“Have you never been in a crowded room and still felt lonely?” he asked hoarsely. “Like something or someone was missing?”

  My breath caught.

  I’d felt that way more times than I could count. But Chase…

  “Don’t get me wrong,” he clarified. “I love my family, but Torie has Cooper now, and Wyatt isn’t exactly a talker. Yes, I can find company, but I doubt I’d get it for the right reasons. That day in Vegas, all I really wanted was to spend time with you. Not because I felt sorry for you. I was feeling sorry for myself because it had been a long time since I’d been with a woman who saw me and not my money.”

  I looked at him in surprise. “Do you really think that’s all you have to offer a woman?”

  He shrugged. “No. Unfortunately, that’s generally the first thing they notice.”

  I really wanted to argue with that observation, but I didn’t.

  Chase Durand could reel a woman in for a multitude of reasons other than his bank account. But it was probably true that the first thing people thought about when they met him was his wealth and power.

  My heart ached at the thought of Chase being as lonely as I felt sometimes. “Did you really want to hang out with a woman who spends most of her time slugging around horrible locations in mud boots and with very little makeup on unless she’s on camera?”

  “More than anything,” he answered promptly. “You broke my heart when you ran away without looking back.”

  I burst into laughter. “Now you’re just being facetious.”

  “You don’t believe me?” he questioned with mock indignation.

  “Not for a moment,” I shot back. “But I totally get the loneliness thing. If you really want to know the truth, I think I’m experiencing severe burnout in my career.”

  I went on to explain what I’d talked about earlier with Torie.

  Chase listened intently until I was finished.

  “A person can only give for so long before they have to find a way to blow off steam and replenish the energy they’ve lost,” Chase mused.

  A tear rolled down my cheek as I said, “I think I’m completely empty. I was struggling a little before the kidnapping. Now I feel totally lost, Chase. I’m afraid of my own damn shadow now, and I hate that. I love being an investigative journalist, but I’m not sure I love running from place to place constantly. Just the thought of going on my next assignment makes me nauseous. I don’t know how to fix this.”

  He stood, picked me up, blanket and all, and then settled back into his chair with me on his lap. “We’ll fix it together, sweetheart. I’ll help you work through those issues one by one. I guess we both need to go looking for our joie de vivre.”

  I laid my head on his shoulder and sighed, loving the way he could pronounce that phrase like a native French speaker. “I’m afraid that mine flew away a long time ago. You?”

  “Not so long ago that I can’t find it if I look,” Chase said with a chuckle. “I think I probably did a better job at finding enjoyable things to do with my off time when I was in the military. There were always other guys around looking to blow off some steam or shake off the stress.”

  “If you think I’m going to go out and sprint for five miles with you for fun, you’re out of your mind,” I warned him. “I’ve seen you torturing yourself in the gym, and I know you go out for a run early every morning. I’m barely walking at the pace of a snail on the treadmill right now.”

  “The thought never crossed my mind, beautiful,” he teased.

  God, how I wanted to spend some time with Chase not thinking about or talking about my kidnapping, and if he wanted the same thing, the temptation was almost irresistible.

  My arms crept around his neck as I finally asked, “Exactly what do you have in mind…?”

  Chase

  “Those would look good on you,” I told Vanna with a nod several days later. I took the turquoise and diamond earrings she’d been holding up to her ear and handed them to the saleswoman. “We’ll take them. I told you I knew a guy who had quality turquoise jewelry.”

  “No, we won’t take them,” she said stubbornly. “They’re beautiful, but they’re surrounded by diamonds, Chase. If I paid that much for a pair of earrings, I’d kill myself if I lost one. And you certainly know a whole lot of guys. You knew a guy when you got us into one of the nicest restaurants in San Diego on a last minute whim. You knew a guy who had a boat, which turned out to be a luxury catamaran, when you decided to take me whale watching. You also knew a guy who could pack us a Michelin star picnic lunch when we went to the park. Exactly how many of these guys who can do miraculous things do you know?”

