“Chloe, I really need to…” his words died off when she spun around and faced him.
“Sorry,” she said sheepishly. “I was trying to find something for my hair, but…” She shrugged. “I guess I’ll have to dig through the rest of my stuff that’s in the car.”
Dylan shook his head as if clearing it. “I…um…I guess we should have taken all of it out of the car last night. Sorry. I wasn’t even thinking of it.”
“No big deal,” she said, forcing a smile. The man had a way of looking at her that was starting to give her a complex. She knew she looked a whole lot better than she had a few minutes ago and yet he was still looking at her like she had something on her face.
He cleared his throat and shifted on his feet. “So…um…I really need to get back to the shop. I want to get all the parts ordered and things were already pretty busy when I left.”
Scurrying around the room, Chloe collected her purse and slipped on her sandals and walked over to him. “Okay. I’m ready!”
Dylan looked down at her feet and frowned. It hit her that sandals probably weren’t the smartest choice in footwear at a garage. “I have sneakers somewhere in my trunk. I’ll change into them when we get there.” She pasted another smile on her face and it instantly fell when Dylan simply spun and walked away. She met him at the front door and then followed him out, and felt an odd sense of déjà vu.
Yup. Dylan Maxwell had the ability to jumble her thoughts and make her want to throw caution to the wind and be reckless – something she was trying to do a lot less of. It was part of her plan for her new life on the West Coast. But when he looked over his shoulder at her and grinned, she knew she’d wait on that change until after she left Sapphire Falls.
Four
Why wouldn’t her brain just shut up and let her sleep?
For two days, Chloe was too busy to even think. Between learning how to handle things at Dylan’s shop to all of the friendly people she was meeting, she was beginning to feel more than a little overwhelmed. Either it was a really slow news week, or the people of Sapphire Falls were just that curious about everything that went on in people’s lives, because it seemed as if everyone had heard of her and wanted to know about the woman who was staying with Dylan.
She was a little embarrassed at having to talk about the circumstances of how she ended up in that predicament - but not Dylan. He was more than happy to talk about it to anyone and everyone, and with a smile on his damn handsome face no less. That set tongues wagging and before she knew it, people were giving Chloe sly glances and telling her what a great catch Dylan was.
Right. Like she hadn’t figured that out already. The man was too good to be true - kind, friendly, hard-working and, of course, sexy as hell. It was getting harder and harder to ignore that last part. Especially since they were together all day and then went home together every night. Although, if she were being honest, the man worked like a beast and by the time they arrived back at his house, they were both exhausted and Dylan tended to head to bed not long after dinner. Maybe it was her, but Chloe had to wonder if that was his normal routine or if he just wanted time away from her.
If that was the case, it really bothered her. The last thing she wanted was to be a bother to him - or anyone - but there was no way to know for certain and she had a feeling if she asked, Dylan would be his usual, nice self and say whatever it took not to make her feel bad.
And how crazy was that that it annoyed her?
So now she sat curled up in bed and wondered - wondered what Dylan was really thinking about her being here and wondered how much longer he was going to be stuck with her. According to the Sapphire Falls grapevine, Dylan was single - which Chloe figured out pretty quickly on her own - and in need of a good woman. Then they’d all grin at her, waggle their eyebrows and wink. Right. As if she was capable of being a good woman to a man who was a pillar of the community. Even though she hadn’t known him for that long, Chloe could already tell that Dylan deserved a woman who had her shit together - and that clearly wasn’t her.
This move across country was supposed to help her do that, but she wasn’t off to a very good start. Moving wasn’t anything new - she and her dad had done a lot of that when she was growing up - but this was the first time it was a major, cross-country event. Chloe had been proud of herself for being willing to take it on all by herself, but now she was questioning just how smart it was. The car issues, her lack of any real planning, and not knowing where exactly she was going to end up were all starting to wear on her.
Besides all of the unknowns, there was something about this town that gave her all the feels. It wasn’t like any place else she’d ever lived. The quaintness of it, the friendly people, the beautiful farmland...it was all just so damn charming and Chloe felt like it was already starting to suck her in. And the festival! Good grief, it was all everyone talked about - well, after trying to get the down-low on her and Dylan. But the more she heard about the festival, the more she wanted to stay for it. Maybe if Dylan got done with her car sooner than he planned, he wouldn’t mind having her around for a little longer so she can stay for all the festivities.
Throwing her head back, she sighed. How smart was it of her to waste time hanging around for a glorified carnival when she was supposed to be moving on to start her new life? Then she stopped that train of thought - technically staying in Sapphire Falls and working for Dylan would help go a long way toward paying for the car repairs so...there. That justified her need to stay the extra week. She would just have to find a way to keep out of Dylan’s way a little bit more so he wouldn’t feel like she was intruding on his personal time and space quite so much.
A quick glance at the clock showed it was getting late - almost eleven. They tended to be at the garage by seven so they were up early. Reaching over, Chloe shut off the light and did her best to clear her mind of how appealing life was in Sapphire Falls.
And how appealing the town mechanic was too.
****
Midnight.
