Kara stepped into the dressing room and stood before Chase in a small white bikini. His skin grew almost too tight for his whole body as he watched her make her way forward. She looked like something out of a Victoria’s Secret catalog as she strutted over to stand in front of him.

Chase let his eyes roam over Kara's body, but when he got to her face all he could picture was Eliza’s beautiful face. He felt his heart rate speed up. He stood up and grabbed her, bringing her body against his own. The contact made him hiss. “God, Eliza, you’re so beautiful. You know that? You’re so damn beautiful.”

She pulled back a little ways. "You mean Kara,” she snapped, more than a little miffed. Chase didn’t bother correcting her, he was too busy enjoying the feel of her all over him.

Kara fought her ire down. She could forgive him this one little slip. I mean, it wasn’t like she hadn’t fantasized about a moment like this for a while now. So what if he’d called her Eliza? She was the one here with him right now. She was the one making him hot and driving him crazy. When he pulled her in for a kiss, she forgot all about her slight annoyance.

She'd never been kissed so thoroughly in her life. It was like she died and went to heaven, it was so perfect. His touch was so hot, it made her practically itch to have him run his hands all over body. Thankfully there was such little clothing between them, at least on her end, that she was able to feel that delicious warmth of him all over. His lips crushed hers, his tongue slipping inside her mouth, tasting, teasing until she sighed against him.

Good God, he was such a great kisser. He was so much better than Brady she wanted to laugh. She'd always known he would be.

Kara reached up to wrap her arms around his neck, pushing him back so he fell back onto the wooden bench inside the tiny dressing room. She straddled over him, opening her eyes for a second. She felt the rush of seeing their joined bodies reflected all around the mirrors surrounding them. Chase’s rough hands ran up her smooth, exposed back making her moan a little.

“Oh, Chase. You’re so hot,” she murmured against his lips, closing her eyes as she enjoyed the moment.

“Eliza…you’re killing me. I want you so bad,” he replied, biting her lip and pulling her body closer against his.

But Kara resisted and pulled back a little, totally pissed now. The first time could’ve been an accident but the second time he’d called her Eliza sure as hell wasn’t. What was his problem?

“Kara,” she said, stressing her name harshly. “I’m Kara, Chase. Not Eliza.”

Chase’s eyes looked a little glazed over, like he was more than just a little out of it. As she watched, his eyes seemed to focus on her face and she could see the moment he realized she really wasn’t Eliza.

What a jerk! Kara thought.

She stood up quickly, crossing her arms across her chest. She sneered down at him. “You know Chase, why don’t you just buy whatever you came here to get. I’m done.”

“But I want you,” he answered slowly.

“Well, I’m not for sale, and I don’t appreciate you thinking about some other girl when you’re kissing me. Some girl, by the way, that is totally not hotter than me. God, what’s your defect anyway?”

If Kara had realized how close she was treading to his breaking point, she would’ve never said the next words that flew out of her mouth: “I don’t even know what I was thinking anyway. You’re not even worth losing my boyfriend over. Get out.”

Chase reared up and grabbed Kara by her upper arms, squeezing hard enough to leave ugly looking bruises the next day. “Is that so, Eliza?” he shook her hard enough to make her teeth clack together. “You don’t think I’m better than that freak? Dante’s more your type then?”

“Ow! Chase, stop. You’re hurting me,” she cried out.

“I bet you like it like that, Eliza. I bet you let Dante get a little rough, right? Think it’s hot 'cause he’s all mean and shit? Is that what I have to do to get your attention? Hurt you too?”

“What? Chase, no! Stop! I’m not Eliza. I’m Kara. Kara!” she sobbed.

But Chase was beyond hearing at this point. “What’s the matter with you, Eliza? You know I love you. You know that. Why are you choosing that freak over me? Why won’t you just go with me to the lake? I just want to be with you. I want to show you what you do to me.”

Kara was crying hysterically now. She’d never been so scared before in her life. She’d never seen anyone really lose it before. Chase was so gone right now. She didn’t even know what to do. What could she say to get him to see she wasn’t Eliza so he’d let her go?

