Cant walk away, p.1
Can't Walk Away, page 1
Can’t Walk Away
Tory Baker
Jase Masters wasn’t supposed to want Cheyenne.
She’s too young and he’s way too old to have the thoughts he had.
Plus, her dad was his best friend.
It was too complicated and a line he just wouldn’t cross.
Fast forward three years later, Cheyenne is back home, this time for good.
When they see each other again, the attraction is instant and as powerful as fireworks on a hot July night.
She’s definitely all grown up and Jase is just as drawn to her as before, maybe more.
He’s ready to make Cheyenne his forever and he’s not above going the extra mile to win her over.
Because, nothing else matters except Cheyenne and there’s just no way he can walk away from her.
Contents
Dedication
1. Cheyenne
2. Jase
3. Cheyenne
4. Jase
5. Cheyenne
6. Jase
7. Cheyenne
8. Jase
9. Cheyenne
10. Jase
11. Cheyenne
12. Jase
13. Cheyenne
14. Jase
15. Cheyenne
16. Jase
17. Cheyenne
18. Jase
19. Cheyenne
Epilogue
Epilogue
Also by Tory Baker
About the Author
Dedication
Your heart is a living, beating being, love it gently.
1
Cheyenne
I’ve always had a crush on the one person you should never, and I mean never have a crush on. Yet here I am, sitting in the corner of my parent’s pool deck watching him. He’s seventeen years older than me and he’s known my father for the past six years. When Jase was introduced to me at a family dinner my fifteen-year-old self was instantly infatuated with him. He’s tall, so much taller than my short and petite frame. I’m barely five-foot three on a good day. He has tattoos that sneak out from the short sleeve shirt he’s wearing. His complexion is olive and nicely tan from working outside all his life.
My eyes gaze at him with longing. I don’t care that he’s the forbidden. Jase Dixon has been on my mind for what seems like forever. Even when I left three years ago to pursue my degree in web design. I only came home for the rare breaks, and to see Jase any time I could. But for the most part I stayed and worked as hard as I could. It’s the reason for this party. I graduated a full year early. I worked as hard as I could during the summer. When most college students were out partying, I decided to study and take extra classes. My parents didn’t think it was wise at the time, they wanted me to have the full college experience. The last time I came home though, they were finally at peace with my decision and how I was able to accomplish so much in my short three years.
They wanted a big over the top party right when I got home from college, but I found a job right away and asked if we could just wait until the summer and have it as one big backyard bar-b-que.
Now, I’m here. Hiding in a corner. As if I’m still a teenager. I should have more confidence. After the years away, I’m still the shy person I was in high school with little to no friends and my nose is either stuck in my laptop working or in a book. I’ve come to realize that’s just who I am and will probably always be.
“Cheyenne, why aren’t you out mingling with the guests?” my mother admonishes me. Why couldn’t I be more like her? She’s refined in her clothing, her mannerisms, and always so put together.
“I will in a minute. I’m just taking in the scenery,” I tell her. I’m standing here in a pair of distressed cut off shorts, bathing suit, and a crop top. When she saw what I was wearing when I came downstairs from my room, she let out an exaggerated breath and said, “Is that what you’re actually considering wearing, Cheyenne?”
That’s one of the next things on my list, to find an apartment of my own within the next couple of weeks. I love my parents, but they put helicopter parents to shame with how much they hover and watch my every move. It’s not something I’m used to. They barely noticed me while growing up, but now that I’m back home from college and staying at their place. It’s been an absolute nightmare.
“Please make sure you say hello to everyone. This party is for you, you know,” she says as she turns to walk away. I’m not sure what she was thinking wearing a conservative dress. It’s hot as hell outside. It’s July in the Florida heat and humidity. Yet, not one single hair is out of place and her Stepford wife style dress has not one wrinkle on it.
“I will,” I tell her as she walks away to go mingle with her fundraising friends. That’s what she does best, she lunches. Dad wanted her to be a stay at home mom while he was busy chasing his career. It hurt me a lot while growing up. He would choose the car dealership over being at home most nights or at the occasional dance recitals I would have.
Now that I’m older, our relationship is even more strained. I busted my ass to get a scholarship and pay for everything I could in college. The only thing they ended up having to pay for was dorm fees. I was even a student aid to help pay for my meal plan. I wanted to be independent from my parents as much as I could. Don’t get me wrong, I love them. Always will no matter their downfalls, but my independence runs deep through my veins.
I make my way around the room saying hello to my parents’ friends and being the respectful daughter, they expect me to be. Even if the only thing I want to do is take my shorts and shirt off and dive into the pool and lounge on a pool float for the remainder of the day.
I’m staring at the pool longingly when two arms wrap around me in a bear hug. I gasp when none other than Jase's voice rasps in my ear, “Chey.” I turn around and look up into his eyes. He’s never really hugged me like this before. It has my hopes up that he sees me for the woman I am now and not the gangly girl with braces he knew from years before.