Dylan tossed and turned and cursed. If he didn’t get some sleep soon, he was going to lose his mind. He was tired. Bone-weary tired. And yet - for the third night in a row - he couldn’t sleep a wink because of the woman in the next room. When he was awake, she was there. When he closed his eyes to go to sleep, she was there - only in a much dirtier, X-rated version.
All he had wanted to do was help out a person in need. It wasn’t unusual for him. But he hadn’t thought it through. Having an attractive woman in his home was wreaking havoc on his senses. Her shampoo smelled like strawberries and her perfume was something florally and he could smell them both everywhere he went. She had charmed everyone who worked for him and who came into the shop and he had a sneaky suspicion that most of the cars that had come in today for routine maintenance had more to do with people wanting to get a look at her than any real car issues.
Then there was her laugh. Her smile. Her...everything. Hell, Dylan caught himself simply seeking her out during the day just to get a glimpse of her or to hear her voice. Never in his life had a woman simply captivated him the way Chloe had from the first time he laid eyes on her. But sooner or later, something was gonna have to give. He was either going to kiss her or find one of the single women in town to take Chloe on as a roommate.
Liar.
Okay, fine. There was no way he was going to let Chloe stay anyplace else in Sapphire Falls. He was a grown man who had self-control. Sort of. Or at least he thought he did until she had come into his life. Now he felt slightly out of control - at least with the direction of his thoughts - and he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do about it.
As corny as it sounded, Dylan was a fairly traditional guy - he didn’t believe in casual relationships or flings. At this point in his life, he was looking for a relationship - a long-term one. He was ready to settle down and have a wife and kids. That wasn’t going to be the case with Chloe. She was here temporarily - she had a plan, a life and it didn’t include staying in Sap
phire Falls.
Could he honestly indulge in something physical with her knowing it was going to end almost as soon as it started?
Just the thought of it put those X-rated images back in the forefront of his mind and…well…everything south of the belt was ready with a resounding YES! But Dylan knew it would be rough for him – to simply push aside his ultimate wants and needs for the sake of being with Chloe before she left town.
The bulk of the parts for her car were due to be delivered to the shop in the morning and he’d already managed to patch up her exhaust system and replace the hoses. He wasn’t going to charge her for them; it just gave him a little peace of mind to know it was done. If everything went according to schedule, he could be done by the end of the week and then she’d be gone – on her way to…west.
That one still made him chuckle. Although, after several conversations with her on the subject, it didn’t seem as if Chloe knew where she was going to end up. She was simply driving west until she got someplace. Dylan shook his head. How could somebody do that? There was no way he could just pick up and go without a destination in mind and there was no way he could do it without a proper plan.
Or with a car that was in clear disrepair.
He really needed to stop harping on that one fact. There had been a good reason behind her hasty departure and need to get out of town, and he should feel good about showing up when he did to help her. The thought of some stranger pulling up while Chloe was alone on a deserted stretch of highway made him shudder.
“Ow, shit…”
Dylan sat up in bed at the sound of Chloe’s hushed curse from the hallway. What was she doing up this late? She’d mentioned being tired while they’d shared dinner – burgers they’d grilled on his back patio – so he was kind of surprised to hear her up and about at this hour.
Sitting quietly, he listened. A minute later he heard the distinct crash of a glass breaking and more swearing from Chloe. Jumping up from the bed, he immediately pulled the door open and made his way toward the kitchen. The first thing he noticed was that it was still pretty dark in there – no lights were on – the second was Chloe hopping around and cursing like a sailor.
Flipping on the overhead light, Dylan immediately walked toward her and lifted her up, placing her on top of the granite countertop. Next he went and grabbed a broom to start clearing up the floor.
“You all right?” he asked, his voice sounded just a little gruff.
“I’m not sure yet,” she replied. When Dylan looked over at her, she was examining her foot. “I know I stepped on some of the glass. Just not sure if any of it’s stuck.”
Careful not to suffer the same fate, Dylan quickly swept the floor and got all of the glass onto the dustpan and into the trash before going over the area a second time just to be safe. When he was done, he turned all his attention to Chloe.
“So? How does it look?”
She shook her head. “It feels like there’s something in there, but I can’t see it and I sure as hell can’t get a grip on it, but I can feel it. It hurts like hell, too.”
Dylan reached over and gently grasped her ankle and turned her so the light was better for him to see what they were dealing with. “Let me grab my first aid kit and we’ll take care of this.”
When he turned to walk away Chloe said, “Sorry about waking you up. And the glass.”
He shrugged and grabbed the small kit from the drawer at the far end of the kitchen island. “I was surprised to hear you up this late.”
It was her turn to shrug. “I was thirsty.”
Nodding, he pulled out a pair of tweezers and cradled her foot in his hands as he lowered his head for a better look. She was wearing next to nothing – an oversized t-shirt and…he swallowed hard…red panties. With the way she was positioned, it was hard to miss. Doing his best to keep his attention focused on her foot, he ran his thumb gently along the arch of her foot until her heard her soft hiss of breath.
Without a word, he took the tweezers and pulled the tiny piece of glass form her foot. He examined it and put it in the trash before going back and inspecting for any more pieces. After the second one, they both agreed that there weren’t any others.