  I winked at her as I handed the clerk my credit card. “Enough to keep you happy for a very long time,” I teased.

  I grew up in San Diego and I had enough money to make just about anything happen.

  I had no shame when it came to using that power if it would get a five second smile out of Vanna.

  Hell, I’d settle for a second or two if necessary.

  Having seen her laugh multiple times over the last few days, I was now completely addicted to that sound and the smile on her adorable face that inevitably happened right after that.

  She snagged my credit card before the saleswoman could run it. “I didn’t agree to spend this week with you so you could buy me things, Chase.”

  I knew that.

  We had fun together.

  She liked being with me.

  I loved being with her.

  But I still wanted to buy her the damn earrings.

  Why did she have to be so damn stubborn sometimes?

  I plucked the card from between her fingers and handed it back to the clerk. “Stop, Vanna. You’re confusing the poor woman,” I said as I stepped between her and the saleswoman who would get those earrings in Vanna’s jewelry box. “I know you don’t need my money, and that’s not why you’re here with me. I want to buy you something you’ll enjoy. Let me do it because it makes me happy. I don’t care if you lose one. I’ll just buy you another pair.”

  Her eyebrows scrunched in a way I’d come to adore as she replied, “You’re absolutely exasperating. Do you know that? I just came here to look. I haven’t actually physically shopped in a long time.”

  “I assume that means you’re not mad,” I ventured. “Come on, Vanna. They’re quality earrings, but they’re not exactly what I’d call expensive.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I think your idea of quality and mine are two very different things.”

  “You do realize that I own several of the most quality luxury brands on the planet,” I answered. “I can make a call and get you whatever your heart desires.”

  “That would be absolutely no fun, and I don’t buy your brands. Most of them are outrageously expensive. Who pays that much for a dress or handbag? I make decent money at what I do, but not as much as bigger name journalists. I don’t have to penny pinch, but I’m a long way from having one of those black credit cards. I’m also on the market for a new home. I’d like to buy something nice in a good neighborhood that’s reasonably close to the water.”

  I’d buy her that place in a heartbeat, but I knew I’d get kickback on that one. Besides, it wasn’t like I wanted her to go anywhere.

  “Don’t hurry on that,” I said firmly. “It’s not like you have a time limit on how long you stay at my place. I like having you there.”

  She sighed as she took the bag from the clerk. “Believe me, it’s no hardship to be staying there. That place would be anyone’s dream home, but I need to vacate eventually.”

  Nope. Actually, she didn’t ever need to leave.

  Unfortunately, she’d feel like she had to once she was completely healed.

  Physically, she wasn’t as strong as she was prior to the kidnapping, but she would be.

  Emotionally, she seemed to be improving as well.

  She opened up to me about how she was feeling a lot more often, and she wasn’t wound up as tight as a drum.

  Vanna had only promised me a week of doing nothing, and I planned on making the most of the time I had.

  She wasn’t the only one who was laughing and smiling more often. I appreciated every fucking minute I spent with her. I’d forgotten what it was like to be with a woman who didn’t give a rat’s ass about my money or power. Hell, to be honest, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever experienced that before.

  I’d probably go back into the office next week, even though Wyatt had told me to take as much time off as I needed.

  Vanna held up the small bag. “I’d really like to put them on, but I’m not really dressed to wear them.”

  I eyed her up and down as I said, “You look beautiful. They aren’t exactly flashy, and even if they were, does it matter? If it makes you happy, wear them.”

  She smiled at me as she pulled the earrings out of the box, removed the ones she was wearing, and started to put the new ones on.

  I leaned a hip against the counter and watched her, which had become one of my favorite activities.

  Her new haircut actually suited her personality. It was cheeky and bold, just like Vanna.

  Yeah, she had a few scars on her creamy skin, but it didn’t diminish how fucking attractive she was and always would be.

