Summer Fling

by Serenity Woods

  His gaze slid back to Chloe. Mat and Stella were talking about Mat’s upcoming wedding with Stella’s sister Abby, but Chloe continued to look out of the window. What was her story? Clearly something had gone badly wrong between her and her ex. What with him and the problem she had dealing with her bipolar mother, she seemed as screwed up as he did. Perhaps that had drawn them together—two reclusive, private misfits in a society that demanded you bring your problems and psychoses out into the open.

  Beneath the table, he widened his legs slightly so his knee pushed against hers. She obviously felt the pressure and turned to look at him, and their gazes met.

  Chapter Eight

  Just like on the plane, something shot between them. Garth hadn’t expected it—he’d hoped for nothing more than a smile from her. But she didn’t smile. His pulse raced at the look in her eyes. Her lips parted, and a light blush spread over her cheeks again. She moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue.

  He’d hardly thought about having sex since he returned to New Zealand, too knotted up in negative emotions to ponder on his bodily desires. Since meeting Chloe, though, he thought about it all the time. He put everything he was feeling into his eyes and let his lips curve. Her blush spread. She seemed to spend the whole time around him with pink cheeks.

  He liked that.

  She finally looked away, blinking as Mat asked her a question. “Pardon?” she said, dazed.

  Mat tried to hide a smile, unsuccessfully. “I asked if you’d come up with any new chocolate recipes lately.” He grinned at Garth. “She makes the most heavenly truffles.”

  “Actually, Mr. Repia, I have,” she said. “‘Eggs that Bite.’”

  “Huh?”

  “For Easter.” She told them about her plan to produce a chocolate Russian Roulette game with a chili-flavored truffle hidden somewhere within.

  “I’d definitely play it,” Mat said. “It sounds fun.”

  Stella pulled a face. “I don’t like anything hot.”

  “That would be the interesting part of it, though,” Garth said. “Trying not to choose the chili chocolate.” He smiled at Chloe. “It’s a great idea.”

  “Thanks.” She met his eyes again. Then she lowered her gaze to her glass.

  Stella glanced at her, then at Garth. Her eyes sparkled. “How’s the business?”

  “Booming. I always knew this would be the busiest time of year, but I’m still surprised how crazy it’s been.”

  “Who’d have thought there’d be so many people willing to throw themselves out of a plane?” Chloe said.

  “I know, crazy isn’t it? But Sky High also offers other stuff. Helicopter rides across the bay, for example. They’re really popular with tourists. And flying lessons, that sort of thing.”

  “Anything to get off the ground, eh?”

  “Pretty much.”

  She studied him for a moment, her eyes cautious. “You run a risky business.”

  He shrugged. “Life’s a risky business. I’ve come to realize that. I know I don’t get out much, but that doesn’t mean I like to play it safe. I’ve come to think that when your number’s up, it’s up, and there’s not a damn thing you can do about it. Until then, you might as well do whatever lights your candle.”

  “Like throwing yourself out of planes?”

  “Like throwing myself out of planes.” He smiled and tipped his head at her. “What lights your candle, Chloe Jackson?”

  She opened her mouth to answer him, but Mat’s smirk and Stella’s giggle returned the blush to her cheeks and in the end she just lowered her eyes.

  He took pity on her and changed the subject, asking Mat about the wedding, and they spent a pleasant half an hour or so making general conversation. He was pleased to see Chloe relax. Hopefully she’d managed to put her unpleasant conversation with her ex to the back of her mind for a while.

  She finished off her wine. “We’d better go, Stel. I’ll turn into a pumpkin if I’m out any later.”

  Stella laughed. “Come on then.” She kissed both the guys on the cheek.

  Chloe smiled. “Nice to see you again.” She stood and bent to kiss Mat. Then she turned to Garth and hesitated.

  He rose. “Good to see you too.” He rested a hand on her back and kissed her on the cheek. Her warm skin smelled of chocolate. His lips lingered longer than they probably should have.

  When he pulled back, she was blushing again. Her eyes met his briefly. “Bye.” She walked out, Stella following.

