by Debbie Mason
Then Easton turned his head to look at her. “This is the last time we’re going to talk about it, but you need to know Cat and I wouldn’t have lasted.”
She outlined the cougar on his football jersey with her fingertip. “Why not?”
“Because while there was a lot I liked about Cat when we were dating, there was more I liked about you. My relationship with Cat didn’t go to the next level until you pretended to be her. I liked the changes. Really liked them. You were softer, sweeter. You didn’t mind me holding your hand. I liked how you kissed me and touched me like you couldn’t keep your hands off me. And I liked how you weren’t afraid to talk about your feelings and made me talk about mine. Maybe, in some ways, Cat and I are too much alike. We make better friends than lovers.”
Her gaze jerked to his. “I didn’t know that you and Cat had been…intimate.”
“We weren’t.”
“Oh, okay, that’s good.” She was happy to hear they hadn’t been, and even happier to hear that he’d noticed the differences between her and her sister. Best of all that he appreciated them. There was just one problem. And while part of her didn’t want to mess things up now that they seemed to be in a good place, there was something he needed to know. “I’m not that girl anymore, Easton. I mean, for the most part, I guess am. But I’m much stronger now, and I don’t need you to protect me. A lot of people don’t know this about me, but I’m actually pretty tough.”
His lips twitched, and his eyes danced with amusement. “Oh, I know you are, Scarlett.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Are you being sarcastic?”
“Kind of.” He grinned and turned onto his side, bringing her with him. “I think it’s time for us to make a new memory here.”
“Here…now?” She went up on her elbow to search the parking lot. It was empty.
“Oh, yeah, right here and right now,” he said, and then his mouth was on hers, his hands moving between them. His fingers dipped beneath the waistband of her jeans and his kiss went from amazing to off-the-charts in twenty seconds flat. She closed her eyes on a low moan, the muscles in her stomach tightening in anticipation. At his frustrated groan, her eyes blinked open.
“Love the way you look in your jeans, Scarlett, but they’re a pain in the ass to get off. Next time, wear a dress.”
* * *
Easton sat beside Chloe on the rocking chairs. He’d picked them up in town the week before with this exact moment in mind. The two of them spending quiet time drinking coffee on the front porch before the day got underway. But the moment he hadn’t envisioned had taken place fifteen minutes ago in the outdoor shower, and it was one he’d be thinking about for the rest of the day. And one he planned to repeat every morning. And night if he had his way.
“You haven’t said anything about the chairs. What do you think?”
Chloe wore an old robe of his with her damp hair piled on her head and her feet tucked beneath her on the rocker. “They’ll be lovely once you finish them.”
“Scarlett, they’re not a make-work project. I bought them from a local artisan. They’re actually in pretty high demand.” And cost a small fortune.
She wrinkled her nose. “Really? But they’re made of sticks and need to be sanded and painted.”
“If I come home and find you painted them pink, I won’t be a happy man.”
“I was thinking white.” She gave him a cute grin. “Don’t worry, I won’t have time. I have too much to do today. Oh, and that reminds me, would you be able to investigate the board members for me? I think something hinky is going on.”
“Hinky?”
“Yes, hinky, suspicious. It’s almost as if Christmas High is being slated for closure to increase the enrollment of the two other schools, and I want to know why.”
Jesus, she was cute. He hooked his arm around her neck and pulled her in to kiss the top of her head. “Nothing gets past my girl. I’ll look into it for you, Scarlett.”
She fluttered her eyelashes. “You’re my hero.”
“Remember that when you’re meeting with Ashley today. Actually, what time are you supposed to meet him? I can probably move some stuff around and join you.”
Her eyes narrowed at him, then she pursed her lips as if thinking about something, and a self-satisfied smile spread across her gorgeous face. A smile that made him nervous.
“You know what, that’s a good idea. You should meet with Beau. I’ll text him and see when he’s available.”
“Okay, what are you up to now? No, don’t try and deny it. You get a look in your pretty green eyes that gives you away every time.”
