Chloe laughed. ‘You? Snappy? Never.’
‘He did look a bit scared at one point. Do you remember he was all lanky, spindly arms and legs at school, wasn’t he? Very geeky? But he’s not like that now. He’s…’ She took a deep breath, and Chloe could have sworn her sister actually sighed at the thought of Nick. Jenna’s mouth twitched at the corners as if she was tasting something delicious. ‘Well, he’s pretty gorgeous actually.’
Chloe felt her eyes widening. ‘Jenna? Is this really you talking?’
The pink cheeks turned a brighter shade of red, and she smiled. ‘My libido might be non-existent, but I can still appreciate quality when I see it. I am a red-blooded woman after all. Yes, he’s very nice. You remember that advert for the washing powder where the guy took all of his clothes off in a laundrette, except for his boxers? We were all mesmerised by his body and recorded it and kept putting it on repeat? God, he was gorgeous.’
‘Who? Advert guy or Nick?’
Jenna looked away, blinking slowly. ‘The advert guy, of course. But Nick, he has a couple of scars from shrapnel—oh, you know he was nearly killed in Afghanistan?—but that makes him more rugged in a way. He’s kind of like advert man, but real, and better somehow, you know.’
‘No, I don’t know. I haven’t a clue. Are you telling me he took his clothes off?’
Jenna looked simultaneously shocked and yet thrilled at the thought. ‘Don’t be ridiculous! It was the first time I’ve seen him for years, and there were removal people coming in and out, and his parents… Good God, Chloe, one night of sex and you’ve got it on the brain. It wasn’t that kind of afternoon.’
‘Thank the Lord for that.’ Chloe thought back to the cosy afternoon she’d had with Evie and Vaughn, which had been a far cry from the night of sex, but nonetheless enjoyable. ‘So… and… well…?’
‘Well, nothing. He’s just a nice guy.’
Once again, Chloe sensed a but coming. ‘But?’
‘But now he’s moved in, and I imagine he’ll be too busy with work and things.’
‘Too busy to what?’
‘Oh, nothing.’ Jenna flushed. ‘I’m just being silly. Honestly. I am. Tell me about your day. How was my girl? Was she good? Did she eat anything? I’m worried she’s getting a bit fussy with her food. Apparently that can happen when they hit three.’
‘That’s right, change the subject. I’ll humour you because you’re clearly tired, but I won’t let you off so easily next time. Evie ate three huge pancakes with chocolate spread, peanut butter and bananas. A pear for afternoon tea and I gave her some spaghetti on toast when we got home from the park ‘cos I know it’s her favourite, and I didn’t have the energy for arguing.’
‘She doesn’t like bananas. Or peanut butter.’
‘She does now.’
Jenna sat forward, eyes narrowing. ‘And you don’t know how to make pancakes.’
‘Vaughn made them, and he had her help him.’ She shouldn’t have felt guilty about that, but for some reason she did, just a little. She’d shared Evie’s time with him, but they’d all enjoyed it.
The way Jenna looked at her was half scrutiny, half admiration. ‘So he stayed a while?’
‘It’s good for Evie to have positive male role models, right? He cooked breakfast, came to the park and then went to play football. With Jason.’ And that felt strange and weird as if she was living some part of her old life, but from the outside looking in.
‘Are you okay with that?’
‘It’s really none of my business.’ Vaughn was his own man; she couldn’t tell him what to do, and she wouldn’t dream of doing so. ‘But he did ask if I was okay with it. That was refreshing. New.’
Pouring another large glass, Jenna peered at her in that questioning way that sisters have. They want the truth, the whole truth and nothing but… ‘So things are getting heavy with le chef?’
This time, Chloe hugged the absolute truth close to her chest. ‘I’m determined to keep everything simple. He’s just a bit of fun.’
‘Sweetie, nothing’s just a bit of fun. Trust me on this.’
‘Says the woman who invented the Love Plan.’
‘You needed a date. I wanted you to play a little, not invest so much in a man that you go work for him, spend your weekends with him and forget everything else for him.’
This was starting to get uncomfortable, mainly because she’d actually pinpointed Chloe’s dilemma. ‘So, plans to see Nick again?’