  Mat’s eyes gleamed. “That was a nice surprise.”

  “Shut up.” Garth finished off his lager. “Want another?”

  “Yeah. My round though.” He went up to the bar. When he came back, he carried on the conversation. “She’s a pretty girl.”

  Garth sighed. “Yes.”

  “Are you interested?”

  He fiddled with his glass. “I don’t think she is.”

  “That’s not what I asked.”

  “What do you want me to say? I like her, Mat, and I think she likes me, but she’s clearly ill at ease with my career. She told me about her mother being bipolar, and that’s obviously got something to do with her not wanting to be involved with anyone whom she might view as unreliable. Plus Stella said something about her having been hurt badly before.”

  “Yeah. She dated a guy called Ethan Robins for a few years. They broke up a while ago. The guy’s a complete dick. I never knew what she saw in him. He’s a smarmy bastard, worked in banking. Good looking, well-groomed, a smooth talker. He told her he was going to set up his own business, and he convinced her to give him money. Blew it all, and when she went to confront him, she found him in bed with a bimbo.”

  Garth groaned. “Oh for fuck’s sake.”

  “Yeah. Total bastard. She was completely devastated.”

  “Understandably so.”

  “The odd thing is, she seemed more upset about the money than about him cheating on her. She was embarrassed. Utterly humiliated, you know? As if she should have known better. I don’t think she signed any paperwork when she gave him the cash, and she could have kicked herself afterward. He fooled us all though. I mean, I didn’t like him, but I never thought he’d do anything like that. I thought he loved her.”

  Garth frowned. Now he understood her defensiveness and her reluctance to get involved with anyone again. And why she’d looked sad when she walked into the bar.

  “So,” Mat said. “Are you coming to the party? Stella’s going to talk Chloe into coming.”

  Garth just drank his lager.

  “You could have cut the sexual tension between you two with a hacksaw.”

  “She’s not—”

  Mat cut him off with an impatient wave of his hand. “Bro’, sometimes you shouldn’t take no for an answer. She likes you. You’ve got to push a little.”

  “I don’t—”

  “Garth.” Mat’s voice was firm. “When do I ever ask you for anything?”

  “All the time.”

  “Bollocks. I tease you about it, but I never push you to do anything you don’t want to do. I know what you’ve been through. But it’s been a long time since Jess, and you need to move on. Trust me. Come to the party.”

  Garth hesitated. He hadn’t told Mat about his plans for Stewart. He wasn’t sure why. Perhaps because of fear that Mat would disapprove. But maybe he should trust his friend. He hadn’t had a date for so long. Perhaps the time had come for him to dip his toe in the water.

  He thought of Chloe. Of her soft mouth, and the spark that had appeared in her eyes before she thought better of it and covered it up. He couldn’t stop his lips from curving.

  Mat grinned. “Good.”

  “I might not stay over,” Garth cautioned.

  “I’ll shove a couple of tents in the back anyway.”

  “I don’t do tents.” He couldn’t bear the enclosed space.

  Pity flickered on Mat’s face. “Oh yeah, I forgot. Well, you can always sleep on the sand.”

  “If
I hate it, I’m not going to stay.”

  “Fair enough. Just give it a go.”

  Garth nodded. If he got there and Stella hadn’t been able to persuade Chloe to go, he’d probably turn around and go straight home. But if she was there…

  A long evening, wine flowing, good music, and a pretty woman in his arms. It used to be his idea of entertainment. Maybe if Chloe was that pretty woman, he might actually enjoy himself again. Would he be able to convince her he was worth relaxing her guard for?

  She’d been so soft pressed against him on the plane. With the taste of chocolate on her lips.

  He’d certainly give it a try.

  Chapter Nine

  Chloe and Stella walked home slowly.

  “Nice surprise,” Stella said.

  “Yeah.”

  Stella nudged her, and Chloe stuck her tongue out.

  “You went to pieces when you saw him,” Stella remarked.

  “Did not.”

  “Did too, you dropped your purse.”

  “That’s just me being clumsy.”

  Stella raised an eyebrow.

  Chloe sighed. “Yeah, all right. He’s nice. I like him. Even though he’s a raving lunatic.”

