17

Chase had spent the entire weekend on lockdown in his house.

And he wasn’t complaining in the least.

Vivien rolled over in his arms and groaned. “We have to get out of bed today, Chase. We have no food. More important, we have no coffee.”

Chase groaned. “Who needs coffee?”

“I do. Without it, I have no energy for showering and without showering I have no more energy for sex.”

“Coffee, it is then,” he said, pulling her against him and kissing her deeply. Morning breath be damned. Vivien tasted amazing all hours of the day and night.

She broke the kiss and pinned him with a pointed look. “And you’re taking me on a date tonight. A real, bona fide buy-me-dinner, pull-out-my-chair date.”

Chase grinned. He was already way ahead of her when it came to that but if she wanted to think she was calling the shots, he was happy to indulge her. “Is that right?”

Vivien nodded as she buttoned his shirt over her bare breasts. “It is. Can’t have you thinking I’m easy.” She leaned forward and kissed him sweetly on the lips. “Now. Coffee. Then we go for a run because I feel like a slug. Then . . .”

Chase wrapped his arms around her waist and touched his forehead to hers. “Then I take you on that real date.”

***

After insisting that they run by her place to grab her some clothes so she wouldn’t have to leave his bed, Chase texted Luke to make sure everything was set for the next few days. While she was inside packing a bag, he was in the truck covertly texting.

You’re sure it’s empty?

Luke’s reply was quick, which was good because he wasn’t sure how much time he had before Vivien returned.

I’m positive. No one will be there until Labor Day. You’re good. Key is under the third rock on the path at the back door.

Chase texted him another thank-you, grateful that Luke had come through for him.

When Vivien returned, they took the long way to the grocery store on the other side of town. Once they were inside the large, well-lit market, they browsed, discussed recipes she wanted to try, and picked up the basics. Milk, bread, butter, cheese, turkey from the deli—shaved because that’s how she liked it— sugar, snacks, cereal, all the necessary paper products and plenty of coffee. Chase grabbed a frozen pizza because he wasn’t sure there would be delivery where they were going.

As they reached the checkout aisle, Vivien grabbed a pack of peanut M&Ms and tossed them on the conveyor belt.

“My weakness,” she said with a sheepish grin. “A girl’s got to have a vice or two.”

Chase nodded, making a mental note of her favorite candy while paying the cashier. “So what’s your other one?”

“You,” she whispered, tucking her hands into the back pockets of his jeans and lifting on her tiptoes to place a warm kiss on the back of his neck.

It was a simple thing really, grocery shopping. But there was something special about doing it with her. Hearing her order the meat how she liked it, watching her pick Little Debbie snack cakes from the back of the shelf because she swore that’s where the freshest ones were. She bit her lip as if she were considering life-or-death military maneuvers during wartime when deciding which brand of breakfast blend coffee beans to buy.

She made him smile. He was grinning like an idiot by the time they reached his truck.

“I didn’t expect you to enjoy grocery shopping so much,” Vivien said, nudging his shoulder as she helped load the purchases into the backseat.

“Only with you, sweetheart.” He patted her ass as he reached for the next item from the cart. “Only with you.”