“It’s nothing nefarious. It’s just that, well”—she chewed on her thumbnail—“I may have mentioned to Beau that you’d hire him and his crew to build your new house. So it’s probably a good idea for you to talk to him.”
He took her thumb from her mouth. “Stop chewing on your nail. I’m not mad, but I’d appreciate it if you talked about stuff like this with me first.”
“So you’ll hire them?”
“I’ll think about it. And—” He broke off at the sound of an orange pickup turning off the main road. “Looks like the Hansons have come for a…Chloe, what are you doing?”
She was up and off the chair, duck-walking to the cabin door. “I can’t let them see me.”
“Do not tell me this has anything to do with you not being dressed to the nines and having no makeup on.”
She touched her cheek and gave him a horrified look. “I didn’t even think of that. But no, I don’t want them to think I’m that kind of girl,” she said as she opened the door and disappeared behind it.
“What kind of girl would that be exactly?” He had a feeling he wasn’t going to like her answer.
“The kind that lives with a man before they’re married.”
“They’ll figure out sooner or later that you’re living here, Scarlett.” He lifted his hand to wave at the Hansons as the truck trundled down the drive.
Chloe peeked out from behind the door and frowned at him. “Whatever gave you the idea I was moving in?”
“I thought after last night—”
“Unless you proposed to me and I missed it, you thought wrong.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chloe sat in the stylist chair at Diva while Ty blew her hair dry. “Maybe a little less movie star and more…PTA,” she suggested. Her presentation to the school board was at seven, and she wanted to look professional. She’d paired a conservative black-and-white-striped wrap dress with a fab pair of black heels with white leather piping. The shoes were more movie star than PTA, but she’d only go so far in her bid to win over the board.
“I don’t tell you how to act, so no telling the Dallas Howard of hair how to do his job.”
She never should have told Ty about the director’s offer. He’d been stalking Dallas on social media for the past five days. The thirty-four-year-old director was gorgeous, unattached, and gay. “The analogy doesn’t work. And you can quit bringing him up in every conversation. I’m not changing my mind.”
He whimpered.
“Don’t be so dramatic. It’s not as…What’s wrong with you?” she asked.
He was staring out the window, the blow dryer hanging limply in his hand. Ty turned her chair to face the door as it opened. Easton walked into the salon. Chloe had a feeling she might have whimpered, too, but she couldn’t be sure because the soundtrack from the Princess Bride drowned out everything else. Easton had on an expensive black suit and white dress shirt with its top button undone.
Dark eyebrows raised, he cocked his head.
“If he asked me to move in with him, I wouldn’t say no,” Ty murmured.
Easton heard him, and his mouth lifted at the corner. She really had to stop sharing with Ty. “Hi,” she said. It sounded more like a breathy sigh, and she cleared her throat. “You look incredibly handsome.”
Easton smiled and rubbed his head. “Glad you think so. My brother says I need a haircut.�
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Like always, he had a sexy bedhead going on. Chloe loved it, but since he was attending the art exhibition today, she supposed she could see Chance’s point. “Maybe just a…”
Before she got out trim, Ty had tossed his blow-dryer on his tray and reached for Easton.
“I have been wanting to get my hands on you—”
Chloe wanted to get her hands on him, too, and jumped off the chair. She took Easton by the arm. “You need to get your own boyfriend, Ty. I’ll wash Easton’s hair while you do Stella’s. I think she’s cooked,” Chloe said, nodding at the older woman under the dryer with her nose buried in People magazine. Thankfully they were no longer publishing Chloe’s pictures.
Ty pursed his lips as he released Easton’s hand. “If you didn’t reject Dallas’s offer, I would have a boyfriend.” Chloe stared at Ty. She couldn’t believe he’d outed her that way. He knew she hadn’t shared the news with Easton, and he knew why. But her livid stare didn’t seem to bother Ty, and he kept talking. “That man is perfect for me. I would have come to the set and done your hair, his too. Aspen isn’t that far from Christmas.”
Easton looked down at her, his brow furrowed. “You didn’t tell me you rejected Dallas’s offer. Was he not offering you enough money?”