  “He jumps out of planes. That doesn’t mean he’s mentally challenged.”

  “He’s certainly not sane. But I take your point.”

  “He was right, you know. Life is a risky business. You can’t plan for everything. Sometimes things just happen.”

  “Yeah, I know. But there’s accepting that life’s dicey, and then there’s deliberately going out and courting danger. With his sort of job, it’s like he’s tempting Fate. ‘Come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough.’ Almost as if he wants something terrible to happen.”

  Stella shrugged. “Maybe he does. Like I said, I get the feeling there’s something Mat hasn’t told us about him.”

  “And that’s just what I need—a guy with secrets.”

  “He’s not Ethan, honey. Ethan duped you. That’s not the same as wanting to keep yourself to yourself. I mean, you haven’t told Garth about Ethan taking your money, right? And I could see you didn’t want to talk about Cocoa Heaven.”

  “It’s none of his business.”

  “That’s what I’m saying. Presumably he’s the same. Let’s face it, you’ve only met him twice. He’s not going to pour out his whole history in half an hour.”

  Chloe sighed. “I know. It’s just… Seriously, Stella, I don’t think I could cope with the uncertainty of it all. I’m not asking for much. Just for someone who’s not looking to kill himself five times a day, you know?”

  “Yeah, because going with Mr. Investment Banker turned out so well.”

  “Ouch.”

  Stella winced. “Sorry, that came out before my brain could vet it. You know I didn’t mean it.”

  “You did mean it, but that’s okay.” She couldn’t take Stella’s words too much to heart because of their accuracy. Look what had happened when she dated someone sensible and reliable. She still didn’t believe Ethan’s cruel jibe about her being dull and boring just because she preferred not to take risks, but maybe Garth was right—perhaps she did need to be impulsive once in a while.

  “Mat said he’s going to talk Garth into coming to the party,” Stella said mischievously.

  Chloe thought about his lovely smile, and the way he’d kissed her cheek, his warm lips lingering there. It was only a party. She wasn’t marrying the guy, or even committing herself in any way. It would only be a bit of fun.

  “Okay, I’ll come,” she relented.

  “Yay.” Stella did a happy dance. “I’m thrilled.”

  “I can see that. Stop acting like a five year old and find your key.”

  Stella hugged her, though. “He’s such a nice guy, Chloe. I really think the two of you are going to get on well.”

  “We’ll see.” But Chloe couldn’t suppress a rising feeling of excitement at the memory of his eyes meeting hers, the spark shooting between them. He definitely wasn’t the safe option. But maybe, for once, that was a good thing.

  Chapter Ten

  When Chloe and Stella arrived at Omapere on the west coast, there were already several dozen cars parked along the grass bank by the beach house, even though the sun had only just passed its zenith. They made their way to the house, Stella hugging everyone in her usual gregarious way. Chloe smiled more reservedly, nervous about meeting so many new faces. But everyone was friendly and welcoming, and she soon began to relax when several people she knew came up to say hello.

  She handed over the alcohol and sodas they’d brought with them for the drinks table, placed the veggie kebabs on the table by the barbecue, and took the bread rolls the two of them had made that morning into the kitchen. She also had several large boxes of chocolates that she placed in the huge fridge. Normally she didn’t recommend putting chocolates in the fridge as the temperature could discolor them, but in the hot weather they’d end up in a puddle if she left them out.

  Alex, the owner of the beach house, walked into the room and came over when he saw them. Tall and sandy-haired, Alex had laughter lines around his green eyes. She didn’t know him well, but they’d all socialized together a few times, and he seemed pleasant enough.

  “Wow, this is some place you’ve got here,” she said.

  “I know.” He kissed her on the cheek, then Stella. “I was lucky enough to get a sizeable inheritance when a rich old aunt died. I couldn’t resist the place when I came to look at it.”

  “I can see why.” Chloe walked up to the big sliding glass doors. The huge state-of-the-art kitchen and impressive lounge were light and airy, and large windows looked out onto a fantastic view. The wooden deck outside led straight onto the beach, and the glittering blue Hokianga Harbor lay spread out before them, backed by golden sand dunes and the deep blue of the Tasman Sea in the distance.

