Page 5 of Believe In Us

As the party wound down a while later, I went looking for Chloe. I’d unintentionally tracked her all night, glimpses of her hair, the sway of her hips. But now, she was nowhere to be found.

I headed toward the restrooms, down a quiet hallway. Just as I came around the corner, I collided with her. Plush curves collided with me. She gasped, startled, her eyes wide as she looked up.

“I was just looking for you,” I murmured.

For a few seconds, time stopped. One of her hands was resting on my chest, one of mine curled just above her hip. I could feel the rise of her chest with the swell of her breath. She jumped back, almost stumbling.

I reached out instinctively and steadied her. “Easy there. I promise I don’t bite.”

Her cheeks turned pink again.

“You ready to go?” I managed to ask.

The short drive to drop her off felt like driving through fire with sparks in the air, embers stoking hotter with every second.

When I stopped the truck in front of the house, she looked over. “Thank you for the ride,” she said, her low twang turning me inside out.

“Any time.”

“Oh shoot! I just realized my dad’s truck is in the shop. I’m not sure how to get out to the resort in the morning because my car’s there,” she suddenly said.

“I’ll pick you up. Gives me an excuse to get coffee and donuts.”

Her smile bloomed slowly. “Luna’s donuts are the best.”

“Most definitely.”

As we stared at each other, it felt as if the world was holding its breath.

She jumped a little. “Thank you!” she yelped, scrambling out of the truck. Just before the door closed, she added, “Also for chasing away the moose. Now I know what to do.”

As I drove away, a smile teased the corners of my lips.

Chapter Three

Chloe

Warning label required

“Why did I agree to Lincoln to picking me up?” I stared at myself in the mirror. “Because you need a ride,” I told my reflection.

“I should’ve just stayed out at the resort. Jesus, Chloe, you’re having a whole conversation with yourself. In the third person,” I muttered with an eyeroll.

I was running late, story of my life. I twisted my hair into a knot and stuck a pen through it. I always meant to have some kind of cute thing to stick through it, but that was totally not my style. I kept a spare change of clothes and toiletries at dad’s house for the times I spontaneously decided to stay with him, so I was at least dressed.

I hurried out of the bathroom into the living room and kitchen area at my dad’s apartment. Most of the time, I stayed at the resort, but I liked to stay here every so often. He glanced over at me from the kitchen table.

“Love seeing you, Chloe-girl, but you know I’m okay.”

“Dad, I just wanted to check on you.” While that was true, it had felt way too nerve-wracking to drive all the way out to Heartfire Falls with Lincoln last night, in his truck, where I was fairly certain my body might’ve detonated from the sheer heat of being near him.

“Well, I’m fine.” He flung his arms wide, as if in demonstration.

“I know you are, Dad.” I walked over and dusted a kiss on his cheek, my heart twisting a little.

“Where were you last night?”

“Dad, you just told me I didn’t need to stay here and now you want to know where I was?” He grinned. “I went to that event at Fireweed Winery.”