When the door clicks shut, I collapse to the floor, embarrassed and upset. Tears cascade down my cheeks. If Seth hadn’t come around tonight, I’d be gone. Dead.
A cold shiver runs down my spine as I recall the chilling moment I decided I couldn’t tread water anymore. I was tired. I had no more fight left in me to kick myself to the shore. I owe Seth so much. What did he mean when he said he’d been where I was?
How can I face him again after tonight? Other than the naked part, there’s the almost drowning. He must think I’m a stupid immature girl, and I’m not. Tomorrow is a new day and I intend to live the life I’ve been given, so I’ll be going to Sherri’s first thing in the morning and accepting her offer of working with her at the bakery. It’s time to begin the next chapter.
Wiping away my tears and picking myself up off the floor, I shower in the hottest water I’ve ever had. My skin is pink from the heat, but it was needed.
After I’m dressed, I curl up in bed with thoughts of Seth and his lips. Closing my eyes, I see him with his usual charming grin, and my stomach ignites with butterflies, a perfect picture and feeling to send me to sleep.
Knock, knock, knock.
What’s that banging?
Rolling out of bed, I groggily stumble to the door, annoyed with whomever is on the opposite side. I swing it open and come face to face with someone I was only moments ago dreaming about undressing. “What the bloody hell do you want this early?” I decide to go with the angry tone so he isn’t aware of my desperate need to see what’s under those clothes, for real.
“Well, good morning, sunshine.” Seth greets me with his charming smile and presents me with a large ceramic travel mug full of coffee and hands me a bag of something warm.
“What are you doing here?” I demand, taking a sip of the delicious steaming coffee. “Come in.” I step aside, letting him pass.
“Thanks, this is from Nan. She did some baking this morning. It’s an everyday thing for her. I have to keep fit living with her by saving damsels in distress.” He winks, and fire spreads through my chest as I reminisce on the night before.
“So, it’s a regular thing for you, saving girls?”
“Not as often as I’ve had to help you out, but I don’t mind helping you.”
“You love it,” I tease. Seth erupts with laughter.
“Well yeah, I like you, I don’t want anything bad to happen to you, but I’m worried that one day I may not be there in time.” A deafening silence fills the room. Then it dawns on me, what if he didn’t come last night? Dread fills the pit of my stomach, I could have died if it wasn’t for Seth. No more Chloe, no more life to experience, no more opportunities to fall in love; and not just the infatuation kind, I’m talking the true heart pumping, weak knee kind of love. Like how Seth makes me feel every time I see him.
“Are you with me, Chloe?” Blinking my eyes, Seth’s concern- filled voice pulls me back to the present.
“Huh? What? Sorry, was somewhere else there for a moment. Ahh . . . so what are you doing here?” The thoughts I had seconds ago are still at the forefront of my mind, so I try to bring my head into the present. Looking at Seth, I notice his stare is soft, it’s as though he’s attempting to bore into my head and dig out my thoughts. “Well?”
“Well my lady, I’ve come to pick you up and take you to where the café will be.”
“I was planning to come see Sherri this morning and tell her I’d love to accept her offer,” I reply, then take a large gulp of coffee to wake me up quicker. It’s too early for all this hotness to be in my living room.
“Really?” he shifts toward me, invading my personal bubble. My knees feel as though they’re going to buckle beneath me.
“Yep.” I regard him, waiting to see what he’s going to do.
Without a word, he wraps me in his arms, giving me a tight bear hug. I hold my coffee away from us, thankfully, neither one of us end up wearing it. Although, seeing him with his shirt off again, might wake me up quicker than this drink. “This is awesome news! Quick, go and get yourself dressed, then we’ll go and check out the space.” He releases me, then his hand comes up and moves some hair that had fallen into my face away. I melt into his touch, wanting more. He steps back and falls into the empty recliner chair. His eyes travel up and down my body. “It’s great to see you’ve actually found yourself some clothes. I was worried you might answer the door in your birthday suit.” He chuckles.
I have half a mind to toss my hot coffee at him now, but can’t bring myself to waste something so delicious. Instead, I glare at him through slitted eyes. “You think you’re so bloody funny, don’t ya?”
“Funny is my middle name.”