  She’d filled out a little since her kidnapping, so those gorgeous curves of hers were back, and they made my dick harder than ever.

  “What do you think?” she asked as she faced me with the earrings secured.

  “Beautiful,” I said hoarsely, that word having nothing to do with the earrings.

  Vanna was the kind of woman who would always look stunning—no matter what she was wearing.

  Even in a pair of jeans and her bright red sweater, she took my damn breath away.

  After she’d put the little bag with her other earrings into her purse, I took her hand and we walked out of the jewelry store.

  That action felt as natural as breathing to me, even though we weren’t in an intimate relationship.

  “Thank you,” she said in an appreciative tone as she bumped her shoulder against me. “That’s probably the nicest thing a guy has ever done for me. Not that I’m trying to say we’re dating or something,” she added in a rush.

  Shit! She’s in a rush to correct that error.

  Okay, that was a blow to my ego, but I brushed it off.

  She was with me because that’s where she wanted to be, money or no money, and that felt pretty damn amazing.

  I couldn’t ask for anything more. Not now. Not ever. And I needed to remember that.

  “It was nothing, Vanna,” I assured her. And honestly, for me, buying those earrings for her really was nothing.

  “It was really thoughtful,” she argued. “I still don’t understand why some nice woman hasn’t snapped you up, yet.”

  “Maybe I didn’t want to be claimed by some other woman,” I suggested, knowing we were venturing into dangerous territory.

  We hadn’t really talked much about what this week meant to either of us.

  We’d basically just enjoyed each other’s company.

  It was going to have to be enough that Vanna wasn’t running away from me like her gorgeous ass was on fire anymore.

  Really, did I even have a way forward, even if she wanted something more?

  Probably not.

  Would it kill me when she decided to walk away and keep me stored in the friend zone?

  Maybe…

  But I’d hate it even more if I wasn’t spending time with her right now.

  She was vulnerable at the moment, and having her right next to me appeased my desire to make sure she was safe and happy.

  “You’re so full of shit,” Vanna challenged. “If you met the right woman, you’d bend over backward to make her happy, Chase. I know you would. You’ve spoiled me rotten, and I’m not your love interest.”

  Christ! Did she really not know that she was the only woman I’d ever wanted this badly?

  If not, I really did deserve an Academy Award for my performance.

  “I wouldn’t know,” I said noncommittally as I opened the passenger door of my Ferrari and waited for her to get in.

  She hesitated, and then promptly threw herself into my arms.

  I caught her and held her soft, warm body against mine as I closed my eyes.

  It wasn’t the first time she’d done this, but it caught me off-guard every single time.

  “Thank you for the earrings,” she said softly near my ear. “Thank you for this week. Thank you for being here for me. I’m not feeling quite as lost as I did a few days ago.”

  I gritted my teeth, not sure if it was a curse or a blessing that she didn’t pull away immediately.

  I wrapped my arms around her and held her tightly against my body, relishing the smell of her subtle perfume and the way her gorgeous body fitted perfectly against mine.

  Jesus! She was making me completely crazy, but I seemed to relish the torture.

  “You know it’s my pleasure, Vanna.” I meant that literally.

  Nothing in the world felt as good as holding her.

  Yeah, I could think of a few things that might feel even more satisfying, but I wasn’t about to contemplate the impossible.

  Honestly, I just wanted to enjoy whatever time I could spend with her. I’d have plenty of time to wallow in my misery after she was gone.

  Granted, if I could get my dick to agree to that plan, things would be a lot easier.

  Not only did Vanna not seem as affected by these spontaneous gestures of affection as I was, but there were other reasons why we’d never end up burning up the sheets together.

  There were times when I actually forgot about that when I was with her, or when she was this damn close to me.

  I totally lost all rational thought when it came to Vanna, but I had to be realistic.

