Wednesday(12)

“And what about you?” Courtney asked, picking up the scent of desperation hanging on me like a dog. “Why haven’t you seen anyone? You haven’t dated in forever, Chloe.”

“Yeah, we should fix that,” Lynne said, smiling the evil grin that I knew meant she was on the prowl.

“I’m good, you guys. Thanks for your concern, but honestly, between running the inn and being there for Shaw, I just haven’t found time.”

“Perfect.” Courtney grinned. “No time like the present. There are plenty of single men here tonight.”

“Not interested,” I bit out through clenched teeth.

“Is there something going on between you and Shaw?” Courtney asked, tapping her chin.

“Of course not,” I blurted. I proceeded to spend the next five minutes trying to change the subject, only to have it return to my love life time and again.

“If there’s nothing going on, why does Shaw look like he wants to eat you alive?” Lynne asked.

I glanced over again. Dammit. He was watching me with that intense, angst-filled stare of his. The one that said we’d be between my sheets later, sweaty and groaning.

Just then, our waitress approached. “Ladies, these shots are from the gentlemen at the bar.” She tipped her chin toward a group of twenty-somethings in the corner, and then sat down three bright blue shots on our table. “They’re called Hawaiian Leg-Spreaders.”

“Bottoms up, girls!” Lynne said, grabbing her glass and giving Courtney’s a clink.

I lifted the glass to my lips and when I looked up, it was right into the eyes of Shaw. He was standing directly across from our table, about thirty feet away, quietly sipping a beer and watching me. I got the impression that he knew the shots were from a group of guys, and he was watching to see what I’d do.

I tipped the liquor into my mouth and swallowed. If he thought I was going to refuse a drink from another man just because he and I happened to be sleeping together, he was wrong. In fact, the way he was watching me, like he was my appointed babysitter for the evening, was pissing me off.

I continued chatting with my friends but all under the intense scrutiny of Shaw, who was casually leaning at a table now a mere twenty feet away.

“Come on. We have to go thank those guys who bought us shots,” Lynne said, sliding from her bar stool a few minutes later, all five-foot-nothing of her. She straightened her halter top.

“Yeah, and maybe buy them a shot in return. Something dirty . . . like a Screaming Orgasm.” Courtney chuckled.

I could feel Shaw’s intense stare on me, and somehow knew if I crossed the room to talk to those men, he’d follow.

“You guys go ahead. I’ll catch up to you.”

“Come on, Chloe!” Courtney begged.

“I have to pee. Two minutes. I’ll be right there,” I promised. I needed to see what the hell was going on with Shaw.

I hopped down off my bar stool and started toward the restrooms. From the corner of my eye, I saw Shaw give chase but continued on my path, ignoring the looming presence I felt behind me.

He caught up to me in the deserted back hallway, and I spun around to face him.

“Why aren’t you over there preening yourself in front of those men like your friends are doing?” he asked, cornering me.

I swallowed and thrust my chin up, forcing my eyes to meet his. I was met with a dark, angry stare.

“Because I’m not here to meet men.” That was true. The reason? The man I’d always desired stood exactly two feet in front of me.

He made a murmured sound of approval in his throat.

“And what about you? What are you doing here?”

He shrugged, and I knew that was the only answer I was going to get.

“Well, if you’ll excuse me . . .” I tried to sidestep around him to head to the restroom, but two large hands gripped my waist and forced me up against the wall.

And then his mouth descended on mine and he was kissing me—his tongue probing, my lips parting and knees weakening. He’d kissed me only once since we were teenagers—back that first time in the bathroom at Samantha’s parents’ house. But he was kissing me now and his mouth was hot and sweet and tender.

I kissed him back, sucking his tongue and groaning into his mouth when his steely erection nudged at my belly.

Reckless. This was reckless. Someone could see us.

Seconds later, his mouth was gone. I blinked up into eyes alit with passion. Then, before I could process what was happening, he pulled me farther down the hall. He opened a door to a broom closet and pulled us inside, where we were surrounded by darkness and the subtle scent of wood polish.

“Shaw, what are we—”