Brittney.
    I broke away from her mouth, trailing kisses down her neck, along with a few nips against her skin. My hand slid up under her shirt, feeling the smooth satin of her stomach as I feathered kisses against her collarbone. Pushing her shirt farther out of the way, I trailed my tongue down to her belly button, and she arched against me.
    “Chase,” she breathed. “Chase, wait.”
    I didn’t want her to stop me. “Shhh. It’ll be fine, Nikki . . .”
    She stiffened, and I froze in horror as I realized what I’d said.
    I punched the wall, and she gave a slight shriek as I got off the bed. I grabbed my shirt off the floor and threw it back on before grabbing the keys to my truck off the dresser.
    “Where are you going?” she asked, propping up on her elbows.
    “Out. I can’t do this right now.” I headed for the door.
    “Chase wait!” she called.
    I spun around. “You wanted to know what the problem is? Well, there it is. I’m attracted to you, but I’m still in love with her! What am I supposed to do with that?”
    Her eyes were wide and round. “I . . . I don’t know.”
    “Well, neither do I.” I slammed the door on my way out. I left the apartment, and ran down to my truck, peeling out of the parking lot. I tried to calm my raging hormones as I drove—I was so turned on I could hardly see straight.
    My tires squealed into the parking lot of the gym, and I jumped out and ran inside. I went to