  “I’m deeply envious,” she said. “It’s very kind of you to share it with us.” She turned to smile at Alex just in time to catch him looking at Stella as she bustled about in the kitchen.

  Oh...

  Alex caught Chloe’s eye and had the grace to look embarrassed, and he turned on his heel and took the packs of sausages and burgers outside.

  Stella glanced over at her and stared at Chloe’s smile. “What?”

  “You didn’t tell me.” Chloe came over and nudged her.

  “Didn’t tell you what?”

  “About Alex.”

  Stella blinked. “What about him?”

  “Don’t tell me you haven’t realized.” She indicated Alex as he walked across the deck to the barbecue. “He’s interested in you. It was written all over his face.”

  Stella stared after him. “You’re kidding me?”

  “Nope.”

  Stella blushed. “Oh my God.”

  “I’m guessing you like that idea.”

  “He’s gorgeous. I’d kill to hook up with a guy like him. I never thought he’d be interested in me though.”

  Chloe frowned. As tall as her, but as dark as Chloe was blonde, Stella had been her best friend at high school, and their friendship had been strong enough to survive Chloe’s shift to Whangarei with her mother at the age of fifteen. When she’d heard of Chloe’s plans to come back to the bay, Stella had immediately stated they were going to move in together, much to Chloe’s relief, and the two of them had picked up their friendship where they’d left off, as close as ever. But Stella’s self-confidence had always been low at school, and clearly it hadn’t improved since then.

  “What do you mean?” Chloe demanded. “You’re gorgeous.”

  “Stop it.” Stella’s whole face shone bright red and she waved her hand, refusing to talk about it any further. “Anyway, what’s up with you? You’re all chirpy cheep-cheep. Have you finally got Mr. Ethan Nob-Head out of your thoughts?”

  “Yes, I’m happy to say I’m moving on.”

  Stella started cutting open the rolls and buttering them. “Is
it something to do with the fact that Garth might be here today?”

  “Nope.” She hadn’t come to this party to see Garth. If he happened to turn up, she’d say hi, exchange pleasantries, and that would be the extent of it. She had important things going on in her life at the moment, big, life-changing events that were risky enough without the added complication of getting involved with an unpredictable guy. She wasn’t interested in him at all.

  Liar, said the devil in her ear.

  Ignoring it, she walked out through the sliding doors to the deck and onto the beach, cramming her straw hat on her head. She wore a short, cotton, tie-dyed dress, her favorite summer outfit, swirled with ocean-colored blues and greens. She had a bikini on underneath, but no way would she be brave enough to reveal that until she’d had a few glasses of Sauvignon.

  She paused on the beach, sinking her toes into the golden sand, the fresh sea breeze cleansing the tension from her body. It had been a difficult few months, what with the breakup with Ethan just before Christmas and the usual family problems over the festive season. She coped better with her mother nowadays, but just being around Nina Jackson stressed her out, and holidays only exacerbated the problem.

  “I didn’t know you were coming to the party.”

  She turned, surprised to see the smiling face of Nick Stewart. Wearing scruffy shorts and a bright flowery shirt, he looked boyishly handsome.

  “Oh, hi,” she said. “Likewise. How are you?”

  He shrugged. “Okay. Hey look, I just wanted to say again, I’m really sorry about the interview.”

  “That’s okay, I do understand, although I’m very sad for you.”

  “Yeah. It’s the end of an era.” He picked at the label of the beer bottle he carried and stared out to sea. “It’s been a terrible year, what with one thing and another. The whole thing about the shop has been the icing on the cake.”

  Chloe wondered what he meant by “one thing and another”. As if your business going under wasn’t bad enough. “Have you had any offers on the shop?”

  “Nah. Don’t expect any either.”

  The temptation to tell him about her plan made her bite her lip to stop herself blurting it out. She needed more time to finalize the details, and she didn’t want to raise his hopes until she was certain she could access the funds. The poor guy looked as if he’d had enough trauma lately without her adding to it.