Training for Love « Chase Elliott »

« A Light in the Dark »

Gabby's POV

After bundling up in Chase's clothes, for the second time of the evening, my stomach rumbled to life. I had no idea what time it was, but the breakfast I had with Blaney this morning was a lifetime ago and I was now starving.

"Any chance we could bribe someone from UberEats to go out in this storm?" Chase laughed from where he stood in his garage digging through boxes, looking for who knows what.

"Or, I could cook?" He stood up, holding onto a small flashlight. "Here, catch." The light went flying towards me and I caught it.

"How are you going to cook with no power?" I followed Chase back into his house where he deposited a box onto the counter in his kitchen.
"I have a gas stove. I could grill us something."
"I would like that." Chase smiled brightly at me and boy did that do something to my heart.

"Why don't you unpack this box and I'll get started."

"Okay... what exactly do you have in here?" I opened the box to see 3 giant lamps that ran on batteries. After fiddling around for a minute, I lit one and the whole kitchen lit up. I breathed a little sigh of relief for no longer being in the darkness.

I walked over to Chase where he was now cutting up vegetables, stood on my tippy toes and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you for being the light in my darkness."

**

"THIS, is delicious." I groaned around a piece of steak that melted the moment it touched my tongue. "I'm hiring you as my private chef." I took a bite of the potatoes and closed my eyes. When I opened them, Chase was staring at me like I was the one he wanted to devour, not his food.

He blinked out of his thoughts and gave me a shy smile, "I could, you know, help with meal prep? We covered it briefly on the day we met, it is a game changer with wanting to stay healthy."

"You would do that?"
"We would do that," he corrected, "once a week we could go to the store together and cook our meals. I can show you how I do it and work with finding the best thing for you."

"You're too good to me, Chase, seriously. I don't deserve this." I waved my fork in the air to motion for everything he's done for me, not just today.

"You do, Gabby, I cannot stress that enough." Tears pricked my eyes and Chase immediately got up from sitting across from me at his high top and pulled me down into a hug.

"You're making me sound like a broken record, Gabby, but you do deserve this, and I'll tell you everyday if I have to. Until you believe me, and even then I'll probably continue to tell you." I sighed into him, not able to find my voice to thank him but held onto him tightly. "Let's finish eating and get ready for bed, it's getting late."

**

Chase's POV

My heart was beating wildly against my chest as I stood in my bathroom as I got ready for bed. I leaned against the counter, taking in my reflection of a man I hardly recognize, a man who suddenly finds himself falling and wanting to make a relationship with someone who he never thought he would like in the first place.

My flaws stare out at me: my slightly crooked nose, the dark circles under my eyes for not sleeping well. My face has broken out from all the stress in my life and my beard has taken a life of its own. But that smile on my face... I haven't seen it in a long, long time.

No flaw of mine could hide the fact that I actually felt happy.

I hummed as I brushed my teeth knowing tonight was a pivotal moment in my relationship with Gabriella. Selfishly, I wanted to fall asleep with her in my arms, but I knew in order to make this work, whatever was going on between us, I had to give her space.

I walked out of the bathroom to see Gabby standing at the edge of my bed looking so soft and so perfect. She smiled at me and bit her lip.

Screw that space I just mentioned.

In five steps she was in my arms again. My hand came up to cup her face, "please tell me you can't sleep alone tonight and that you need me with you." I was desperate to feel her body against mine and I would do about anything to make that happen.

"Chase," she cooed, stretching up on her tippy toes and wrapping her arms around my neck. I hummed in delight as her fingertips brushed against my hairline on my neck.

Her lips were a feather of a kiss away and it took all my strength to not kiss her. That strength was fading fast as her nose brushed against mine as her eyelashes tickled my cheeks.

"Gabby," I whispered, my lips ghosting over hers until I was met with such incredible softness that I caved and kissed her like my life depended on it.

I've never kissed anyone like this before.

My heart and soul are completely stripped bare right now. The raw passion passing through both of us was making my head spin and turn my world upside down. I wanted her more than anything.

"Bed?" I whispered against her lips, needing to be closer to her. She nodded with a soft smile on her lips as she turned and began to pull back the covers. If my heart was hammering in my chest before, it's not trying to escape my ribcage. I've never been this nervous before when crawling into a bed with someone I'm starting to care about.

"I'm gonna dim the lantern if that's okay with you?" I placed it on the bedside table and turned it down. "The storm outside seems to be dying down, but I don't want you to be in total darkness."
"Thank you, Chase." I crawled into bed, pulling the blankets up and wrapping them and myself around Gabby.

"I feel safe with you," Gabby whispered, her arms tightening around my center as her lips reached for mine.

"I'm not going to let you go."
"Is that a promise?"I pulled back to look into Gabby's eyes. I could see they were swimming in tears as she looked at me with such helplessness. My heart ached for her.

"I promise, Gabriella, I'm not going to let you go."

I kissed her on her forehead, her nose, and then finally her lips. I savored this moment right here; the first night of spending together to hopefully many more in the future.

Exhaustion hit me like a wave, pulling me under to a peaceful sleep, something I haven't had in a long, long time. 

**

A/N:  I know this chapter is short, but I really hope you like it!