‘He did ask me to have a drink next week. But I don’t think I will. Is there anything on the TV?’ Sluggishly, Jenna leant forward, grabbed the remote control and crossed her arms. To everyone else, this would mean she wasn’t talking anymore.
To Chloe, it was an invitation to dig deeper and find out what was eating her little sister. It wasn’t that she was trying to be nosy; it was because sometimes Jenna needed protecting from herself. She was determined not to have a good time. Ever again. ‘Why not go out with him? I’ll babysit.’
‘Because I haven’t got time to be doing things like that.’
‘Like what? Enjoying yourself?’
There was a Cassidy roll of the eyes as if Chloe should try keeping up with Jenna’s life. ‘How can I enjoy myself with another man when Ollie’s watching down on me? I can’t. Chloe, I can’t.’
‘He wouldn’t want you to be sad for the rest of your life. He’d want you to find someone else.’
‘There is no one else. No one could ever be as perfect for me as he was. And besides, look at me, Chloe.’ She pointed to her body. A perfectly good size twelve. It was a strong body; it had weathered terrible things. And sure, like everyone, there were wobbly bits, but they were glorious, well fought for curves as far as Chloe was concerned.
‘You’re beautiful.’
‘I’m fat. That’s what I am. I’ve got so many stretch marks on my belly and my thighs I look like an ordnance survey map. And I have saggy boobs, and most of my clothes are stained by Evie’s food. I probably smell like a three-year-old’s poop, and if I’m lucky, I might just have nits too.’ Jenna’s hand went instinctively to her head and scratched a little. ‘Did you notice whether she was scratching her head?’
‘No. I didn’t notice. I don’t think so, though. And your stretch marks are just little silver lines, sweetie.’ Chloe had no idea that Jenna had such a hang up about the way she looked. ‘Look at what you’ve been through; you gave birth, for God’s sake. That’s a whole new person right there that you created. You’ve been through an awful lot, Jenna. You’ve earned those damned lines. And there’re no saggy bits in the world that can compete with decent shapewear and a damned good bra. And anyway, what the heck has any of that got to do with Nick?’
‘Exactly. It has nothing to do with him. He wouldn’t be interested.’
Shock registered in Chloe’s chest. Jenna. Was. Interested. In. Nick. ‘Of course he would. What’s wrong with a real woman?’
Jenna grimaced and downed another half a glass of wine. ‘A real woman? He’s been holed up in Afghanistan with a squadron of beautiful, athletic, skinny women who kick-ass and shoot guns. They’re all very real. Just not my kind of ordinary-real.’
‘It’s the army, love, not Survivor. I doubt they’ll walk around in bikinis with AK47s slung over their bare shoulders. And even if they do, why should that matter? You can kick-arse when you want to.’
‘Because how would he ever look at me when he could have one of them?’
Chloe looked at the nearly empty bottle of wine. All of this was so not how Jenna usually acted. Where was her happy, shiny smile? ‘Maybe you’re exactly what he wants?’
‘Well, I’m not going to find out.’
‘He asked you out for a drink, but even though you fancy him you’re not going?’
‘No. And I don’t fancy him. Stop that. I can’t go out with him. I just can’t.’
Well, we’re going to see about that. ‘It’s your life, I guess. But I just don’t see what the problem would
be to have one teeny drink. Not like now, obviously, given you’re three-quarters through a bottle. But one drink wouldn’t hurt.’
‘No. And that’s my final answer.’
The wine was going down well, but Chloe needed to get home and put together a proposal and an estimate for the festival wedding. ‘Hey, was that Evie I heard? I think she’s crying. Do you want me to go up?’
‘No, no. You’ve done enough. I’ll go; I’ve missed her. Going out without her is a bit like having an arm missing. I kept holding my hand out to Nick to walk across the road—so embarrassing!’
‘Did he take it?’
‘Don’t be stupid. He just looked at me as if I was a lemon. And grinned.’
‘So, there’s a man with a sense of humour. Big tick for that. There are worse things you could do.’ Like having sex on a kitchen counter. She couldn’t quite believe how she’d found the temerity to just walk up to the restaurant and ask Vaughn for sex.
