Deciding Love (29 page)

Right now though, her enthusiasm was just annoying. I grumbled something to her even I didn’t understand, and headed to my office. Of course she followed, because Cat always had to poke when she knew I was in a foul mood.

“Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning,” she said, leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed.

I sat down behind my desk and turned on my computer, hoping she’d just go away.

“What’s the matter with you?”

Guess not.

“Nothing, I’m just tired.”

“If you say so.” An annoying ringtone rang out and she jumped.

“Oh! That’s probably Chlo. She had a job interview this morning.” And then she was gone in the blur of activity that is Cat.

I sat there for a second in shock that she actually said anything to me that was Chloe related. Then I snapped out of it and got up, stopping in the office doorway to watch her talk on the phone. If I thought she’d tell me what happened when she got off, it didn’t happen.

From the sounds of it, Chloe got whatever job she’d interviewed for, but Cat didn’t say anything further. She got back to work, and as the other guys came in for their shifts, I returned to my desk to get to work too.

The next couple of days were like this. And as each day came and went, my mood spiraled lower. I didn’t see Chloe at all. Cat was constantly out during the evenings so I knew she was with her, but they never came by the home or shop.

On Thursday I was sitting at my desk, staring blankly at the papers in front of me as my mind raced with ways I could see Chloe. None of them seemed realistic. If I just showed up at her house, she was likely to call the cops on me.

How was I supposed to win her back if I never saw her?

“Hey, boss man,” Grey said, sticking his head into my office.

Grey was one of my more popular artists. He and I got along because he was just as silent and brooding as I was. His dark shaved head, and vivid blue eyes, along with all the tattoos that covered both arms, is what made him popular with all the female customers. The guy probably did more tramp stamps than anyone else. I had a feeling most of the girls that came here were coming just to get inked by him, not so much because they wanted a tat.

“What’s up?” I asked, leaning back in my chair, thankful for the distraction.

“I was going to head down to Gill’s for lunch. You want to come?”

“Sure,” I said.

“Rannon and Greg are going to meet us there.”

“I swear that guy never works.” Rannon spent more time at my shop than at his uncle’s.

We walked into Gill’s, the local sports bar, and were led to a booth by a girl who either had something in her eye, or was trying to flirt with us. It was hard to tell. Grey was in his mid-twenties, so he usually didn’t pay much attention to the younger girls that looked at him as if he were some sort of God. This girl was no exception. For all the effort she was making, it was a waste of time. I wasn’t any more interested than he was. All I wanted was Chloe.

“Your waitress will be right with you,” she said with a wide smile.

“Thanks, doll,” Grey said, earning a bright blush from the girl. She waltzed off in the mini black shorts all the girls wore in here, an extra sway in her hips.

I shook my head at him, grinning. Grey shrugged. We grabbed the menus and had just started to look them over when Greg and Rannon joined us.

“Boys,” Rannon greeted.

“Oh shit,” Greg said, his eyes wide on something over my shoulder. I started to look just as our waitress came up to our table.

Oh shit was right.

Chloe stood beside me, holding a pad of paper and wearing a guarded smile. My eyes dropped down the front of her, taking in the way the tight t-shirt hugged her breasts, and how long her legs looked in those tiny as fuck black shorts. Her hair was pulled up into some messy bun that had wisps of hair loose around her face, showing off her long neck.

And fuck me, her lips were painted bright red. I clenched my fists tightly as I drank her in.

“Hey guys, welcome to Gill’s,” she said, avoiding my eyes. “I’ll be your waitress today.”

“Does your brother know you’re dressed like that?” Rannon said, looking her over. I sent him a glare that he chose to ignore.

Chloe rolled her eyes. “What can I get you to drink?”

Everyone placed their orders and then her eyes landed on me.

“And for you, Kyle?”

“Just a water,” I managed to get out.

She nodded and then turned to leave us.

“I know she’s off limits, but damn is she hot,” Greg said.

“Who is she?” Asked Grey.

“That’s Colt’s sister,” Greg answered him, pissing me off more from the way he said it.

“
That’s
Colt’s sister?”

“That’s also the reason why our boy here is so miserable,” Rannon said, jerking his head toward me.

“Fuck off, Ran,” I said.

Grey gave me a measuring look. “That’s the reason, huh?” His eyes trailed over to where Chloe stood at the bar. “Makes sense.”

“What does?” I asked, about two seconds away from knocking all three of them out.

Grey shrugged. “Just that it usually has something to do with a girl. And when it’s one that looks like that?”

“Whatever,” I muttered, sinking low in my seat.

Chloe arrived back at our table, delivering our drinks while avoiding my face again. Her scent surrounded us, and all I could think about was what it was like to sleep with her in my arms, my face buried in that scent.

Everyone ordered their food before she left again. I watched her ass in those shorts, my pants getting uncomfortably tight. The girl had me wound tightly. I wasn’t even sure what I had ordered.

The guys all talked and laughed, but all I could do was follow her around the restaurant with my eyes. Every man in the place looked at her with lustful eyes, not that she seemed to notice. She was so damn sweet. She smiled and laughed with people in a way that was simple and genuine, not overly flirtatious like the other girls.

Anytime she came back to our table, she wouldn’t look at me. It was really starting to get on my nerves. I needed to get her alone again so I could force her to look at me. Even if it was just to say,
go to hell
, at least it was something.

When I spotted her disappear down the hall to the washrooms, I decided now was my only chance. Without saying a word to the other guys, I headed after her, my mind set on only one thing.

It was time to get my girl.

33

Chloe

I stared at my reflection, giving myself a stern pep talk.

