Chase was still fully dressed, if mussed. I had both sleeves back up over my shoulders but my dress was still gaping and unzipped in the back as the door to the kitchen opened. I did my best to hide my discomfort with a fake smile as I glanced at the interlopers. My smile slipped. It was my sister Jennifer and one of the venue managers. Double fuck.
Chase cleared his throat and gave Jennifer a quick smile before making things worse.
“Nothing to see here, just a little light debauching. We’re fine, but thanks for checking.”
Where were one of his stupid lies when we needed one? The truth would never work with my prim sister.
Jennifer frowned severely. “Really, Tamra? You couldn’t keep it in your pants long enough to make it home? Our grandmother is out there,” she hissed.
The clear derision in her tone sparked my temper. “Really, Jennifer?” I mimicked her tone. “Pretty damn sure our grandmother has had sex at least a few times. She had six fucking children.” I realized how that sounded a few beats too late. “I didn’t mean six children fucking. That’s disgusting. I meant that she clearly figured shit out if she had six children.”
Jennifer shook her head at me. “You look like hell. Why don’t you leave by the side door, like all the other trash?”
The pure vitriol in her statement caught me by surprise. I wasn’t Jennifer’s favorite, but her response seemed harsh for kitchen kissing. My kiss-swollen lips opened and closed, my mouth dry.
“Jennifer, right?” Chase asked. “I understand that emotions are high since this is a wedding and all, but that’s no way to speak to your sister. We didn’t do anything wrong.”
Jennifer gave him a pitying look and stormed away, and the venue manager did his best to blend into the background, ushering us out of the room.
“Yeah, I’ve got to lock this up now, sorry,” the older man said uncomfortably, refusing to make eye contact.
I shook with a cocktail of embarrassment and the remnants of frustrated desire. Chase grasped my hand and started to escort me back to our table. As if he experienced kitchen interruptus every day. Maybe he did. I pulled back, resisting, and he turned to me in concern. “You don’t want to rejoin the wedding?” he asked. “Would you rather go home?”
The adrenaline was wearing off and weariness took over. I couldn’t stay. I couldn’t pretend like nothing had happened. Not with Chase, not with Jennifer. We’d never been close, but I hadn’t expected the acid in her attack. I was her grown sister, not her child. My actions didn’t reflect on her. I shivered and looked up into Chase’s handsome face. My panties were still damp, and he acted like he got chased out of kitchens all the time. No big deal. I wasn’t that good an actor.
I shook my head. “I can’t stay here. Can you go get my purse, and we can leave by the side door as Jennifer so kindly suggested? I don’t think the bride and groom will notice we’ve left, and I’ll text Vanessa and my parents.”
Chase paused, his eyes shadowed in what looked like concern, then nodded. “Sure. I’ll be back in a sec, I’ll meet you at the door,” he said, gesturing to the side entrance.
I moved slowly toward the exit, wading through the molasses of my emotions with every step. The evening had been a lot to process, and I felt about two hundred frames behind my current reality. It was a mix of incredible highs and lows. High: watching my little brother marry someone who I thought would make a good partner for him. Low: getting grilled by my parents as Chase embellished our relationship. High: Sexytimes in the kitchen with Chase. Also, low: Sexytimes in the kitchen interrupted by my bitchy sister.
Chase returned and laid his jacket over my shoulders, pulling me to his side. “I’m sorry about the way tonight turned out. It wasn’t quite the ending I had in mind. Do you want to go back to your place together?”
I couldn’t get Jennifer’s comment out of my head. I shook my head. “No. I want to be alone tonight. My mood’s more than broken.” I saw his face fall, but couldn’t muster the energy to do anything about it, I was too caught up in my own family drama. Jennifer’s temper had caught me by surprise. Her usual mode was to ignore me.
Chase cleared his throat. “Sure. I understand.”
We drove back to my townhome in silence. Chase got out to walk me to my door, but I waved him off. “No need. I’m a big girl.” I looked briefly into his eyes, searching for mine in the gloom. “Thanks again for coming with me tonight,” I said softly. I tried to inject more enthusiasm into my tone. “I appreciate it.” It wasn’t Chase’s fault things had gone horribly wrong. Or at least, not totally. I could have suggested going to my place and avoided getting caught, but the thrill of living out my own romance-novel worthy seduction had overwhelmed my good sense.
“Maybe we can do it again sometime?” he asked.
I shuddered. I’d be avoiding family gatherings for the foreseeable future. “Fuck, no. I hope not,” I muttered as I made my way up the path to my door. I made a beeline for my bedroom and my coziest pajamas. It wasn’t that late, but all I could focus on was my spat with Jennifer.
Once upon a time, she’d been my idol, but we’d never been close. The gap in our ages meant that I was the bratty and annoying younger sister at almost six years her junior. I worshiped her in my own way, but any time my parents wanted a night out, she was forced to give up plans with her friends and stay home with me and Nick. I didn’t understand her resentment