“Hey, Jase,” I say. His mouth is turned up into a full smile and his eyes are sparkling. He bends down and hugs me as I get on my toes to put my arms around his shoulders. Jase has his arms wrapped around my lower body and I sigh aloud.
“Pretty heavy sigh you have going there,” he murmurs as we break apart.
“Yeah, it’s been a long day already,” I tell him honestly. It really has and the party just started.
“You home for good now?” he asks.
“Well, just until I find a place to live. I can’t stay here much longer. Mom is driving me crazy and Dad, you know he’s never here, but when he is, it’s not always fun,” I groan out.
“They mean well.” I snort after he says that. I can’t help but laugh. He’s being honest.
“I guess so,” I murmur out. Jase doesn’t look his age. He has the bad boy appeal; his white tee shirt is straining against his muscles and every time he moves; they flex with his body. His swimming trunks are black and he’s wearing flip flops. I notice the tautness in his body, and I lick my lips while appraising him.
When his eyes darken to a smoldering shade of green, I blush.
2
Jase
Cheyenne Adams, she’s going to be the death of me. I knew she had a crush on me while in school. I kept things platonic, while letting her know I was still a part of her life. When she left for college, it pissed me off. I wanted her to stay here so I could be there for her if she needed help. Her parents, if you can really call them that, they haven’t been around much in the past and haven’t treated her like parents should. Phil, his life has always revolved around the car dealership he built from the ground up. I get it, he needed to put a lot of time in into his business just like everyone else would. Too bad he left Chey with her mother, Debra. She’s a basket case. I’m not sure how they’ve stayed married all of these years. Yet they have.
When I saw Debra was done talking to Cheyenne, I swooped in before she got sucked into mingling with more of the same people I always try to avoid. Her shoulders were set back with a firmness, as if nothing could knock her down. When my arms wrapped around her, she knew. She fucking knew it was me and that solidified everything in me. I knew when she left at eighteen, she did it for herself. Even though I hated it, I understood it too. She came home a few times for the necessary holidays, and I got to see the knock out she’d become. It had me wanting her more and more. I knew I had to keep my distance until she finished college. I would never hold her back from her education.
I took the time to open up a body repair shop, working with my hands has always been something I’ve loved to do, and, after working at Phil’s car dealership for three years, I knew it was time to branch out on my own. Fast forward three years later, Cheyenne is home and my shop is growing by leaps and bounds.
I’m looking down into Chey’s eyes. They’re brown with golden flecks. If we weren’t surrounded by her parents’ friends, my lips would be on hers. I’d taste her for the first time, but right now I won’t.
“I have to find a place to live and soon. I love them, but after being on my own. I can’t stay here much longer,” she states.
“You know I have an apartment over my shop, right?” I question her.
“Yes,” she looks up at me with hope in her voice.
“You can move in there. No one lives there now that I bought my place. It’s not much, more like a studio apartment, but it has the essentials. Bedroom, living room, kitchen, and bathroom. It’s yours if you want.” I tell her. My hands are still holding her hips and she’s looking up at me. Her hair down and cut above her shoulders. Her skin is lightly tanning from being back home.
“Wait, you bought a house? And absolutely, when can I come look at it and what are you asking for rent?” she rambles out.
“Yeah, I bought a house a few months back. You can look at it whenever, just let me know when you want to come over,” I answer all of her questions back with the exception of one. I don’t really need the extra income. Plus, I don’t want her to pay me. If I have it my way she won’t be living there long.
“Can we go after the party tonight?” she asks excitedly. Her face is lite up, no longer looking out in the distance and seeming miles away. I want that smile permanently on her face. Her father may be my friend and I probably shouldn’t be having all of these inappropriate thoughts about Cheyenne since she’s been back in town. Fucked if I care though. Our age has nothing to do with this.
“Works for me. I better go help your dad man the grill before he burns all of the meat,” I say with a chuckle.
She laughs and reaches up on her toes, her arms go around my shoulders and I bring my arms around her body and pull her into me, hugging her again. I don’t want to let her go, not now, and not ever.
We pull away from each other and I watch as she walks towards the kitchen, her body is perfect. She’s shorter than my six-foot frame, curves in all the right place. Her ass is enough to fill the palms of my hand, and, in those cut off shorts of hers, they make me growl under my breath. If she bent over, her ass cheeks would hang out and something primal inside of me doesn’t want anyone to see what’s meant to be mine.
As I walk back towards Phil, he’s watching me. I see a flicker of anger before he shakes it off and turns to talk to another guy that is belly up by the built-in outdoor kitchen.
It’s not hard to see that I want Cheyenne. In fact I’m not keeping it a secret from Phil. As soon as he has a spare minute,. I’ll be letting him know Cheyenne and I will be a thing. I’m too old to keep her a secret and I want the world to know she’s with me.