“Ignore him, Chloe,” I said out loud. “He means nothing. He doesn’t deserve you. You can do this.”

Taking a deep breath, I pulled uselessly on the hem of the ridiculous shorts I had on, hoping to cover my ass. Then I gave myself one more,
you got this
, look before heading out of the washroom. Only to stop dead in my tracks.

Kyle leaned against the wall across from me, his arms crossed across his chest, showing off his thick arms. He was all in black, as per usual, and it made him look dark and dangerous. He was so hot. I hated him.

Having him here was making my second shift hell. I had avoided looking at him for the most part, but I knew he’d been watching. The hairs on the back of my neck had been on end this whole time, knowing that his eyes were on me.

Why couldn’t he just leave me be? Did he watch all his flings like this?

I met his gaze for a second before looking away. It was too hard. Every time I got caught in his gaze, all the tender moments we’d had together would come flying back.

I glanced down the hall, praying for someone to come down and save me, but it was just the two of us. I finally turned back to him, shifting from foot to foot.

“How is it, that after everything we’ve done together, you’re so nervous around me?” He said, breaking the silence between us.

“Who says I’m nervous around you?” I countered.

“Why do you look like you’re seconds away from bolting then?”

I gave him a hard smile. “Because I don’t like you,” I replied. “This is just me anxious to be away from you, not because you make me nervous.”

His eyes narrowed. “You don’t like me, huh?”

“Did you expect any different?”

He pressed his lips together before pushing off the wall. “Not really,” he admitted. “Although, I didn’t expect you to be a liar all of a sudden.”

He took a step toward me. I took an involuntary one back, hitting the door behind me. His body crowded me as he stepped closer again, his chest only inches from mine. His masculine scent filled my nostrils as I breathed in deeply. He smelled so good, I wanted to lean in closer.

“W-why am I liar?” I managed.

His head tilted toward mine, and against my better judgement, I lifted mine so that our lips drew closer.

Do not kiss him
, Chloe, I shouted at myself. It was hard to hear over the racing beat of my heart. I knew I shouldn’t want to kiss him, but at the same time it was all I could think about.

Kyle was always the best kisser. I couldn’t help but miss it.

He hurt you! He’s an asshole!

Yeah, but he was an asshole that knew how to kiss.

“You’re a liar because I can see how much your body wants to be close to mine. It’s not anxious at all to get away.” He reached out, stroking a finger along my collarbone. I shivered, my breath stuttering out my parted lips.

“Do you really hate me?” He whispered.

“Yes,” I whispered back.

His lips lifted in a crooked grin for a split second before they met mine. It wasn’t a tentative kiss that one might expect as a first kiss. Because this wasn’t our first kiss, even though it had been over half a year since the last time.

No, his mouth took mine as if he owned it. Like I was his. I moaned loudly as his tongue swept into my mouth, and before I knew what I was doing, my hands were gripping his shirt tightly, pulling him closer.

All my composure flew out the window as he pressed himself tightly against me, his obvious arousal straining through his jeans. I moved my hands up his chest and around his neck to grip the hairs at his nape. He growled against my lips as I used my grip to pull him against me even tighter. I’d never felt this needy in my life. Every sensitive part of me was aching for release. For Kyle. Only he could fix this feeling inside me.

Shit. What was I doing?

I ripped my mouth away from his, our breaths mingling as we panted.

“Chloe,” he said, his voice that gravelly sound that always happened when he was aroused.

“We can’t do this,” I said, untangling my fingers from his hair, and pushing at his chest until he took a step back. “I can’t do this. Not again.”

“Chlo-”

I held up a hand. “Stop, Kyle. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice? Shame on me, right? I’m not going to let you hurt me again. I’ve learned my lesson.”

He ran a hand through his hair, his breathing still coming out fast. Those dark eyes looked at me in a pleading way.

“It’s not going to happen again, Chloe,” he said. “I won’t hurt you. I promise.”

“I’ve heard that before, remember? I was different,” I said with a sad smile. Tears burned the back of my throat and it made me hate him even more. I was done crying over him. I didn’t want to be doing this again. Especially not here at work, when his friends were sitting out there waiting for me to serve them.

“You are different,” he insisted, taking a step toward me.

I shook my head. “No I’m not. No one is when it comes to you. Because you’re not different. You’re the same Kyle Briggs that everyone gets. The one who rocks your world for a couple of weeks and then throws you away.”

He flinched. “I’m not like that anymore. I want to give this another go.”

“No,” I said firmly.

He looked at me as though I had just slapped him. Part of me wanted to feel bad, but I knew I shouldn’t. He deserved this. And I knew everything he was saying was bullshit.

Because if I really was different, he could have never gone and slept with someone else the same day he had slept with me. I would never forget that betrayal. He might think he wants me back now, but I was sure it was just because he hadn’t seen me in a while. Once he had me again, he’d grow bored and go back to his usual ways. Who knew how many girls he’d been with since I’d left.

I took a few steps toward the end of the hall while looking at him. He seemed surprisingly speechless as he stood there, his hands clenching and unclenching at his side.

“Please leave me alone,” I said. I turned my back on him, walking away, but not before hearing his soft reply.

“I don’t know if I can.”

If Thursday’s events weren’t enough to ruin my week, Friday certainly sealed the deal.

I was waiting in the line at the drugstore, my arms full of shampoo and other beauty products, when I heard someone say hello from behind me. I’d turned, expecting to see someone from school. It wasn’t.

I almost dropped the items I was holding when I recognized the girl, Perrie, standing there with a nervous smile on her face.