She took Easton’s hand, leading him toward the sinks and, more importantly, away from Ty. “No, money wasn’t the issue. After I read the script—”
“She was afraid her heart wasn’t up to the action,” Ty piped up from behind her.
Chloe whirled around. “Ty! How could you? I told you that in confidence.”
Ty crossed his arms. “He needed to know. You’re letting your fears rule your life, and it’s not healthy. If anyone can get you to listen to reason, it’s Easton.”
“This has nothing to do with me. You’re mad because you think I ruined your chance to meet Dallas.”
Ty’s face fell. “I care more about you than meeting Dallas Howard, Diva.”
She would have felt worse about hurting Ty’s feelings if Easton wasn’t watching her with a concerned look in his eyes. She forced a smile. “We better get your hair washed. The exhibition starts at five, doesn’t it?” Avoiding his gaze, she kept talking, “Let’s take your jacket off. We wouldn’t want it to get wrinkled or wet.”
“Ty, I’m going to use your office for a minute,” Easton said, then tugged Chloe after him.
“Easton, we don’t have time for this.” And she didn’t want to talk about it to him or anyone else, other than Ty. And obviously that had been a mistake.
Ignoring her, Easton opened the office door and pulled her inside. Once he’d closed it, he lifted her onto Ty’s clutter-free desk. Easton crossed his arms, the fabric of his jacket pulled tight across his broad shoulders and muscular arms.
When he opened his mouth, she reached up and gave a gentle tug on his sleeve. “It’s a little tight. You should—”
“Chloe, we’re not here to talk about my damn jacket. Do you remember what we talked about at dinner the other night?”
She drew her hand away. They’d had their first “real” date two days earlier. Other than that particular point in the conversation, she’d had a wonderful time. So wonderful that, when he’d made a case for her moving in with him, she’d almost said yes. But as difficult as it had been, she’d held firmly to her convictions. If she moved in with Easton, there would be no reason for him to put a ring on her finger. As old-fashioned as it might seem, she wanted to be at least engaged before she agreed to live with him.
Easton released an impatient sigh, bringing her back to the conversation at hand. She preferred the one she’d been having in her head. “Yes, I remember everything we talked about, Easton.” As she made her point, his throat worked on a quick swallow. It didn’t look like he’d be proposing to her anytime soon. She pushed her disappointment aside and continued. “And I told you the truth. I haven’t had a panic attack since the day in the school’s parking lot, and that’s weeks ago. I don’t need to see anyone.”
“So Ty’s lying?”
When she began nibbling on her thumbnail, Easton removed it from her mouth. She gave him a grumpy look. “No, he’s not lying. But that’s not the only reason I didn’t accept the role. There’s problems with the script, and I don’t think the producer is right for the project.”
“I don’t care if you take the part or not, Chloe. It’s your career, and you know what’s best. But if you’re not accepting the role because you’re worried about your heart, that I care about, and it’s something we have to talk about.”
“For twenty-eight years, I’ve believed my heart was damaged, Easton. And I’ve lived my life accordingly. It takes time to unlearn that behavior and change my belief system. I’ll get there. You just have to be patient with me.”
“You’re right, it will take time. But you don’t have to deal with this on your own. You shared with Ty, but you didn’t tell me, and I guess that worries me a bit.”
He was right. She should have talked to him about her fears. He’d opened up to her about his frustration with his injury and how much he disliked being pitied. He’d even started taking his pills. Not all the time, but he no longer let it get so bad that the pain showed on his face. It wasn’t fair she hadn’t been more open with him. “I’m sorry. I guess I don’t care if Ty thinks that I’m being silly or weak, but I do care if you do. No, that came out wrong. I do care what Ty thinks, but it’s…different.”
He moved into her and framed her face with his hands. “Looks like we’ve got a ways to go if you don’t feel safe telling me stuff like this.”