If it hadn’t been for Jenna setting her up on those dates, and the walk back from the cafe after DrewsAmused, she’d never have been in this situation. Funny how life had a way of springing things on you, pushing you in directions you couldn’t ever imagine going.
An idea bloomed fresh in Chloe’s head.
Maybe that’s what Jenna needed—a little push in the right direction. It was nothing more than what Jenna had already done for Chloe. ‘Okay, hon. I’ll get going now. I have to write a proposal for a new client. Oh yes, I forgot to tell you, we have another wedding to organise. Two amazing women I met at Taylor’s wedding yesterday.’ Had it only been yesterday? It seemed like an age ago, so much had happened in between time. ‘A festival theme with haystacks and long-stemmed bouquets, daisies in the hair and floaty dresses. Just up your street.’ There was another little murmur from upstairs. ‘Oh, oh, there she goes again. Give her a kiss from me. Let’s talk tomorrow.’
As her sister left the room, Chloe dug deep into the bag Jenna had left on the floor by the sofa. Taking out her phone, she wrote down a number. It’s for her own good, she convinced herself. It would be so great for Jenna to have a little excitement in her life, to have random sex in random places, to feel something again.
No harm done: a little matchmaking for the matchmaker.
The numbers were starting to make Chloe’s eyes blur. Not enough sleep meant she was struggling to make the maths work, but Sam and Greer had texted to say they wanted an estimate soon so they could start the wedding ball rolling. Plus, the wine was starting to make her head feel a little woozy. Even so, there was no way she’d take a risk on losing this contract; it had to be sent tonight.
But her thoughts kept swinging her back to this morning when Vaughn had been here in this room and next door, in her bed. His scent still lingered everywhere, but the taste of him was just a memory. Down low in her gut, her body tightened at the thought of him inside her, how good he had felt.
Concentrate.
She started to do the sums again but was interrupted when the doorbell rang.
So late? Chloe glanced at the clock on her computer. Nine forty-three. Not so late in reality, but it just felt like it, given the number of hours she’d spent in bed but not sleeping, and the sheer amount of energy Evie had taken up.
God knew how Jenna managed, every single day.
She peered through the blinds.
Vaughn?
Vaughn.
Damn. Typical that he’d just turn up when she was in her PJs and with wet straggly hair. She briefly thought about changing, or not answering the door, but decided, to hell with it; he’d have to take her as she was. This was her life; this was who she was. If he didn’t like it, he could walk away.
‘Hey.’ She opened the door, trying to control the thrumming of her heartbeat as she took in his messy hair and kind eyes. ‘How was the football?’
Those eyes were like bright stars shining with pride. ‘We won. Three-two.’
‘Well done. And you’re not out celebrating with the lads?’
‘There are better ways to celebrate. I brought you a present.’ Smiling, he held out a punnet of strawberries. There was no trace of pink varnish on his fingers, she noticed.
‘Wow, thank you. This is… unexpected. I can’t wait to… ahem… eat them.’ And lovely for him to turn up unannounced, asking for more of her. ‘You got rid of the varnish.’
He grinned and glanced at his fingers. ‘It was either that or risk a whole lot of questions you don’t want me to answer.’
‘Oh, yes. Of course. Well, thank you for thinking of me.’
Now he ran the varnish-less fingers through his hair. ‘Is it insane of me to say I can’t stop thinking about you?’
‘Hell, no. I’m very flattered.’ It was so damned hard not to jump on him right now, every part of her was screaming to let him in, but she had to stick to her priorities.
He watched her reaction to him, reading her body language so well. ‘Is this a bad time? I should have texted, but thought I’d surprise you. Bad idea?’
‘Normally, no. Normally, a fantabulous idea. Normally the best bloody idea ever. But I’m working; I have to get a quote off tonight.’
If he thought it strange she was working late on a Sunday evening, he didn’t say so. He just nodded, the smile still there, confident that she wasn’t fobbing him off. ‘Okay. No problem. Another time, then?’
‘You can come in and wait until I’m done if you like?’