Chase pulled her close to his chest again, rocking her like she was a scared little girl. “Shhh, don’t cry, Eliza. I’m not really mad at you anymore. I can forgive you this time. Just don’t bring him up again, okay?”

Kara couldn’t do anything but nod. She just wanted to get away from him. She was afraid he’d do more than just shake her if she stayed in here with him. She was the only person in the store until noon, and no one ever came into the store before lunch time. She would be alone with him for hours if she didn’t find a way to get out.

“Are you okay, baby?” he looked down at her. His eyes were so shiny and bright Kara knew he didn’t see her at all.

She just nodded, too terrified to speak. Chase smiled at her. The same smile she’d always thought was so charming. “Good. Now, let me see you in the black one. I think that’s the perfect color for tonight.”

“O-Okay,” Kara stammered. “I-I think I left it outside on the door. I’ll just go grab it and put it on.” She said, trembling now. This could be her only chance to get away. Please God, she thought, let him just let her out of the door.

He nodded, his eyes totally glazed over now. “Fine. Hurry back though. I want to see you in it before we go.”

She bobbed her head a few times as she backed up to the door, and scratched at the latch to unlock it. It seem to take forever, but when she finally got it open, she quickly hurried out.

“Eliza?” Chased called after her.

Kara froze, closing her eyes and wishing with all her might that somebody else suddenly decided to get some early shopping in at the store. Maybe if she screamed loud enough someone would come running. “Y-yes?” she asked, too scared to even breathe now.

"If I see you with Dante again, I’ll kill him. Then I’ll kill you. You’re mine. All mine. Understand?”

Kara swallowed the sob that threatened to choke her. She nodded once and slipped outside. She ran out of the store without looking back. She didn’t stop until she’d made it to the small police station a few blocks down. It was the only place she could think of that he wouldn’t follow her into.

Everyone stared at the panicked girl in the bikini as she ran inside and asked for Sheriff Sutter. It took a while for the dispatcher to get him on the line since he was out trying to track down his son Pete. As Kara sat waiting in his office, an itchy blanket wrapped around her, she rocked back and forth as she cried her eyes out. When she could breathe again, she reached over the sheriff’s desk. She’d left her cell back at the store. She dialed Brady’s number and waited for him to pick up.

He answered her on the third ring.

~~ ~

Chase stood inside the dressing room and seemed to wake up slowly. Blinking a few times, he felt like he’d fallen asleep standing up for a few seconds. The only other time he’d ever remembered doing something like that was after a few all nighters with the guys from the team.

Shaking his head to clear out some of the cobwebs, he looked around the dressing room. What was he doing in here again? Then his eyes fell on the small black swim suit hanging up on the little hook inside the door.

Right! He was getting Eliza something for tonight. Laughing at himself, he grabbed the hanger off the hood and held the suit out in front of him. It really was a lot like the one from his dream last night. Maybe he’d been meant to find it. He laughed at himself again, wondering if such things were really possible.

He didn’t doubt it. Crazier stuff had been known to happen.  

Chase left the back dressing room and headed to the front counter. Kara had disappeared and no one else seemed to be around. Looking at the price tag on the bikini, he figured out the right sales tax in his head (knowing most of the tax amounts by heart from his years at the hardware store), and dropped a few twenty dollar bills on the counter. He ripped off the tag, and laid it across the money – not wanting to get Kara or anyone else into any trouble.

Turning, he left the Land and Sea, making his way back to his vehicle. He knew his dad was going to be more than a little annoyed he was so late for work, but even that didn’t really bother him. Whatever horrible job his dad had lined out for him today as punishment for being late would be worth it. Well, just as long as Eliza agreed to meet up with him tonight. 

He’d call her once he got to the hardware store. He’d beg and apologize for his behavior earlier, then she’d see him. He was going to take her to the lake if it killed him.

Smiling, he cranked up his radio as he drove to work.

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*A/N:

Song Selection: No More Mr. Nice Guy - Alice Cooper

Image Credit: "Tortured Chase" Inspiration.