She winced. She was making a mess of this. Maybe it wasn’t only her fear about her heart holding her back; maybe it was a fear of rejection. She’d loved Easton for so long that she was afraid to do anything that would put their relationship at risk. She’d told Cat she had to be more like her, to open up to Grayson or she’d risk losing him. And here Chloe was doing the same. She took a deep breath and covered Easton’s hands with hers, about to confess her feelings. At the last minute, she chickened out and smiled. “Of course I feel safe with you. You’re my white knight.”
“I’m not kidding around, baby. We’re not living in a fairy tale. You need to trust me with it all, good and bad.” He turned his hands and held hers, then stepped back. “I haven’t exactly been easy on you these past few years; maybe that’s why you’re afraid to trust—”
“No, you haven’t. But let’s face it, I had it coming.” She looked at their joined hands, then raised her gaze to meet his. “Easton, I’m in love with you. No one’s opinion matters more to me than yours. I want to be someone you can be proud of. You’re strong and smart and good and kind, and everyone loves you.” His eyes were intent on hers, a muscle pulsing in his tense jaw. Her cheeks warmed, and she once again dropped her eyes to their hands. “I guess I sometimes wonder if I’m good enough for you.”
He let go of her hands and lifted her chin. “Chloe, look at me.” A cold knot formed in her chest. His harsh tone worried her, and it took a moment before she did as he asked. “Don’t put me on a pedestal. I’m just a guy. Sometimes I have my shit together, and sometimes I don’t.”
“I know you’re not perfect.”
“You sure about that? Because it sounded like you think I am, and that’s a lot to live up to.”
“I don’t expect you to be anyone other than who you are, Easton. You may not be perfect, but you’re perfect for me.”
His expression softened, and he took her in his arms. “And you’re perfect for me. So don’t try and change. I love you just the way you are.”
“You do?” she asked more out of habit than anything else. She saw the emotion in his eyes, felt it in the way he held her. Easton McBride loved her. He really, really loved her. And as that knowledge flowed through her, a sense of wonderment and peace settled over her. She could finally put the past behind her. Because if a man as amazing as Easton loved her, she must be pretty amazing herself. He wouldn�
��t settle for anything less. It was time for her to say good-bye to that shy, awkward little girl she used to be.
“Yeah, and I mustn’t be doing a very good job showing you if you have to ask.”
Before she had a chance to disabuse him of the notion, there was a light knock on the door. “I don’t want to interrupt you two, but Stella’s gone, and I have twenty minutes before my next appointment.”
“Be right there, Ty,” Easton said, then smiled down at her and lowered his head, giving her a kiss that said, Chloe O’Connor, you’re my one. While she responded with a kiss that said, Easton McBride, you’ve always been mine. And because she’d been waiting for what seemed like forever for the opportunity to let him know that he was, she put her heart and soul into the kiss.
“Ah, guys, what exactly are you doing in my office? My next client will be here in ten minutes,” Ty said through the door.
Easton drew back, his eyes dazed, his breathing ragged. “I know how you feel about sleepovers, but you’re staying with me tonight. So you better tell Ty you won’t be coming home after the meeting. And, Scarlett, we’ve got more to talk about. But we’ll save the conversation for the morning when we’re watching the sun rise over the mountains.”
* * *
Chloe sat in the front row with Ty on her left and Jill on her right. The board members had yet to take their places at the table across from her. The meeting was scheduled to start in fifteen minutes. She glanced over her shoulder, searching the audience for Easton, Cat, and Chance. They’d promised they’d be here. They expected the players in the Martinez drama to make their move within the first hour of the exhibition. At that point, the case was in the DEA’s and FBI’s hands. Which was a relief.
Chloe had assumed Easton wouldn’t be in the thick of things. He was a computer expert after all. She supposed his suit would have been a giveaway if she hadn’t been mesmerized by the way he looked in it. It wasn’t until Cat had come to get him at Diva that Chloe realized he’d be in the middle of the action. She thought she’d done a good job covering her dismay, but Easton saw through her. And while she knew he was as well-trained as her sister and Chance, a few minutes ago an unsettling feeling had come over her, a heaviness in her stomach that she couldn’t will away. She needed to see Easton. See all of them safe and out of harm’s way. She had a better understanding of Grayson’s concerns now.