‘I don’t want to disturb you. You’re already short on time because you’re working for me. You didn’t get to do this earlier today because you were caring for your sister’s needs. You need time for you. I’ll head off and leave you to it.’ Which was so unlike Jason’s usual response she was taken aback. Her ex would have spent the evening disturbing her simply because her work was diverting her attention away from him. She used to think it was endearing that he needed to be entertained by her. In hindsight, she could see it was just his insecurities toying with her innate ability to feel guilty about things she should never feel guilty about.
And hell, the thought of another night with Vaughn perked her up a surprising amount. Her body began to tingle in anticipation of his touch on her skin. She wrapped her hand around the fruit punnet, then breathed in quickly as he kissed her softly on the lips.
When he stopped, she felt the smile spreading through her body, waking up parts of her that she’d assumed would be resting tonight. ‘No. Come in. If you’re happy to sit and read or listen to music until I’m done?’
‘I’m sure I can entertain myself.’ For the first time ever, he looked a little sheepish. ‘I just couldn’t get you out of my head.’
‘You too?’ His honesty made her heart flutter, and she pulled him to her, kissing him some more, her hands finding those hard muscles of his arms and stroking the nape of his neck. It felt like there would never be enough kisses.
But he stopped her, slowing things down with his hand on hers. ‘Noooo. Work first. Then you get your reward.’
She shrugged his hand away and placed hers on the waistband of his jeans. ‘This first.’
He gave her a wry half smile that was so sexy it almost undid her then and there. ‘Work. And then you’ll need sustenance. The strawberries will do for starters. I have plenty planned for the main course.’
‘Greedy. And a very, very attractive proposition.’ Her eyes met his and she saw the need for her shimmering there. Vibrant, like him. He was surprising, this man. He hid what he felt, and he fought what he wanted because of a promise he’d made, but it shone there in his face, in his body. He wanted her.
He kissed the dip in her throat. Then her nose. Her eyelids. Her mouth. ‘Greedy for you, yes. Bloody ravenous.’
‘I’ll never concentrate with you here and this’—she palmed his erection—‘in the room.’
‘God, Chloe,’ he groaned against her mouth. It was such a sexy sound; she felt the thrill of it through her body.
She started to unzip his jeans. ‘Cl
early someone doesn’t need a lot of encouragement.’
‘No, me neither.’ He laughed, his hands on her waist as he walked her into the lounge, backed her up to the sofa and lay her down.
‘I can’t work and want this at the same time. I can’t work until we’ve got this out of our system, full stop.’
Soft kisses became more charged, more intense. The strawberries were discarded somewhere on the floor. Along with her pyjama top. His jacket. T-shirt. Jeans. Her pyjama bottoms.
Then he was inside her again, slow this time. Tender. Each stroke deeper and more intense than the one before. Each breath in sync. Each heartbeat in harmony. She felt as if every cell in her body was alight. Her head was blurred with the pleasure of him filling her. His taste. His strength. His care for her, and his need.
As he moved inside her, he held her there captured in his gaze. The way he looked at her filled her chest with a bright light, a flame shimmering, burning down the defences she’d built. Erasing her reticence, it built pathways of warmth to her heart. This man. This.
The bright light seemed to engulf her, a powerful emotion that filled her heart, singed her skin, branded him onto her—his name, his touch, his kisses. He thrust deep and hard, and she responded by bucking against him, urging him on, wanting to savour every inch of him. Wrapping her close to him, he breathed in her ear, ‘This is amazing, Chloe. You are blowing my mind.’
‘Is it real?’ she asked him, because it was too perfect, too right, too damned beautiful for her ever to have contemplated that sex could be like this. This went deeper than fun. This meant something. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop liking him, wanting him. No matter how hard she tried, he was kissing a trail straight to her heart.
‘I bloody well hope so. I want you, Chloe. I want you so damned much.’ His gaze caught hers again, and she snapped her eyes closed, afraid he’d see the emotion swimming there. But it didn’t help. Her kisses, her body melting into his, his name on her lips, all betrayed her. She couldn’t not feel something for him. She couldn’t hide this desire. And she couldn’t stop.
Something Borrowed Page 23