  I had no choice but to loosen my grip when she pulled back, smiled at me, and kissed me on the cheek.

  I nearly groaned with frustration.

  “What’s on the agenda for tomorrow?” she asked.

  “Today isn’t over yet,” I reminded her.

  She lifted a brow. “Are you trying to tell me that you don’t have the day planned?”

  I did, but only because I’m a glutton for punishment, apparently.

  “I didn’t say that,” I told her. “How long has it been since you’ve seen snow?”

  Her face lit up as she answered, “It’s been a long time. Colorado. About five years ago. I was doing a piece on avalanches. Am I going to see snow again soon?”

  Hell, the way she smiled almost made my blue balls insignificant.

  I grinned as I said, “I know a guy with a helicopter and a cabin in Big Bear…”

  Savannah

  “Okay, this is by far the craziest thing you’ve done for me so far,” I told Chase with a sigh as I looked at the Christmas tree and the orgy of gifts that I’d opened earlier beneath it. “Christmas was weeks ago.”

  He shrugged as he gently pulled my body against his as we sat on the sofa, and then wrapped the blanket around me. “Does it really matter? You missed both Christmas and New Year’s. You were fighting to stay alive at the time.”

  I snuggled beneath the blanket and put my head on Chase’s shoulder.

  Turned out, the guy he knew with a helicopter was himself, and the cabin in Big Bear we were staying in was his as well.

  He’d flown us up here early, just in time to get breakfast at a little restaurant that had the best cinnamon rolls I’d ever eaten. Since my ribs and shoulder were still healing, I wasn’t quite ready for snowboarding or skiing. However, there was no end to Chase’s creativity. He’d simply put us on horseback to see some awe-inspiring views of winter in the mountains.

  Chase’s “cabin” was more like a mini estate. It wasn’t quite as large or as grand as his home in La Jolla, but for Big Bear, it was pretty much a mansion.

  I’d gotten back to the cabin after an already incredible day to find that Chase wasn’t finished.

  I’d smelled the roasted turkey the moment we’d stepped inside the cabin.

  And that wasn’t all…

  We’d enjoyed a complete and traditional Christmas dinner while we watched the snow falling outside the gigantic picture windows.

  The Christmas tree was beautiful, and fully adorned with ornaments and twinkle lights. I couldn’t seem to stop myself from looking at them as we viewed the sunset and lightly falling snow outside.

  “You know all those gifts were too much,” I scolded.

  I’d gotten a massive amount of useful gifts, all of them expensive and most of them from his own product collections. Items I would have never bought for myself because of the steep price tags.

  “It wasn’t me,” he said with badly feigned surprise. “It was Santa. I guess he knew you were a very good girl this year.”

  I snorted. “Obviously, Santa has the same taste for quality that you do.”

  “Of course,” he said in a satisfied tone.

  “He also knows that I love turquoise jewelry?” I asked.

  I’d gotten a beautiful necklace that nearly matched the earrings that Chase had gotten me the day before.

  “Santa knows everything,” he said, deadpan.

  I swatted him on the shoulder. “You’re completely insane, and it’s totally unfair that I didn’t know ahead of time. It would have been more fun if Santa had dropped you a few gifts, too.”

  “He did,” Chase said simply as he tightened his arm around my waist. “Being here with you is the best damn gift I could get this year.”

  I rolled my eyes. “You’re so full of shit, Chase Durand, but thank you for this. It’s been a long time since I’ve actually been in a place where I could celebrate Christmas. Not since Mom died, actually.”

  He said the sweetest things sometimes, and I was never quite sure how to handle that.

  Yes, Chase was naturally very charming, but there was always a note of sincerity in every nice thing he ever said.

  This had honestly been the best several days of my life, but sometimes I just wasn’t sure how to handle those nice things he said and did for me—or his thoughtfulness.

  He had also managed to chase away every bit of loneliness I’d felt for the last decade, just because I knew he liked being with me, too.