3
Cheyenne
The party finally dies down and I go to my father and let him know I’m leaving with Jase.
“Be careful, Chey- Chey,” he murmurs as I hug him. I stop in my tracks, my body freezing where it’s at. He hasn’t called me that since I was a little girl. Before his sole goal was building his career. It brings tears to my eyes, but I blink them away before they reappear. My dad was a great father before Adam’s Car Dealership became a successful car dealership. Somehow along the way it became his life and I was an afterthought. It hurt more than I could describe.
“Always, Pops,” I say as I turn to leave. I walk towards Jase’s truck. It’s all black. The body, the wheels, and the window tint. It fits him perfectly.
He opens the passenger side door for me and helps me inside, not allowing me to use the side steps to get in. His hands are on my hips and I’m finding I don’t want his hands to ever leave my body. I put my seatbelt on once I’m seated and he hurries to the other side of the truck and jumps in, starts the engine, and we make our way toward his shop.
It only takes about fifteen minutes from my parents’ house. Jase made sure not to put his car body shop too far away from my dad’s dealership, even though he wanted to go into business with Jase.
Jase being Jase didn’t want that though. He wanted to make it on his own. My independence streak may be pretty wide, but I’m pretty sure Jase’s beats mine by a landslide. His building is red in brick and has a sign above the garage doors that says J’s Auto Body Repair Shop. The doors are glass and I can see it’s full. He does complete restores all the way down to fender benders.
We both hop out of the truck and he reaches for my hand as we come to the front of the truck. His hand engulfs mine and the magnetic pull we have gives me tingles all over. I plaster a smile on my face as he leads me up to the door on the side of the building. He unlocks the door and walks in front of me and up the stairs. I have a delicious view of his body. My steps falter as I watch him move fluidly up the stairs. He senses I’m not with him and stops in his tracks. He turns his body and catches me checking him out. I’m caught and the shyness inside me shows, the redness I can feel creeping up on my cheeks that always carries down to my chest.
Jase smirks and nods his head to follow him. I continue behind him on the narrow steps. When we reach the top of the steps, we walk into an open floor plan It’s a blank canvas. The walls are white. The floors are builder grade white washed tile The kitchen is all white along with the appliances. It’s not something I’d pick for myself if I were buying a place, but it works in the small space. I leave the front of the apartment and walk towards what I assume is the bedroom door and open it. It’s a decent size space, enough to accommodate a queen size bed, night stand, and dresser. There’s a walk-in closet that I’m thankful for. When I was at college, I’d always find a thrift or second hand store and I seemed to have accumulated a massive amount of clothing. I walk to the next door and open into a decent sized bathroom and again everything is all white. I can already imagine the pops of colors I can add into every nook and corner to make it more my own space.
“What do you think?” Jase asks.
“Jase, it’s perfect. I’ll take it, but you didn’t tell me your price?” I say with glee and hopefulness that I can move in as soon as possible.
“I need some web design stuff done for the shop. Maybe we can make a deal,” he suggests.
“Absolutely, but you know I would do it for free. Right?” I tell him and I still would.
“Not taking advantage of that, Chey,” he grumbles.
“Well okay then, so are we good? Name your price and when can I move in?” I ask. He’s not budging on telling me his price.
“You work on the website and we’ll call it your deposit and first month’s rent. Utilities and internet are included if you can pay $500 a month. Cable isn’t included though,” he says as he runs his fingers through his messy brown hair.
“Yes!” I squeal out and then run and jump into his arms. I’m pretty sure he wasn’t prepared for me to throw myself at him, but he planted his feet and took all of my weight and grabbed the back of my legs and held me. He walks forward and suddenly my back is pressed into the wall behind me. His eyes have a look in them that I’ve never seen in all the years that I’ve known him.
He always held himself back when I was younger. Today though, he doesn’t seem to be doing that at all. Maybe it’s because I’m older now or maybe it’s because he actually likes me and years before that he didn’t see me as a woman but more as a child.
When he leans in towards me, I know this is it. A moment I’ve dreamt about for the past six years. I’m finally going to have my first kiss ever and it’s going to be from Jase. His lips lightly graze mine.
“Jase,” I moan and then his lips are on mine firmly. His tongue sneaks out and licks the seam of my bottom lip. I chase his tongue with mine and then his body is pinning me to the wall. His hands come up and frame my face, holding me where he wants me, he’s kissing me, and I have to say it’s more than I could ever imagine a first kiss to be.
4
Jase
Kissing Cheyenne was unlike anything I could ever have prepared for her. She was hesitant at first, confirming my thoughts that she’s innocent in every single way.
“Fuck, Chey,” I say with emotion. My nose glides along hers. She hums quietly. I find myself not wanting to let her leave me.
“Wow,” she finally says.