Dylan cleared his throat as he straightened. They were still close. Very close and he could see her pulse beating rapidly at her throat and knew his own was no different. That was also when he became aware that all he was wearing was a pair of boxers.
Hell.
“You should probably…um…rinse your foot and we’ll put some antibiotic cream and a bandage on it.”
He saw her swallow as she continued to look at him before nodding. A slow breath left his lungs as he turned and tried to put his attention on getting what she’d need from the kit and then putting the dustpan and broom away. Behind him he heard the water turn on in the sink and heard her hiss as it hit her foot. Leaving the room, he went to grab her a towel to dry off with.
When he returned, he handed it to her and together they worked in silence to get her foot cleaned and bandaged. He cleaned up the rest, put the kit away and then went and poured Chloe a glass of water. She looked at him quizzically.
“You said you were thirsty,” he murmured, his eyes focused on her lips. Hell, he was holding on by a thread. Now his X-rated fantasies were going to include the knowledge of how soft her skin was and how red was a really good color on her.
She didn’t take the glass from him so Dylan placed it on the counter beside her and willed himself to walk away, put some distance between them. Logically, he knew it was what he should do. But he couldn’t seem to make his body cooperate.
Chloe’s eyes were wide as she studied him and…wait…did she move closer or did he? It was hard to tell. When her hand came up and rested on his bare chest, Dylan closed his eyes and tried – again – to remember why he should be putting space between them. Why he should wish her a good night and simply go back to his room.
Then she whispered his name and that was it.
He was lost.
Closing the distance between them, he lifted a hand and cupped her cheek as he lowered his lips to hers. In all the times he’d imagined it, Dylan thought it would be a frenzied coming together, but it wasn’t. It was slow and sweet and the kind of kiss you just sort of sank into and went back again and again for more.
Chloe’s arms slowly snaked up to wrap around his shoulders before her hands raked up through his hair and it felt better than he thought possible. Their movements were slow as they pressed together and all Dylan could think was how he would gladly forego sleep and stand here all night kissing her if she’d let him.
Which – by the way she was responding to him – she would.
He needed to breathe. He needed to keep kissing her. But more than anything else, he just needed her. Reluctantly, his lips left hers and forged a path across her cheek and down the slender column of her throat. Doing his best to keep from overwhelming her – and himself – Dylan slowly lowered his hands. They skimmed across her shoulders and down her arms before touching her bare legs. Hell, he wanted to spend a whole lot of time right there but decided to wrap around and gently grasp her hips before he went back to kissing her lips.
She purred with approval as his tongue teased hers.
His arms banded around her waist as he took the kiss deeper. Chloe’s legs wrapped around him as she pressed impossibly closer and Dylan knew it would take very little effort for them to take this to the next level. Unable to help himself, he rubbed against her center, could feel her wetness through her panties and his boxers and it was almost more than he could stand.
Just another minute. One more minute and he’d be able to stop and form a coherent thought. Then maybe he’d be able to ask her if they should take this to his bedroom – or hers. He wasn’t going to be picky about it. Just the two of them – minus the little attire they were wearing – and a soft surface. Not that there was anything wrong with right here in the kitchen either. Hell, with the slightest bit of encouragem
ent, he’d be more than willing to give it a shot.
Just one more kiss and…
“Dylan?” she panted, tearing her mouth from his. Her voice was soft – almost as if she were far away.
It took a moment for his gaze to focus. God, she was beautiful. Her hair was in sexy disarray. Her lips were swollen from his kisses and she was breathing hard.
A damn fantasy come to life.
She said his name again and that snapped him out of his lust-filled fog. “What are we doing?” she asked quietly.
A nervous chuckle came out before he could stop it. “Um…”
She laughed with him and rested her head on his chest. “I know what we were doing but…”
He knew what she was getting at. And not one for lying, he told her exactly what he was thinking. “I’ve been wanting to do that since I first saw you.”
Lifting her head, Chloe looked at him like he was crazy. “I looked like a drowned rat.”
Shaking his head, Dylan tucked a finger under her chin. “You were sexy as hell. You are sexy as hell.”
She swallowed hard. “Dylan…” she sighed.
Regret. He heard it loud and clear and mentally cursed himself. It took all the strength he had to step away from her. And rather than have an awkward conversation, he decided to change the subject and make a quick retreat back to his room. “So…um…your foot. Is it okay? Do you think you can walk on it?”
“I think so.”
“Good. That’s good.” He cleared his throat. “Well…um…it’s late and we’ve got to be up early so I’ll…um…I’ll see you in the morning.”
When she didn’t say anything else, Dylan ducked his head and walked out of the room and didn’t breathe freely until his bedroom door was closed behind him.
****
There was no awkwardness the next morning.
If anything, Dylan acted as he always did. He greeted her with a smile and talked to her about what his plans were that day for her car and for the business. Chloe knew she should be relieved but she wasn’t. Did the kiss mean nothing to him? Did he regret it? Or was he just so damn nice that he was going out of his way to make sure she didn’t feel awkward?
Sapphire Falls: Going My Way? (Kindle Worlds Novella) Page 4
