She shook her head, stepping away from the stove. He watched her wipe the tears from her cheeks before they tracked down her face. “I’ve been asked out by Richard, the chef at the restaurant,” she said, startling him.
“What?”
Rachel stepped closer to the stove and began stirring once again.
“I know, he surprised me, too, but I don’t know if I should date a chef. I mean, they’re so controlling and like things done their way,” she said.
He couldn’t believe she was using him for dating advice, again. Chris hated being this person for her. He didn’t want to tell her who to date or how to date.
“Don’t date him,” Chris said, before he could stop himself.
She stopped stirring and looked at him. “What? Why?”
“Because he’d not right for you.”
When she’d lost her virginity, he’d known. Chris hated every new boyfriend or date that came into her life. He’d seen this Richard at the restaurant where she worked. Every time she got a new job, he checked the place out, making sure it was okay for her to work. Rachel’s care and safety meant everything to him.
“You don’t even know him. I want to date him.”
“No, you don’t.” He stood up, moving around the counter to take the spoon from her.
She glared at him, stomping to the other counter to get two plates from the cupboard. “I didn’t say anything to get your permission. I was telling you. He’s nice and sweet. Claire would have loved him.”
Chris couldn’t let her date another man. He needed to get his point across. “What if he’s messing with other women?”
“I’m going on a date with him. I’m not sleeping with him.” She hit him with her hip to budge him out of the way. “Besides, when are you going to be serious about one of your women?”
“I’m not.”
She served them both some food then took hers to the counter to sit. He sat beside her, inhaling her vanilla and cream scent.
They ate in silence, and all the time, Chris was thinking of how he could stop Rachel from dating the chef.
“Stay tonight,” he said, needing her to be close.
“Fine. I’ll stay.”
Christmas was a month away, and he didn’t want to spend it alone. Chris didn’t want to spend any more time alone. His feelings for Rachel were scaring him though. The women were a distraction, nothing more, nothing less. It wasn’t a good enough excuse, and he shouldn’t be using women to make himself deal with his feelings. Claire would kick his ass if she was alive.
The women had to stop, and he needed to figure out how to handle his feelings for Rachel. He wasn’t going to lose her because of his stupidity.
Chapter Two
Rachel rubbed her hands together even though she was wearing gloves. Chris was bending over to leave some flowers, and she was admiring the curves of his ass. She was a bad person for checking out his ass. Her sister was dead and had been for three years. There was no way he’d even look at her the way he looked at Claire. No words were spoken; there never needed to be.
The tears were no longer present either. Was she becoming a bad person for the fact she could no longer cry?
Shaking her head, she bounced on the heels of her feet to try to bring some heat back into her body. It was cold. Even wearing jeans, a sweater and a coat, she was still cold.
Chris took a step back, taking hold of her hand as he did.
“I do miss them.”
“I know.”
“I’ve accepted that they’re dead.”
She nodded. “They’re still loved though. We’ve got by without them.” She blew out a breath. “When Claire was going through her morbid stage she mentioned to me about letting you move on. Have you thought about dating again?” she asked.
Screwing everything in sight was a little different from dating. It would kill a part of her to see him settle down with another woman, but he deserved to find love again.
“I hated her morbid phase. I never thought anything she said would come true. It freaks me out when I think about it.” His hand tightened around hers.
“I know what you mean. I think she meant every word she said. I mean, she’d probably be happy with you finding someone you love. You need to get back out there and date someone.”
She smiled at him, trying to make light of it.
“Let’s go and get some coffee.” They’d not gone back to the café where they heard the news. She was surprised when he took her to the place where she worked.
“I didn’t know you knew where I worked,” she said, laughing.
He entered without smiling, and Steven, the guy on the door, greeted them.