“No, what’s funny is your actual middle name.” As I sit on the chair opposite him, he chokes on the mouthful of food he’d just swallowed. He shifts forward in his seat, regarding me closely. It’s now his turn to glare at me with slitted eyes. I waggle my eyebrows at him.
“You don’t know my middle name,” he accuses.
“Well, you’ll just have to wait and see. I’m a woman of many talents, Captain America,” I sing playfully.
His face looks as though it’s paled slightly in the last few seconds.
I can’t help laughing, taunting him some more.
“Seriously though, you don’t really know, do you?”
I pretend to zip my lips up and lock them shut, a cheeky grin spreading across my face. He’ll never know. I’ll use my wild card when I need it. Sherri is a butt-load of information. Such a chatty lady.
“Fine then,” he grumbles taking another bite of his pastry, “I’m sorry, I couldn’t help myself. How are you going? You okay?” His watchful eyes regard me, and I wonder if he’s attempting to evaluate what my reaction will be.
“Yeah, I’m okay. I’ll live.” I shrug, unsure of what else to say.
“So long as you’re sure. I’d hate for anything to happen to you, you’ve kind of grown on me.” He shrugs.
“Well, I should think so, especially since you’ve kissed me and even seen me naked. Not many guys have received such a privilege so early on in a relationship. Not that I’m saying we’re though.” I rush out the last part of that statement. What the hell am I saying? Sticking my big foot in my huge mouth. Bringing up the term relationship is not something I should be doing; it’s a banned word right now.
He nods, grinning from ear-to-ear. Damn smug guy. “See? You’re important to me.”
“Dude, I’ve only been here a short while.”
“Yeah, but you’ve made an impression on me.” He stands from the seat he was occupying, shoving the last of his pastry in his mouth, then claps his hands, removing the icing sugar. I hadn’t even had the chance to start my pastry yet; it sits on the brown bag on my knees. It’s a golden brown, puff pastry sprinkled with icing sugar. Lifting it to my mouth, I take my first bite and the fresh sweetened cream with lemon flavouring melts the moment it hits my tongue. My eyes close savouring its sugariness, a moan escapes me.
“Umm . . . do you want me to leave you alone with the pastry? Or I could take its place and taste you instead.” My eyes flick open, and see Seth sitting in the recliner again, watching me. He has a hungry look in his eyes. I don’t doubt for a moment he’d happily switch places with the pastry.
“Sorry, it’s so damn good!” It was such a delectable pastry. Give me a whole box of those and I’d be one happy girl, at least until the box was empty.
“I know. But you’d taste better,” he playfully teases, and I roll my eyes. If only he knew I’d probably take him up on the offer. Gah! Mental slap! These thoughts are just as bad as his tormenting me.
After I finish my delicious treat, I’m brushing the icing sugar from my pyjamas. “Finally! Took you long enough to eat that. Hurry, go and get dressed,” he pushes.
“Yeah, yeah give me a minute,” I snap as I race to the bedroom, doing a quick dig through my cupboard, trying to find something decent and appealing. I finally decide on a short, loose-fitting, white, flowy, spaghetti strap dress with yellow daisies. As I assess myself in the mirror, I pull my hair back and tie it into a messy bun. I bounce out of the room to find him reading my book I left on the couch a few nights ago. Crap! He’s going to think I’m a sex-crazed girl. Great . . . I hear him chuckling to himself while his eyes scan the pages. His laughter fills me with the happiness I need in my life right now. Our chemistry is something I didn’t experience with Chad or Ryan. Now that I think about it, they weren’t healthy for me, especially Chad, he was controlling and Ryan was always busy and away. Yeah away . . . his ploy. If we’d stayed together, he’d probably still be too busy for me. Seth is different in so many ways, like the way he looks at me with an adoring glint in his eyes. His flirtatious charm always puts a smile on my face and a passionate feeling in my chest.
Seth turns and sees me standing behind him. “You read this sex stuff?” he questions, waving the book at me, with a devilish grin plastered on his face.
“Shut up and let’s go.” I snatch the book from his hand, tossing it on the coffee table.
“Yes, let’s. I want to know how that scene ends as well; maybe one day we could try it in person.” There’s a hint of passion in his tone.
“Maybe in your dreams,” I retort, laughing as I follow him out the door.